Chapter VI: 1837

Pages 117-140.

WRITING THE PICKWICK PAPERS. AET. 25.

First letter from him 117
As he was thirty-five years ago 118
Mrs. Carlyle and Leigh Hunt 119
Birth of eldest son 119
From Furnival's Inn to Doughty Street 119
A long-remembered sorrow 120
I visit him 120
Hasty compacts with publishers 121
Self-sold into quasi-bondage 121
Agreements for editorship and writing 121
Mr. Macrone's scheme to reissue _Sketches_ 122
Attempts to prevent it 123
Exorbitant demand 123
Impatience of suspense 123
Purchase advised 124
_Oliver Twist_ 125
Characters real to himself 125
Sense of responsibility for his writings 126
Criticism that satisfied him 126
Help given with his proofs 126
Writing _Pickwick_, Nos. 14 and 15 127
Scenes in a debtors' prison 128
A recollection of Smollett 128
Reception of _Pickwick_ 129
A popular rage 129
Mr. Carlyle's "dreadful" story 130
Secrets of success 130
_Pickwick_ inferior to later books 131
Exception for Sam Weller and Mr. Pickwick 131
Personal habits of C. D. 132
Reliefs after writing 133
Natural discontents 134
The early agreements 134
Tale to follow _Oliver Twist_ 135
Compromise with Mr. Bentley 135
Trip to Flanders 135
First visit to Broadstairs 136
Piracies of _Pickwick_ 137
A sufferer from agreements 138
First visit to Brighton 138
What he is doing with _Oliver Twist_ 139
Reading De Foe 139
"No Thoroughfare" 139
Proposed help to Macready 140