CHARLES DICKENS. 217 



have enjoyed an amount of artistic delight and instruction 

 whicli, perhaps, is given to few men to know. In this task, 

 and in every other I have ever undertaken, as a faithful 

 servant of the public, always imbued with a sense of duty 

 to them, and always striving to do his best, I have been 

 uniformly cheered by the readiest response, the most gene- 

 rous sympathy, and the most stimulating support. Never- 

 theless I have thought it well, at the full flood-tide of your 

 favour, to retire upon those older associations between us, 

 which date from much farther back than these, and hence- 

 forth to devote myself exclusively to the art that first 

 brought us together. Ladies and gentlemen, in but two 

 short weeks from this time I hope that you may enter, in 

 your own homes, on a new series of readings, at which my 

 assistance will be indispensable ; ' but from these garish lights 

 I vanish now for evermore, with a heartfelt, grateful, respect- 

 ful, and affectionate farewell.' 



Her Majesty the Queen, interested in his life and work, 

 requested him to attend her at Buckingham Palace on 9th 

 April 1870. He was introduced to Her Majesty by his friend 

 Mr. Arthur Helps, Clerk of the Privy Council. The inter- 

 view lasted for some time, in the course of which Her Majesty 

 expressed her admiration of and interest in his works, and 

 presented him on parting with a copy of Our Life in the 

 Highlands, with this autograph inscription, ' Victoria R., to 

 Charles Dickens.' He sent her in return an edition of his 

 collected works, which the Queen graciously placed in 

 her own private library. Atter his death it became known 

 that the Queen had been anxious to bestow upon him 

 some distinction in keeping with his views and tastes, and 

 ^ Alluding to the forthcominc serial story of Edwin Drood, 



