Re: Question for Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens (cdickens@RMPLC.CO.UK)
Fri, 10 Jan 1997 09:32:50 -0100
>To: phmslib@southwind.net
>From: cdickens@rmplc.co.uk (Charles Dickens)
>Subject: Re: Question for Charles Dickens
>Cc: BOZ LIST <boz@sjuvm.stjohns.ed>
>Bcc:
>X-Attachments:
>
>My dear students,
>
> My books, I like to tell myself, struck the heaviest
>blows I could strike on behalf of the poor, but I hope
>I knew my duty as a Christian, too. I worked on
>behalf of many charities, as an officer, and as a maker of
>speeches to bring in donations. For some I read from my
>own works, to audiences paying the charity for the
>opportunity to listen. And I gave money of my own.
> Memory is an unreliable instrument, especially when
>inhibited by modesty, and especially for one in my
>condition, but I believe I can recollect thirteen
>hospitals and sanitoria to which I gave, forty-three
>benevolent and provident funds, and many other different
>kinds of institution.
> I hope I did my duty, too, more privately. I helped
>raise funds for the children of the actor Edward Elton,
>who drowned, for instance, and for the family of poor
>Douglas Jerrold. I assisted the writer John Overs, a
>cabinet maker from a very humble backround, and many
>others. Some of my friends, I believe, were surprised
>at the systematic way I worked upon such matters.
> Others were deceived by the Inimmitable's occasional
>undovelike behaviour. The knowledge of my concern for the
>poor made life difficult for me. I was bombarded with many
>more requests for assistance than I could comply with. My
>man was once overheard to exclaim at "all the Christian
>wirtues . . . always a-shoulderin' and a-helberin' on you in
>the 'all, a-tryin' to git past you and cut upstairs into
>Master's room." Meek patience was not always something
>I was able to cultivate in the face of such
>provocation.
>
>
>Faithfully yours,
>
>
>
>Charles Dickens
>___________________________________________________________________________
_____
>
>>Mr. Dickens,
>>
>> We recently studied your novel A CHRISTMAS CAROL in our seventh-grade
>>literature class. We were wondering: since you are so concerned about
>>the plight of poor people, did you ever give any of your personal wealth
>>to help the less privileged?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>Prairie Hills Middle School Language Arts Students
>>--
>>*******************************************************************
>>Prairie Hills Middle School
>>3200 Lucille Drive
>>Hutchinson, KS 67502
>>Telephone: (316) 662-6027
>>
>>E-mail: phmslib@southwind.net
>>Web page URL: http://www2.southwind.net/~phmslib/
>>
>>
>
======================
Charles Dickens
charles_dickens@rmplc.co.uk
Author