Item Info

Accession Number: 95-1043
Physical Description: [4] pages + envelope
Transcription:

                                                                             48 Doughty Street
                                                                                         Sunday Morning March 3rd.
My Dear Sir.
I read your note last night with heartfelt pain and sorrow.  But I hope and believe from the very depth and strength of your affection for your dead child, will arise your best and truest consolation.
The certainty of a bright and happy world beyond the Grave, which such young and untried creatures (half Angels here) must be called away by God to people--the thought that in that blessed region of peace and rest there is one spirit who may well be supposed to love and watch over those whom she loved so dearly when on earth--the happiness of being always able to think of her as a young and promising girl, and not as one whom years and long sorrow and suffering had changed--above all, the thought of one day joining her again where sorrow and separation are unknown--these are all sources of consolation which none but those who have suffered deep affliction can know in all their force, and which will whisper comfort and resignation to you and your poor wife.
To many, these would sound as very very slight considerations to fortify the mind against such a loss.  It is nearly two years ago since I lost in one short night a young and lovely creature whom--I can say even to you now--I loved with the warmest affection that our nature is capable of, and in whom I had the fondest father's pride.  The first burst of anguish over, I have never thought of her with pain--never.  I have never connected her idea with the grave in which she lies.  I look upon it as I sometimes do upon the clothes she used to wear.  They will moulder away in their secret places, as her earthly form will in the ground, but I have long since learned to separate her from all this litter of dust and ashes, and to picture her to myself with every well-remembered grace and beauty heightened by the light of Heaven and the power of that Merciful Being who would never try our earthly affections so severely but to make their objects happy, and lead our thoughts to follow them.
I venture to hope my dear Sir, that the day is not far distant when you will be able to think of this dear child with a softened regret which will have nothing of bitterness in its composition--when it will be a melancholy but not a painful satisfaction to call up old looks and thoughts and turns of speech--and when you will be able to reflect with a grateful heart that those who yield most promise and are most richly endowed, commonly die young, as though from the first they were objects of the Almighty's peculiar love and care.  It is, no doubt, a heavy blow to lose so sweet a child; but who that loved her would call her back, if any soul could return to tell the bliss of that distant land to which she has winged her early flight?
Receive my Dear Sir the assurance I cannot refrain from conveying to you at such a time as this, of my earnest and sincere sympathy and warm regard.  And may the influence which the blessed spirits of those who have toiled on earth, have been supposed by many good and wise men to exercise over sorrowing mortals, bring comfort to you and yours in this sad bereavement.
                                                                                  My Dear Sir, I am always,
                                                                                         Faithfully Yours
                                                                                                    CHARLES DICKENS
Mr. W. Bradbury.

MssDate: Sunday morning March 3rd [1839]
Media Type: Letters
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes:

Accompanied by photocopies of letter and envelope, and photocopy of transcription.
Record created by BZ.

Recipient: Bradbury, William, 1800-1869
Provenance: Finch 2/14/95, Benoliel Fund.

Bibliography:

The Letters of Charles Dickens, Pilgrim Edition, Volume One, 1820-1839, p. 515-516.

Country: Creation Place Note:48 Doughty Street
Country:England
City/Town/Township:London

Call Number: DL B726w 1839-03-03
Creator Name: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 - Author