A letter from Charles Dickens to his clockmaker

My Dear Sir,

Since my hall clock was sent to your establishment to be cleaned it has gone (as, indeed, it always had) perfectly well, but has struck the hours with great reluctance, and after enduring internal agonies of a most distressing nature, it has ceased striking altogether. Though a happy release for the clock, this is not convenient to the household.  If you can send down any confidential person with whom the clock can confer, I think it may have something on its works that it would be glad to make a clean breast of.

Faithfully yours

Charles Dickens