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Charles Dickens

Madeline House, Graham Storey, and Kathleen Mary Tillotson (eds), The British Academy/The Pilgrim Edition of the Letters of Charles Dickens, Vol. 3: 1842–1843

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To JOHN FORSTER, [?25 AUGUST 1842]

Extract in F, iii, viii, 283 ; wrongly given as part of letter of 25 Sep. Date: American Notes was first advertised on Tues 30 Aug as to be published "in October next, in 2 vols" (Morning Chronicle); CD presumably suggested the title to Forster a few days before (see fn).

What do you think of this for my title—American Notes for General Circulation; and of this motto?

"In reply to a question from the Bench, the Solicitor for the Bank observed, that this kind of notes circulated the most extensively, in those parts of the world where they were stolen and forged.2 Old Bailey Report"3

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Notes

Editor’s Note
2 Possibly title and motto came to CD's mind while writing his Philadelphia chapter (finished 24 Aug: see To Forster, ?30 or 31 Aug, fn), which mentioned the stoppage of the United States Bank, "with all its ruinous consequences". He may well have sent the idea to Forster on 25 Aug, before embarking on his Washington chapter.
Editor’s Note
3 Not found. "The motto was omitted, objection being made to it", says Forster (F, iii, viii, 283)—himself doubtless the objector.
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