Charles Dickens

The Pickwick Papers

THE POSTHUMOUS PAPERS
       OF
THE PICKWICK CLUB

Table of Contents

• Project Gutenberg Impressum and Copyright Notice

• 1. The Pickwickians
• 2. The first Day's Journey, and the first Evening's Adventures; with their Consequences
• 3. A new Acquaintance--The Stroller's Tale--A disagreeable Interruption, and an unpleasant Encounter
• 4. A Field Day and Bivouac--More new Friends--An Invitation to the Country
• 5. A short one--Showing, among other Matters, how Mr. Pickwick undertook to drive, and Mr. Winkle to ride, and how they both did it
• 6. An old-fashioned Card-party--The Clergyman's verses--The Story of the Convict's Return
• 7. How Mr. Winkle, instead of shooting at the Pigeon and killing the Crow, shot at the Crow and wounded the Pigeon; how the Dingley Dell Cricket Club played All-Muggleton, and how All- Muggleton dined at the Dingley Dell Expense; with other interesting and instructive Matters
• 8. Strongly illustrative of the Position, that the Course of True Love is not a Railway
• 9. A Discovery and a Chase
• 10. Clearing up all Doubts (if any existed) of the Disinterestedness of Mr. A. Jingle's Character
• 11. Involving another Journey, and an Antiquarian Discovery; Recording Mr. Pickwick's Determination to be present at an Election; and containing a Manuscript of the old Clergyman's
• 12. Descriptive of a very important Proceeding on the Part of Mr. Pickwick; no less an Epoch in his Life, than in this History
• 13. Some Account of Eatanswill; of the State of Parties therein; and of the Election of a Member to serve in Parliament for that ancient, loyal, and patriotic Borough
• 14. Comprising a brief Description of the Company at the Peacock assembled; and a Tale told by a Bagman
• 15. In which is given a faithful Portraiture of two distinguished Persons; and an accurate Description of a public Breakfast in their House and Grounds: which public Breakfast leads to the Recognition of an old Acquaintance, and the Commencement of another Chapter
• 16. Too full of Adventure to be briefly described
• 17. Showing that an Attack of Rheumatism, in some Cases, acts as a Quickener to inventive Genius
• 18. Briefly illustrative of two Points; first, the Power of Hysterics, and, secondly, the Force of Circumstances
• 19. A pleasant Day with an unpleasant Termination
• 20. Showing how Dodson and Fogg were Men of Business, and their Clerks Men of pleasure; and how an affecting Interview took place between Mr. Weller and his long-lost Parent; showing also what Choice Spirits assembled at the Magpie and Stump, and what a Capital Chapter the next one will be
• 21. In which the old Man launches forth into his favourite Theme, and relates a Story about a queer Client
• 22. Mr. Pickwick journeys to Ipswich and meets with a romantic Adventure with a middle-aged Lady in yellow Curl-papers
• 23. In which Mr. Samuel Weller begins to devote his Energies to the Return Match between himself and Mr. Trotter
• 24. Wherein Mr. Peter Magnus grows jealous, and the middle-aged Lady apprehensive, which brings the Pickwickians within the Grasp of the Law
• 25. Showing, among a Variety of pleasant Matters, how majestic and impartial Mr. Nupkins was; and how Mr. Weller returned Mr. Job Trotter's Shuttlecock as heavily as it came--With another Matter, which will be found in its Place
• 26. Which contains a brief Account of the Progress of the Action of Bardell against Pickwick
• 27. Samuel Weller makes a Pilgrimage to Dorking, and beholds his Mother-in-law
• 28. A good-humoured Christmas Chapter, containing an Account of a Wedding, and some other Sports beside: which although in their Way even as good Customs as Marriage itself, are not quite so religiously kept up, in these degenerate Times
• 29. The Story of the Goblins who stole a Sexton
• 30. How the Pickwickians made and cultivated the Acquaintance of a Couple of nice young Men belonging to one of the liberal Professions; how they disported themselves on the Ice; and how their Visit came to a Conclusion
• 31. Which is all about the Law, and sundry Great Authorities learned therein
• 32. Describes, far more fully than the Court Newsman ever did, a Bachelor's Party, given by Mr. Bob Sawyer at his Lodgings in the Borough
• 33. Mr. Weller the elder delivers some Critical Sentiments respecting Literary Composition; and, assisted by his Son Samuel, pays a small Instalment of Retaliation to the Account of the Reverend Gentleman with the Red Nose
• 34. Is wholly devoted to a full and faithful Report of the memorable Trial of Bardell against Pickwick
• 35. In which Mr. Pickwick thinks he had better go to Bath; and goes accordingly
• 36. The chief Features of which will be found to be an authentic Version of the Legend of Prince Bladud, and a most extraordinary Calamity that befell Mr. Winkle
• 37. Honourably accounts for Mr. Weller's Absence, by describing a Soiree to which he was invited and went; also relates how he was intrusted by Mr. Pickwick with a Private Mission of Delicacy and Importance
• 38. How Mr. Winkle, when he stepped out of the Frying-pan, walked gently and comfortably into the Fire
• 39. Mr. Samuel Weller, being intrusted with a Mission of Love, proceeds to execute it; with what Success will hereinafter appear
• 40. Introduces Mr. Pickwick to a new and not uninteresting Scene in the great Drama of Life
• 41. What befell Mr. Pickwick when he got into the Fleet; what Prisoners he saw there; and how he passed the Night
• 42. Illustrative, like the preceding one, of the old Proverb, that Adversity brings a Man acquainted with strange Bedfellows--Likewise containing Mr. Pickwick's extraordinary and startling Announcement to Mr. Samuel Weller
• 43. Showing how Mr. Samuel Weller got into Difficulties
• 44. Treats of divers little Matters which occurred in the Fleet, and of Mr. Winkle's mysterious Behaviour; and shows how the poor Chancery Prisoner obtained his Release at last
• 45. Descriptive of an affecting Interview between Mr. Samuel Weller and a Family Party. Mr. Pickwick makes a Tour of the diminutive World he inhabits, and resolves to mix with it, in Future, as little as possible
• 46. Records a touching Act of delicate Feeling not unmixed with Pleasantry, achieved and performed by Messrs. Dodson and Fogg
• 47. Is chiefly devoted to Matters of Business, and the temporal Advantage of Dodson and Fogg-- Mr. Winkle reappears under extraordinary Circumstances--Mr. Pickwick's Benevolence proves stronger than his Obstinacy
• 48. Relates how Mr. Pickwick, with the Assistance of Samuel Weller, essayed to soften the Heart of Mr. Benjamin Allen, and to mollify the Wrath of Mr. Robert Sawyer
• 49. Containing the Story of the Bagman's Uncle
• 50. How Mr. Pickwick sped upon his Mission, and how he was reinforced in the Outset by a most unexpected Auxiliary
• 51. In which Mr. Pickwick encounters an old Acquaintance--To which fortunate Circumstance the Reader is mainly indebted for Matter of thrilling Interest herein set down, concerning two great Public Men of Might and Power
• 52. Involving a serious Change in the Weller Family, and the untimely Downfall of Mr. Stiggins
• 53. Comprising the final Exit of Mr. Jingle and Job Trotter, with a great Morning of business in Gray's Inn Square--Concluding with a Double Knock at Mr. Perker's Door
• 54. Containing some Particulars relative to the Double Knock, and other Matters: among which certain interesting Disclosures relative to Mr. Snodgrass and a Young Lady are by no Means irrelevant to this History
• 55. Mr. Solomon Pell, assisted by a Select Committee of Coachmen, arranges the affairs of the elder Mr. Weller
• 56. An important Conference takes place between Mr. Pickwick and Samuel Weller, at which his Parent assists--An old Gentleman in a snuff- coloured Suit arrives unexpectedly
• 57. In which the Pickwick Club is finally dissolved, and everything concluded to the Satisfaction of Everybody