Page:The Story of the Cheeryble Grants.djvu/26

6 literary group, which included Charles Dickens and Harrison Ainsworth — 1838-1839 — Dickens no doubt learned much of the character and career of the Grants. His genius supplied the rest. There is no evidence that he ever met them in person, either at Stocks House, Mosley Street, Springside, or anywhere else. Indeed, his own declaration ought to he conclusive — ‘The “Cheeryble Brothers,” with whom I never interchanged any communication in my life.’”

But, subsequently, a letter came to me from a gentleman resident in one of the suburbs of Manchester, who has manifestly some claim to be heard on the point under consideration. He says:

“The particular object of my letter is to tell you that the statement in the Manchester Guardian, of May 12th, 1884 (see note in your book, page 274) is perfectly true; and that Charles Dickens did meet Daniel and William Grant at dinner at Stocks House, Cheetham Hill, in 1839, at the table of Gilbert Winter, Esq., and that my father was invited to meet him, and was there. Charles Dickens. . . . in saying he never interchanged any communication with the ‘Cheeryble Brothers,’ spoke the literal truth and conveyed a false impression.”

By citing a somewhat parallel case within his own knowledge this gentleman shows that his