y there is no
more question than there is of that of Hamlet or of Lear. Bret Harte
tells us of a camp among the stern Sierras, where a group of wanderers
gathered about the fire, and one of them arose, and "from his pack's
scant treasure" drew forth the magic book; and soon all their own wants
and labors were forgotten, and

"The whole camp with Nell on English meadows
Wandered and lost their way."

And from many different sources come stories of her influence upon the
hearts and minds of all classes and conditions of men.

Of Dickens's personal appearance and of the leading traits of his
character much has been written, and by some of the keenest observers of
his time. He is said to have been a very small and sickly boy, subject
to attacks of violent spasm. Although so fond of games and sports when
a man, as a boy he evinced little interest in them, probably on account
of his ill health. We should naturally think of him as the autocrat of
the playground, and the champion in all games of strength and skill; but
such was not the fact. He was extremely fond of reading, at a very early
age, and of acting little plays, and showing pictures in a magic
lantern; he even sang at this time, and was as fond of fun as in later
life. When quite young he and his companions mounted a small theatre,
and got together scenery to illustrate "The Miller and his Men," and one
or two other plays.

Mr. Forster describes him thus:--

"The features were very good. He had a capital forehead, a firm
nose, with full, wide nostril, eyes wonderfully beaming with
intellect and running over with humor and cheerfulness, and a
rather prominent mouth, strongly marked with sensibility. The head
was altogether well-formed and symmetrical, and the air and
carriage of it extremely spirited. The hair, so scant and grizzled
in later days, was then of a rich brown and the most luxuriant
abundance, and the bearded face of the last two decades had hardly
a vestige of hair or whisker, but there was that in the face, as I
first recollect it, which no time could change, and which remained
implanted on it unalterably to the last. This was the quickness,
keenness, and practical power, the eager, restless, energetic look
on each several feature, that seemed to tell so little of a student
or writer of books, and so much of a man of action and business in
the world. Light and moti