DICKENS (CHARLES) American Notes for General Circulation, 2 vol., FIRST EDITION, AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY TO THOMAS CARLYLE, INSCRIBED THE DAY AFTER PUBLICATION (Thomas Carlyle from Charles Dickens, Nineteenth October 1842) on the half-title of volume 1, Chapman and Hall, 1842DICKENS (CHARLES)American Notes for General Circulation, 2 vol., FIRST EDITION, AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION COPY TO THOMAS CARLYLE, INSCRIBED THE DAY AFTER PUBLICATION ("Thomas Carlyle from Charles Dickens, Nineteenth October 1842") on the half-title of volume 1, half-titles, advertisement leaf at the front of volume 1, 6pp. of advertisements at the end of volume 2, publisher's dark greyish-purple horizontally ribbed cloth, blind-stamped on covers, gilt lettered on spine, pale yellow endpapers, with binder's label of Leighton and Eeles inside upper cover of both volumes, spines slightly faded, hinges of volume 1 starting, those to volume 2 cracked but overall a fine copy, preserved in dark green pull-off morocco case [Eckel, pp.113-115; Gimbel A60; Smith II:3], 8vo, Chapman and Hall, 1842AN IMPORTANT ASSOCIATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY DICKENS TO THOMAS CARLYLE THE DAY AFTER PUBLICATION.One of the most celebrated and influential historians and thinkers of the nineteenth century, Thomas Carlyle (17951881) befriended Dickens in the early 1840s, both men holding great respect for one another. Dickens dedicated Hard Times to Carlyle, and A Tale of Two Cities was "inspired by Carlyle's study of the French Revolution and researched under Carlyle's guidance" (Claire Tomalin, Charles Dickens. A Life, 2011).This first edition of American Notes was published on 18 October, 1842 after Dickens returned from his first triumphal visit to America early in the year. "In it Dickens praised many of America's public institutions but condemned the national worship of 'smartness' (that is, sharp practice), and attacked particularly the hypocrisy and venality of the American press. He also commented unfavourably on many aspects of American social life, notably the widespread habit of spitting in public, and, predictably, denounced slavery at some length. American Notes sold well but attracted little favourable comment in Britain... and, unsurprisingly, it met with a very hostile reception in the American press" (Tomalin).Provenance: Thomas Carlyle, author's presentation inscription, ink signature on front free endpapers, and bookplate; William W. Allis of Milwaukee; his sale, Anderson Auction Company, 25-26 March 1912, lot 250; Edwin W. Coggeshaw; his sale, Anderson Galleries, 25-27 April 1916, lot 111; Sotheby's, Charles Dickens. The Lawrence Drizen Collection, 24 September 2019, lot 83.