[Dickens, Charles. 1812 - 1870]. Lytton, Sir Edward Bulwer. Horne, Richard Henry. Wise, Thomas J. - An ACCOUNT Of The FIRST PERFORMANCE OF LYTTON'S COMEDY "NOT SO BAD As WE SEEM" with Other Matters of Interest

London: Printed for Private Circulation Only by Richard Clay and Sons, Ltd. Printed for Thomas J. Wise, Hamstead, N.W. 1919. 1st edition (Gimbel B226; Todd 152d). Limited to 30 cc. Original publisher's printed buff paper covers. Custom cut mylar wrapper. 15, [1] pp. Unopened. 8vo. 7-5/8" x 5-1/8". VG (sp darkened/1 cm pc msg @ hd of spine/joints tender/bpt of Sir Charles Philip Huntington). This the publication of a letter from Dickens to Horne [who is in Australia], dated Wednesday, Second March, 1853, wherein he gossips about divers matters including the first performace of Lytton's work, as well as Horne's HW submission, and other such mandane matters often discussed between friends and colleagues. Wills adds a post script. The initial performance of Not So Bad as We Seem took place at Devonshire, as arranged by Dickens- "My services, my house, and my subscription will be at your orders." [Devonshire to Dickens]. The cast included most of Dickens circle- Wilkie Collins, Frank Stone, et al.. and, of course, Dickens himself. According to Dickens' biographer, Johnson, "At the end the Queen led the hearty appause.".