The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-22
DICKENS TESTIMONIAL STAMPS
AND Ills LAST LETTER

nc irst proofs OF the Charles Dick.
ems centenary testimonial STAMPS hava
uech presented TO President Taft ann
i>ihS George of England The Dick-
Gus centenary Will be celebrated Feb
ruary q lol2. and the Testimonial
s,"nps appear in the form OF an artts-
| NC book plate, which Dickens admir-
ers may use In their editions or ~,
noveiist's works or in separate VOL
| umes. W.
The first American issue of m.
stamps shows an artistic design viii
! ne DUST OF the author in miniature nm
| Inscription. - Tribute to Genius" and
e oates. iSl2-l9i2, above. Under
meath. facsimile OF Dickcns,s sigma
'ure Andrew Carnegie, pierpont MOI
gan and Cornelius Bliss have drawn
largely upon this issue for library mn.
noses. Inc stamps are published in
sheets OF twelve and inclosed in
plckens centenary envelopes. and they
may nc procured by those desiring them
| rori booksellers generally.
| The February Strand Magazin, con
ta'ns a facsimile of the last letter
written by Charles Dickens. few
hours before his death. on juno q 1S1n
rms facsimile was taken direct from
nc letter In the British Museum, the
last paragraph OF which reads: "But
nope | may be ready at o'clock. lie
L
anectionntely, G. D."
Every word of this paragraphs, save
Holt Schooling, who took the facsimile
mentioned here. 'droops below the Ieve,
from which IL starts; each line OF
writing descends across the page. The
simple c. ID. is very shaky. and tbc
whole letter is broken and weak.
oharlsa Dickens was not ready at Z
o'clock. Lic died at ten minutes rast
6 r. NJ"
AIR. Schooling's interesting article IN
The strand on The Signatures of
Charles Dickens" is illustrated viii
fitty-fvc autographs. written at yari.
Gus times OF his ne
Among them is a very famous sip
nature the original OF which is on :,
great parchment entitled Deed OF
License Assignments and coven,,tY
hrspectinEs Work Called the sickwick
larera, 1T ~ probable" says Mr..
Schooling. that the fact OF tho seal
ncins here placed between Charles ana
DICKENS prevented the flourish which
almost invariably accompanied his six
natures on business docunents the
marked enlargement OF this SIGNATURE
takes tha place of the hourIsh and
shows an unconscious emphasis Of tne
ego. II would be almost mnrea sonable
tor us 10 eNpact that so impress s,oDablc
man. who was also feeling his power
and fame. could abstain from slowing
outward signs OF his own conscious
ness Of abnormal success
YET in tho private letters OF Dick.
ems the simple -. u Is very freuuent.
II may at once bc said that this point
of difference IS alike interesting 10 the
student CT gesture and 10 the student
of Dickens's character He was Ger,
taniy a very able man OF business,
and the wording OF his business lst-
ters fully bears cat the Idea conveyed a.
by HIS business signature. so to sneak.
that Dickens vas fully aware or bls5
cwn powers. ana that quite gairly. hsa
did not omit 10 Impress tho fact upon
other people When he thought AZ. Roth
tho wording and the signature OF many
OF his private letters are simple and.
unostentati"ua 20 a high degree. THIS
curious :act oaglu 10 DO remembered
when people .aik about loickens's cor
cctt and love OK show, Nv csplanatton
us think both logicsl and true