DICKENS. A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapman and Hall, 1859. 8vo. Frontispiece, etched half-title and 14 plates; with an AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY DICKENS tipped in. Green morocco gilt, covers with gilt ruled borders incorporating scrolling corner pieces, front cover SET WITH OVAL PORTRAIT MINIATURE OF DICKENS, spine in 6 compartments with 5 raised bands, gilt lettered in 2, remaining with elaborate gilt decoration, turn-ins gilt with marbled end papers, edges gilt STAMP-SIGNED BY BAYNTUN (RIVIERE), BATH, ENGLAND (spine slightly sunned). Provenance: Sold Christie's Los Angeles, 8 November 2000, lot 176. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, with p. 213 misnumbered as p. 113. VERY FINE. [Tipped in:] An AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("Charles Dickens"), to a Mrs. "Manson[?]", Broadstairs, Kent, September 18, 1857. 4 pages, octavo, on light blue, mourning stationery. Dickens writes with a small piece of business possibly with regard to his All the Year Round magazine, and then continues in response to a letter earlier received. "There are some things in the enclosed notice, which I must get you to insert without Scott's assistance ... If I had any control over the Australian ships you would not be troubled with our young friends an hour. Not having the least, I can't help you. It is arranged that I am to be informed when the first recommendable one sails. And the moment I receive such intelligence I will write to you. I would recommend you on the whole not to go ... until we have got rid of these girls," who, it seems, they are looking to place in a boarding school.