"I ALWAYS ENJOY THE END OF THE RAILWAY CHILDREN" NESBIT (Edith, 1858-1924, Author of Children's Books, Poet and Novelist)

Fine Autograph Letter Signed in her married name "E. Nesbit Bland" to an unnamed correspondent thanking him for his letter which she liked and saying that she "always enjoys the end of the Railway Children myself. you may use anything you like of mine but please use nothing without letting me see proofs. The copyright of all my books is my own, so you'll have nothing to pay to publishers. And my husband will be pleased to let you quote from his book - but he, also, would like to see proofs ...", 1 side A4, Well Hall, Eltham, Kent, no date but marked as received, 25th March

At eighteen, Nesbit met the bank clerk Hubert BLAND (1855-1914, an infamous libertine, journalist, an early English socialist, and one of the founders of the Fabian Society). In April 1880, seven months pregnant, she married him though she did not immediately live with him, as Bland initially continued to live with his mother. Their marriage was a tumultuous one. Early on Nesbit discovered that another woman believed she was Hubert's fiancee and had also borne him a child. A more serious blow came later when she discovered that her good friend, Alice Hoatson, was pregnant with Hubert's child. She had previously agreed to adopt Hoatson's child and allow Hoatson to live with her as their housekeeper. After she discovered the truth, they quarrelled violently and she suggested that Hoatson and the baby should leave but her husband threatened to leave Edith if she disowned the baby and its mother. Hoatson remained with them as a housekeeper and secretary and became pregnant by Bland again 13 years later. Edith again adopted Hoatson's child.

Item Date:  1908

Stock No:  40013