mong those present was Maclise, who, says Forster, "made a note of it" in
pencil, which is reproduced herein. "It will tell the reader all he can
wish to know, and he will thus see of whom the party consisted."

Of Dickens' entire literary career nothing was more successful than his
famous public readings. From that night at Forster's house in Lincoln's
Inn Fields (No. 58, still standing, 1903), afterward made use of as Mr.
Tulkinghorn's in "Bleak House," and later among other friends, at first in
a purely informal and private manner and in a semi-public way for
charitable objects, these diversions, so powerful and realistic were they,
ultimately grew into an out-and-out recognized business enterprise.

The first series was inaugurated in 1858-59, and absolutely took the
country by storm, meeting with the greatest personal affection and
respect wherever he went. In Dublin there was almost a riot. People broke
the pay-box, and freely offered L5 for a stall. In Belfast he had enormous
audiences, being compelled, he said, to turn half the town away. The
reading over, the people ran after him to look at him. "Do me the honour,"
said one, "to shake hands, Misther Dickens, and God bless you, sir; not
ounly for the light you've been to me this night, but for the light you've
been to me house, sir (and God bless your face!), this many a year." Men
cried undisguisedly.

During the second American tour, in 1867, the public went almost mad. In
Boston his reception was beyond all expectations; and in New York the
speculators assembled the night before the reading in long lines to wait
the opening of the doors at nine the next morning for the issue of the
tickets. They continued to come all night, and at five o'clock in the
morning there were two lines of eight hundred each, whilst at eight there
were five thousand. At nine o'clock, each of the two lines reached more
than three-quarters of a mile in length, members of the families were
relieving each other, waiters from neighbouring restaurants were serving
breakfasts in the open December air, and excited applicants for tickets
offering five or ten dollars for the mere permission to exchange places
with other persons standing nearer the head of the line. Excitement and
enthusiasm increased wherever he travelled, and it has been freely
observed by all who knew him well that this excitement and strain finally
culminated, after he had returned to England and undertaken there another
s