To Anne Thackeray, 22 November 1864

12 Harley St. W

Novr 22 1864

Dear Miss Thackeray, I

wish I could help you

to find Mary out.

But so far as I know,

that excellent girl has

(in the language of

Mr Carlyle) “vanished

into infinite space”.

If my mother (to

whom I shall be writing

in a day or two) can help

in finding the lost

trace, I will let you

know immediately. I

am always delighted

to be of any service

to you that I can—

however little.

It is very kind

of you to help in

making Nice agreeable

to Charley and Katie.

I have been recommending

them to go to Rome,

if the Nice climate

won’t do.

Very truly yours

Wilkie Collins

NOTES
Anne Thackeray (1837-1919) was the eldest daughter of the poet William Makepeace Thackeray. The identity of Mary is not known but she was probably a servant of Wilkie's mother. It is not known how Anne Thackeray had helped his brother and wife in Nice during their trip to the Continent. Collins quotes from a misquotation of Carlyle which had appeared recently.

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