announcing the fact in red, back, and yellow, that it was
his last appearance.

The Readings selected were, as the very best that could have been
chosen, his own favourites--"The Christmas Carol," and the "Trial from
Pickwick." He never read better in his life than he did on that last
evening. Evidently enough, he was nerved to a crowning effort. And by
sympathy his audience--his last audience--responded to him throughout by
their instant and intense appreciation. Not a point was lost. Every good
thing told to the echo, that is, through the echoing laughter. Scrooge,
Fezziwig, the Fiddler, Topper, every one of the Cratchits, everybody in
"The Carol," including the Small Boy who is so great at repartee, all
were welcomed in turn, as became them, with better than acclamations. It
was the same exactly with the "Trial from Pickwick"--Justice Stareleigh,
Serjeant Buzfuz, Mr. Winkle, Mrs. Cluppins, Sam Weller, one after
another appearing for a brief interval, and then disappearing for ever,
each of them a delightfully humorous, one of them in particular, the
Judge, a simply incomparable impersonation.

Then came the moment of parting between the great Author and his
audience--that last audience who were there as the representatives of
his immense public in both hemispheres. When the resounding applause
that greeted the close of that Final Reading had died out, there was a
breathless hush as Charles Dickens, who had for once lingered there
upon the platform, addressed to his hearers, with exquisitely clear
articulation, but with unmistakably profound emotion, these few and
simple words of farewell:--

"Ladies and Gentlemen,--It would be worse than
"idle, for it would be hypocritical and unfeeling, if I
"were to disguise that I close this episode in my life
"with feelings of very considerable pain. For some
"fifteen years in this hall, and in many kindred places,
"I have had the honour of presenting my own che-
"rished ideas before you for your recognition, and in
"closely observing your reception of them have en-
"joyed an amount of artistic delight and instruction,
"which perhaps it is given to few men to know. In
"this task and in every other I have ever undertaken
"as a faithful servant of the public, always imbued
"with the sense of duty to them, and always striving
"to do his best, I have been uniformly cheered by the
"readiest response, the