without your having heard them sing Hood's 'Bridge
of Sighs.'

Amongst the distinguished visitors at Gad's Hill was Joachim,
who was always a welcome guest, and of whom Dickens once said
'he is a noble fellow.' His daughter writes in reference to
this visit:

I never remember seeing him so wrapt and absorbed as
he was then, on hearing him play; and the wonderful
simplicity and _un_-self-consciousness of the genius
went straight to my father's heart, and made a fast
bond of sympathy between those two great men.


_In Music Drama_

Much has been written about Dickens' undoubted powers as
an actor, as well as his ability as a stage manager, and
it is well known that it was little more than an accident
that kept him from adopting the dramatic profession. He ever
took a keen interest in all that pertained to the stage, and
when he was superintending the production of a play he was
always particular about the musical arrangements. There is in
existence a play-bill of 1833 showing that he superintended a
private performance of _Clari_. This was an opera by Bishop,
and contains the first appearance of the celebrated 'Home, Sweet
Home,' a melody which, as we have already said, he reproduced
on the accordion some years after. He took the part of Rolano,
but had no opportunity of showing off his singing abilities,