Dickens, Charles

expressing his delight as finding "promise in a new aspirant" and asking Gleig to "address the Ghost story to me personally, here. You may rely on my reading it myself", 1 page, 8vo, headed stationery of the Office of All the Year Round, 3 July 1861, framed and glazed, remains of edge mount, slight smudging, very slightly sunned, not examined out of frame

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A charming and apparently unpublished letter of encouragement, written in his capacity as editor. The "new aspirant" in question was not G.R. Gleig himself, who was a well-established writer; he was acting on behalf of Amelia Ann Blandford Edwards (1831-1892), who was making a name for herself as a novelist and journalist, and in later life became a noted Egyptologist. Dickens published a group of ghost stories by Edwards under the title 'Four Stories' in the 7 September 1861 issue of All The Year Round.