Beschreibung:

DICKENS, CHARLES. A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. Small 8vo, 19th-century dark green morocco, spine gilt-lettered, g.e., dark green morocco and gilt-ruled inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, light wear at ends of spine and some rubbing at joints, ad leaf at end not preserved; maroon half morocco slipcase . FIRST EDITION, title-page printed in red and blue, half-title and verso of title-leaf printed in blue, "Stave I" on page [1], 4 hand-colored etched plates by John Leech (the one for the frontispiece bound at page 61), an engraved portrait (proof on india paper?) of Dickens inserted as a frontispiece, 4 text wood engravings by W.J. Linton after Leech, A COPY WITH A POIGNANT STORY, having belonged to John Dillon (a friend of Dickens's) who found relief in reading this book from the devastation caused by the death of his son, WITH A LETTER FROM DICKENS ABOUT "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" in response to Dillon tipped in (see below). Eckel, p. 110; Smith, vol. 2, no. 4. John Dillon, a wealthy London merchant and well-known philanthropist, was friends with Dickens. Both were involved in various charities and had many friends in common, notably Angela Burdett-Coutts. At the farewell dinner for William Macready on 26 August 1843 they sat on either side of the famous actor. A few weeks after this dinner, Dillon's second son Edward died at the age of 22. Dillon was devastated and left England for several months. He returned in January 1844 and that is when he read this copy of A Christmas Carol . Dillon explains the circumstances and quotes from his letter to Dickens in an autograph note signed, 2 pages, small 8vo, tipped in at end : "...a few days after [the dinner I] had lost, by death one who (in a letter to Mr. Charles Dickens I described as 'to me more than a son -- all my plans of life & hopes of enjoyment having been more or less [centered on] him -- perhaps too much so. From that moment...to the present, I have met with few things, certainly I have read no book of our own age which has given me such relief, -- rather I should say afforded me so much consolation as I have derived from the kindly humanizing & therefore cheerful spirit of the Christmas Carol ...' Dickens responds (in his autograph letter signed, London, 8 February 1844, 2 pages, small 8vo, tipped in at end ): "...Trust me you were not wrong in believing -- in feeling well-assured I hope -- that the testimony you bear to the success of my little book, would sink deep into my heart, and fill it with a sad delight. Nothing could touch me half so nearly. No roar of approbation that human voices could set up, would affect me like the faintest whisper from a home such as yours. I will not venture to condole with you, upon the loss you have sustained. I heard of it with great sorrow at the time; and have often inquired concerning you, of mutual friends. I shall ever prize your letter. I thank God for the high privilege of speaking to the secret hearts of those who are in grief like yours; and I thank you...for the courage you have given me..." Printed in Letters , ed. K. Tillotson, vol. 4, p.39. Provenance: John Dillon, items tipped in as above, signature and date (1844) on front blank leaf -- H. & C. Walker bookplate (1886) -- Sir Edward Priaulx Tennant, bookplate (1917)