In the summer of this year the house in Devonshire Terrace was let, and
Charles Dickens started with his family for Italy, going first to a
villa at Albaro, near Genoa, for a few months, and afterwards to the
Palazzo Pescheire, Genoa. Towards the end of this year he made
excursions to the many places of interest in this country, and was
joined at Milan by his wife and sister-in-law, previous to his own
departure alone on a business visit to England. He had written his
Christmas story, "The Chimes," and was anxious to take it himself to
England, and to read it to some of his most intimate friends there.
Mr. Macready went to America and returned in the autumn, and towards the
end of the year he paid a professional visit to Paris.
Charles Dickens's letter to his wife (26th February) treats of a visit
to Liverpool, where he went to take the chair on the opening of the
Mechanics' Institution and to make a speech on education. The "Fanny"
alluded to was his sister, Mrs. Burnett; the _Britannia_, the ship in
which he and Mrs. Dickens made their outward trip to America; the "Mrs.
Bean," the stewardess, and "Hewett," the captain, of that same vessel.
The letter to Mr. Charles Knight was in acknowledgment of the receipt of
a prospectus entitled "Book Clubs for all readers." The attempt, which
fortunately proved completely successful, was to establish a cheap book
club. The scheme was, that a number of families should combine together,
each contributing about three halfpennies a week; which contribution
would enable them, by exchanging the volumes among them, to have
sufficient reading to last the year. The publications, which were to be
made as cheap as possible, could be purchased by families at the end of
the year, on consideration of their putting by an extra penny a week
for that purpose. Charles Dickens, who always had the comfort and
happiness of the working-classes greatly at heart, was much interested
in this scheme of Mr. Charles Knight's, and highly approved of it.
Charles Dickens and this new correspondent became subsequently true and
fast friends.
"Martin Chuzzlewit" was dramatised in the early autumn of this year, at
the Lyceum Theatre, which was then under the management of Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Keeley. Charles Dickens superintended some rehearsals, but had
left England before the play was acted in public.
The man "Roche," alluded to in his letter to Mr. Maclise, was the French
courier engaged to go with the family to Italy. He remained as servant
there, and was with Charles Dickens through all his foreign travels. His
many excellent qualities endeared him to the whole family, and his
master never lost sight of this faithful servant until poor Roche's
untimely death in 1849.
The Rev. Edward Tagart was a celebrated Unitarian minister, and a very
highly esteemed and valued friend.
The "Chickenstalker" (letter to Mrs. Dickens, November 8th), is an
instance of the eccentric names he was constantly giving to his
children, and these names he frequently made use of in his books.
In this year we have our first letter to Mr. (afterwards Sir Edwin)
Landseer, for whom Charles Dickens had the highest admiration and
personal regard.
[Sidenote: Mr. W. C. Macready.]