old friends, had thus an opportunity of witnessing
a wedding ceremony remarkable for its
unaffected simplicity. The father of the bride
conducted his daughter into the middle of an
assembly, and the same good office was done
by the father of the bridegroom for his son.
Hands were joined, fidelity was promised, and
that was all. Let it not be forgotten by the
present narrator that the bridegroom was
dressed all in white, with the exception of his
robe, which was sky-colour, and that he looked
exceedingly smart.

At length the time for quitting the charming
Central World, where nature was so kind,
minds were so pure, and life was so long, was
close at hand; the worthy old gentleman,
informed by Bruce of his approaching departure,
offered to be his companion. Leave
having been taken of all good company, two
very large birds, each with a long ribbon
fastened to its back, were brought to the door on
the appointed day, and on the backs of these
Bruce and his venerable friend, who held the
reins for both, ascended into the air. After a
journey of about six hours Bruce arrived at the
concave surface of the earth's crust, and his
eyes were dazzled by the jewels with which it
was studded; but soon the travellers were
surrounded by a total darkness, and space was
so confined that the birds were scarcely able to
move their wings. This change was occasioned
by the passage through the crust itself.

They reached the convex surface of the
earth, within a few miles of London; and when
Bruce was informed by his companion that he
must now submit to have his eyes blinded for
a while, in order that the entrance into the
other world might remain a secret, of course
he made no resistance, and after a quarter of
an hour's more travel alighted on the ground;
but when he opened his eyes the birds were
gone. The effect of the ointment, which was
to diminish the power of gravitation, was now
found inconvenient, for the attraction of the
earth being necessarily less at its surface than
at its centre, Bruce could scarcely keep his feet
to the ground, and got two or three tumbles on
his nose. A certain liquid sprinkled upon him
by his prudent friend soon, however, brought
him to his proper weight.

Lovely as they were, the costumes of the
Central World were, as we have seen, not in
the London fashion; so Bruce's first thoughts
were in the direction of an old acquaintance
who lived in Piccadilly, and dealt in articles
of attire. Thither the travellers proceeded.
The effect of their appearance upon the
unsophisticated maid-servant who opened the door
was so powerful that she cried out, "A ghost!
a ghost!" and, by her screams, brought her
master down stairs. A sojourn in the immaculate
Central World had not rendered Bruce
incapable of earthly mendacity, so he told his
Piccadilly friend, who recognised him at once,
that he had been out masquerading: adding that
his companion was a foreigner, who spoke no
English, and that the long beard, which had
excited remark, was in conformity to the custom
of his country. The West-end tradesman lent
Bruce a couple of guineas for immediate
expenses, and asked him and his companion to
dine with him on the following day.

As they are going to bed at the hotel after
their dinner in Piccadilly, the old Centralian
tells Bruce that he will return home on the
following morning, and warning him not to quit
his room earlier than usual, or pry into things
that concern him not, takes an affectionate
leave of him.

"May the Creator preserve you, and may
you not trust mankind!" Those were the last
words spoken by the good old man to Bruce,
who when he was alone looked after his affairs.
His relations received him kindly and settled a
sum of money upon him—which was gratifying;
but they refused to believe his account of the
Central World—which was disgusting. So he
resolved to keep as little company as possible,
and bought a small cottage in Kent, where he
settled down in the pleasing hope of receiving
some day a promised visit from his Central
acquaintance.

There the book ends. Whether Bruce is
still in Kent, living on lingering hope, like Le
Pauvre Jacques in the Erench play, or whether
his hope has been realised, the present narrator
is unable to say. Nay, what is more, he does
not in the least believe that any one can give
him the slightest information on the subject.

FAREWELL SERIES OF READINGS

BY

MR. CHARLES DICKENS.

MESSRS. CHAPPELL AND Co. beg to announce
that, knowing it to be the determination of MR.
DICKENS finally to retire from Public Reading soon
after his return from America, they (as having been
honoured with his confidence on previous occasions)
made proposals to him while he was still in the
United States achieving his recent brilliant successes
there, for a final FAREWELL SEEIES OF READINGS in
this country. Their proposals were at once accepted by
MR. DICKENS, in a manner highly gratifying to them.

The Series will commence in the ensuing autumn,
and will comprehend, besides London, some of the
chief towns in England, Ireland, and Scotland.
It is scarcely necessary for MESSRS. CHAPPELL AND
Co. to add that any announcement made in connexion
with these FAREWELL READINGS will be strictly
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appoint an extra night in any place in which he shall
have been once announced to read for the last time.

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CHAPPELL AND Co., 50, New Bond-street, London, W.

Just published, bound in cloth, price 5s. 6d.,

THE NINETEENTH YOLUME.