sion.[20]

Very faithfully yours.

FOOTNOTES:

[16] The poet "Barry Cornwall."

[17] "Hide and Seek."

[18] On the occasion of the Prince Consort's visit to the camp at
Boulogne.

[19] Mr. Egg.

[20] The inscription on the house in Rochester known as "Watts's
Charity" is to the effect that it furnishes a night's lodging for six
poor travellers--"not being Rogues or Proctors."

1855.

NARRATIVE.

In the beginning of this year, Charles Dickens gave public readings at
Reading, Sherborne, and Bradford in Yorkshire, to which reference is
made in the first following letters. Besides this, he was fully occupied
in getting up a play for his children, which was acted on the 6th
January. Mr. Planche's fairy extravaganza of "Fortunio and his Seven
Gifted Servants" was the play selected, the parts being filled by all
his own children and some of their young friends, and Charles Dickens,
Mr. Mark Lemon, and Mr. Wilkie Collins playing with them, the only
grown-up members of the company. In February he made a short trip to
Paris with Mr. Wilkie Collins, with an intention of going on to
Bordeaux, which was abandoned on account of bad weather. Out of the
success of the children's play at Tavistock House rose a scheme for a
serious play at the same place. Mr. Collins undertaking to write a
melodrama for the purpose, and Mr. Stanfield to paint scenery and
drop-scene, Charles Dickens turned one of the rooms of the house into a
very perfect little theatre, and in June "The Lighthouse" was acted for
three nights, with "Mr. Nightingale's Diary" and "Animal Magnetism" as
farces; the actors being himself and several members of the original
amateur company, the actresses, his two daughters and his sister-in-law.
Mr. Stanfield, after entering most heartily into the enterprise, and
giving constant time and attention to the painting of his beautiful
scenes, was unfortunately ill and unable to attend the first
performance. We give a letter to him, reporting its great success.

In this summer Charles Dickens made a speech at a great meeting at Drury
Lane Theatre on the subject of "Administrative Reform," of which he
writes to Mr. Macready. On this subject of "Administrative Reform," too,
we give two letters to the great Nineveh traveller Mr. Layard (now Sir
Austen H. Layard), for whom, as his letters show, he conceived at once
the affectionate friendship which went on increasing f