Charles Dickens, the story of his life, by the author of 'The life of Thackeray'. Popular ed. [Followed by] Speeches literary and social, by C. Dickens

the tale he incidentally mentions the fact, and denies, in his turn, the existence of Sir Peter Laurie!

Jerrold, we may remark, under the initial of "Q.," often scarified the alderman in the pages of Punch.

As a drama "The Chimes" became very popular, the Adelphi performing on 19th December a version adapted with some skill by Messrs. Mark Lemon and Gilbert A'Beckett, Mr. Wright sustaining the part of Alderman Cute, and Paul Bedford Sir Joshua Bowley. The Lyceum had an admirable dramatic version, Mr. Keeley's Toby Veck being a most life-like portrait of Dickens's happy original.

Writing from Milan, in November, 1844, to the Countess of Blessington, we learn how this beautiful little work was composed:

"Since I heard from Count D'Orsay, I have been beset in I don't know how many ways. First of all, I went to Marseilles, and came back to Genoa. Then I went to the Peschiere. Then some people who had been present at the Scientific Congress here, made a sudden inroad on that establishment and over-ran it. Then they went away, and I shut myself up for one month, close and tight, over my little Christmas book, The Chimes.' All my affections and passions got twined and knotted in it, and I became as haggard as a murderer, long, before I had wrote The End.' When I had done that, like 'The man of Thessaly,' who having scratched his eyes out in a quickset hedge, plunged into a bramble-bush to

scratch them in again, I fled to Venice, to recover the composure I had disturbed. From thence I went to Verona and to Mantua. And now I am here -just come up from underground, and earthy all over, from seeing that extraordinary tomb in which the Dead Saint lies in an alabaster case, with sparkling jewels all about him to mock his dusty eyes, not to mention the twenty-franc pieces which devout votaries were ringing down upon a sort of skylight in the Cathedral pavement above, as if it were the counter of his Heavenly shop.

Old is a trifle uglier than when I first arrived. He has periodical parties, at parties, at which there are a great many flower-pots and a few icesno other refreshments. He goes about continually with extemporaneous poetry; and is always ready, like tavern-dinners, on the shortest notice and the most reasonable terms. He keeps a gigantic harp in his bedroom, together with pen, ink, and paper, for fixing his ideas as they flow-a kind of profane King David, truly good-natured and very harmless. Pray say to Count D'Orsay everything that is cordial and loving from me. The travellingpurse he gave me has been of immense service. It has been constantly opened. All Italy seems to yearn to put its hand into it. I think of hanging it, when I come back to England, on a nail as a trophy, and of gashing the brim like the blade of an old sword, and saying to my son and heir, as they do upon the stage: You see this notch, boy? Five

hundred francs were laid low on that day, for posthorses. Where this gap is, a waiter charged your father treble the correct amount-and got it. This end, worn into teeth like the rasped edge of an old file, is sacred to the Custom Houses, boy, the passports, and the shabby soldiers at town-gates, who put an open hand and a dirty coat-cuff into the windows of all Forestieri. Take it, boy. Thy father has nothing else to give!' My desk is cooling itself in a mail-coach, somewhere down at the back of the cathedral, and the pens and ink in this house are so detestable, that I have no hope of your ever getting this portion of my letter. But I have the less misery in this state of mind, from knowing that it has nothing in it to repay you for the trouble of perusal."

During the early part of the year 1845 Dickens remained on the Continent. He was in London, however, in the summer, making arrangements for new books, and other ventures-amongst them a new daily paper, of the most liberal principles-for the coming autumn season,

CHAPTER XIII.

DICKENS AS AN ACTOR.

T has been very generally stated that it was at the close of this year that our author

made his first appearance as an actor upon a

public stage. This is not correct. Dickens's extreme fondness for theatricals had tempted him, as far back as the year 1836, when "Pickwick" was publishing, to take a part in "The Strange Gentleman," at St. James's Theatre. The amateur actor was not successful on this occasion, and we believe no further attempt-except drawing-room performances-was made until the autumn of 1845, when he made. another appearance on the stage at the St. James's Theatre, on the 19th of September, the play selected being Ben Jonson's "Every Man in his Humour;" the various parts of the amateur performance being taken by literary and artistic celebrities. The triumph achieved was immense. They were induced to repeat the performance for a Charity, at the same theatre, on the 15th of November following, the only alteration being the substitution of a Mr. Eaton for Mr. A'Beckett as William. The playbill itself is a curiosity :

"A Strictly Private Amateur Performance

At the ST. JAMES'S THEATRE

(By favour of Mr. Mitchell). Will be performed Ben Jonson's Comedy of

EVERY MAN IN HIS