DICKENS Charles (1812-1870). L.A.S. « Charles Dickens », [Londres] « 48 Do

DICKENS Charles (1812-1870). L.A.S. "Charles Dickens", [London] "48 Doughty Street" Wednesday morning [1837?], to William B. ARCHER Esquire| 4 pages in-8 (slight traces of framing)| in English. Beautiful letter of literary advice, and on the presence of the beloved dead in the thoughts and dreams of the living. He has read Archer's story with pleasure and interest, and makes suggestions, including strongly condensing the opening scene with the priest, and even deleting the visit to the castle altogether, adding a few words about the relationships our spirits commonly have with those of the beloved dead in waking thoughts and in dreams in which we see them (knowing them to be no longer of this world) without fear or pain.... [At this time, Dickens was haunted by the ghost of his sister-in-law, Mary Hogarth (who died on May 7, 1837), who would be recalled shortly afterwards in Nicholas Nickleby]. "I would condense - greatly condense - the opening scene with the ppriest [...] But to my mind you would make the tale a much better one if you wholly omitted the visit of the Priest and yourself to the castle, [...] adding a few words to the effect that our spirits commonly hold intercourse with those of the beloved dead in waking thoughts and dreams in which we see them (knowing them to be no longer of this world) without fear or pain, tender might come to the story. I would materially shorten the commencement of the story itself, and I would describe a little more forcibly the Heros holdness when he sees the shade and mokes after it [...] I reserve my final suggestion for a fresh paragraph, because it is a sweeping one. I beg you to understand that I leave it entirely to yourself, and if you prefer the paper in its present and that if there be any case in which strong and blameless sympathy could be supposed to bring the dead and living together, it would be such a case as you describe "...