“Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge’s name was good upon ’Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.”
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens,1843
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Published by Mary Knapp
After a few years in advertising, writing reams of persuasive prose, I finally realized my true calling, went back to graduate school, and became a teacher, first in a public high school, then as a docent at the Merchant’s House Museum in New York City. Now, retired from teaching out loud, I silently share my thoughts with anyone who wants to listen.
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His cursive could have used a little work, but it was a really good story.
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I would just love to know how little Charles Dickens learned to write by hand. I think I’ll try to find out.
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My favorite line: “This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate.” Talk about setting the scene!
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He was a master story teller—no doubt!
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Wow. Seeing that is really a treat. I’m glad I didn’t have to do the typesetting. Not quite a secretary hand.
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It is amazing; they really did set type from these messy manuscripts. And I’d hate to be the proofreader!
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Just amazing. Especially when you think of the amount he wrote. Imagine the paper and ink. Great Expectations, Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Bleak House and on and on and on. All scribbled out by hand. All that creative story telling genius flowing from brain to hand to page. It is miraculous and evidence of what we in our family call, “a God thing.” Great post for the season of miracles and Merry Christmas and God bless us, Everyone!
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You are right—it’s a miracle. There is still so much we don’t understand about the brain to hand to page connection.
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