Sales catalogue 565: Maggs Bros

Date:
1931
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/110
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 565: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    175/184 page 141
    8371 THACKERAY (WILLIAM MAKEPEACE), UC ie or DPE Re SiGN iD LO PETER CUNNING- DAM, THbeAaGehnOR OF ‘ TTANDBOOK: OF LONDON.” 2 pp., 12mo. Kensington (May, 1850). £105 A very fine and interesting letter of the greatest literary importance; thanking Cunningham for a copy of his ‘‘ Handbook of London ’’ which Thackeray mentions in his ‘‘ Pendennis,’’ Chapter XI. Vol. II. opens with a reference to ‘‘the learned and pleasant writer of the ‘Handbook of London’ ”’ in which he “‘ tells us that “the commonest and hardiest kind of rose has long ceased to put forth a bud’ in that smoky air.”’ Thackeray also refers to the scene (Vol. II, Chapter XIV) in Pen’s room and the meeting of Mrs. Pendennis, Laura Bell. and Fanny Bolton. ‘“T am very much obliged to you for your book and should like to go through a course of it; and travel in London book in hand. How do you get time not only to write books, but to read so many as you must do, in order to acquire that enormous store of learning wh. the Handbook shows? I am very glad you don’t mind being mentioned in Pendennis: but if your intimacy with the author leads you to know for any certainty what is to happen next in that periodical, will you please tell me? for I’m very anxious to know how Mrs. Pendennis, Laura Bell & Fanny Bolton behaved themselves when they met in that extraordinary manner at Pen’s rcom.”’ Thackeray commenced ‘‘ Pendennis’’ in November, 1848, and it was published in monthly numbers till its conclusion in December, 1850. For three months, after September, 1849, however, it was suspended, owing to the author’s illness.
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