_The Childhood and Youth of Dickens_, a sort of short postscript to
FORSTER's Life, very well got up by its publishers HUTCHINSON & Co.,
will interest those who for the third or fourth time are going through
a course of DICKENS.
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The Baron is an amateur of pocket-books and note-books. The best
pocket-book _must_ contain a calendar-diary, and as little printed
matter, and as much space for notes, as possible. No pocket-book
is perfect without some sort of patent pencil, of which the
writing-metal, when used on a damp surface, will serve as well as do
pen and ink on ordinary paper. Such a pocket-book with such a pencil
the Baron has long had in use, the product of JOHN WALKER & Co., of
Farringdon House. It should be called _The Walker Pocket-book, or
Pedestrian's Companion_; for, as "He who runs may read," so, with
this handy combination, "He who walks may write." The Baron is led to
mention this _à propos_ of a novelty by T.J. SMITH AND DOWNES, called
_The Self-registering Pocket Note-book_, a very neat invention, _quâ_
Note-book only, but of which only one size has the invaluable patent
pencil. The ordinary pencil entails carrying a knife, and, though
this is good for the cutler--"I know that man, he comes from
Sheffield"--yet it is a defect which is a constant source of worry
to the ordinary note-taker. Otherwise, Messrs. SMITH AND DOWNES'
artfulness in making the pencil serve as a marker, so that the latest
note can at once be found, is decidedly ingenious, and may probably be
found most useful. _Experientia docet: Baronius tentabit._
While on the subject of pocket-books, the Baron must thank Messrs.
CASSELL & Co. for the pocket volumes of the _National Library_ edited
by HENRY MORLEY, and ventures to recommend as a real travelling
companion, _Essays, Civil and Moral, by Francis Bacon_. In the
eighteenth Essay "Of Travel," the chief Diarists, "LETTS AND SON,"
might find a motto for _their_ publications. The Baron directs their
attention to this side of BACON from which this is a slice,--"_Let
Diaries, therefore, be brought in use_." A new reading for advertising
purposes would change "Let" into "Letts," or Letts could be
interpolated in brackets. "A cheeky way of treating BACON," says the
Baron's friend little FUNNIMAN (Author of _Funniman's Poor Jokes_);
but, if nothing worse than this can be said against the Baron's
suggestion, why, "Letts adopt it," says