(In the collection of Mr. Frank Sabin.)
LINES FROM THE "ILIAD." SPECIMEN OF THE MS. OF THE LATE MR. GEORGE MEREDITH.
(By kind permission of Mr. Clement K. Shorter.)
W. M. Thackeray and Charles Dickens were both voluminous letter-writers. The letters of the former now command higher prices than those of any Victorian writer. He also frequently illustrated his witty notes with amusing sketches in pen and ink and other oddities. One of these (from the splendid collection of Mr. Sabin) forms one of the illustrations of this volume. Into another he introduces a typical Scotch "sandwich-man" carrying on his back the advertisement of the Thackeray Lectures at Merchants' Hall, Glasgow. From my own collection I give a very interesting example of Thackeray's wit, in the shape of a letter addressed to Count d'Orsay, on the subject of the proposed publication of a sacred picture by the famous dandy. On the back of the circular announcing its appearance he wrote:—
My dear Count,—This note has just come to hand, and you see I take the freedom with you of speaking the truth. I dont like this announcement at all. Our Saviour and the Count d'Orsay ought not to appear in those big letters. It somehow looks as if you and our Lord were on a par, and put forth as equal attractions by the publisher. Dont mind my saying this, for I'm sure this sort of announcement (merely on account of the unfortunate typography) is likely to shock many honest folks.
Yours always faithfully
W M Thackeray.
In the earlier part of his career, Thackeray wrote a running hand very different to the upright calligraphy of his later life.
A.L.S. OF W. M. THACKERAY TO COUNT D'ORSAY ON FLY-LEAF OF CIRCULAR ANNOUNCING THE PUBLICATION OF A PICTURE, N.D.