The Charles Dickens Letters Project

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How to cite:

Individual letter:

Dickens, Charles. To [addressee], [date of letter]. Charles Dickens Letters Project, ed. Leon Litvack, Emily Bell, Lydia Craig and Jeremy Parrott (London: Dickens Fellowship). [URL of individual letter], [date of access].

Database:

Charles Dickens Letters Project, ed. Leon Litvack, Emily Bell, Lydia Craig and Jeremy Parrott (London: Dickens Fellowship), DickensLetters.com.

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Period:

1861-1870

Theme(s):

social engagements

To FANNY BENNETT,1 8 APRIL 1869

MS Lawrences Auctioneers, Somerset. Address: Miss Fanny Bennett | 11 Seymour Street | Liverpool. PM Liverpool 8 Apr.

Adelphi Hotel Liverpool | Thursdy Eighth April 1869.2

Mr. Charles Dickens presents his compliments to Miss Fanny Bennett and regrets that he could not have the pleasure of availing himself of her courteous invitation to attend her concert last night.3 But he found himself obliged to remain within doors for rest all the evening.

1. A music teacher and amateur singer, “long valued” in Liverpool, who had occasionally assisted “charitable objects” (Liverpool Mercury, 8 Apr 1869).
2. Address and date at foot of letter: the “a” omitted from “Thursday”. CD read in Liverpool, 5, 6 and 8, 9 April.
3. Miss Bennett gave her “annual concert” at the Lord Nelson Street concert hall (formerly the Socialist or Owenite Hall of Science), with the Mayor and his party in attendance. She sang several pieces “with excellent taste”, including Sir Henry Bishop’s Echo song, which was encored (Liverpool Mercury, 8 Apr 1869).