g a second visit
to Birmingham and making a speech, of which he writes in his last letter
to Mr. Macready.

For his last reading he gave the "Christmas Carol" and "The Trial" from
"Pickwick," and at the end of the evening he addressed a few farewell
words to his audience. It was a memorable and splendid occasion. He was
very deeply affected by the loving enthusiasm of his greeting, and it
was a real sorrow to him to give up for ever the personal associations
with thousands of the readers of his books. But when the pain, mingled
with pleasure, of this last reading was over, he felt greatly the relief
of having undisturbed time for his own quieter pursuits, and looked
forward to writing the last numbers of "Edwin Drood" at Gad's Hill,
where he was to return in June.

The last public appearance of any kind that he made was at the Royal
Academy dinner in May. He was at the time far from well, but he made a
great effort to be present and to speak, from his strong desire to pay a
tribute to the memory of his dear old friend Mr. Maclise, who died in
April.

Her Majesty having expressed a wish, conveyed through Mr. Helps
(afterwards Sir Arthur Helps), to have a personal interview with Charles
Dickens, he accompanied Mr. Helps to Buckingham Palace one afternoon in
March. He was most graciously and kindly received by her Majesty, and
came away with a hope that the visit had been mutually agreeable. The
Queen presented him with a copy of her "Journal in the Highlands," with
an autograph inscription. And he had afterwards the pleasure of
requesting her acceptance of a set of his books. He attended a levee
held by the Prince of Wales in April, and the last time he dined out in
London was at a party given by Lord Houghton for the King of the
Belgians and the Prince of Wales, who had both expressed a desire to
meet Charles Dickens. All through the season he had been suffering, at
intervals, from the swollen foot, and on this occasion it was so bad,
that up to the last moment it was very doubtful whether he could fulfil
his engagement.

We have very few letters for this year, and none of any very particular
interest, but we give them all, as they are _the last_.

Mr. S. L. Fildes was his "new illustrator," to whom he alludes in a note
to Mr. Frith; we also give a short note to Mr. Fildes himself.

The correspondence of Charles Dickens with Mrs. Dallas Glyn, the
celebrated actress, for whom he had a great friendship, is so much o