l readings soon after Christmas." He had obtained the sanction of
Sir Thomas Watson to giving twelve readings, _in London only_, which he
had fixed for the beginning of the following year.

The letter to his friend Mr. Finlay, which opens the year, was in reply
to a proposal for a public banquet at Belfast, projected by the Mayor of
that town, and conveyed through Mr. Finlay. This gentleman was at that
time proprietor of _The Northern Whig_ newspaper at Belfast, and he was
son-in-law to Mr. Alexander Russel, editor of _The Scotsman_.

Charles Dickens's letter this New Year to M. de Cerjat was his last.
That faithful and affectionate friend died very shortly afterwards.

To Miss Mary Boyle he writes to acknowledge a New Year's gift, which he
had been much touched by receiving from her, at a time when he knew she
was deeply afflicted by the sudden death of her brother, Captain
Cavendish Boyle, for whom Charles Dickens had a true regard and
friendship.

While he was giving his series of London readings in the spring, he
received a numerously signed circular letter from actors and actresses
of the various London theatres. They were very curious about his new
reading of the "Oliver Twist" murder, and representing to him the
impossibility of their attending an evening, requested him to give a
morning reading, for their especial benefit. We give his answer,
complying with the request. And the occasion was, to him, a most
gratifying and deeply interesting one.

The letter to Mr. Edmund Ollier was in answer to an invitation to be
present at the inauguration of a bust of Mr. Leigh Hunt, which was to be
placed over his grave at Kensal Green.

The letter to Mr. Shirley Brooks, the well-known writer, who succeeded
Mr. Mark Lemon as editor of "Punch," and for whom Charles Dickens had a
cordial regard, was on the subject of a memorial on behalf of Mrs. Peter
Cunningham, whose husband had recently died.

The "remarkable story," of which he writes to his daughter in August,
was called "An Experience." It was written by a lady (who prefers to be
anonymous) who had been a contributor to "Household Words" from its
first starting, and was always highly valued in this capacity by Charles
Dickens.

Our latest letters for this year are in October. One to Mr. Charles
Kent, sympathising with him on a disappointment which he had experienced
in a business undertaking, and one to Mr. Macready, in which he tells
him of his being in the "pre