The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To MARION ELY,1 8 NOVEMBER 1843

Summary and facsimile in Bonham’s catalogue, 23 March 2004: MS 2 pp.

Devonshire Terrace | Eighth November 1843.

My Dear Miss Ely.

We shall be delighted to participate in the festivities of Mary’s2 birthday. – I was going to say Little Mary’s, but Heaven help us – she must be dreadfully big by this time! Mrs. Harris3 says, only last evenin, as she never see a hand which giv her sech pleasure as yourn;4 not only on account of its bein sech a beautiful hand in itself, but because of its bein so familiar in the hold times as is gone and past fora hevermore amen.

• 1. Marion Elizabeth Ely (1820-1913), daughter of Charles Ely and Sara, née Rutt; niece of Rachel Talfourd (1792-1875), wife of CD's friend Thomas Noon Talfourd (1795-1854).
• 2. Mary Talfourd (1828-1901), the elder of Talfourd’s two daughters; married William Wreford Major, April 1856.
• 3. Mrs Gamp and her imaginary friend Mrs Harris first appeared in the August 1843 No. of Martin Chuzzlewit (Ch. 19). For another Mrs Harris joke, see To Ely, [29 Nov 43] (Pilgrim Letters 3, p. 602).
• 4. Ely’s handwriting was a running joke with CD: see e.g. To Ely, 2 Dec 44 (Pilgrim Letters 4).