- Brief description
- Letter from Charles Dickens to John Leech, 24 August 1836
- Label
- John Leech was the artist who illustrated Dickens's A Christmas Carol and was also known for his work as a satirist and caricature artist in the comic magazine Punch. In this letter Dickens discusses work for The Pickwick Papers Leech had sent him, although he already had an illustrator for that novel (he had settled on Hablot Knight Browne, better known as 'Phiz', whom he would have a long and productive partnership with). Dickens also mentions another publication by his publishers Chapman & Hall called The Library of Fiction, which was a series of stories including a few written by Dickens.
- Collection
- Archives & Manuscripts
- Object number
- A354
- Object type
- letter
- Production person
- Dickens, Charles
- Production date
- 24/08/1836
- Inscription content
- This Gentleman will call| -- Leech Esqre.
15 Furnivals Inn. | Wednesday Morning.
Sir.
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your design from the last Pickwick, which I think extremely well conceived, and executed.
I can only repeat however, what I at first said when I had the pleasure of seeing you -- namely that the plates for the Pickwick Papers are in the hands of a gentleman of very great ability, with whose designs I am exceedingly well satisfied, and from whom I feel it neither my wish, nor my interest, to part.
Thinking at the same time, that perhaps your wish may be, for Chapman & Hall to see your drawing, with the view of removing some erroneous impression of your ability, which you conceive them to have formed, I have forwarded it to them with a short note this morning. I think they are already provided with an artist for the Library of Fiction though, and can hold out no present hope of their requiring your assistance. I cannot speak with confidence relative to this last work, because I have no connection with it.
I am
Sir
Your most obedt. Servt.
CHARLES DICKENS
---- Leech Esqre.
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