IN THE VOICE OF A "MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT" CHARACTER CHARLES DICKENS. Autograph Letter Signed, to Marion Ely ("My Dear Miss Ely"), accepting an invitation to the birthday party of a friend's daughter in the voice of his character, Mrs. Gamp, from Martin Chuzzlewit. 1 1/2 pages, 8vo, written on a folded sheet; folds. "Devonshire Terrace" [London], 8 November 1843
"We shall be delighted to participate in the festivities of Mary's birthday. I was going to say Little Mary's, but Heaven help us, she must be dreadfully big by this time!
"Mrs. Harris says, only last evenin, as she never see a hand which giv her sech pleasure as yourn; not only on account of its bein sech a beautiful hand in itself, but because of its bein so familiar in the hold times as is gone and past fora hevermore amen. . . ."
Mrs. Gamp, and her imaginary friend, Mrs. Harris, appeared in Martin Chuzzlewit beginning in August 1843.
Occasionally, Dickens found the handwriting of Marion Ely--a niece of Mrs. Rachel Talfourd--worthy of remark, as in this letter. Mary Talfourd (1828-1901) was the elder daughter of the Talfourds'.
Published at The Charles Dickens Letters Project. http://www.dickensletters.com/letters/miss-marion-ely-08-november-1843.
