Item Info

Accession Number: 87-847
Physical Description: [4] pages
Transcription:

 

 Devonshire Terrace.

Thirteenth June 1848.

My Dear Mrs. Tagart.

I am very much occupied myself, with this matter for Sheridan Knowles, and must write briefly.

I cannot, of course, speak decisively as to the feeling that may exist among Hunt's literary friends in reference to this new application, nor have I had an opportunity of interchanging a word with any one on the subject, since I saw you on Sunday. My impression is, however, that it will be extremely difficult if not absolutely impossible to call forth any general answer among them to the present appeal. My own conviction of the hopelessness of the five hundred pounds required, doing any real service to any one on earth, even if the sum were raised tomorrow, is so strong that I do not feel justified in drawing on any literary man who can ill afford the money, by putting down my own name for ₤5. Nor could I conscientiously do anything in such a case, but bring up the rear of the subscription of it approached the desired amount—and then in spite of my persuasion—my certainty—that it is an absurdity, and that, for any good it will do Hunt, it might as well be left alone. This letter is, of course, between yourself and Mr. Tagart and me. As to what the Northampton gentleman writes of “debts unavoidably contracted before the recent grants”, I can only say that I was one of some five or six who, not quite a year ago, when we were about to act those plays in the country, did, again and again, ask Hunt what money would set him clear of the world. Advancing on what we could get out of him, considerably, we put that sum at ₤250. Those ₤250 were got, and paid to him. We went into debt ₤50 to make up the money. For that sum we are responsible, and it is not paid yet, out of our acting proceeds.

Mrs. Dickens and Georgy unite with me in best regards. We very much regret that on Wednesday the 21^st. we are hopelessly engaged.

Dear Mrs. Tagart

Faithfully Yours always

Charles Dickens

 

 

MssDate: Thirteenth June 1844
Media Type: Letters
Source: Rare Book Department
Recipient: Tagart, Helen Bourne.
Provenance: Howell 4/8/58

Bibliography:

 The Letters of Charles Dickens, Volume Five: 1847-1849, ed. Graham Storey and K. J. Fielding. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981,  p. 337.

Country: Creation Place Note:Devonshire Terrace
Country:England
City/Town/Township:London

Creation Year: 1848
Call Number: DL T126h 1848-06-13
Creator Name: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 - Author