Page:A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices.djvu/93

 It does not appear that Dickens ever had chambers at the Temple. His residence at the time of his admission was in Devonshire Terrace. That the Temple and its surroundings were very familiar to him, however, and had taken strong hold on his imagination, is clear from the many references to them in his writings. Witness the picture of Sir John Chester in his chambers in Paper Buildings in Barnaby Rudge, and of Tom Pinch and Ruth at the Fountain in Martin Chuzzlewit. It is not clear whether Dickens at his entrance had any intention of qualifying for the Bar, but at a later period he had some thoughts of doing so, with a view to obtaining an appointment as a stipendiary magistrate. Fortunately for the world, if not for himself, the idea was soon abandoned.

He may be said to have commenced life for himself as an office boy in Gray's Inn (1827), at the age of fifteen. In 1828 he obtained employment as a reporter in Doctor's' Commons, and two years later in the gallery of the House of Commons, and he continued writing reports of political speeches for the True Sun, the Mirror of Parliament, and the Morning Chronicle till 1836. His first original piece published was entitled a Dinner at Poplar, in the old Monthly Magazine for January, 1834. This formed the first of the series known as the Sketches by Boz. The following is a summary of his subsequent literary works and labours: Collected and published Sketches by Boz (1836); wrote The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (1836—7); wrote Oliver Twist (1837); edited Life of Joseph Grimaldi (1838); wrote Nicholas Nickleby (1838—9); wrote Master Humphrey's Clock [containing the Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge] (1840—1); published American Notes (1842); wrote Martin Chizzlewit (1843); wrote The Chimes (1844); projected The Cricket [weekly publication] (1845); edited Daily News [21 Jan. to 9 Feb.] (1846); wrote Letters from Italy [published in Daily News] (1846); wrote Dombey and Son (1846—8); wrote David Copperfield (1849—50); wrote Bleak House (1852—3); wrote Little Dorrit (1855—7); wrote Our Mutual Friend (1864—5); edited Household Words [in which appeared Hard Times] (1850—9); edited All the Year Round [in which appeared A Tale of Two Cities, The Uncommercial Traveller, and Great Expectations, besides Christmas Numbers] (1859—70); wrote The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870). Before the completion of this last work Dickens expired at his house at Gadshill Place, Rochester, 9 June, 1870.

Admitted 21 December, 1753.

Second son of Samuel Dickinson of Delaware, Kent, Pennsylvania. He was born at Crosia, Talbot Co., Maryland, 13 Nov. 1732. Before entering at the Temple he studied law at Philadelphia, and was called to the Bar of the Middle Temple 8 Feb. 1757. In 1763 he became a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, where he advocated the rights and liberties of the colonists as "free-born Englishmen," and he is the author of the famous phrase "No taxation without representation." This principle he advocated in a series of letters signed "A Pennsylvania Farmer," a title by which he is still generally known. He was also one of the committee who drew up the famous "Petition to the King," and subsequently the "Declaration of Independence" (1776). When the war broke out he served as a private in the army and became Brigadier-General. In 1780 he was chosen President of Delaware, and two years later President of the Supreme Council of Pennsylvania. In 1787 he was a member of the Convention which framed the Constitution of the United States. He died 14 Feb. 1808. His various political writings were collected and published in 1801.