Produced by Iona Vaughan, David T. Jones and the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net
A CHRISTMAS CAROL THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT
Charles Dickens
[Illustration]
_A Facsimile of the Manuscript in The Pierpont Morgan Library_
with a Transcript of the First Edition and John Leech's Illustrations
[Illustration: _Mr. Fezziwig's Ball._]
[Illustration: A CHRISTMAS CAROL BY CHARLES DICKENS]
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT
_by_
_Charles Dickens_
[Illustration]
a facsimile of the manuscript in The Pierpont Morgan Library
_with the illustrations of John Leech and the text from the first edition_.
[Illustration: Mr. Fezziwig's Ball.
_London . Chapman & Hall, 186 Strand._]
[_This illustration is reproduced in full color on the inside front cover._]
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
NOTE TO READER
All inconsistencies of spelling and punctuation in the First Edition have been retained by the Publishers. The portions of manuscript reproduced on pages 38, 42, 56, 58, 70, 92 and 136 appeared originally on the verso of the facing manuscript page.
/Title/
A Christmas Carol
In Prose
Being a Ghost Story of Christmas
By Charles Dickens
------------------------------- The Illustrations by John Leech -------------------------------
Chapman and Hall 186 Strand
MDCCCXLIII
/My own, and only, MS of the Book/
Charles Dickens
[Illustration: Original manuscript of the Title Page.]
PREFACE
I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.
Their faithful Friend and Servant,
C. D.
December, 1843.
[Illustration: Original manuscript of the Preface.]
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- 2: Above the warehouse door Scrooge and Marley
- 3: External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge
- 4: Scrooge said that he would see him yes
- 5: Marley has been dead these seven years
- 6: I don't make merry myself at Christmas
- 7: For nobody lived in it but Scrooge
- 8: As Scrooge looked fixedly at this phenomenon
- 9: His body was transparent so that Scrooge
- 10: Scrooge could not feel it himself
- 11: Scrooge trembled more and more
- 12: That ages of incessant labour by immortal creatures
- 13: It beckoned Scrooge to approach
- 14: Illustration Original manuscript of Page 16
- 15: When Scrooge looked at it with increasing steadiness
- 16: Scrooge expressed himself much obliged
- 17: Scrooge recognising every gate
- 18: Scrooge knew no more than you do
- 19: Old Fezziwig laid down his pen
- 20: In came the three Miss Fezziwigs
- 21: Fezziwig had gone all through the dance
- 22: This was not addressed to Scrooge
- 23: So like the last that Scrooge believed it was the same
- 24: Said Scrooge in a broken voice
- 25: Without venturing for Scrooge quite as hardily as this
- 26: He was not the dogged Scrooge he had been
- 27: And glanced demurely at the hung up mistletoe
- 28: For he stood with Scrooge beside him in a baker's doorway
- 29: These young Cratchits danced about the table
- 30: Cried Bob Cratchit looking around
- 31: And the youngest Cratchits in particular
- 32: Scrooge bent before the Ghost's rebuke
- 33: And as Scrooge and the Spirit went along the streets
- 34: But bade Scrooge hold his robe
- 35: Scrooge's nephew revelled in another laugh
- 36: I can assure you especially Topper
- 37: Where Scrooge's nephew had to think of something
- 38: Scrooge had observed this change
- 39: Scrooge bent down upon his knee
- 40: As Scrooge had seen them often
- 41: Where Scrooge had never penetrated before
- 42: Let the laundress alone to be the second
- 43: Replied the woman with a laugh
- 44: Scrooge glanced towards the Phantom
- 45: Scrooge looked here and there to find himself
- 46: Then the two young Cratchits got upon his knees and laid
- 47: The two young Cratchits kissed him
- 48: Scrooge hastened to the window of his office
- 49: By which the Ghost of Jacob Marley entered
- 50: And the chuckle with which he paid for the Turkey
- 51: And Scrooge said often afterwards
- 52: Scrooge was better than his word