hat
night alone added greatly more than three thousand pounds to its funds,
and Dickens put the crown to his good work by reading on its behalf,
shortly afterwards, his _Christmas Carol_; when the sum realized, and
the urgent demand that followed for a repetition of the pleasure given
by the reading, bore down farther opposition to the project of his
engaging publicly in such readings for himself.

The Child's Hospital night was the 9th of February, its Reading was
appointed for the 15th of April, and, nearly a month before, renewed
efforts at remonstrance had been made. "Your view of the reading
matter," Dickens replied, "I still think is unconsciously taken from
your own particular point. You don't seem to me to get out of yourself
in considering it. A word more upon it. You are not to think I have made
up my mind. If I had, why should I not say so? I find very great
difficulty in doing so because of what you urge, because I know the
question to be a balance of doubts, and because I most honestly feel in
my innermost heart, in this matter (as in all others for years and
years), the honour of the calling by which I have always stood most
conscientiously. But do you quite consider that the public exhibition of
oneself takes place equally, whosoever may get the money? And have you
any idea that at this moment--this very time--half the public at least
supposes me to be paid? My dear F, out of the twenty or five-and-twenty
letters a week that I get about Readings, twenty will ask at what price,
or on what terms, it can be done. The only exceptions, in truth, are
when the correspondent is a clergyman, or a banker, or the member for
the place in question. Why, at this very time half Scotland believes
that I am paid for going to Edinburgh!--Here is Greenock writes to me,
and asks could it be done for a hundred pounds? There is Aberdeen
writes, and states the capacity of its hall, and says, though far less
profitable than the very large hall in Edinburgh, is it not enough to
come on for? W. answers such letters continually. (--At this place,
enter Beale. He called here yesterday morning, and then wrote to ask if
I would see him to-day. I replied 'Yes,' so here he came in. With long
preface called to know whether it was possible to arrange anything in
the way of Readings for this autumn--say, six months. Large capital at
command. Could produce partners, in such an enterprise, also with large
capital. Represented such. Returns w