The Charles Dickens Letters Project

To WILKIE COLLINS,1 16 DECEMBER 1857

MS Paul Lewis.

Address: Wilkie Collins Esquire | Care of Mr Anderson | Southborough | near Tunbridge Wells

Tavistock House

Wednesday Sixteenth December | 1857

My Dear Wilkie

Russell2 is just going to India,3 and Delane4 and he are coming to dine with me on Saturday at half past six. Will you come? Very quiet, and no party.5

Ever Faithfully

CD.

• 1. William Wilkie Collins (1824-89; Dictionary of National Biography), novelist; eldest son of the painter William Collins; named after his father's intimate friend, Sir David Wilkie, RA. Called to the Bar Nov 1851; but, after exhibiting a landscape at RA 1849, made writing his career. Published his first story in Douglas Jerrold's Illuminated Magazine, 1843; Memoirs of the Life of William Collins, Esq., R.A., 2 vols, 1848; his first novel, Antonina, 1850; and Rambles beyond Railways, based on a holiday in Cornwall, 1851. Met CD through Egg in 1851; thereafter, as Forster puts it, one of CD's "dearest and most valued friends" (The Life of Charles Dickens, VI, V, 520). Dedicated his third novel, Hide and Seek, 1854, to CD, "as a token of admiration and affection". Prolific contributor to both Household Words (from 24 Apr 52: "A Terribly Strange Bed") and All the Year Round (in which The Woman in White, No Name and The Moonstone appeared).
• 2. William Howard Russell (1820-1907; Dictionary of National Biography), war-correspondent and journalist. Reported the Crimean War for The Times; later reported the early stages of the American Civil War.
• 3. The Indian 'Mutiny' (1857-8) had begun 10 May with the rising at Meerut and the seizure of Delhi; Lucknow was under siege from July to Nov. Russell arrived in India, Jan 58; he followed Sir Colin Campbell in the campaign to recapture Lucknow. My Diary in India, 2 vols, 1860, based on his MS Diaries (MS TNL Archive).
• 4. John Thadeus Delane (1817-79; Dictionary of National Biography), editor of The Times, 1841-77: see Pilgrim Letters 7, p. 145n. CD had met him by 1847 and his intercourse with him in later years was “intimate and frequent” (Pilgrim Letters 6, pp. vi, 527).
• 5. Collins was present. Russell noted (MS Diary, 19 Dec) Forster, Wills and Thackeray as also present; he found it “a very pleasant party”. He seems to have agreed to look out for Walter Dickens, serving in India, noting (MS Diary, 21 Feb 58) “Memo. Where is Charles Dickens Son”; and later sent news of Walter (see To Russell, 7 July 58, Pilgrim Letters 8, p. 599).