Page:The Story of the Cheeryble Grants.djvu/35

Rh Mr. Hewitson, of Bury, has faithfully recorded every testimony adduced since then in favour of Dickens and the Grants having personally met. While none of them appeared of sufficient weight to overbear the words of Dickens, yet, taken unitedly and with other elements in the case, they formed a pretty strong presumption that the parties had actually met. When I was asked to address the Dickens Fellowship I touched the point with a perfectly open mind, simply pointing out the difficulties, and withal hoping that something further might crop up to lead to certitude. Happily it has come. The letter of Mr. Amhler in to-day’s ‘Miscellany,’ giving the testimony of the late Mr. Keeling, may fairly be held to settle the question. I would personally thank Mr. Ambler and his friend Mr. Hacking. Thanks are due also for your leading article and to the Dickens Fellowship, which has been instrumental in bringing about a satisfactory settlement of what has hitherto been a moot “point.”

Charles Dickens, therefore, did meet the Grants in 1838-1839. Moreover, although I have no direct evidence to that effect, yet it is not unlikely that he also visited “The Square” works of the Grants at Ramsbottom. See pp. 138 — 140 infra.

W. H. E.

Dundee Manse, Ramsbottom, Manchester, August, 1906. 