CRARLES DICKENS. 



him, Amongst his favourites was Turk, a noble mastiff, whicli, 

 to its master's great grief, was killed in a railway accident. 

 Linda, a real St. Bernard, brought by Mr. Albert Smith, grew 

 to be a fine animal. 



The great success of a reading which he gave at St. Martin's 

 Hall, to assist the funds of a Sick Children's Hospital in Great 

 Ormond Street, helped to determine the resolution which had 

 been growing in his mind to give a series of public readings. 

 The growing restlessness of his nature, too, arising from the 

 circumstances previously mentioned, also helped this decision. 

 A fortnight after this reading, he appeared in public in the 

 character of a public reader on his own behalf This was on 

 the 29th April ; and also about this time his old home was 

 broken up, and he and his wife henceforward lived apart. The 

 eldest son lived with his mother, the other children remained 

 with himself, their intercourse with their mother being entirely 

 left to themselves. A public statement regarding this altered 

 relationship was made, as his biographer thinks, unwisely, in 

 HouseJiold Words. His paid readings were given at the following 

 dates : During 1858-59, in 1861-63, in 1866-67, ^'^d in 1868-70. 

 The first series of readings was managed by Mr. Arthur Smith, 

 the second by Mr. Headland, the third and fourth in America 

 by Mr. George Dolby, acting for the Messrs. Chappell. The 

 first series of readings, ending on the 27th of October 1859, 

 comprised in all 125 readings. Beginning in St. Martin's Hall, 

 they v,-cre continued during a provincial tour, embracing the 

 chief English, Scotch, and Irish towns. Everywhere he was 

 treated with the greatest personal affection and respect. At 

 Liverpool, while on his way to Dublin, he had an audience of 

 2300 people. Besides the tickets sold, ;^2oo in money was 

 taken at the door ' They turned away hundreds, sold all the 



