1, DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, _27th December, 1839._

MY DEAR SIR,

The place where you pledge yourself to pay for my beef and mutton when I
eat it, and my ale and wine when I drink it, is the Treasurer's Office
of the Middle Temple, the new building at the bottom of Middle Temple
Lane on the right-hand side. You walk up into the first-floor and say
(boldly) that you come to sign Mr. Charles Dickens's bond--which is
already signed by Mr. Sergeant Talfourd. I suppose I should formally
acquaint you that I have paid the fees, and that the responsibility you
incur is a very slight one--extending very little beyond my good
behaviour, and honourable intentions to pay for all wine-glasses,
tumblers, or other dinner-furniture that I may break or damage.

I wish you would do me another service, and that is to choose, at the
place you told me of, a reasonable copy of "The Beauties of England and
Wales." You can choose it quite as well as I can, or better, and I shall
be much obliged to you. I should like you to send it at once, as I am
diving into all kinds of matters at odd minutes with a view to our
forthcoming operations.

Faithfully yours.

FOOTNOTES:

[5] This fragment of a diary was found amongst some papers which have
recently come to light. The Editors give only those paragraphs which are
likely to be of any public interest. The original manuscript has been
added to "The Forster Collection," at the South Kensington Museum.

[6] "Sunday, under Three Heads," a small pamphlet published about this
time.

[7] "Bentley's Miscellany."

[8] No other date, but it must have been 7th February, 1839.

1840.

[Sidenote: Mr. H. G. Adams.[9]]

1, DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, YORK GATE, REGENT'S PARK,
_Saturday, Jan. 18th, 1840._

DEAR SIR,

The pressure of other engagements will, I am compelled to say, prevent
me from contributing a paper to your new local magazine.[10] But I beg
you to set me down as a subscriber to it, and foremost among those whose
best wishes are enlisted in your cause. It will afford me real pleasure
to hear of your success, for I have many happy recollections connected
with Kent, and am scarcely less interested in it than if I had been a
Kentish man bred and born, and had resided in the county all my life.

Faithfully yours.

[