The San Francisco call., 1905-02-17
DICKENS RELICS
WILL Be SOLD
Interesting Notes Penned by
the Famous Novelist to
Be AuctiOned in London
WHISTLER EXHIBITION
Leigh Hunts House Is Soon
to Be Torn Down to Make
y Room for New Buildings
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LONDON, Feb. 1e.-Some of the most
genuinely interesting letters of Charles
Dickens in existence at the present time
will be sold at auction in London this
month. They were written by the au-
thor of ''Pickwick" to George Cater
mole, who illustrated 1.-The Old Curtos-
ity Shop" and "Barnaby Rudge." Cat
termole was one of Dickens favtrite
illustrators. as we'll as his close friend
The letters show what detailed sug-
gestions Dickens was in the habit of
making regarding the pictures for his
novels. The following one, written by
Dickens to Cattermole in 1S41, refers to
drawing for "Barnaby Rudge":
Can you do for me by Saturday evening? I
know the time is short, but think the subject
will suit you, and l am greatly pressed.
party of rioters with Hugh and Simon Taper
fit conspicuous among them) in old John Will
let's bar-turning the liquor taps to their own
advantage smashing bottles-cutting down the
grove of lemons-sitting astride on casks
great cheese-smoking sacred pipes, etc, etc.
John Willet fallen backward in his chair. re-
garding them with stupid horror. and quite
alone among them with none of the Maypole
customers at his back. It's in your way. and
you'll do ii a hundred times better than j can
suggest it TO you, / know
Evidently he did; for in another let
ter to Cattermole, dated August 19,
1871, Dickens says: John Willet's bar
is noble Then he outlines another
"Barnaby Rudge" picture as follows:
When Hugh and a. small body of the rioters
cut off from the Warren unbeknown to their
pals, they forced into a ramshackle postchaise
Dolly Warden and Emma Haredale, and bore
them away with all possible rapidity one OF
their company driving and the rest running be-
side the chaise. climbing up behind, sitting
on the top, lighting the way with their torches,
etc. etc II you can express the women inside
without showing them-as by futtering veil
a delicate arm forth appearing at the
half-closed window-so much the better Mr.
Tappertit stands on the steps, which are partly
down. and. hanging on to the window with one
hand and extending the other with great males
ty. addresses n few words of encouragement
to the driver and attendants
Cattermoles drawings for "The Old
Curiosity Shop" drew the highest sort
of praise from Dickens. He wrote:
1t is impossible for me to tell you how greatly
I am charmed with those beautiful pictures. in
which the whole feeling and thought and ex-
preston of the little story is rendered to the
qualification of my inmost heart; and on which
you have lavished those amazing resources of
yours with power at which fairly wondered
when 1 sat down yesterday before them.
took them to Mac. straightway, in a cab-and
it would have done you good If you could have
seen and heard them. You can't think how
moved re was by the old man in the church,
or how proud / was to have chosen II before ne
the drawings. You are such queer fell
low and hold yourself much aloof, that
am afraid to say half 1 would say touching my
grateful admiration. So you shall imagine the
rest.
These letters are part of valuable
collection of literary and musical relics
of the late Julian Marshall. 1t includes
one letter by Matthew Arnold and two
by Robert Browning, not to mention
manuscripts by Handel, Bach, Haydn,
Donizetti, Gounod,. Spohr, Gluck and
Chopin. One of the Browning letters
is addressed to an amateur poet, who
wrote asking his advice about publish
ing a volume of verse. One paragraph
runs:
It sounds strange and almost sad to me that
I should be imagined of authority in this kind.
I VINO for years could not get line printed
except at my own expense, and 1 began half
q century ago or more.