Item Info

Accession Number: 87-584
Physical Description: [2] pages
Material: paper
Transcription:

  Gad’s Hill Place,
  Higham by Rochester, Kent.
  Sunday Tenth December 1865
My Dear Owen. I have sent the Secretary of the Sunday League, a letter of which I enclose you a copy. It is clear to me that they are wrong in their facts, and that the time is not ripe for the proposed Lectures. They cannot get Working Men together in sufficient force to declare their desire for that Sunday recreation. On the other hand, their opponents can (and do) get working men together in sufficient force to put them down and declare that they don’t want it.
  Ever Cordially Yours
  CD
 
  copy
My Dear Sir
  You will remember that when the Deputation from your Society did me the honor to wait upon me respecting my reading one Sunday night at St. Martins Hall, I expressed my doubts of our having an audience really bent upon such harmless use of a Sunday Evening, and my fears that a project originating in the best intentions, might engender a scene of ill will and contest. You will also remember that your deputation, in reply, gave me the strongest assurances of their perfect acquaintance with the feeling of Working Men on the subject, and of their absolute certainty that my objections are unfounded.
  The honesty and good faith of this reply, I do not for an instant impugn. But the proceedings at a recent Public Meeting called by yourselves, convince me that it is a mistake. I withdraw my promise to read, solely on the ground that you have not been able to prove your case, and that the proof is against you. In so doing, I think it right to forward a copy of this note, to my friend Professor Owen.
  I am &c
Mr. Morrell

MssDate: Sunday Tenth December 1865
Media Type: Letters
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes:

At bottom of the first page on continuing on the second page is a hand-written copy of a letter sent to Mr. Morrell, referenced in the letter to Mr. Owen.

Recipient: Owen, Richard, 1804-1892
Provenance: Gift of Mrs. D. Jacques Benoliel, 12/1956.

Bibliography:

Volume 11, pp. 105, 107, 121, The Letters of Charles Dickens, edited by Madeline House & Graham Storey ; associate editors, W.J. Carlton … [et al.].

Country: Creation Place Note:Gad's Hill Place
Country:England
City/Town/Township:Higham by Rochester, Kent

Call Number: DL Ow2r 1865-12-10
Creator Name: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 - Author