d, "Ladies and
gentlemen, on Wednesday next the entertainments will be for _My_
benefit, when I hope to meet your approbation and support." Then, having
bowed herself into the stage-door, she looked out of it, and said,
winningly, "Won't you come?" which was enormously applauded.

Ever affectionately.

FOOTNOTE:

[7] LETTER OF BARON TAUeCHNITZ.

Having had the privilege to see a letter which the late Mr. Charles
Dickens wrote to the author of this work upon its first appearance, and
which there was no intention to publish in England, it became my lively
wish to make it known to the readers of my edition.

I therefore addressed an earnest request to Mr. Forster, that he would
permit the letter to be prefixed to a reprint not designed for
circulation in England, where I could understand his reluctance to
sanction its publication. Its varied illustration of the subject of the
book, and its striking passages of personal feeling and character, led
me also to request that I might be allowed to present it in facsimile.

Mr. Forster complied; and I am most happy to be thus enabled to give to
my public, on the following pages, so attractive and so interesting a
letter, reproduced in the exact form in which it was written, by the
most popular and admired-of writers--too early gone.

TAUeCHNITZ.

Leipsic, _May 23, 1873._

1849.

NARRATIVE.

This, as far as correspondence is concerned, was an uneventful year. In
the spring Charles Dickens took one of his holidays at Brighton,
accompanied by his wife and sister-in-law and two daughters, and they
were joined in their lodgings by Mr. and Mrs. Leech. From Brighton he
writes the letter--as a song--which we give, to Mr. Mark Lemon, who had
been ill, asking him to pay them a visit.

In the summer, Charles Dickens went with his family, for the first time,
to Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, having hired for six months the charming
villa, Winterbourne, belonging to the Rev. James White. And now began
that close and loving intimacy which for the future was to exist between
these two families. Mr. Leech also took a house at Bonchurch. All
through this year Charles Dickens was at work upon "David Copperfield."

As well as giving eccentric names to his children and friends, he was
also in the habit of giving such names to himself--that of "Sparkler"
being one frequently used by him.

Miss Joll herself gives us the explanation