Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-07-24
GREAT SALE OF DICKENS RELICS
Dispersion of the Wright Collection in
london for Very Large Prices.

| london for Very Large Prices.
! That Dickens is the most popular of
English authors, and that ''the boom"
in his novels is still on the increase,
the record of yesterdays proceedings
at Sotheby's proves to demonstration.
Very animated were the biddings, and
| thousands of pounds were quickly ex-
changed for relics which may easily
| become priceless-fOr the present I'M
precedented dispersal has exhausted
| the supply Early in the sale came
souvenirs of the youthful Dickens's
love for the theatrical world, and his
almost juvenile writings for the stage
which always held practical attrac-
tons for his Imagination. For the
ST. James theater Dickens wrote in
the Pickwick year, 1886, the Strange
Gentleman, comic burletta in two
acts, by Boz, first performed Septem-
Der 20, 1886; in its original form, one
of the scarcest of Dickens's works, es-
pecially when furnished with the rare
etching by Phiz which formed the
! frontispiece to the published version.
| Mr. Wright's copy brought the record
price of G84; it was purchased by
Frank Sabin, and it's enhanced value
was accounted for by the circumstance
that the copy in question also con-
tanned the original drawing designed
by Phiz for The Strange Gentleman,
bearing remarks in Dickens's hand
writing; the play-bill of the perform
ance and an illustration by John
Leech of j. P. Harley in the character
role The copy of Dickens's COM
panion contribution, the same year, to
the boards of the st. James theater,
comic opera in two acts, by Boz, the
music by John Hullah, was also Sc
cured by F. Sabin for G36 los the
high figure being justified in this in
stance by the fact that this first edi-
ton was presentation copy" from
Dickens, with his own autographs in
scription, to 'J. P Hullah, Esq, from
the Author, 9Th January, 1887"
Some time before Dickens practi-
cally stormed the footlights at the st.
James theater he had made his debut
within the family circle with manu-
script burlesque, 90 Tello," an I'M
published travesty of Othello. Mr..
Wright, whose collecting zeal nothing
was allowed to escape, had happily Sc
cured the opening of this work; other
sheets of this interesting manuscript
have been seen, but are now dis
persed, without advantage Of photo
graphic facsimile being taken Vastly
interesting is this quarto page of the
earliest preserved dramatic writing
of the great novelist John Dickens, his
father (also professionally connected
with the Daily News in early days.,
with evident pride in young Charles S
dramatic instincts, had added note
worthy memorandum: '"This page is
from the unpublished travesty writ
ten by Charles Dickens for private per
Torrance in his own family (1833)
and is in his own handwriting. The
Great Unpaid was your humble ser
want, John Dickens, Arlington, 9Th
June, 1872" According to r. Lang
toms work on "The Childhood and
Youth of Charles Dickens" when no
more than nine years Of age Dickens
tried his boyish hand on a tragedy,
''Misnad; or, The Sultan of India,
and later on, while reporting for his
uncle's Mirror of Parliament" he
wrote this "Travestie O'Tello," as de-
scribed Mr. Sabin, who has had in
possession other fragments of this
early burlesque, secured the opening
scene for G35. It is to be regretted
that the scattered leaves cannot be
brought together, and some literary
record secured of this spirited pro
ductiOn.
More Juvenile writings were repre-
sented within the leaves of Dickens's
old petty cash book, kept by the lac
when he fulfilled the instructive func-
tons of lawyers clerk in the office Of
Edward Blackmore in Lincoln's Inn
fields. The first entry in Dickens's
handwriting is dated January 5, 1928
He was at that date 16 years of age
and was imbibing fruitful experiences
!, with remarkable avidity for future
use, as his subsequent writings vividly
exemplify. The lawyers and lawyers
clerks introduced with such lifelikt
effect in the 'Pickwick Papers" were