ondly, because I think it of the highest importance that such an
association as our Guild should not appear to resent upon society the
faults of individuals who were flagrantly impracticable.

At its best, it is liable to that suspicion, as all such efforts have
been on the part of many jealous persons, to whom it _must_ look for
aid. And any stop that in the least encourages it is one of a fatal
kind.

I do _not_ think myself, but this is merely an individual opinion, that
Savage _was_ a man of genius, or that anything of his writing would have
attracted much notice but for the bastard's reference to his mother. For
these reasons combined, I should not be inclined to add my subscription
of two guineas to yours, unless the inscription were altered as I have
altered it in pencil. But in that case I should be very glad to respond
to your suggestion, and to snuff out all my smaller disinclination.

Faithfully yours ever.

FOOTNOTE:

[13] Mr. Charles Knight was writing a series of papers in "Household
Words," called "Shadows."

1852.

NARRATIVE.

In the summer of this year, Charles Dickens hired a house at Dover for
three months, whither he went with his family. At the end of this time
he sent his children and servants back to Tavistock House, and crossed
over to Boulogne, with his wife and sister-in-law, to inspect that town
and its neighbourhood, with a view of making it his summer quarters in
the following year. Many amateur performances were given in the
provinces in aid of the fund for the Guild of Literature and Art;
Charles Dickens, as usual, taking the whole management on his own
shoulders.

In March, the first number of "Bleak House" appeared, and he was at work
on this book all through the year, as well as being constantly occupied
with his editorship of "Household Words."

We have, in the letters for this year, Charles Dickens's first to Lord
John Russell (afterwards the Earl Russell); a friend whom he held in the
highest estimation, and to whom he was always grateful for many personal
kindnesses. We have also his first letter to Mr. Wilkie Collins, with
whom he became most intimately associated in literary work. The
affectionate friendship he had for him, the high value in which he held
him as a brother-artist, are constantly expressed in Charles Dickens's
own letters to Mr. Collins, and in his letters to other friends.

"Those gallant men" (i