Dickens (Charles) Second Course of Mr. Charles Dickenss Farewell Readings. St. Jamess Hall, …

NO RESERVE Dickens (Charles) Second Course of Mr. Charles Dickens's Farewell Readings. St. James's Hall, Regent Street and Piccadilly, Tuesdays, December 22nd, 1868... and March 2nd [1869], printed pamphlet, 3pp., printed in red, some slight foxing, horizontal fold, 110 x 71mm., 1868. ⁂ "It is scarcely necessary for Messrs. Chappell and Co. to add that any announcement made in connexion with these Farewell Readings will be strictly adhered to and considered final; and that on no consideration whatever will Mr. Dickens be induced to appoint an extra night in any place in which he shall have been once announced to read for the last time." - Pamphlet. It is not too much of an exaggeration to say that these readings killed Charles Dickens. In declining health he did not so much read as perform episodes from his novels and the effort he put into these appearances caused at least one stroke and probably contributed to another, which killed him in 1870 at the age of 58.