calculation assumes New York City, and the
State of New York, to be good for a very large
proportion of the 80 Readings; and that the
calculation also assumes the necessary
travelling not to extend beyond Boston and
adjacent places, New York City and adjacent
places, Philadelphia, Washington, and
Baltimore. But, if the calculation should prove
too sanguine on this head, and if these places
should _not_ be good for so many Readings, then
it may prove impracticable to get through 80
within the time: by reason of other places that
would come into the list, lying wide asunder,
and necessitating long and fatiguing journeys.

"7. The loss consequent on the conversion of
paper money into gold (with gold at the present
ruling premium) is allowed for in the
calculation. It counts seven dollars to the
pound."

CHAPTER XIV.

DICKENS AS A NOVELIST.

1836-1870.

THE TALE OF TWO CITIES.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
CHRISTMAS SKETCHES.
OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.
DR. MARIGOLD AND TALES FOR AMERICA.

M. Taine's Criticism--What M. Taine
overlooks--Anticipatory Reply to M.
Taine--Paper by Mr. Lewes--Plea for Objectors
to Dickens--Dickens a "Seer of
Visions"--Criticised and Critic--An Opinion on
Mr. and Mrs. Micawber--Dickens in a Fit of
Hallucination--Dickens's Leading
Quality--Dickens's Earlier Books--Mastery of
Dialogue--Realities of Fiction--Fielding and
Dickens--Universality of Micawber
Experiences--Dickens's Enjoyment of his Own
Humour--Origin of _Tale of Two
Cities_--Title-hunting--Success--Method
different from his Other Books--Reply to an
Objection--Care with which Dickens
worked--_Tale of Two Cities_
characterized--Opinion of an American
Critic--_Great Expectations_--Another Boy-child
for Hero--Groundwork of the Story--Masterly
Drawing of Character--Christmas Sketches--_Our
Mutual Friend_--Germ of Characters for
it--Writing Numbers in Advance--Death of
Leech--Holiday in France--In the Staplehurst
Accident--On a Tale by Edmund About--Doctor
Marigold--Minor Stories--Edwin Drood--