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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 O. P. THOMAS,2 [1825–6]

MS Dickens House. Date: when CD was "between thirteen and fourteen" (Thomas to Forster, Feb 1871, quoted in F, i, iii, 42).

Tom/

I am quite ashamed I have not returned your Leg3 but you shall have it by Harry4 to morrow. If you would like to purchase my Clavis5 you shall have it at a very reduced price. Cheaper in comparison than a Leg.

  • Yours &c
  •      C Dickens

PS. I suppose all this time you have had a wooden leg. I have weighed yours every Saturday Night.

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Notes

Editor’s Note
2 Owen Peregrine Thomas (1811–98), a day-boy with CD, 1824–6, at Wellington House Academy, Mornington Crescent (drawn upon by CD both for his sketch "Our School" and for Salem House). He gave Forster details about Wellington House in four letters written after the publication of Vol. 1 of the Life; and told him that CD used to pun and "ring changes" on his name Peregrine (MS Mr W. J. Carlton). Also gave Langton notes on the masters and boys for The Childhood and Youth of CD (pp. 86–8).
Editor’s Note
3 According to Thomas, "the legend of something, a pamphlet romance I had lent him": but surely school slang for a lexicon.
Editor’s Note
4 Probably Harry Danson, another boy at Wellington House and Thomas's lifelong friend.
Editor’s Note
5 The Latin grammar so named.
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