ALS to 'My Dear Talfourd', from 13 Rue Neuve Luxembourg, Paris, Monday 4th Sept. 'I have long been going to write to you.'

58 lines in black in on first three sides of 4pp 8vo; lightly folded for posting. A long and rather poignant letter from the noted writer of farces John Poole, written from his home in Paris where he lived, largely in poverty and apparent loneliness, from 1846 until 1862. In rather anguished tones Poole tells Talfourd, 'It is long since I had the real gratification of seeing your hand-writing (except in the gift-volume of your Tragedies which I dip into every now and then) and, what you may consider my negligence [in not writing] you will reasonably think deserves the privation. But negligence it is not. The remembrance of yourselves (all in Russell Square) and of other dear friends, is rarely absent from my mind - that non-entity, my mind! - it is the pain and labour, the incapacity almost, of writing even a little that over-masters my intentions'. He urges Talfourd, 'be grateful instead of offended, and manifest your gratitude by writing to me "speedily and soon"'. He goes on to praise one of Talfourd's recent speeches in the House of Commons ('I was much pleased with your speech the other day'), before declaring that the French public are 'heartily sick of their Republic, and would gladly give half of what Revolution has left them to have a monarchy again, with any one but Louis-Philippe as King'. Elsewhere he shows that he has maintained an interest in the theatre, enquiring if 'Dickens showed you my letter on stage affairs, which was meant as a general communication to the circle of which you are part'. Poole returned to London in the early 1860s, having, with the help of Dickens, secured a pension of £100 a year. But he lived in relative obscurity, not publishing anything of note after Christmas Festivities in 1845. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery. PLEASE NOTE: For customers within the UK this item is subject to VAT at 20%.…