The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club

ear to be involved, is derived from the perusal of the following entry in the Transactions of the Pickwick Club, which the editor of these papers feels the highest pleasure in laying before

rpetual Vice–President — Member Pickwick Club], presid

Esq., G.C.M.P.C. [General Chairman — Member Pickwick Club], entitled “Speculations on the Source of the Hampstead Ponds, with some Observations on th

hes of Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., in Hornsey, Highgate, Brixton, and Camberwell — they cannot but entertain a lively sense of the inestimable benefits which must inevitably result from carrying t

ating from the aforesaid, Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., and three other Pickwickians hereinafter named, fo

M.P.C., Augustus Snodgrass, Esq., M.P.C., and Nathaniel Winkle, Esq., M.P.C., are hereby nominated and appointed members of the same; and that they be requested to forward, from time to time, authenticated accounts of their journeys a

ety defraying his own travelling expenses; and that it sees no objection whatever to the members of

their letters, and the carriage of their parcels, has been deliberated upon by this Association: that this Association considers

nto full life and animation, as a simultaneous call for ‘Pickwick’ burst from his followers, that illustrious man slowly mounted into the Windsor chair, on which he had been previously seated, and addressed the club himself had founded. What a study for an artist did that exciting scene present! The eloquent Pickwick, with one hand gracefully concealed behind his coat tails, and the other waving in air to assist his glowing declamation; his elevated position revealing those tights and gaiters, which, had they clothed an ordinary man, might have passed without observation, but which, when Pickwick clothed them — if we may use the expression — inspired involuntary awe and respect; surrounded by the men who had volunteered to share the perils of his travels, and who were destined to participate in the glories of his discoveries. On his right sat Mr. Tracy Tupman — the too suscep

f the Club. Both bear a strong affinity to the discussions of other celebrated bodies; and, as it is always i

ged it freely, and let his enemies make the most of it — he had felt some pride when he presented his Tittlebatian Theory to the world; it might be celebrated or it might not. (A cry of “It is,” and great cheering.) He would take the assertion of that honourable Pickwickian whose voice he had just heard — it was celebrated; but if the fame of that treatise were to extend to the farthest confines of the known world, the pride with which he should reflect on the authorship of that production would be as nothing compared with the pride with which he looked around him, on this, the proudest moment of his existence. (Cheers.) He was a humble individual. (“No, no.”) Still he could not but feel that they had selected him for a service of great honour, and of some danger. Travelling was in

nourable Pickwickian allude to him? (Cries of “Orde

down by clamour. He had alluded to the

scurrilous accusation, with profound contempt. (Great cheering.) The hon. ge

Hear.) He wished to know whether this disgraceful contest between t

on. Pickwickian would withdraw the

ible respect for the chair,

f the honourable gentleman, whether he had used the e

ear, hear.) He was bound to acknowledge that, personally, he entertained the highest regard and esteem for t

his honourable friend. He begged it to be at once understood, that his own obse

. We have no official statement of the facts which the reader will find recorded in the next chapter, but they have been carefully coll