The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To SIR JAMES EMERSON TENNENT,1 3 JULY 1867

MS University of Rhode Island Special Collections.

GAD’S HILL PLACE, | HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT.

Wednesday Third July, 1867

My Dear Tennent

I write this, not knowing whether you are in Ireland yet, or in London. Mrs. Stanfield2 wants to get a nomination to a clerkship in the Board of Trade, for her youngest son, Herbert.3 I suppose that the son of the great National Painter ought to have some special chance of getting so small a recognition of his father’s greatness. Disraeli4 (to whom I wrote on the subject) instantly gave me a nomination to a clerkship in the National Debt Office.5 But I cannot benefit by it, because the young man has not studied for that examination, and has for this. (The National Debt Office appears to be the Department in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer has direct patronage.) Can you help me, out of your experience of the Board of Trade?6 If you cannot, will you tell me to whom you would advise me to write7 on behalf of the son of my late dear friend?

Sir James Emerson Tennent

Ever Faithfully Yours

 CHARLES DICKENS

• 1. Sir James Emerson Tennent (1804-69; Dictionary of National Biography); politician and author. Probably long known to CD, as early friend and fellow law-student of Forster’s, and a member of the Macready circle by 1836; contributor to All the Year Round. Our Mutual Friend dedicated to him
• 2. Rebecca Stanfield, née Adcock (1808-75), wife (married 1825) of Clarkson Stanfield (1793-1867; Dictionary of National Biography), marine and landscape painter, one of CD’s oldest friends. Stanfield had died in May.
• 3. Edward Herbert Stanfield, 1845-1931. Mrs Stanfield wrote to CD, asking help to obtain for Herbert a supplementary clerkship in the Treasury or, failing that, in the Board of Trade (To Disraeli, 16 June 67, n. 3).
• 4. Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81; Dictionary of National Biography), politician and author; Chancellor of the Exchequer 1866-68. CD wrote to him, 16 June, and Disraeli, replying that he would “put the matter in train”, noted that “it is a duty to serve the son of Stanfield, & it is a pleasure...to oblige you” (Pilgrim Letters 11, p. 379, n. 4). See also To Fremantle, 28 June 67: Fremantle was Disraeli’s private secretary.
• 5. Reduction of the National Debt Office, 19 Old Jewry; the Chancellor of the Exchequer was one of the Commissioners.
• 6. Tennent was one of the Secretaries of the Board of Trade.
• 7. For Tennent’s reply, see To Mrs Stanfield, 5 July 67; see further To Tennent, 7 July 67, and To Mrs Stanfield, 10 July 67. Herbert became a clerk in an insurance company and eventually a branch manager.