The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To GEORGE FAWCETT ROWE,1 25 DECEMBER 1866 

Quoted in Booth’s Theatre (New York) programme, week ending 23 Jan. 1875, relating to a performance of Micawber staged by Rowe. 

Gad’s Hill,2 December 25th, 1866  

Mr Dear Mr Rowe, 

I have always refused my consent when it has been a question as to the dramatization of my largest works. In this case I comply with much pleasure, and I trust your rendering of "Micawber"3 may be as successful as your "Lavater”4 which I witnessed the other evening.

Faithfully Yours, 

CHARLES DICKENS 

• 1. George Fawcett Rowe (1834-89), actor and playwright.
• 2. Printed thus in source; unclear whether the letter was written on Gad’s Hill letterhead.
• 3. Little Em’ly, adapted by Andrew Halliday; performed at the Olympic, London, in December 1869, and often revived; Rowe played the role of Micawber. For details see H. Philip Bolton, Dickens Dramatized, 1987, pp. 328-9. See also Malcolm Morley, 'Stage Appearances of Copperfield', Dickensian 49 (1953): 77-85, in which he notes 'Dickens expressed his great satisfaction with the production' (p. 79).
• 4. J.R. Planché’s two-act comic drama, Lavater the Physiognomist, or, Not a Bad Judge.