ALS to John Palgrave Simpson, [Monday] 27 December 1875. 4pp, laid 8vo, no visible watermark. A circle approximately 2.5cm in diameter neatly cut out with scissors near the bottom of last sheet, affecting some words. Headed paper, address ranged right in black gothic type. Bound into an extra-illustrated two volume edition of The Letters of Leigh Hunt, Smith Elder, London 1862. The book was edited by James Henry Leigh Hunt's son, Wilkie's acquaintance, Thornton Leigh Hunt.
The Public Face of Wilkie Collins III 110-111
[90, Gloucester Place, |
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is made on his reputation? I thought it (and I think it still) my duty to Mr Bernstein to let him know that was being written about him behind his back - more especially as it had produced sufficient effect on your mind to make you feel uneasy about the fate of the piece - after I had previously vouched for Mr Bernstein |
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as a perfectly trustworthy man. So far as I can venture to offer an opinion, in the present state of the affair, it seems to me that you (or Clayton) might write to Mr Bernstein - saying whatever you think right on this question of Mr Sasse's attack on his character - to inqui[re] what he had [done] towards produci[ng "]All For Her" on the German stage |
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before he returned the manuscript. Until you know this, it does not seem to me to be easy to decide whether this course that he has taken [del: is] /in sending back the play, is/, or is not, detrimental to the interests of the piece. Forgive this late answer to your letter. I have been suffering from rheumatism. With hearty good wishes to you and to Clayt[on for] the New Year, Ever yours Wilkie Collins |
NOTES
John Palgrave Simpson (1807-1887) was a playwright and novelist and also
secretary of the Society for Dramatic Authors from 1868. His drama All For Her
opened at the Mirror theatre (formerly The Duke's Theatre) in Holborn on 18 October 1875. Wilkie knew him well
and corresponded with him from 1857.
John Clayton (1843-1888), whose real name was John Alfred Calthrop, was an actor. On 2 March 1873 Wilkie wrote to Palgrave Simpson asking him to ask Clayton if he would play the part of Julian Gray in The New Magdalen. Clayton apparently declined. Later Clayton went on to manage Toole's Theatre, Charing Cross.
Mr Sasse is unidentified but was presumably German.