as the
residence of Dickens' biographer, Forster, where Dickens gave what was
practically the first of his semi-public readings, on the occasion when he
came from Italy especially to read the "Christmas story," "The Chimes," to
a few favoured friends.

Hard by, just off the southwestern corner of the square, is the apocryphal
"Old Curiosity Shop," a notable literary shrine, as is mentioned
elsewhere, but not the original of the novel which bears the same name, as
Dickens himself has said.

The "Clare Market," an unsavoury locality which had somewhat to do with
"Pickwick," was near by, but has practically disappeared from view in a
virtuous clearing-up process which has recently been undertaken.

In Portugal Street, leading into Lincoln's Inn Fields, was Mr. Solomon's
headquarters; while further east, toward the city, we find the "George and
Vulture," mentioned in "Pickwick," existing to-day as "a very good
old-fashioned and comfortable house." Its present nomenclature is "Thomas'
Chop-House," and he who would partake of the "real thing" in good old
English fare, served on pewter plates, with the brightest of steel knives
and forks, could hardly fare better than in this ancient house in St.
Michael's Alley.

By one of those popular and ofttimes sentimental conclusions, "poor Jo's
crossing" has been located as being on Holborn, near where Chancery Lane
comes into that thoroughfare.

This may like enough be so, but as all crossings are much alike, and all
sweepers of that impoverished class which we recognize in the description
of "Jo" (now luckily disappearing), it would seem a somewhat doubtful
accomplishment in attempting to place such a spot definitely.

Mrs. Jellyby lived in Thavie's Inn,--"Only 'round the corner" from
Chancery Lane, said Guppy,--one of the seven inns allied with the four
great Inns of Court, all of which had a particular sentiment for Dickens,
both in his writings and his life. In fact, he began with "Pickwick" to
introduce these "curious little nooks" and "queer old places." Indeed, he
lived in Furnival's Inn when first married, and there wrote the most of
the "Boz" sketches as well as "Pickwick."

Clifford's Inn, too, now on the eve of departure, is also a reminder of
"Pickwick." One, "a tenant of a 'top set,' was a bad character--shut
himself in his bedroom closet and took a dose of arsenic," as is told in
"Pickwick," Chapter XXI.

To "Mr. Perker's chambers," in Gray's Inn,--which still e