THE PICKWICK PAPERS
By
Charles Dickens
CONTENTS:
THE
POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF THE PICKWICK CLUB.. 6
CHAPTER
I THE PICKWICKIANS. 6
CHAPTER
II THE FIRST DAY'S JOURNEY, AND THE FIRST EVENING'S ADVENTURES; WITH THEIR CONSEQUENCES. 10
CHAPTER
III A NEW ACQUAINTANCE--THE STROLLER'S TALE--A
DISAGREEABLE INTERRUPTION, AND AN UNPLEASANT ENCOUNTER.. 34
CHAPTER
IV A FIELD DAY AND BIVOUAC--MORE NEW FRIENDS--AN INVITATION TO THE COUNTRY.. 43
CHAPTER
V A SHORT ONE--SHOWING, AMONG OTHER MATTERS, HOW Mr. PICKWICK UNDERTOOK TO DRIVE, AND Mr.
WINKLE TO RIDE, AND HOW THEY BOTH DID
IT 53
CHAPTER
VI AN OLD-FASHIONED CARD-PARTY--THE CLERGYMAN'S VERSES--THE STORY OF THE CONVICT'S RETURN.. 62
CHAPTER
VII HOW Mr. WINKLE, INSTEAD OF SHOOTING AT THE PIGEON AND KILLING THE CROW, SHOT AT THE CROW
AND WOUNDED THE PIGEON; HOW THE DINGLEY
DELL CRICKET CLUB PLAYED ALL-MUGGLETON,
AND HOW ALL- MUGGLETON DINED AT THE
DINGLEY DELL EXPENSE; WITH OTHER
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE MATTERS. 74
CHAPTER
VIII STRONGLY ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE POSITION, THAT THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE IS NOT A RAILWAY.. 86
CHAPTER
IX A DISCOVERY AND A CHASE. 99
CHAPTER
X CLEARING UP ALL DOUBTS (IF ANY EXISTED) OF THE DISINTERESTEDNESS OF Mr. A. JINGLE'S
CHARACTER.. 108
CHAPTER
XI INVOLVING ANOTHER JOURNEY, AND AN ANTIQUARIAN DISCOVERY; RECORDING Mr. PICKWICK'S
DETERMINATION TO BE PRESENT AT AN
ELECTION; AND CONTAINING A MANUSCRIPT
OF THE OLD CLERGYMAN'S. 121
CHAPTER
XII DESCRIPTIVE OF A VERY IMPORTANT PROCEEDING ON THE PART OF Mr. PICKWICK; NO LESS AN EPOCH
IN HIS LIFE, THAN IN THIS HISTORY.. 135
CHAPTER
XIII SOME ACCOUNT OF EATANSWILL; OF THE STATE OF PARTIES THEREIN; AND OF THE ELECTION OF A
MEMBER TO SERVE IN PARLIAMENT FOR THAT
ANCIENT, LOYAL, AND PATRIOTIC BOROUGH.. 141
CHAPTER
XIV COMPRISING A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY AT THE PEACOCK ASSEMBLED; AND A TALE TOLD BY
A BAGMAN.. 157
CHAPTER
XV IN WHICH IS GIVEN A FAITHFUL PORTRAITURE OF TWO DISTINGUISHED PERSONS; AND AN ACCURATE
DESCRIPTION OF A PUBLIC BREAKFAST IN
THEIR HOUSE AND GROUNDS: WHICH PUBLIC
BREAKFAST LEADS TO THE RECOGNITION OF
AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE, AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF
ANOTHER CHAPTER.. 172
CHAPTER
XVI TOO FULL OF ADVENTURE TO BE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED.. 186
CHAPTER
XVII SHOWING THAT AN ATTACK OF RHEUMATISM, IN SOME CASES, ACTS AS A QUICKENER TO INVENTIVE
GENIUS. 204
CHAPTER
XVIII BRIEFLY ILLUSTRATIVE OF TWO POINTS; FIRST, THE POWER OF HYSTERICS, AND, SECONDLY, THE FORCE
OF CIRCUMSTANCEs. 211
CHAPTER
XIX A PLEASANT DAY WITH AN UNPLEASANT TERMINATION.. 221
CHAPTER
XX SHOWING HOW DODSON AND FOGG WERE MEN OF
BUSINESS, AND THEIR CLERKS MEN OF PLEASURE; AND HOW AN AFFECTING INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
BETWEEN Mr. WELLER AND HIS LONG-LOST
PARENT; SHOWING ALSO WHAT CHOICE
SPIRITS ASSEMBLED AT THE MAGPIE AND
STUMP, AND WHAT A CAPITAL CHAPTER THE NEXT ONE WILL BE 234
CHAPTER
XXI IN WHICH THE OLD MAN LAUNCHES FORTH INTO HIS FAVOURITE THEME, AND RELATES A STORY ABOUT A
QUEER CLIENT. 249
CHAPTER
XXII Mr. PICKWICK JOURNEYS TO IPSWICH AND MEETS WITH A ROMANTIC ADVENTURE WITH A MIDDLE-AGED
LADY IN YELLOW CURL-PAPERS. 263
CHAPTER
XXIII IN WHICH Mr. SAMUEL WELLER BEGINS TO DEVOTE HIS ENERGIES TO THE RETURN MATCH BETWEEN
HIMSELF AND Mr. TROTTER.. 278
CHAPTER
XXIV WHEREIN Mr. PETER MAGNUS GROWS JEALOUS, AND THE MIDDLE-AGED LADY APPREHENSIVE, WHICH BRINGS
THE PICKWICKIANS WITHIN THE GRASP OF
THE LAW 286
CHAPTER
XXV SHOWING, AMONG A VARIETY OF PLEASANT MATTERS, HOW MAJESTIC AND IMPARTIAL Mr. NUPKINS WAS;
AND HOW Mr. WELLER RETURNED Mr. JOB
TROTTER'S SHUTTLECOCK AS HEAVILY AS IT
CAME--WITH ANOTHER MATTER, WHICH WILL
BE FOUND IN ITS PLACE. 300
CHAPTER
XXVI WHICH CONTAINS A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS OF THE ACTION OF BARDELL AGAINST PICKWICK.. 318
CHAPTER
XXVII SAMUEL WELLER MAKES A PILGRIMAGE TO DORKING, AND BEHOLDS HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW... 325
CHAPTER
XXVIII A GOOD-HUMOURED CHRISTMAS CHAPTER, CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF A WEDDING, AND SOME OTHER
SPORTS BESIDE: WHICH ALTHOUGH IN THEIR
WAY, EVEN AS GOOD CUSTOMS AS MARRIAGE
ITSELF, ARE NOT QUITE SO RELIGIOUSLY
KEPT UP, IN THESE DEGENERATE TIMES. 334
CHAPTER
XXIX THE STORY OF THE GOBLINS WHO STOLE A SEXTON.. 351
CHAPTER
XXX HOW THE PICKWICKIANS MADE AND CULTIVATED THE ACQUAINTANCE OF A COUPLE OF NICE YOUNG
MEN BELONGING TO ONE OF THE LIBERAL
PROFESSIONS; HOW THEY DISPORTED
THEMSELVES ON THE ICE; AND HOW THEIR
VISIT CAME TO A CONCLUSION 359
CHAPTER
XXXI WHICH IS ALL ABOUT THE LAW, AND SUNDRY GREAT AUTHORITIES LEARNED THEREIN.. 370
CHAPTER
XXXII DESCRIBES, FAR MORE FULLY THAN THE COURT NEWSMAN EVER DID, A BACHELOR'S PARTY, GIVEN BY
Mr. BOB SAWYER AT HIS LODGINGS IN THE
BOROUGH 384
CHAPTER
XXXIII Mr. WELLER THE ELDER DELIVERS SOME CRITICAL SENTIMENTS RESPECTING LITERARY COMPOSITION; AND, ASSISTED BY HIS SON SAMUEL, PAYS A SMALL
INSTALMENT OF RETALIATION TO THE
ACCOUNT OF THE REVEREND GENTLEMAN WITH
THE RED NOSE 396
CHAPTER
XXXIV IS WHOLLY DEVOTED TO A FULL AND FAITHFUL REPORT OF THE MEMORABLE TRIAL OF BARDELL AGAINST
PICKWICK.. 410
CHAPTER
XXXV IN WHICH Mr. PICKWICK THINKS HE HAD BETTER GO TO BATH; AND GOES ACCORDINGLY.. 432
CHAPTER
XXXVI THE CHIEF FEATURES OF WHICH WILL BE FOUND TO BE AN AUTHENTIC VERSION OF THE LEGEND OF
PRINCE BLADUD, AND A MOST EXTRAORDINARY
CALAMITY THAT BEFELL Mr. WINKLE. 446
CHAPTER
XXXVII HONOURABLY ACCOUNTS FOR Mr. WELLER'S ABSENCE, BY DESCRIBING A SOIREE TO WHICH HE WAS
INVITED AND WENT; ALSO RELATES HOW HE
WAS ENTRUSTED BY Mr. PICKWICK WITH A
PRIVATE MISSION OF DELICACY AND
IMPORTANCE. 455
CHAPTER
XXXVIII HOW Mr. WINKLE, WHEN HE STEPPED OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN, WALKED GENTLY AND COMFORTABLY
INTO THE FIRE. 468
CHAPTER
XXXIX Mr. SAMUEL WELLER, BEING INTRUSTED WITH A MISSION OF LOVE, PROCEEDS TO EXECUTE IT; WITH WHAT
SUCCESS WILL HEREINAFTER APPEAR.. 480
CHAPTER
XL INTRODUCES Mr. PICKWICK TO A NEW AND NOT UNINTERESTING SCENE IN THE GREAT DRAMA OF LIFE. 494
CHAPTER
XLI WHAT BEFELL Mr. PICKWICK WHEN HE GOT INTO THE FLEET; WHAT PRISONERS HE SAW THERE, AND HOW
HE PASSED THE NIGHT. 505
CHAPTER
XLII ILLUSTRATIVE, LIKE THE PRECEDING ONE, OF THE OLD PROVERB, THAT ADVERSITY BRINGS A MAN
ACQUAINTED WITH STRANGE
BEDFELLOWS--LIKEWISE CONTAINING Mr.
PICKWICK'S EXTRAORDINARY AND STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT TO Mr. SAMUEL WELLER 516
CHAPTER
XLIII SHOWING HOW Mr. SAMUEL WELLER GOT INTO DIFFICULTIES 529
CHAPTER
XLIV TREATS OF DIVERS LITTLE MATTERS WHICH OCCURRED IN THE FLEET, AND OF Mr. WINKLE'S
MYST