The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To GEORGE HERBERT RODWELL,1 2 MARCH 1844

Text from facsimile in Sotheby’s on-line catalogue, November 2001. Address: G. Hubert Rodwell | 21 Brompton Row.

Devonshire Terrace

Saturday Second March 1844.

Dear Sir

I have been out of town,2 or I would have answered your letter before – Mr. D’Almaine3 is at perfect liberty to use the Lithograph for the purpose proposed.4 And pray thank that gentleman in my name for the handsome book5 he had so kindly sent me by your hands.

Faithfully Yours

 CHARLES DICKENS

G. Hubert6 Rodwell Esquire

• 1. George Herbert Rodwell (1800-52; Dictionary of National Biography), author, musical director and composer: see Pilgrim Letters 4, p. 40n. He was responsible for the songs in Stirling’s dramatic version of the Carol, which opened 5 February: see To Forster, 21 Feb 44.
• 2. CD had been in Liverpool and Birmingham, 25-29 February.
• 3. Of D’Almaine & Co., music publishers of 20 Soho Square.
• 4. On 6 February, CD had given Rodwell permission to illustrate his “The Song of Christmas” with a Carol design. D’Almaine published the song with Leech’s illustration, “Scrooge’s Third Visitor”, on the cover, with the note: “Copied from the original etching in the Christmas Carol by express permission of the Author, Charles Dickens”. Presumably Rodwell had sent CD for approval a proof of the lithograph version of the Carol’s etching.
• 5. Not identified.
• 6. Thus in MS.