Produced by Susan Skinner, Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net For the reader: Things that were handwritten are denoted in the text as HW: THE LETTERS OF [Illustration: HW: Charles Dickens] THE LETTERS OF CHARLES DICKENS. EDITED BY HIS SISTER-IN-LAW AND HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER. =In Two Volumes.= VOL. II. 1857 TO 1870. London: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 1880. [_The Right of Translation is Reserved._] CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS, CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS. ERRATA. VOL. II. Page 84, line 35. For "South Kensington Museum," _read_ "the South Kensington Museum." " 108, line 26. For "frequent contributor," _read_ "a frequent contributor." " 113, lines 6, 7. For "great remonstrance," _read_ "Great Remonstrance." " 130, line 10. For "after," _read_ "afore." " 160, " 32. For "a head," _read_ "ahead." " 247, " 12. For "Shea," _read_ "Shoe." " 292, " 12. For "Mabel's progress," _read_ "Mabel's Progress." =Book II.=--_Continued._ THE LETTERS OF CHARLES DICKENS. 1857. NARRATIVE. This was a very full year in many ways. In February, Charles Dickens obtained possession of Gad's Hill, and was able to turn workmen into it. In April he stayed, with his wife and sister-in-law, for a week or two at Wate's Hotel, Gravesend, to be at hand to superintend the beginning of his alterations of the house, and from thence we give a letter to Lord Carlisle. He removed his family, for a summer residence in the house, in June; and he finished "Little Dorrit" there early in the summer. One of his first visitors at Gad's Hill was the famous writer, Hans Christian Andersen. In January "The Frozen Deep" had been played at the Tavistock House theatre with such great success, that it was necessary to repeat it several times, and the theatre was finally demolished at the end of that month. In June Charles Dickens heard, with great grief, of the death of his dear friend Douglas Jerrold; and as a testimony of admiration for his genius and affectionate regard for himself, it was decided to organise, under the management of Charles Dickens, a series of entertainments, "in memory of the late Douglas Jerrold," the fund produced by them (a considerable sum) to be presented to Mr. Jerrold's family. The amateur company, including many of Mr. Jerrold's colleagues on "Punch," gave subscription performances of "The Frozen Deep;" the Gallery of Illustration, in Regent Street, being engaged for the purpose. Charles Dickens gave two readings at St. Martin's Hall of "The Christmas Carol" (to such immense audiences and with such success, that the idea of giving public readings for his _own_ benefit first occurred to him at this time). The professional actors, among them the famous veteran actor, Mr. T. P. Cooke, gave a performance of Mr.