DICKENS CHARLES: (1812-1870) The young Dickens offers literary advice, and writes of communicating with the dead

DICKENS CHARLES: (1812-1870) The young Dickens offers literary advice, and writes of communicating with the dead

DICKENS CHARLES: (1812-1870) English novelist. An interesting, early A.L.S., Charles Dickens (a good example with paraph), four pages, 8vo, Doughty Street (King´s Cross, London), n.d., (´Wednesday morning´, 1838), to William John Bellew Archer (´Sir´). Dickens states that he has read his correspondent´s paper with great attention ´and have been very much pleased and greatly struck by it´, and returns it to Archer with a few suggestions that he hopes Archer will not object to complying with (´If so, I shall be happy to receive it again at your convenience´). Dickens continues to offer his advice, ´I would condense - greatly condense - the opening scene with the priest, so that the reader might come to the story. I would materially shorten the commencement of the story itself, and I would describe a little more forcibly the hero´s boldness when he sees the shade and rushes after it, and his fear when he finds it gone - it is a very natural idea, and would bear a few lines more´, further remarking ´I reserve my final suggestion for a fresh paragraph, because it is a sweeping one. I beg you to understand that I leave it entirely to yourself, and if you prefer the paper in its present shape, do not make the alteration an indispensable condition of its appearance in the magazine. But to my mind you would make the tale a much better one if you wholly omitted the visit of the priest.....to the castle.....adding a few words to the effect that our spirits commonly hold intercourse with those of the beloved dead in waking thoughts and dreams in which we see them (knowing them to be no longer of this world) without fear or pain, and that if there be any case in which strong and blameless sympathy could be supposed to bring the dead and living together, it would be such a case as you describe´. Dickens concludes his letter stating ´I have thrown out these crude remarks very hastily, and trust you will not consider them hypercritical or impertinent´. A letter of fine content for the literary advice Dickens offers to his correspondent, as well as his thoughts on communicating with the dead. Some light signs of age toning and former mounting to some edges of the pages, evidently a result of previous framing, otherwise about VG

William John Bellew Archer (1806-1872) English clergyman, Perpetual Curate of Churchill, Somerset 1840-69, British Chaplain at Worms 1851-59, and Vicar of Churchill 1870-72. The story which Archer had written was evidently submitted for consideration as a contribution to the literary magazine Bentley´s Miscellany of which Dickens was the first editor (1836-39).

Charles Dickens lived with his wife, Catherine, at 48 Doughty Street (today the Charles Dickens Museum) from March 1837 until December 1839. They were joined there by Catherine´s sister, Mary Scott Hogarth, who assisted with household chores. Mary died suddenly, at the young age of 17, in May 1837 and her death had a deep effect on Dickens. The novelist considered Mary ´a close friend, an exceptional sister, a companion at home´ and greatly valued her input and feedback.

Written in the year following Mary´s death, the present letter is of particular interest for the remarks Dickens makes on communicating with the dead. The novelist dreamt of his sister-in-law every night for months after her death and, in a letter of 1843, confided that Mary appeared to him day and night, ‘sometimes like a ghost, sometimes in the flesh, without bitterness, without regret, and always with the same air of quiet happiness´ - his words echoing those in the present letter, written some years earlier.