Monday, September 03, 2012

Charles Dickens on the Civil War - August 1863

From a letter to Willie Collins - 9 August 1863:

Lehmann (on his faith as a War-Contractor, I take it) informed me when he was coming back from America that I laboured under the strangest delusion in holding that an enforced conscription could not succeed in New York!  Flat head...gave me the same piece of information on the very day the news of the  riots arrived!!  I took the liberty to suppose that I know something of the people [Americans] and still do take the high flight of daring when I opine that they [Americans] are the greatest and the meanest of scoundrels.    But Lord, as Mr. Pepys says, to see what making a fine profit does!


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