erine Dickens. January 21." Thus it is that
each issue of a great newspaper is born, or made, though the use of the
midnight oil which was burned on this occasion was no novelty to Charles
Dickens himself. The issue in question contained the first of a series of
"Travelling Sketches--Written on the Road," which were afterward published
in book form as "Pictures from Italy."

A unique circumstance of contemporary interest to Americans occurred
during Dickens' second visit to America (1868) in "The Great International
Walking Match." A London bookseller at the present time (1903) has in his
possession the original agreement between George Dolby (British subject),
_alias_ "The Man of Ross," and James Ripley Osgood, _alias_ "The Boston
Bantam," wherein Charles Dickens, described as "The Gad's Hill Gasper," is
made umpire.

One of the most famous and interesting portraits of Dickens was that made
in pencil by Sir John Millais, A. R. A., in 1870. This was the last
presentment of the novelist, in fact, a posthumous portrait, and its
reproduction was for a long time not permitted. The original hangs in the
parlour of "The Leather Bottle," at Cobham, given to the present
proprietor by the Rev. A. H. Berger, M. A., Vicar of Cobham. Among other
famous portraits of Dickens were those by Ary Scheffer, 1856; a miniature
on ivory by Mrs. Barrow, 1830; a pencil study by "Phiz," 1837; a chalk
drawing by Samuel Lawrence, 1838; "The Captain Boabdil" portrait by
Leslie, 1846; an oil portrait by W. P. Frith, R. A., 1859; a pastel
portrait by J. G. Gersterhauer, 1861; and a chalk drawing by E. G. Lewis,
1869. This list forms a chronology of the more important items of Dickens
portraiture from the earliest to that taken after his death, subsequent
to which was made a plaster cast, from which Thomas Woolner, R. A.,
modelled the bust portrait.

The "Boz Club," founded in 1899 by Mr. Percy Fitzgerald, one of Dickens'
"bright young men" in association with him in the conduct of _Household
Words_ was originally composed of members of the Athenaeum Club, of whom
the following knew Dickens personally, Lord James of Hereford, Mr. Marcus
Stone, R. A., and Mr. Luke Fildes, R. A., who, with others, foregathered
for the purpose of dining together and keeping green the memory of the
novelist.

Its membership has since been extended to embrace the following gentlemen,
who also had the pleasure and gratification of acquaintanceship with
Dickens: the Mar