THE BEST OF ALL GOOD COMPANY

BY BLANCHARD JERROLD.

A DAY WITH CHARLES DICKENS.

BOSTON:

SHEPARD & GILL.

1873.

PREFACE.

DICKENS has described himself as 66 a not very robust child, sitting in by-places, near Rochester Castle, with a head full of Partridge, Strap, Tom Pipes, and Sancho Panza." Now my design and hope in putting forth my "Days" with "the Best of all Good Company" is to fill the heads of the rising generation, and indeed some of the risen generation, with a desire to become better acquainted with the best writers of this and other countries.

My "DAYS" will, I hope, lead readers to form life-long acquaintances that shall have the best and happiest influence on their lives. If they should draw readers from that

which is offered to them in the shape of light current literature, to become the companions of the noble minds that, we are told, "taken up any way are profitable company," I should be able to say with Voltaire, “J'ai fait un peu de bien-c'est mon meilleur ouvrage."

REFORM CLUB, December, 1872.

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