DICKENS (CHARLES) Autograph quotation signed ('Charles Dickens') of six lines from 'David Copperfield', beginning 'But he led me to the shore. And on that part of it where she and I looked for shells, two children... ' and ending '...I saw him lying with his head upon his arm, as I had often seen him lie at school...', one page, dust-staining, creased, closed tear to right edge repaired with old tape on reverse, folio (313 x 235mm.), Tavistock House, 24 January 1852 Footnotes: AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE QUOTATION FROM DAVID COPPERFIELD, DICKENS'S 'FAVOURITE CHILD', and widely regarded as his masterpiece. Our extract is taken from the concluding passage of Chapter LVI, 'Tempest', in which David watches helplessly while his friend, Ham Peggoty, plunges into the storm-tossed sea to rescue a sailor trapped on a shipwrecked ship, and is himself drowned. David Copperfield was published in 20 weekly instalments between May and November 1849, the first issue containing Chapters I-III selling over 59,000 copies, with demand increasing as the story took hold. Dickens regarded it as his finest work and referred to it in the preface to a later edition as 'a favourite child'. Dickens had moved into Tavistock House in late 1851 and was, at the time of writing out our extract, working on Bleak House, episode one of which was published on 12 March. Provenance: Christie's New York, 29 May 1998, lot 64. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing