'Accept your copy, with kind regards, from your affectionate friend Charles Dickens': Letter reveals how author gave copies of his first novel to friends Note accompanied his first-ever bound copy of The Pickwick Papers Sent to close friend and biographer John Forster on December 11, 1837 Expected to fetch £400 when it goes up for auction on Friday A letter written by Victorian novelist Charles Dickens documenting his first-ever novel is expected to fetch £400 when it goes up for auction. The beautifully written note accompanied the first-ever bound copy of Dickens' first novel, the Pickwick Papers. Dated Monday evening, December 11 1837, the letter is written to his friend and later biographer John Forster, offering him a copy of the literature. Unique: The beautifully crafted letter from Charles Dickens' addressed to his friend and biographer John Forster is set to go on sale A first bound edition of Pickwick Papers from 1837. It was originally published as a 20-part serial It reads: 'My Dear Forster, Chapman and Hall have just sent me three extra super bound copies of Pickwick - as per specimen enclosed. The first I forward to you, the second I have presented to a good friend Ainsworth and the third Kate has retained for herself. Accept your copy, with kind regards, from your affectionate friend Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers was Dickens' first work to receive public acclaim. Written at the tender age of 24, Dickens balanced writing this episodic work with his job as a court reporter. Chapman and Hall approached Dickens with their concept of writing lines to accompany their comic 'cockney sporting plates' by illustrator Robert Seymour. However, Dickens rarely adjusted his narrative to plates that had been prepared for him. Typically, he himself led the way with an installment of his story, and the artist was compelled to illustrate what Dickens had already written. The story thus became the prime source of interest, and the illustrations merely of secondary importance. The serialisation of The Pickwick Papers launched Charles Dickens as an international literary celebrity Literary genesis: The Pickwick Papers was Dickens' first work to receive public acclaim By this reversal of interest, Dickens transformed, at a stroke, a current type of fiction, consisting mostly of pictures, into a novel of contemporary London life. While still working on his Pickwick Papers (1836-37), Dickens was contracted to write two more novels and started publishing Oliver Twist (1837-38). Auctioneer Charles Hanson, who will be selling the letter at auction on Friday in Derby, said: 'This letter, written by Dickens himself, is a rare and fascinating thing. 'I can't help but imagine a young Dickens writing by candlelight, with immense excitement at his first literary success. Keen to share his first work with his dear friend and biographer John Forster, historical novelist William Harrison Ainsworth, and his wife, Kate, this would have been frantically scribbled and swiftly put in the post. Long career: Charles Dickens was a prolific writer during more than 30 years as an author Charles Dickens, the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, was yet to discover fame as an author when he excitedly wrote the letter above. Born in Portsmouth in 1812, he left school early to work in a factory and had little education. His anger at the conditions that working class people had to live in became major themes of his work. His experience working in a blacking factory was never forgotten and inspired two of his novels 'David Copperfield' and 'Great Expectations'. During his career he edited weekly journals, wrote 15 novels and five novellas as well as hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles. Like many others, he began his career as a journalist. While working for The Morning Chronicle he also began writing sketches under the pseudonym 'Boz'. But it was the serialisation of The Pickwick Papers which made him an international literary celebrity. His huge list of novels includes A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, Bleak House, Hard Times and A Tale Of Two Cities. He was also a theatre enthusiast and wrote plays. He was estranged from his wife in 1858 after the birth of their ten children, but maintained relations with his mistress, the actress Ellen Ternan. He died of a stroke in 1870 and is buried at Westminster Abbey.