Beschreibung:

COLLINS, W. W. Autograph manuscript signed of the story "The Mystery of Marmaduke [Extracted from the Diary of the Reverend Noah Kilminster, of Cauld Kirk, North Britain], " n.p., 1878 (pencilled note from Collins to the printer at head of first page dated 23 November 1878). 19 pages, 4to., (pages 8 and 9 cut down to smaller size by Collins), written in dark brown ink on rectos only of sheets of tannish paper (a few sheets in fragile condition): page 1 separated along 3 horizontal old folds with loss of several lines at bottom, pages 2,3,4, 17 and 18 all with a few word losses due to burn holes from acidic ink (especially where Collins has crossed out portions of text), last few lines on p.18 (end of Postscript) apparently lacking; titled and signed ("Wilkie Collins") at head, a working manuscript with extensive revisions (heavy deletions and interlinear and marginal additions) by Collins, paginated at top, with numerous editorial blue pencil markings and directions . The author of The Moonstone and The Woman in White wrote this engaging story about the marriage of a Scottish minister's daughter to (unbeknownst to the bride and her family) the celebrated London actor Barrymore (whose real name is Marmakuke Darleigh) for the Christmas Number of The Spirit of the Times (28 December 1878). It was collected in Collins' three-decker Little Novels , 1887, as "Mr. Marmaduke and the Minister," vol. 2, pp. 277-331.