In describing yourself as a stranger of whom I know nothing,
you do me wrong however. The book I am now proud to possess
as a mark of your goodwill and remembrance has for some time
been too well known to me to admit of the possibility of my
regarding its writer in any other light than as a friend in
the spirit; while the writer of the introductory page marked
viii. in the edition of last year[12] had commanded my
highest respect as a public benefactor and a brave soul.
I thank you, my dear Sir, most cordially, and I shall always
prize the words you have inscribed in this delightful volume,
very, very highly.--Yours faithfully and obliged,
CHARLES DICKENS.
Dr. GUTHRIE to DEAN RAMSAY.
1 Salisbury Road,
30th October 1872.
My dear Mr. Dean--My honoured and beloved friend, I have
received many sweet, tender, and Christian letters touching
my late serious illness, but among them all none I value
more, or almost so much, as your own.
May the Lord bless you for the solace and happiness it gave
to me and mine! How perfect the harmony in our views as to
the petty distinctions around which--sad and shame to think
of it--such fierce controversies have raged! I thank God that
I, like yourself, have never attached much importance to
these externals, and have had the fortune to be regarded as
rather loose on such matters.
Pages:
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84