The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

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Title: A Christmas Carol
The original manuscript

Author: Charles Dickens

Illustrator: John Leech

Release Date: October 30, 2009 [EBook #30368]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL
THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT

Charles Dickens

[Illustration]

_A Facsimile of the Manuscript
in The Pierpont Morgan Library_

with a Transcript of the First Edition and
John Leech's Illustrations

[Illustration: _Mr. Fezziwig's Ball._]

[Illustration: A CHRISTMAS CAROL BY CHARLES DICKENS]

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT

_by_

_Charles Dickens_

[Illustration]

a facsimile of the manuscript
in The Pierpont Morgan Library

_with the illustrations of John Leech and the text from the first edition_.

[Illustration: Mr. Fezziwig's Ball.

_London . Chapman & Hall, 186 Strand._]

[_This illustration is reproduced in full color on the
inside front cover._]

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

NOTE TO READER

All inconsistencies of spelling and punctuation in the First Edition
have been retained by the Publishers. The portions of manuscript
reproduced on pages 38, 42, 56, 58, 70, 92 and 136 appeared originally
on the verso of the facing manuscript page.

/Title/

A Christmas Carol

In Prose

Being a Ghost Story of Christmas

By Charles Dickens

-------------------------------
The Illustrations by John Leech
-------------------------------

Chapman and Hall 186 Strand

MDCCCXLIII

/My own, and only, MS of the Book/

Charles Dickens

[Illustration: Original manuscript of the Title Page.]

PREFACE

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of
an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves,
with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their
houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant,

C. D.

D