nd,
but always to keep itself apart." The story was published in the 37th
number of the new series of _All the Year Round_, with the title of "An
Experience." The "new series" had been started to break up the too great
length of volumes in sequence, and the only change it announced was the
discontinuance of Christmas Numbers. He had tired of them himself; and,
observing the extent to which they were now copied in all directions (as
usual with other examples set by him), he supposed them likely to become
tiresome to the public.

[287] The reader curious in such matters will be helped to the clue for
much of this portion of the plot by reference to pp. 90, 103, and 109,
in Chapters XII, XIII, and XIV.

[288] I subjoin what has been written to me by an American
correspondent. "I went lately with the same inspector who accompanied
Dickens to see the room of the opium-smokers, old Eliza and her Lascar
or Bengalee friend. There a fancy seized me to buy the bedstead which
figures so accurately in _Edwin Drood_, in narrative and picture. I gave
the old woman a pound for it, and have it now packed and ready for
shipment to New York. Another American bought a pipe. So you see we have
heartily forgiven the novelist his pleasantries at our expense. Many
military men who came to England from America refuse to register their
titles, especially if they be Colonels; all the result of the basting we
got on that score in _Martin Chuzzlewit_."

CHAPTER XIX.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

1836-1870.

Dickens not a Bookish Man--Character of his
Talk--Dickens made to tell his Own Story--Lord
Russell on Dickens's Letters--No Self-conceit
in Dickens--Letter to his Youngest
Son--Personal Prayer--Hymn in a Christmas
Tale--Objection to Posthumous Honours--Source
of Quarrel with Literary Fund--Small Poets--On
"Royalty" Bargains--Editorship--Relations with
Contributors--Foreign Views of English
People--Editorial Pleasures--Adverse Influences
of Periodical Writing--Anger and Satire--No
desire to enter the House of Commons--Reforms
he took most Interest in--The Liverpool Dinner
in 1869--Tribute to Lord Russell--The People
governing and the People governed--Tone of Last
Book--Alleged Offers from the Queen--The
Queen's Desire to see Dickens act--Her
Majesty's Wish to hear Dickens read--Interview