inty of being dull. He was not
afraid of improbabilities, any more than his contemporary Lever was, and
owing to this they both now seem somewhat old-fashioned. Lever here
exceeded Dickens, and his course was different; his plan was to sow a
few seeds of extravagant falsehood, whence he would raise a wonderful
efflorescence of ludicrous circumstances. For instance, he makes a
General Count de Vanderdelft pay a visit to the Dodd family, and bring
them an invitation from the King of Belgium. Great preparations are of
course made by the ladies for so grand an occasion. The day arrives, and
they have to travel in their full dress in second and third class
carriages. They arrive a little late, but make their way to the Royal
Pavilion. Here, while in great suspense, they meet the General, who says
he was afraid he should have missed them.

"'We've not a minute to lose,' cried he, drawing Mary Ann's arm
within his own. 'If Leopold sits down to table, I can't present
you.'

"The General made his way through the crowd until he reached a
barrier, where two men were standing taking tickets. He demanded
admission, and on being refused, exclaimed, 'These scullions don't
know me--this canaille never heard my name.' With these words the
General kicked up the bar with his foot, and passed in with Mary
Ann, flourishing his drawn sword in the air, and crying out, 'Take
them in flank--sabre them--every man--no prisoners--no quarter.' At
this juncture two big men in grey coats burst through the crowd and
laid hands on the General, who, it seems, had escaped a week before
from a mad-house in Ghent."

The basis of all this is far too improbable, but there was a temptation
to construct a very good story upon it.

But Dickens builds upon much firmer ground, and is only fantastic in the
superstructure. This is certainly an improvement, and we admire his
genius most when he controls its flight, and when his caricatures are
less grotesque. I take the following from "Nicholas Niekleby," Chapter
II.

"Although a few members of the graver professions live about Golden
Square, it is not exactly in anybody's way to or from anywhere....
It is a great resort of foreigners. The dark complexioned men, who
wear large rings, and heavy watchguards, and bushy whiskers, and
who congregate under the opera colonnade, and about the box-office
in the season, betwee