The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To THE REV. WILLIAM VALENTINE,1 9 FEBRUARY 1854

Text from facsimile in Alexander Autographs online catalogue, 4 May 2005.

Tavistock House | Ninth February 1854.

Mr. Charles Dickens presents his compliments to the Reverend William Valentine, and begs to express his regret that his occupations will not admit of his being present on the 22nd. to hear the interesting lecture of his esteemed friend Mr. Layard.2 And asMr. Dickens has a great objection to associating himself, merely in name, with anything, and would feel such a proceeding particularly discourteous3 in the case of so justly eminent a man, he is obliged to send this reluctant apology for not complying with Mr. Valentine’s request.4 

• 1. The Rev. William Valentine (?1787-1873), Minister of St Thomas’s, Arbour Street, Stepney: see Pilgrim Letters 5, p. 392n.
• 2. Austen Henry Layard (1817-94; Dictionary of National Biography), excavator of Nineveh and Liberal politician. After working in a London solicitor's office, travelled in Turkey and Persia; commissioned by Stratford Canning, British Ambassador to Constantinople, to explore site of Nineveh 1845. Published Nineveh and its Remains 1848-9. Superintended further excavations 1849-51. Returned to England Spring 1851. Liberal MP Aylesbury 1852-7; Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs 1852. Knighted 1878. Layard lectured on his Discoveries at Nineveh at the Beaumont Institution, Mile End Road, on the evening of 22 Feb. Proceeds went to the National Schools and other charities in Valentine’s parish.
• 3. “court” written over other letters.
• 4. Presumably to have his name announced as supporting Layard and the lecture’s charitable purposes.