ALS to Miss Frith, Tuesday 27 December 1870. Single sheet of cream laid paper, 178x224mm,
watermarked ORIGINAL TURKEY MILL 1870, folded, integral blank. Two small puncture (staple?) holes not affecting text. Traces of album mounting on blank verso.
It was previously tipped in to c1878 Harper's edition of The Moonstone (now removed), some traces of end paper on blank verso and shadow of bookplate.
The Pubic Face of Wilkie Collins II 226-227
[90 Gloucester Place Portman Square. W.] Tuesday December 27th 1870 My dear Miss Frith Many thanks for your kind note. Even at this festive season when the Plague of Plum pudding extends its ravages from end to end of the land, and lays the national digestion |
prostrate at the feet of Christmas, a promise made to your Mama is a sacred promise in my estimation. I had planned to give up eating and drinking until the return of Spring - but I will wait to carry out my intention |
until after Thursday next - on which day (at 7 o'clock) I shall be delighted to attend Pembridge Villas, and redeem my pledge. Believe me Vy truly yours Wilkie Collins |
NOTES
Miss Frith was one of the daughters of the artist William Powell Frith, a lifelong friend of Wilkie's. Which one is not clear. But he may have sent her a photograph after the Christmas festivities - The Public Face of Wilkie Collins II 227
W P Frith lived at 7 Pembridge Villas in Bayswater
Wilkie's dislike of Christmas crops up frequently within his letters. In others he refers to
"This awful Christmas time." "the filthy Christmas
festivities" "the most hateful of English seasons" and "the
season devoted to prodigious eating and drinking". This recently discovered letter confirms those views.