11 Harly Place
Marylebone Road
London
Feb[ruar]y 1st 1858
My dear Andersen,
Thank you for your friendly greeting. I return it most cordially, and my mother joins me.
I have had a sad accident to my ancle - a severe sprain which has quite crippled me, and which still keeps me an invalid in the doctor's hands. In conseq uence of this misfortune, I shall miss the pleasure of making Mr Grimur Thomsen's acquaintance. I have written to him to apologise for myself and to tell him how unfit I am now, even for the pleasantest society.
Although I am gratefully sensible af your kind intentions towards the Frozen Deep, it is at present, not in power to accept your offer, as the play is not yet published, and there is but one copy of it in manuscript. I have not published it, because I am afraid it might get on the public stage, and do me harm wlth the public by being badly acted there. In the present deplorable state of our stage, there is neither actor nor actress for the two principal parts in The Frozen Deep.
This is the frank explanation of how I am situated. I know you will accept it in a kind and friendly spirit.
Cordially yours
Wilkie Collins
[Udskrift]
To Herr Hans Christian Andersen
Copenhagen
Nyhavn
Hotel Christiania
Forwarded by
Herr Grimur Thomsen