ailton_ 390

SHORNE CHURCH _F. G. Kitton_ 392

CURIOUS OLD FIGURE OVER THE PORCH, CHALK CHURCH _F. G. Kitton_ 394

"THERE'S MILESTONES ON THE DOVER ROAD" " " 400

DOORWAY, ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL " " 407

FAC-SIMILES OF CHARLES DICKENS'S HANDWRITING 1837, 1850,
1854, 1870 418-20

THE GRAVE IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY _F. G. Kitton_ 425

TAILPIECE, "PATHOS" (From two Plaques of the "Old Man"
and "Little Nell" in Wedgwood Ware) Engraved by _R. Langton_ xx

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

A WEEK'S TRAMP

IN

DICKENS-LAND.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

"So wishing you well in the way you go, we now
conclude with the observation, that perhaps you'll
go it."--_Our Mutual Friend._

AMONG the many interesting books that have been published relating to
Charles Dickens since his death, more than twenty years ago (it seems
but yesterday to some of his admirers), there are at least half a dozen
that describe the "country" peopled by the deathless characters created
by his genius.

Probably the pioneer in this class of literature was that comprehensive
work, _Dickens's London, or London in the Works of Charles Dickens_, by
my friend, that thorough Dickensian, Mr. T. Edgar Pemberton, 1876; this
was followed by a very readable volume, _In Kent with Charles Dickens_,
by Thomas Frost, 1880; then came a dainty tome from Boston, U.S.A.,
entitled, _A Pickwickian Pilgrimage_, by John R. G. Hassard, 1881.
Afterwards appeared _The Childhood and Youth of Charles Dickens_, by
Robert Langton, 1883, beautifully illustrated by the late William Hull
of Manchester, the author, and others--a work developed from the
_brochure_ by the same author, _Charles Dickens and Rochester_, 1880,
which has passed through five editions. Next to Forster's _Life of
Dickens_, Mr. Robert Langton's larger work undoubtedly ranks--especially
from the richness of the illustrations--as a very valuable original
contribution to the biography of the great novelist. Another handsome
volume, containing the illustrations to a series of papers in
_Scribner's Monthly_--written by B. E. Martin--entitled _About England
with Dickens_, came from the pen of Mr. Alfred Rimmer, 1883, and
included additional illustrations drawn by the author