The Project Gutenberg EBook of Charles Dickens as a Reader, by Charles Kent

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Title: Charles Dickens as a Reader

Author: Charles Kent

Release Date: May 5, 2007 [EBook #21332]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLES DICKENS AS A READER ***

Produced by David Widger

CHARLES DICKENS

AS A READER.

By Charles Kent.

[Illustration: Titlepage.jpg]

Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. London: Chapman & Hall, 193,
Piccadilly.

1872.

LONDON: BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRTARS,

[Illustration: Dedication.jpg]

TO

JOHN FORSTER,

THE BIOGRAPHER OF CHARLES DICKENS,

PREFACE.

As the title-page of this volume indicates, no more is here attempted
than a memorial of Charles Dickens in association with his Readings.
It appeared desirable that something in the shape of an accurate record
should be made of an episode in many respects so remarkable in the
career of the most popular author of his generation. A commemorative
volume, precisely of this character, was projected by the writer in the
spring of 1870. Immediately after the Farewell Reading in St James's
Hall, on the 15th of March, Charles Dickens wrote, in hearty approval
of the suggestion, "Everything that I can let you have in aid of the
proposed record (which, _of course_, would be far more agreeable to me
if done by you than by any other hand) shall be at your service."
All the statistics, he added, should be placed freely at the writer's
command; all the marked books from which he himself read should be
confided to him for reference. In now realising his long-postponed
intention, the writer's endeavour has been throughout to restrict the
purpose of his book as much as possible to matters either directly or
indirectly affecting these famous Readings.

The Biography of Charles Dickens having been undertaken by the oldest
and dearest of his friends, all that is here attempted is to portray, as
accurately as may be, a single phase in the career and character of one
of the greatest of all our English Humorists. What is thus set forth
has the advantage, at any rate, of being penned from the write