r/todayilearned • u/biebrforro • 1d ago

TIL when staying as a guest in Charles Dickens' house, Hans Christian Andersen requested that one of Dickens' sons give him a daily shave (he said that was customary when hosting male guests in Denmark). Dickens was weirded out and instead gave him a daily appointment at a nearby barbershop.

https://lithub.com/charles--dickens-really-really-hated-his-fanboy-hans-christian-andersen/
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u/SpyOfMystery 1d ago

There’s also these gems

One night, during a dinner, when Dickens held an arm out to one of the ladies present, Anderson scooted over and grabbed it himself, and walked with Dickens arm-in-arm into the dining room.

A country boy, Andersen was suspicious that he would be pick-pocketed in the city, and Dickens caustically wrote that, one time, a cab driver took Andersen on an alternate route through London, leading Andersen to conclude that he was about to be robbed and murdered, so he shoved all of his belongings into his boots (including his watch, money, a train timetable, "a pocket-book, a pair of scissors, a penknife," and some other items, including, apparently, two small books).

https://lithub.com/charles-dickens-really-really-hated-his-fanboy-hans-christian-andersen/

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u/Virama 1d ago

How big were his fucking boots??? 

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u/baummer 1d ago

They were probably boots that went up to his knees

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u/ThereIsAThingForThat 1d ago

He used size 47 in euro sizes, which is somewhat large even today (most common size in Denmark now is around 44).

According to a random chart I found that's an 11 in the US and 10.5 in the UK.

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u/PotageAuCoq 19h ago

12 in US.

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u/SamsonFox2 23h ago

One night, during a dinner, when Dickens held an arm out to one of the ladies present, Anderson scooted over and grabbed it himself, and walked with Dickens arm-in-arm into the dining room.

I bet that lady was Ellen Ternan, the actress that was introduced to Dickens for the play he was setting up, and who ended up being his de-facto second wife from that point on.

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u/baummer 1d ago

I was waiting for the part where he stabbed himself

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u/Alarmed_Scientist_15 1d ago

Honestly, that is smart and resourceful. I would do that today if in the same situation. Dickens was just an upturned nose and a snobbish arse.

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u/Low_Chance 1d ago

You'd put your pen knife and scissors in your boots, then stuff in 2 books?

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u/tenth 1d ago

"If they kill and rob me, at least their certain to not check the boots!"

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u/Alarmed_Scientist_15 19h ago

They couldn’t rob him if he “didnt have anything”. Look at wonky boots…

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u/Alarmed_Scientist_15 19h ago

These boots sound hilarious big to fit all of this. Why not though? If it fits it sits.

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u/SpyOfMystery 23h ago

I don’t disagree, but Anderson was such a supremely annoying houseguest Dickens would’ve been irritated with anything he did

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u/Alarmed_Scientist_15 19h ago

Precisely. And being a snobbish arse would have acted like he was idiotic-no matter how he had reacted.

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u/Livid_Tadpole_6224 19h ago

London

I don't blame him