The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To EDWARD CHAPMAN,1 28 JUNE 1849

Replaces mention in Pilgrim Letters 5, p. 559.
Text of first page (aa) from facsimile in Sarasota Estate Auction online catalogue, July 2023; text of second page (bb) from seller’s transcription.

aDevonshire Terrace
Twenty Eighth June 1849

My Dear Sir

      I have a manuscript in my possession — written by a man who is known in literature2— which will make a little book of about 150 pages. The idea is perfectly new, I will engage (for I have read it) and extremely well treated. The foundation of the story (with an excellent title) is the illustration of certain simple3 truths in Natural History, and it suggests, to people young and all, a variety of pleasanta band instructive considerations. I have no doubt whatever that it is a meritorious performance; and, if I were a publisher, I should be very sanguine of its success. With judicious treatment, I really believe it might sell for some time. I have promised the author my best endeavours to call attention to this piece, and I am in a condition to dispose of it. I want fifty pounds down, but I have not the least idea of giving a hard bargain, and getting that, irrevocably, and not putting the copyright out of the author's power, in the case of the publisher being well paid, would consent to any reasonable arrangement whatever. […]4 exactly what the idea is, and so give you another means of forming a judgement as to the expediency of entertaining the scheme. But time presses and I want to get the business off my hands. All that I have said of the thing, I am perfectly convinced it deserved. I have a very strong belief that it would be an extremely creditable undertaking, with a good sound prospect of success.5

      Faithfully Yours

      CHARLES DICKENSb

• 1. Edward Chapman (1804–80), son of a Richmond solicitor; partner in the firm Chapman and Hall, 186 Strand, publishers of CD’s works.
• 2. The didactic fantasy by Richard Hengist Horne (1802–84), originally entitled “A Romance of Science”, showing the relativity of visual impressions. Published anonymously in late Dec 1849 as The Poor Artist; or, Seven Eye-sights and One Object, (London: John Van Voorst, 1850).
• 3. ‘simple’ written above the caret.
• 4. The auctioneer’s transcription is distorted at this point: it reads, “If you think that supposing your opinion approached near to mine — you would take such a work on such a Owen or I would tell you condition, you shall have the manuscript to read. It is dedicated to”. CD is trying to convince Chapman that the manuscript is worth reading; he also indicates that the volume is dedicated to the comparative anatomist and palaeontologist Richard Owen (1804–92; Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
• 5. CD wrote to Horne on 1 July: “On Thursday I wrote to Chapman, telling him I had a Manuscript — author known in Literature — of which I thought highly — which was very new —  very good— and might, I thought, with a very little management, succeed well. That I was not disposed to make any hard bargain with it, but I must make a quick one, must have Fifty Pounds down, subject to no after deductions or accountings, and must prevent the copyright from passing from the author—who, in short, supposing the Publisher properly paid for his venture, must then come in. I added that if he thought there was a probability of his acceding to such terms, he should see the MS. Otherwise, I would rather with-hold it” (Pilgrim Letters 5, p. 561). CD forwarded the manuscript to Chapman, but he did not publish the volume.