As originally recounted in the Christmas story-book, the whole narrative
was comprised within a very few pages, portioned out into three little
chirps. Yet the letter-press was illustrated profusely by pencils as
eminent as those of Daniel Maclise, of Clarkson Stanfield, of Richard
Doyle, of John Leech, of Sir Edwin Landseer. The charming little fairy
tale, moreover, was inscribed to Lord Jeffrey. It was a favourite of
his, as it still is of many another critic north and south of the
Tweed, light, nay trivial, though the materials out of which the homely
apologue is composed. It can hardly be wondered at, however, remembering
how less than four years prior to its first publication, a literary
reviewer, no less formidable than Professor Wilson--while abstaining,
in his then capacity as chairman of the public banquet given to Charles
Dickens at Edinburgh, from attempting, as he said, anything like "a
critical delineation of our illustrious guest"--nevertheless, added
emphatically, "I cannot but express in a few ineffectual words the
delight which every human bosom feels in the benign spirit which
pervades all his creations." Christopher North thus further expressed
his admiration then of the young English Novelist--"How kind and good
a man he is," the great Critic exclaimed, laying aside for a while the
crutch with which he had so often, in the Ambrosian Nights, brained many
an arrant pretender to the title of genius or of philanthropist, and
turning his lion-like eyes, at the moment beaming only with cordiality,
on the then youthful face of Dickens,--"How kind and good a man he is
I need not say, nor what strength of genius he has acquired by that
profound sympathy with his fellow-creatures, whether in prosperity and
happiness, or overwhelmed with unfortunate circumstances." Purely and
simply, in his capacity as an imaginative writer, the Novelist had
already (then in the June of 1841) impressed thus powerfully the heart
and judgment of John Wilson, of Christopher North, of the inexorable
Rhadamanthus of _Blackwood_ and the "Noctes." Afterwards, but a very
little more than two years afterwards, came the "Carol." The following
winter rang out the "Chimes." The Christmas after that was heard the
chirping of the "Cricket."

Four years previously Professor Wilson, on the occasion referred to, had
remarked of him most truly,--"He has not been deterred by the aspect of
vice and wickedness, and misery and guilt, from seeking