to a high degree. This curious fact, which is now illustrated by Charles
Dickens's own hand-gesture, ought to be remembered when people talk
about Dickens's "conceit" and "love of show." My explanation is, I
think, both logical and true.

[Illustration: NO. 14.--WRITTEN IN 1837.]

[Illustration: AGE 30.
_From a Portrait-Bust by H. Dexter._]

No. 14 closes this series for the year 1837. It shows a quaint and
pretty signature on a wrapper.

[Illustration: NO. 15.--WRITTEN MARCH 12, 1841.
_(Announcing the Death of "Raven", a prominent character in "Barnaby
Rudge")_]

[Illustration: AGE ABOUT 30.
_From a Drawing by R.J. Lane, A.E._]

No. 15 shows part of a very humorous and famous letter announcing the
death of the raven which figures in "Barnaby Rudge." Notice the curious
originality of form shown in the capital _Y_ and _R_. The wording of
this letter is also quaintly original, and the sensitive mind of this
man again caused his nerve-muscular action--his gesture--to harmonize
with his mood. Points of this kind, which the handwriting of Dickens
illustrates so well, have a deeper meaning for the observant than for
the casual reader of a magazine article; they indicate that these little
human acts, which have been so long overlooked by intelligent men, do
really give us valuable data for the study of mind by means of