THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.

February 21st 1957.

Dear Alan,

How about a reproduction of the original picture of Scrooge in his nightcap? or one of the others?  I think they are by Boz.
If not would Ardizzone be possible?  We met him, and we discovered that we are each others fans, so he might be interested.
On second thoughts, I think that Fezziwiggs party, (Boz) would be the best illustration, – not Scrooge.  I would like this best of all.¹
Yrs

RVW

1.  On 20 February Frank had written to VW that they wanted to have an artist do a special cover for On Christmas Night and had asked if he had any suggestions as to whom they might approach. The original pictures of Scrooge in his nightcap and of Mr. Fezziwig’s Ball were by John Leech, who discussed the illustrations for A Christmas Carol (1843) with Dickens very carefully. VW was thinking of “Sketches by Boz”, a collection of short stories (1833-36) making up Charles Dickens’s first book. In the event Ardizzone was commissioned (18 March) to do a two-colour cover depicting the Spirit of Christmas appearing to Scrooge for 15 guineas.