'IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES....' DICKENS, CHARLES. 1812-1870. A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapma...

'IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES....' DICKENS, CHARLES. 1812-1870. A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapman and Hall, 1859. 8vo (220 x 136 mm). Etched frontispiece, additional pictorial title and 14 plates by Hablot K. Browne ('Phiz'). Full calf, gilt, by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, for J.W. Robinson, signed on the turn in, with final lines of the novel in gilt, encircling the upper cover in decoratively ruled border: 'IT IS A FAR, FAR BETTER THING THAT I DO, THAN I HAVE EVER DONE; IT IS A FAR, FAR BETTER REST THAT I GO TO THAN I HAVE EVER KNOWN,' publisher's red cloth covers and spine bound in, light stain to upper cover. WITH: Autograph Letter Signed ('CD') to 'Dear Fitzgerald' [Percy Fitzgerald] offering a title for Fitzgerald's upcoming book, 'The Doctor's Mixture,' which he would end up using, 1 p, ink on Gad's Hill Place stationery, Kent, April 4, 1870, bottom of stationery trimmed to size. FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, FIRST ISSUE, WITH AUTOGRAPH LETTER INSERTED ON A STUB, p 213 misnumbered '113,' list of plates contains signature 'b.' Percy Fitzgerald was a close member of Dickens's circle. Dickens wrote him another letter in May regarding further suggestions for 'The Doctor's Mixture' (see Morgan Library LHMS 414586) which would ultimately appear in All the Year Round, beginning on June 4, 1870. Eckel, p.90; Gimbel A143; Smith I:13. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing