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Charles Dickens

Madeline House and Graham Storey (eds), The British Academy/The Pilgrim Edition of the Letters of Charles Dickens, Vol. 1: 1820–1839

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To JOHN FORSTER, [4 JANUARY 1839]

MS Victoria & Albert Museum. Date: Winter 1838–9 on handwriting; clearly Forster wanted the name Shakabac for his notice of the pantomime Bluebeard in the Examiner of 6 Jan 39. Address: John Forster Esquire.

Doughty Street. | Friday Morning

My Dear Forster.

If I had a copy of the Arabian Nights, I could shew you where it is in a second. But I haven't, and for the life of me I can't at a pinch remember pg 491the fellow's name, though I think it was Shacabac.1 At all events I know it was one of the barber's brothers, and if you describe him as "the barber's brother" I'll engage that you are right.

aI have begun. I wrote four slips last night,a2 and but for Pickering3 the snobbish, should get on like a house on fire this forenoon. As it is, I can do little or nothing 'till evening, as he comes to proceed with his practical joke against me this morning. However, bthe beginning is made, and—which is more—I can go on, so I hope the book is in training at last.b

I shall not be out to-day I reckon. cThis snow will take away the cold weather, and then for Twickenham.c

  • Faithfully Yours
  •           Charles Dickens

Charley bolted into the spare room this morning and was much disappointed to find that you had not taken up your quarters there, permanently.

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Notes

Editor’s Note
1 Forster's notice includes the sentence: "Shakabac slides very nicely into O'Shack O'Back …, the Baron's Irish valet and groom of the blue chamber".
Editor’s Note
aa  bb Given in F, ii, iv, 124, as written on 7 Feb 38 (CD's birthday) and referring to the beginning of Nickleby.
Editor’s Note
2 This must have been Barnaby Rudge, hitherto not thought to have been started until Autumn 39. Under the Agreement with Bentley of 22 Sep 38 (Article 17), the first monthly instalment was due to appear in the Miscellany immediately after the conclusion of Oliver (Apr 39). CD was clearly desperate about it when he next wrote to Forster (21 Jan).
Editor’s Note
3 Ferdinand Pickering, of 14 High Street, Camden Town. He exhibited numerous paintings, mainly of literary subjects, in RA 1841–78. CD may have sat for him in 1838, since the name appears in his Diary, 10 Mar 38. But no portrait of CD by him is known.
Editor’s Note
cc Given in F, ii, v, 130, as also part of "that birthday-letter of 1838". Doubtless Forster placed the letter in 1838 on the assumption that "then for Twickenham" referred to CD's coming two-months' visit, and not just to a day's ride. He chose Feb because of the reference to starting a book. He perhaps chose 7 Feb, either to heighten the interest, or from some confused memory of staying with CD, early in their friendship, at about the time of his birthday. (In Feb 38, Charley, aged then 13 months, could hardly have "bolted into the spare room".)
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