The ‘ Dickens’ ’ Gallery.
Within the town of Weissnichtwo1
This famous building stands,2
And there the picture-lovers go3
From all adjacent lands ;4
And once I also chanced to stray,5
Among the rest, to see6
This Exhibition of the day,7
The Dickens’ Gallery.8
And first the face of little Nell9
Smiled on me from the wall,10
And many a maiden-form as well11
Around the spacious hall.12
There little Dorrit’s weary face13
Recalled the Marshalsea ;14
And child-wife Dora filled with grace15
The Dickens’ Gallery.16
Sweet Dolly Varden stood beside17
The Pecksniff sisters twain,18
And little Dot and Florence vied19
With Kate and Madelaine :20
And Sairey Gamp the next I found21
With Betsy Prig at tea,22
And spreading scandal all around23
The Dickens’ Gallery.24
And opposite a motley crew,25
Smike, Toots, and Marley’s ghost,26
Micawber, Squeers, and Pickwick too,27
And others, quite a host.28
And Captain Cuttle, walking out,29
With thoughtful face, we see,30
Engaged in ‘ making notes ’ about31
The Dickens’ Gallery.32
And fraternising in a row33
Sit Weg and Carrier John,34
And Scrooge, and Trotty Veck, and Jo,35
No longer ‘ moving on ’ :36
And Barkis, ‘ willin’, waitin’ ’ still37
Upon the wall, we see,38
And many more whose portraits fill39
The Dickens’ Gallery.40
And last, within a tarnished frame,41
A face well-known to me,42
And, written underneath the name,43
‘ I spells it with a we.’44
Then homeward wended I my way,45
Across the Northern Sea,46
In hope to find, some other day,47
The Dickens’ Gallery.48