gs in the United States. Speculators would
gladly, no doubt, have availed themselves of so golden an opportunity
for turning to account his immense reputation. There were those,
however, at home here, who doubted as to the advisability of the author
entering, under any conceivable circumstances, upon an undertaking
obviously involving in its successful accomplishment an enormous amount
of physical labour and excitement. Added to this, the project was
inseparable in any case--however favourable might be the manner of
its ultimate arrangement--from a profound sense of responsibility all
through the period that would have to be set apart for its realisation.
It was among the more remarkable characteristics of Charles Dickens
that, while he was endowed with a brilliant imagination, and with a
genius in many ways incomparable, he was at the same time gifted with
the clearest and soundest judgment, being, in point of fact, what is
called a thoroughly good man of business. Often as he had shewn this
to be the case during the previous phases of his career, he never
demonstrated the truth of it so undeniably as in the instance of this
proposed Reading Tour in the United States. Determined to understand at
once whether the scheme, commended by some, denounced by others, was in
itself, to begin with, feasable, and after that advisable, he despatched
Mr. Dolby to America for the purpose of surveying the proposed scene of
operations. Immediately on his emissary's return, Dickens drew up a few
pithy sentences, headed by him, "The Case in a Nutshell." His decision
was what those more immediately about him had for some time anticipated.
He made up his mind to go, and to go quite independently. The Messrs.
Chappell, it should be remarked at once, had no part whatever in
the enterprise. The Author-Reader accepted for himself the sole
responsibility of the undertaking. As a matter of course, he retained
Mr. Dolby as his business manager, despatching him again across the
Atlantic, when everything had been arranged between them, to the end
that all should be in readiness by the time of his own arrival.

Within the brief interval which then elapsed, Between the business
manager's return to, and the Author-Reader's departure for, America,
that well-remembered Farewell Banquet was given to Charles Dickens,
which was not unworthy of signalising his popularity and his reputation.
He himself, upon the occasion, spoke of it as that "proud night,"