The Charles Dickens Letters Project
To THOMAS MITTON,1 28 MARCH 1843
Replaces mention in Pilgrim Letters 3, p. 467.
Text from facsimile in Potter & Potter Auctions online catalogue, Feb 2023.
Tuesday
Twenty Eighth March 1843.
My Dear Mitton.
I have come to town, but the opera is put off.2 If you are disengaged this evening, and will ask Henry3 at halfpast 7, I’ll read you the No.4 In that case will you let one of your people take the enclosed to Bradbury’s5 directly. He need not wait for an answer.
Shall you and I, dine at the Parthenon6 first? If yes, say by the bearer — in one word — at what time: and I will meet you there. If you should be out when this comes, and I hear nothing from you, at Devonshire Terrace, to the contrary, I will be with you at Halfpast 7 — still trusting to you to send to Bradburys.7
Faithfully Always
CD.
- 1. Thomas Mitton (1812-78), solicitor, one of CD’s closest friends. Son of Thomas Mitton, publican, of Battle Bridge (the district now known as King's Cross), where the Mitton and Dickens families may at some time have been neighbours — perhaps in The Polygon, where the Dickenses were living 1827-8. In recollections given to the Evening Times when she was 95, Mitton’s sister Mary Ann claimed to have known CD well as a small girl. Mitton and CD were clerks together for a short time during 1828-9 in Charles Molloy’s office, 8 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn, where Mitton served his articles. He acted as CD’s solicitor for twenty years. See William J. Carlton, “The Strange Story of Thomas Mitton”, Dickensian 56 (1960): 41-52.
- 2. A revival of Gaetano Donizetti’s heroic opera Belisario (1836), with Signor Luciano Fornasari in the title role, was performed at Her Majesty’s Theatre for the first time on Saturday, 25 March. There was a second performance on Tuesday 28 March (The Times, 28 Mar 1843, p. 4); but CD was otherwise engaged, and could not attend.
- 3. Henry Austin (?1812-61), architect and civil engineer; married CD’s sister Letitia in 1837.
- 4. Part IV of Martin Chuzzlewit, published 31 March 1843.
- 5. Bradbury & Evans, printers and publishers, who were then engaged in printing Martin Chuzzlewit (published by Chapman and Hall). Presumably CD was communicating with them about proofs; see, for example, Pilgrim Letters 3, p. 479 (dated 28 Apr 1843).
- 6. The Parthenon Club, founded 1836, at 20 St James’s Square; removed 1842 to 16 Regent Street, formerly John Nash's house. Several references to the Club 1838-45 show that CD used it as a convivial meeting-place.
- 7. Thus in MS.