The Public Face of Wilkie Collins I 227
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12. Harley Street, W London March 25th 1861 Dear Sirs, This note will be delivered to you by my friend, Mr John Russell Buckler, who is visiting America for the first time, at this critical period in the history of the United States. Although Mr Buckler's journey is in no way connected with literature, and although his stay in New York is not likely |
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to extend beyond a few days, I give him this letter of introduction to you, in the event of his requiring any information or advice while in your city. Any friendly assistance in this way which you can render to him, as a stranger, will oblige, Dear Sirs, yours faithfully Wilkie Collins To Messrs Harper & Brothers |
NOTES
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Harper & Brothers published much of Wilkie's work in the USA under a deal whereby they got early manuscript copies and could publish his books before the pirates who published cheap copies of English fiction as soon as a copy arrived in the USA. Many of his stories were published first in Harper's Weekly or Harper's New Monthly Magazine. In exchange for the early copy, they paid Wilkie for his work, which they had no obligation to do under the international copyright laws which then existed. |
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Fletcher Harper (1806-1877) |
James Harper (1795-1869) |
The American Civil War was just beginning. Nine states had seceded from the Union, the Confederacy had held its own Congress, and two weeks before this letter was written, Southern forces had captured Fort Sumter in Charleston harbour. Note how Wilkie uses the precise phrase 'critical period in the history of the United States'.
John Russell Buckler, a wool broker of Gannicox House, Stroud,
Gloucestershire was born around 1831. He was on a list of eight friends for whom Wilkie obtained
tickets to a dinner on Saturday 2 November 1867 to say farewell to Dickens
before his departure to the United States. Wilkie wrote to him on 3 July
1862 - The Public Face I 266. That letter makes it clear that he featured in No Name Third
Scene, chapter 1 where Wilkie mentions an advert for 'Comfort in the Field.
Buckler's Indestructible Hunting Breeches.'