Supporting Documents

SD860.  Diary Entry of Charles Dickens

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 333 (in part).

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Tuesday, January 2, 1838

I wrote to Mrs. Hogarth yesterday, taking advantage of the opportunity afforded me by her sending as a New Years’ [1] token a pen-wiper [2] of poor Mary’s, imploring her as strongly as I could to think of the many remaining claims upon her affection and exertions, and not to give way to unavailing grief. Her answer came to-night, and she seems hurt at my doing so—protesting that in all useful respects she is the same as ever. I meant it for the best, and still hope I did right.

With Ainsworth all day, at Macrone’s place on business. Afterwards to the ruins of the fire in the Borough, [3] thence to the top of Saint Saviour’s Church; [4] back to his club to dinner, and afterwards to Covent Garden where we met Browning. Ainsworth has a fine heart.

Publication: The Letters of Charles Dickens, ed. M. House, G. Storey, et al. (Oxford, 1965–2002), 1, 629–630.

Manuscript: Victoria and Albert Museum.

1. Thus in ms.

2. A pen-wiper of Mary’s was also found in the Mitton box.

3. On 31 Dec a fire had broken out in an oil-warehouse at Davis’s Wharf, Tooley Street, and caused great destruction.

4. Southwark Cathedral since 1905. At this time its 13th-century nave was roofless, and soon to be demolished.

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