The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To BLANCHE PAXTON,1 30 OCTOBER 1849

MS David J. Holmes Autographs.

October 30th. 1849

To Miss Blanche Paxton2

CHARLES DICKENS

JOHN FORSTER

DOUGLAS JERROLD3

FRANK STONE4

AUGUSTUS EGG5

JOHN LEECH6

his mark7

MARK LEMON8

• 1. Blanche Paxton (1831-90), second of the six daughters of (Sir) Joseph Paxton (1801-65; Dictionary of National Biography): see Pilgrim Letters 4, p. 411n.
• 2. The “letter” is properly a sheet of autographs, possibly for Blanche’s collection. All the signatories, besides being friends of CD, were associates in his amateur theatricals.
• 3. Douglas William Jerrold (1803-57; Dictionary of National Biography), writer and wit; author of Black-Eyed Susan, 1829: see Pilgrim Letters 1, p. 192n.
• 4. Frank Stone (1800-59; Dictionary of National Biography), painter: see Pilgrim Letters 1, p. 487n.
• 5. Augustus Egg (1816-63; Dictionary of National Biography), artist: see Pilgrim Letters 5, p. 113n.
• 6. John Leech (1817-64; Dictionary of National Biography), comic artist; one of the chief illustrators of CD’s Christmas Books, 1843-8: see Pilgrim Letters 1, p. 168n.
• 7. Between “his” and “mark” Leech inserted his punning “trade mark” sketch of a leech (used for medicinal purposes) in a glass jar.
• 8. Mark Lemon (1809-70; Dictionary of National Biography), playwright and editor of Punch, 1841-70: see Pilgrim Letters 3, p. 469n.