thanking him for his "attention and consideration", explaining his party's travel plans ("... one of the party certainly, and two possibly, may have to go down by the express train tomorrow morning, and ... the Sunday party will undergo that much diminution..."), and confirming that he will pay for the tickets the following morning, 2 pages, 8vo, blue ink and light blue paper, Victoria Hotel [Euston Square], 23 July  1847, docketed on integral blank

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In 1847 Richard Creed (see previous lot) was Joint Secretary of the London & North Western Railway. This follows on from a letter the previous day, in which Dickens had asked to reserve four first-class carriages to convey his theatrical troupe, the Amateur Players, to Manchester on the morning of Sunday 25 July (see The Letters of Charles Dickens: Volume Five, p.132). Dickens is here arranging the trip to Manchester and Liverpool that he later recounted in Mrs Gamp's voice in "Mrs Gamp with the Strolling Players" (see lot 105).