A Tale of Two Cities. [with] Charles Dickens Autograph Note.

First edition, mixed issue of one of Dickens' most enduring works. Octavo, bound in three quarters modern half calf over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in five compartments within raised gilt bands, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers, illustrated with sixteen plates after H.K. Browne including the frontispiece and title vignette. A mixed issue copy with first state "b" signature to the list of plates at the rear and "affectionately" misspelled on page 134 line 12, and second state correctly numbered page 213. In near fine condition with light toning. Accompanied by an autograph note written by Charles Dickens in the third person in blue ink and addressed to Messrs. Head & Co. The letter reads in full, "Mr Charles Dickens sends his compliments to Messrs. Head and Co. and begs to signify his ready compliance with their request concerning the gardener. He would be happy to facilitate any other preparations on Sir Charles Rowley's return. 3 Hanover Terrace Seventh June 1861." Together with the original envelope with Dicken's personal monogram to the verso and addressed by him on the recto, "Messrs. Head and Co. Upper Baker Street." In very good condition with mailing creases and remnants of mounting to verso corners, with the envelope in good condition. The piece measures 5 inches by 8 inches. The most famous and possibly the most popular of Dickens's novels, A Tale of Two Cities shows a master of dramatic narrative extracting gold from the ore of history. If the bloody tableau of the French Revolution were not in itself sufficient for a dozen novels, Dickens added to it a professional resurrectionist, an authentic ogress, and an antihero as convincingly flawed as any in modern literature. “Dickens had always admired Carlyle’s History of the French Revolution, and asked him to recommend suitable books from which he could research the period; in reply Carlyle sent him a ‘cartload’ of volumes… So great was [Dickens’] enthusiasm for the story that it had indeed ‘taken in possession’ of him… The force of the novel springs from its exploration of darkness and death but its beauty derives from Dickens’ real sense of transcendence, from his ability to see the sweep of destiny” (Ackroyd, 858). The last of Dickens’ books to be illustrated by H.K. Browne (“Phiz”), with 16 engraved plates by him. “Browne, for 23 years responsible for all the etchings which had so successfully embellished these [Dickens’] books, produced his last drawings for the present work… Bradbury and Evans, the printers of all and publishers of five of Dickens’ works as issued in monthly parts, had ceased to act in this dual capacity after completion of Little Dorrit… [resulting] in the return of Chapman and Hall as publishers of this and all succeeding works” (Hatton & Cleaver, 333).…