The sun., 1908-03-22
PTCKVICK RELICS ARB DEAR
,OvE or THE RiREST OWNED
~ NEW IORk.

'ElthNNNR - AANNNN - - ~
England has recently paid considerable
.,,entlou TO Dickens's memory. A few
-ssks ago the ninety-sixth anniversary
o,bis birth was celebrated, and last sum-
"a, an extensive Pickwick exhibition was
III In honor Of the SEVENTEEN anniversary
:, the completion OF the book. The eI-
In uion included first and other important
English and American editions Of 'Pick-
vlck Papers translathons 10 many foreign
languages, plagiarisms, parodies, plays,
ghistrations, drawings, commentaries,
.ouvenirs--in fact everything and any
hing which owes It's origin to or has q
direct connection with the book
Yet the exhibition, practically complete
a il was 10 other respects, did not include
The largest e1tant portion OF the original
manuscript Of 'Pickwiok Papers and 1t
also lacked many highly important pres
srtatiun copies OF the book, among them
one which is regarded a. about the most
,ntsrcstng in existence. These 'Pick-
vick- treasures are all owned in the United
states. most Of them belonging to collectors
in Greater New York.
The manuscript from which 'Pickwick
paper,' was printed was never preserved
in its entirety The John Forster colec-
tion Of Dickens manuscripts, In the South
Kepsiugton Museum, begins with 'Oliver
Tvist.' The solitary leaf Of the Pick
sick' manuscript which England owns
vas shown last year at the Pickwlck ex-
bibIton m PiCcadilly and also at the
Dickens exhibition of 1908. which was held
IN the site Of the old Fleet Street Prison,
where Mr. Pickwick and the faithful Sam
Weller we're immured.
In Nav. lsl3, II was owned by one William
Townsend who has certified that II is "a
rage from the original MS. Of the Pickwick
Tapers by Boz Its whereabouts during
.he next sixty years is unknown to the
roost ardent Dickens commentators and
collectors Preserved in a scrapbook, it
then tlncdup at London sale and brought
GlO0 An English dealer priced II at e2jO;
4 little later he inserted II in a copy OF the
earliest issue Of "Piokwick Papers and
s'kei EAjO for IT,
Thi, leaf, measuring b by 7It inches
and numbered 10y Dickens 50, contains a
mall portion Of chapter xviii, which
dtscibcs the wedding breakfast at the
nngey Dell manor house. The fragment
tells bow Mr. Pickwck listened to old
Mrs. Wardle's "reminiscences concerning
her own wedding.
II is interesting TO note that the sentence
relating to the wedding cake; Then the
cake was cut and passed through the ring,
and the young ladies saved pieces 10 put
under their pillows &c, is written on
the hack of the leaf as an insert, thus in
dicating that this passage was an after
thought.
II this leaf il valued at several times
EiO0, what is the present value Of the
ih'rty-three leaves which we're purchased
tor William A White OF Brooklyn for t775
at the Charles b. Foote sale ih January, 1882
These leaves, secured by Mr.. Foote in
London in 1882 at a low figure, comprise
that portion Of the novel which deals with
the visit OF Messrs. Pickwick, Tupman,
Snodgrass and Wrinkle 20 Bath Immediately
after the conclusion of the memorable trial
Of Bardell against Pickwick
They include chapter XXNyii., which
'honourably accounts for Mr.. Weller's
absence, by describing a soirAe to which
he was invited and went and relates
how he was entrusted by Mr.. Pckwick
With q private mission OF delioacy and
Importance. The manuscript is accom-
panied by ten lines OF verse, dated July 20,
lsa7, and referring to this sixteenth Pick
wick
These lines are addressed ITO Mr.. Hicks,'
who seems 10 have been connected with
the printing Of "Pickwick' in its serial
form. 1t is remarkable to contrast these
"a eDi.lr ,rft,T Nth hn Vf,antIanriDN
Of Edwin Brood and to observe the
delightful facility Of the one and the painful
lsboiousness OF the other.
The most notable copy extant OF the
work by which Dickens leaDed into fame
is the one which belongs to Harry B. Smith,
the lbrettist. In addition to being an
extraordinarily fine and perfect specimen
VI the earliest issue, complete in the original
nafts and possessing every point which
the most fastidious collector could desire,
: he first fourteen parts bear presentation
Inscriptions in the authors autograph 70
Niss Mary Hogarth, his sister-in-law, who
died suddenly on May 7, 1887, soon after the
publication OF No. IA.
These parts are mostly inscribed: Mary
Rogarth From hers Any {. D.; one
signed THE Editor No. 10 was pre-
sented to George Hogarth, the novefist's
'hther-in-law, and the remaining parts bear
ne initials "R. F. W. those OF Miss
Walker, Miss Hogarth's school friend. In
association interest this copy is unap-
pruschable.
Dickens collectors are familiar with the
address dated June 30, 1897, in No. Is,
IN which the author announces the re-
sumption OF the work, which had been
by a severe domestic affiiction
n no ordinary kind Forster's Life Of
Dickens says:
His wife's youngest sister Mary, who
lived with them and by sweetness Of nature,
oven more than by grace Of person, had
made herself the ideal OF his life. died
with a terrible suddenness that for the
limo completely bore him down. His
g1ef and suffering we're intense through
many years. The publication OF Pickwick
was interrupted for two months, the effort
~ writing ii not being possible TO him
One Of Dickens's letters to Edward
Chapman, his publisher, which is now in
this country, reads:
We are in deep and sincere distress
Mss Hogarth. after accompanying Mrs.
Dickens and myself TO the theatre last
right, was taken seriously Ill and despite
cur best endeayours TO save her expired IN
ny arms" Even the habitual flourish
beneath the signature is trembling and
gnefstricken.'
This presentation sPickwick' was pur-
chased for Mr.. Smith in June. 1890, for
CLOS, It's present value Is estimated at
several times that price. II came from
the library Of William Wright, whose special
Of Dickens items, dispersed in
! ss9, is famous among bibliophiles as being
The choicest ever formed.
Mr.. Smiths Dickens collection includes
atother interesting copy Of 'Pickwick,'
the first edition in book form, 1897, with
title page inscribed 'W G. Macready,
tsqr With the Authors best regards
Il also contains Macreadys exlibris, The
tTapedian waa nickanaia lfelOnO friend.