ch there is in common
between the two great books, and, indeed, between them and a third,
greater than either, the immortal "Don Quixote." All three are
"travelling stories." Sterne also was partial to a travelling story.
Lately, when a guest at the "Johnson Club," I ventured to expound
minutely, and at length, this curious similarity between Boswell and
Dickens. Dickens' appreciation of "Bozzy" is proved by his admirable
parody which is found in one of his letters to Wilkie Collins, and which
is superior to anything of the sort--to Chalmers', Walcot's, or any that
have been attempted:--

"Sir," as Dr. Johnson would have said, "if it be not irrational in a
man to count his feathered bipeds before they are hatched, we will
conjointly astonish them next year." _Boswell_. "Sir, I hardly
understand you." _Johnson_. "You never understood anything."
_Boswell_ (in a sprightly manner). "Perhaps, sir, I am all the better
for it." _Johnson_. "I do not know but that you are. There is Lord
Carlisle (smiling)--he never understands anything, and yet the dog is
well enough. Then, sir, there is Forster--he understands many things,
and yet the fellow is fretful. Again, sir, there is Dickens, with a
facile way with him--like Davy, sir, like Davy--yet I am told that the
man is lying at a hedge alehouse by the seashore in Kent as long as
they will trust him." _Boswell_. "But there are no hedges by the sea
in Kent, sir." _Johnson_. "And why not, sir?" _Boswell_ (at a
loss). "I don't know, sir, unless--" _Johnson_ (thundering). "Let us
have no unlesses, sir. If your father had never said unless he would
never have begotten you, sir." _Boswell_ (yielding). "Sir, that is
very true."

To begin, the Christian names of the two great men were the same. Sam
Johnson and Samuel Pickwick. Johnson had a relation called Nathaniel,
and Pickwick had a "follower" also Nathaniel. Both the great men founded
Clubs: Johnson's was in Essex Street, Strand, to say nothing of the
Literary or Johnson Club; the other in Huggin Lane. Johnson had his
Goldsmith, Reynolds, Boswell, Burke, and the rest, as his members and
"followers:" Mr. Pickwick had his Tupman, Snodgrass, Winkle, and others.
These were the "travelling members," just as Dr. Johnson and Boswell were
the travelling members of their Club. Boswell was the notetaker, so was
Snodgrass. When we see the pair staying at the Three Cr