that it
was in politics to turn William Pitt into Lord Chatham."

[298] One of the many repetitions of the same opinion in his letters may
be given. "Lord John's note" (September 1853) "confirms me in an old
impression that he is worth a score of official men; and has more
generosity in his little finger than a Government usually has in its
whole corporation." In another of his public allusions, Dickens
described him as a statesman of whom opponents and friends alike felt
sure that he would rise to the level of every occasion, however exalted;
and compared him to the seal of Solomon in the old Arabian story
inclosing in a not very large casket the soul of a giant.

[299] In a memoir by Dr. Shelton McKenzie which has had circulation in
America, there is given the following statement, taken doubtless from
publications at the time, of which it will be strictly accurate to say,
that, excepting the part of its closing averment which describes Dickens
sending a copy of his works to her Majesty by her own desire, _there is
in it not a single word of truth_. "Early in 1870 the Queen presented a
copy of her book upon the Highlands to Mr. Dickens, with the modest
autographic inscription, 'from the humblest to the most distinguished
author of England.' This was meant to be complimentary, and was accepted
as such by Mr. Dickens, who acknowledged it in a manly, courteous
letter. Soon after, Queen Victoria wrote to him, requesting that he
would do her the favour of paying her a visit at Windsor. He accepted,
and passed a day, very pleasantly, in his Sovereign's society. It is
said that they were mutually pleased, that Mr. Dickens caught the royal
lady's particular humour, that they chatted together in a very friendly
manner, that the Queen was never tired of asking questions about certain
characters in his books, that they had almost a _tete-a-tete_ luncheon,
and that, ere he departed, the Queen pressed him to accept a baronetcy
(a title which descends to the eldest son), and that, on his declining,
she said, 'At least, Mr. Dickens, let me have the gratification of
making you one of my Privy Council.' This, which gives the personal
title of 'Right Honourable,' he also declined--nor, indeed, did Charles
Dickens require a title to give him celebrity. The Queen and the author
parted, well pleased with each other. The newspapers reported that a
peerage had been offered and declined--_but even newspapers are not
invariably correct_. Mr.