wber is now a magistrate and a rising townsman at Port Middlebay.

One face is above all these and beyond them all. I turn my head and see
it, in its beautiful serenity, beside me. So may thy face be by me,
Agnes, when I close my life; and when realities are melting from me, may
I still find thee near me, pointing upward!

* * * * *

Dombey and Son

The publication of "Dombey and Son" began in October, 1846,
and the story was completed in twenty monthly parts at one
shilling each, the last number being issued in April, 1848.
Its success was striking and immediate, the sale of its first
number exceeding that of "Martin Chuzzlewit" by more than
12,000 copies--a remarkable thing considering the immense
superiority of "Chuzzlewit." "Dombey and Son," indeed, is by
no means one of Dickens's best books; though little Paul will
always retain the sympathies of the reader, and the story of
his short life for ever move us with its pathos. The
popularity of "Dombey and Son" provoked an impudent
publication called "Dombey and Daughter," which was started in
January, 1847, and was issued monthly at a penny. Two stage
versions of "Dombey" appeared--in London in 1873, and in New
York in 1888, but in neither case was the adaptation
particularly successful. "What are the wild waves saying?" was
made the subject of a song--a duet--which at one time was
widely sung, but is now, happily forgotten.

_I.--Dombey and Son_

Dombey sat in the corner of the darkened room in the great armchair by
the bedside, and Son lay tucked up warm in a little basket-bedstead.

Dombey was about eight-and-forty years of age; Son about eight-and-forty
minutes. Dombey was rather bald, rather red, and though a handsome,
well-made man, too stern and pompous in appearance to be prepossessing.
Son was very bald, and very red, and somewhat crushed and spotted in his
general effect, as yet.

"The house will once again, Mrs. Dombey," said Mr. Dombey, "be not only
in name, but in fact, Dombey and Son; Dombey and Son! He will be
christened Paul, Mrs. Dombey, of course!"

The sick lady feebly echoed, "Of course," and closed her eyes again.

"His father's name, Mrs. Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his
grandfather were alive this day." And again he said "Dombey and Son" in
exactly the same tone as before, and then went downst