Pickwick Papers > Announcement of Seymour's Death

Death of Robert Seymour

Dickens' announcement of Seymour's suicide appeared in the second monthly installment of Pickwick Papers

Before this Number reaches the hands of our readers, they will have become acquainted with the melancholy death of Mr Seymour, under circumstances of a very distressing nature. Some time must elapse, before the void which the deceased gentleman has left in his profession can be filled up; - the blank his death has occasioned in the Society, which his amiable nature won, and his talents adorned, we can hardly hope to see supplied.

We do not allude to this distressing event, in the vain hope of adding, by any eulogium of ours, to the respect in which the late Mr Seymour's memory is held by all who ever knew him. Some apology is due to our readers for the appearance of the present Number with only three plates. When we state, that they comprise Mr Seymour's last efforts, and that on one of them, in particular, (the embellishment to the Stroller's Tale,) he was engaged up to a late hour of the night preceding his death, we feel confident that the excuse will be deemed a sufficient one.

Arrangements are in progress which will enable us to present the ensuing Numbers of the Pickwick Papers on an improved plan, which we trust will give entire satisfaction to our numerous readers.

April 27th, 1836

(Wormald, 2000, p. 756)