The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To LORD ROBERTSON,1 4 AUGUST 1847

Facsimile in Koller Auctions online catalogue, September 2013

BROADSTAIRS, KENT

Fourth August 1847.

My Dear Lord Robertson

You have read some charming works translated into English from the writings of Hans Christian Andersen? Here he is!2 – If you were anything but what you are, I would not commend a man of his genius to you. So the merit of the deed is clearly yours, and not mine.

Ever my Dear Friend

Cordially Yours

CHARLES DICKENS

The Honorable Lord Robertson.

• 1. Patrick Robertson (1794-1855; Dictionary of National Biography), advocate; often known by the diminutive ‘Peter’. Became a Lord of Session 1843, and took his seat on the bench as Lord Robertson. Known for his warm-heartedness and wit. At the Edinburgh dinner for CD he proposed the health of Scott. "With what enthusiasm", he said, "-- with what delight and cordiality would the author of Waverley have hailed the advent of the author of the Pickwick Papers." He envisaged various meetings between characters in Scott's and CD's novels: how, e.g., Davie Gellatley (the half-witted servant in Waverley) would ‘jump with delight to hail his brother Barnaby Rudge’ (a parallel Bulwer clearly recognized too, though with disapproval); and how at Dotheboys Hall "Dominie Sampson would have exclaimed at the arrangements of Squeers -- Pro-digious!" (Caledonian Mercury, 26 June 1841). Robertson and CD met again in 1844.
• 2. Andersen was in London at this time. See Pilgrim Letters 5, p.134