On his return from a Continental tour Marion disappears-it is supposed she elopes. Eventually Alfred marries Grace, when it transpires that Marion had not eloped, but had taken refuge with an aunt, as she had discovered that her sister loved Alfred, until the time when Grace's happiness should be complete. She afterwards marries Michael Warden, with whom she is supposed to have eloped earlier in the story.

> Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son. (Published in volume form 1848.)

Paul Dombey is the head of the firm Dombey and Son. He has a daughter whose existence he practically ignored because she was not a boy. At length a son is born. But when little Paul sees the light his mother dies. The boy, of a sweet and lovable, but old-fashioned disposition, is not strong. He is placed in charge of Mrs. Pipchin, but although he grows older he grows no stronger. In spite of this, however, he must be fitted for his place as son in the business, and is placed in Dr. Blimber's school. The natural consequence follows and little Paul dies. His sister Florence is now more distasteful than ever before to her father. She is lost in London, robbed by Good Mrs. Brown and brought home by Walter Gay. She makes the acquaintance of Walter's uncle, Solomon Gills, and his friend Captain Cuttle. Walter is engaged in the office, but is sent by James Carker to the Indies, ostensibly as a promotion. On the voyage the ship is wrecked. Edith Granger, a proud, high-spirited woman, is married to Mr. Dombey. There is no love between them, but Dombey wants her "presence," whilst she marries him for his money and position. Misfortunes then begin. Affection springs up between the second Mrs. Dombey and Florence this displeases Mr. Dombey, and he annoys her by conveying messages of displeasure by his manager, Carker. She elopes with Carker to revenge herself on her husband, and immediately leaves him, both as a punishment for his presumption and because she has no love for him. Carker follows her, however, and on his return is killed on the railway. Walter, who had been supposed lost with the ship, returns home, as also does his uncle Solomon Gills. Florence leaves home after being still further illtreated by her father. Walter and Florence are married. After Carker's defection it is found that the business requires the utmost care. This the head of the firm does not give, and bankruptcy follows. When the smash comes Florence returns to her father and persuades him to make his home with them. He is broken in health. His wealth has vanished, and he instinctively turns to the daughter he had spurned. Toots, the friend of little Paul at Dr. Blimber's, marries Susan Nipper. Harriet Carker, sister of John and James Carker, marries Mr. Morfin. Miss Tox remains Miss Tox and undertakes the reformation of Robin Toodle. The Haunted Man. (Published 1848. Now included in Christmas Books.) The burden of the story is "Lord keep my memory green." Redlaw is visited by an evil spirit which wipes out his recollections of the sufferings he had experienced. He finds, however, that he is in an unfortunate state and communicates the evil to others. He is restored by the influence of Milly Swidger.

The Personal History of David Copperfield. (Published in volume form in 1850.)

David is a posthumous child born at the Rookery, Blunderstone. He

is brought up by his mother and Peggotty for several years. Then Mr. Murdstone lays siege to his mother. He is sent to Yarmouth with Peggotty, where he meets Daniel and Ham Peggotty and Little Emily. On his return he finds that his mother is married to Mr. Murdstone. Then begins a period of repression and persecution by Murdstone and his sister that results in David being sent away to school. His mother's spirit is broken and she dies, when David is called home again from Salem House, where he has experienced a great deal of ill-treatment, but has made friends with Steerforth and Traddles, who become important characters in the book. Peggotty marries Barkis, and David is sent into the Murdstone and Grinby factory, where he cleans bottles for a few shillings weekly. His lodgings are with the Micawbers, who now first appear in the story and reveal a new phase of life to the small boy. This does not continue very long, however, as David runs away and takes refuge with his aunt, Betsey Trotwood, at Dover. He is placed at Dr. Strong's School at Canterbury, and lodges with the Wickfields in the same town, where he meets Uriah Heep, then Mr. Wickfield's clerk. After leaving school David looks about him, and while doing so spends a short time at Yarmouth with the Peggottys. He met Steerforth in London, who accompanied him. Steerforth betrays little Emily and they elope, leaving England for the continent. David is articled to Spenlow and Jorkins and falls in love with Dora Spenlow. Uriah Heep has gained a complete ascendency over his employer, and is largely feathering his own nest. Betsey Trotwood loses her money, which is in the care of Mr. Wickfield; she comes up to London and surprises David by announcing her loss in her characteristically abrupt way. Peggotty's husband dies leaving her provided for. Daniel Peggotty sets out on foot in search of Little Emily. David obtains a post as secretary to Dr. Strong, assisting him on the Dictionary, and studies shorthand with a view to reporting. He eventually masters the mystery of the art and turns it to good account. Mr. Spenlow dies leaving Dora almost unprovided for, and she and David are married. Dora knows nothing of household duties and they have many unpleasant experiences. Daniel Peggotty succeeds in tracing Emily through the instrumentality of Martha Endell, and they all emigrate to Australia. Micaw ber has been employed by Uriah Heep, who designs to make a tool of him by advancing small sums of money. But Micawber has been able to collect evidence of Heep's malpractice, which he reveals to Traddles, with the result that Uriah is unmasked. His designs to marry Agnes Wickfield are frustrated and he is compelled to refund the money he has appropriated, part of it being Betsey Trotwood's five thousand pounds. The Micawbers also emigrate to Australia, where something "turns up" and they prosper. David's child-wife dies and he travels for some time, during which he continues his literary work and becomes famous. He afterwards marries Agnes. Steerforth is drowned off Yarmouth; and Ham is drowned while attempting to rescue him. Peggotty and Betsey Trotwood live together. Tommy Traddles marries the "dearest girl in the world" and rises to the top of his profession. Steerforth's man, Littimer, finds himself next cell neighbour to Uriah Heep in prison. And Mr. Dick attaches himself to David's children. The Child's History of England. (Published in volume form in 1853.) For obvious reasons this work is not included in the present Dickens Dictionary.

› Bleak House. (Published in volume form 1853.)

Bleak House is the story of a long-drawn-out suit in Chancery, or rather, the Chancery suit is the peg on which the very human story is hung. John Jarndyce refuses to take any part in the fight for the Jarndyce money, but he has as his wards Ada Clare and Richard Carstone, both interested in the settlement of the suit. To them comes Esther Summerson, who has been brought up by her aunt Miss Barbary, and afterwards at Greenleaf, a school at Windsor kept by Miss Donny. Esther is companion to Ada, but she soon becomes housekeeper, and confidant of them all. The two wards fall in love one with the other. Richard finds one path in life would suit him just as well as another, and so tries several, with the like result each time of finding something that would suit him better. The suit brings them all into touch with people many and curious, among them Miss Flite, Krook, Snagsby and Jo. Caddy Jellyby is the daughter of a woman with a" mission." Caddy has no liking for the "mission," or the work it entails. She becomes the friend of Esther Summerson. Lawrence Boythorn is a friend of John Jarndyce, and his neighbours are Sir Leicester and Lady Dedlock. Tulkinghorn is the family lawyer of the Dedlocks, and he discovers a "past" of Lady Dedlock, using the information to terrorise his victim. Lady Dedlock is interested in the death of Captain Hawdon, who, as Nemo, had executed law copying for Snagsby. George Rouncewell, Mr. George, had been his orderly. The secret, which is not revealed in the book till much later, is that Esther Summerson was the illegitimate daughter of Captain Hawdon and Lady Dedlock before she married. Lady Dedlock only became aware of Esther's relationship by the revelation of Guppy, who had secured some papers from Krook's shop. Harold Skimpole is a weak but cunning man who preys on John Jarndyce. At one time a broker, Coavinses, as Skimpole calls him, is in possession. Later the man dies, and Esther has Charlotte as her maid, John Jarndyce befriending the other children, who are left. Jo, the street sweeper, is moved on SO effectively that he is hounded out of London. He is found at Bleak House, ill and half-starved and is taken in. He moves on again, but has communicated smallpox to Charlotte. Esther nurses Charlotte and in turn catches the disease. Richard follows his usual practice and throws up the Army. Returning home he settles down to watch the progress of the suit in Chancery in company with Vholes. Ada thinks she can better assist Richard as his wife, so she marries him. Esther receives a proposal from John Jarndyce, and from a sense of duty, as well as for other reasons, attempts to stifle her affection for Allan Woodcourt. Tulkinghorn threatens to reveal Lady Dedlock's secret on the morrow, but he is found dead. Suspicion falls on George Rouncewell, who had visited him earlier, and those who know something of Lady Dedlock's circumstances suspect her. But the crime is traced by Inspector Bucket to Mademoiselle, Lady Dedlock's maid. Lady Dedlock has left home, however, and Inspector Bucket, accompanied by Esther, endeavour to trace her; they find her dead at the gate of the cemetery where Captain Hawdon lies buried. John Jarndyce finds that although Esther will marry him her heart has been given to Allan. Secretly he prepares a home for them and they are married. Richard Carstone dies leaving Ada with a little son. The suit has consumed the estate in costs, and the case was never settled, but the shock was more than Richard could stand, broken as his health was. Caddy Jellyby marries

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Prince Turveydrop. Phil Squod and Mr George are installed at Chesney Wold in the service of Sir Leicester Dedlock.

Hard Times for these Times. (Published in volume form 1854.)

Hard Times draws a picture showing the futility of eliminating love and kindness from human life and intercourse. Thomas Gradgrind professes to rule his life and those dependent upon him according to fact and logical calculation. He has a friend, Josiah Bounderby, millowner and banker. Cissy Jupe is left by her father friendless in Coketown and is taken into the home of the Gradgrinds. Gradgrind's son, of the same name, is a selfish and cunning rascal; when he is old enough he has a stool in Bounderby's Bank. Louisa, his sister, marries Bounderby, but without affection. Tom uses his sister both before and after her marriage without scruple to further his own ends. Even this is not sufficient, however, to cover his needs, and he appropriates the Bank money, arranging matters so that it appears a robbery has been committed. Suspicion is directed against Stephen Blackpool. Louisa arranges to elope with Harthouse, who has come to Coketown on political business; instead of doing so she flies to her father. But the arrangements have been overheard by Bounderby's housekeeper, Mrs. Sparsit, who eagerly embraces the opportunity of doing some mischief to Louisa by carrying the tale to her husband. Bounderby hurries in turn to tell the tale to Gradgrind, but finds not only that Louisa has been before him, but that she is sheltered there. He refuses to listen to any one and offers Louisa a choice; the result is that she remains with her father. A reward is offered for the arrest of Blackpool, who has left the town in search of work. His friend Rachael endeavours to clear his name, and ultimately she and Cissy find him injured at the bottom of a disused shaft. He dies. Tom leaves Coketown. His father follows him, and is in turn followed by Bitzer, who secures Tom; but with the assistance of Sleary and his company Gradgrind is able to effect his son's escape. Bounderby dies in a fit. Cissy Jupe marries; and Gradgrind sorts his ideas afresh.

Little Dorrit. (Published in volume form 1857.)

Little

William Dorrit, a prisoner in the Marshalsea. He has been there for so many years that he has become the "Father of the Marshalsea." Dorrit, his daughter Amy, is engaged casually by Mrs. Clennam, While there she is seen by Arthur Clennam, who has just returned to this country. Clennam attempts to assist the family, but the circumlocution of the Circumlocution Office renders it impossible. He enters into partnership with Daniel Doyce and almost falls in love with "Pet" Meagles. She however marries Henry Gowan, an artist without much steadiness of character. Flora Finching, a widow, and daughter of Mr. Casby, was a former sweetheart of Clennam's, but he has lost whatever love he may have had for her, although she is still arch and coy in an elephantine way. Little Dorrit's father inherits a large fortune. He leaves the prison and travels on the Continent. His wealth makes him proud and condescending; it has a similar effect on Fanny and Edward, his son and elder daughter, only Amy and his brother William are unaffected by the sudden accession of wealth. Fanny marries Edward Sparkler, the son of Mrs. Merdle by a former husband. Mr. Merdle is a financial magnate of the first water,

with whom Clennam and Dorrit, as well as many others, are persuaded to invest their money. The inevitable crash follows. The Dorrits are ruined; Clennam is ruined. Fortunately Mr. Dorrit himself died before the disclosure. Clennam relinquishes everything to the creditors and becomes an inmate of the Marshalsea. Little Dorrit finds him and nurses him through an illness. His partner Doyce returns and reinstates him in the firm, and he and Litte Dorrit are married. This is the warp of the story. Crossing it at intervals is the dark shadow of Rigaud, the villain. adventurer, who blackmails Mrs. Clennam on the strength of his knowledge of her secret. He is buried in the ruins of Mrs. Clennam's house.

Reprinted Pieces. (Published in volume form 1858.)

1850. Begging-Letter Writer. Child's Dream of a Star.

Christmas Tree.

Detective Police.

Ghost of Art.

A Tale of Two Cities. (Published in volume form 1859.)

Dr. Manette has been incarcerated in the Bastille for many years. His daughter Lucie and Mr. Lorry from Tellson's Bank repair to Paris to bring the released prisoner to London. His reason has suffered, but under the fostering care of his daughter his mind and body both improve. Charles Darnay, who has relinquished his title and all claim on the French estates of the family, is tried at the Old Bailey on a charge of treason—a serious one at this period of the French Revolution: he is acquitted largely through