but 'nothing scientific.' The guitar was quite beyond her. David
noted with much satisfaction (though he did not say so) that
his Dora was much more gifted musically.

When Dickens wrote his earlier works it was not considered
the correct thing for a gentleman to play the piano, though
it might be all very well for the lower classes and the music
teacher. Consequently we read of few male performers on the
instrument. Mr. Skimpole could play the piano, and of course
Jasper had a 'grand' in his room at Cloisterham.

At one time, if we may believe the turnkey at the Marshalsea
prison, William Dorrit had been a pianist, a fact which raised
him greatly in the turnkey's opinion.

Brought up as a gentleman, he was, if ever a man was.
Educated at no end of expense. Went into the Marshal's
house once to try a new piano for him. Played it,
I understand, like one o'clock--beautiful.

In the _Collected Papers_ we have a picture of the 'throwing
off young gentleman,' who strikes a note or two upon the piano,
and accompanies it correctly (by dint of laborious practice)
with his voice. He assures

a circle of wondering listeners that so acute was his
ear that he was wholly unable to sing out of tune,
let him try as he would.

Mr. Weller senior laid a deep plot in which a piano was to