The next facsimile, No. 3, is remarkable as being almost the only full
signature out of hundreds I have seen which lacks the flourish; this
specimen is also worth notice, owing to the "droop" of every word below
the horizontal level from which each starts--a little piece of
nerve-muscular evidence of mental or physical depression, which may be
tested by anyone who cares to examine his own handwriting produced under
conditions which diminish bodily vigour or mental _élan_.

[Illustration: NO. 4.--WRITTEN IN 1831.]

The writing of No. 4 is very like that of No. 3; the easy curves below
the signature are cleverly made, and while they indicate much energy,
they also point to a useful confidence in self, owing to the deliberate
way of accentuating the most personal part of a letter--its signature.

[Illustration: NO. 5.--WRITTEN IN 1832.]

No. 5 is the facsimile of a signature to a letter which was written in
the Library of the British Museum to "My dear Knolle"; the letter ends:
"Believe me (in haste), yours most truly." At this time--1832--Dickens
was a newspaper reporter, and it is curious to notice that in spite of
"haste" he yet managed to execute this complex movement underneath the
signature. Its force and energy are great, but we shall see even more
pronounced developments of this flourish before it takes the moderated
and graceful form of confident and assured power.

[Illustration: NO. 6.--WRITTEN IN 1833 OR 1834.]

There is still more force and "go" about No. 6: it was written on
"Wednesday night, past 12," and also in haste. Dickens was reporting for