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AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED TO THE HON. Mr. AND Mrs. RICHARD WATSON, OF ROCKINGHAM, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. PREFACE TO 1850 EDITION I do not find it easy to get sufficiently far away from this Book, in the first sensations of having finished it, to refer to it with the composure which this formal heading would seem to require. My interest in it, is so recent and strong; and my mind is so divided between pleasure and regret - pleasure in the achievement of a long design, regret in the separation from many companions - that I am in danger of wearying the reader whom I love, with personal confidences, and private emotions. Besides which, all that I could say of the Story, to any purpose, I have endeavoured to say in it. It would concern the reader little, perhaps, to know, how sorrowfully the pen is laid down at the close of a two-years` imaginative task; or how an Author feels as if he were dismissing some portion of himself into the shadowy world, when a crowd of the creatures of his brain are going from him for ever. Yet, I have nothing else to tell; unless, indeed, I were to confess (which might be of less moment still) that no one can ever believe this Narrative, in the reading, more than I have believed it in the writing. Instead of looking back, therefore, I will look forward. I cannot close this Volume more agreeably to myself, than with a hopeful glance towards the time when I shall again put forth my two green leaves once a month, and with a faithful remembrance of the genial sun and showers that have fallen on these leaves of David Copperfield, and made me happy. London, October, 1850. PREFACE TO THE CHARLES DICKENS EDITION I REMARKED in the original Preface to this Book, that I did not find it easy to get sufficiently far away from it, in the first sensations of having finished it, to refer to it with the composure which this formal heading would seem to require. My interest in it was so recent and strong, and my mind was so divided between pleasure and regret - pleasure in the achievement of a long design, regret in the separation from many companions - that I was in danger of wearying the reader with personal confidences and private emotions. Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it. It would concern the reader little, perhaps, to know how sorrowfully the pen is laid down at the close of a two-years` imaginative task; or how an Author feels as if he were dismissing some portion of himself into the shadowy world, when a crowd of the creatures of his brain are going from him for ever. Yet, I had nothing else to tell; unless, indeed, I were to confess (which might be of less moment still), that no one can ever believe this Narrative, in the reading, more than I believed it in the writing. So true are these avowals at the present day, that I can now only take the reader into one confidence more. Of all my books, I like this the best. It will be easily believed that I am a fond parent to every child of my fancy, and that no one can ever love that family as dearly as I love them. But, like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child. And his name is DAVID COPPERFIELD. 1869
CHAPTER 1 - I AM BORN CHAPTER 2 - I OBSERVE CHAPTER 3 - I HAVE A CHANGE CHAPTER 4 - I FALL INTO DISGRACE CHAPTER 5 - I AM SENT AWAY FROM HOME CHAPTER 6 - I ENLARGE MY CIRCLE OF ACQUAINTANCE CHAPTER 7 - MY `FIRST HALF` AT SALEM HOUSE CHAPTER 8 - MY HOLIDAYS. ESPECIALLY ONE HAPPY AFTERNOON CHAPTER 9 - I HAVE A MEMORABLE BIRTHDAY CHAPTER 10 - I BECOME NEGLECTED, AND AM PROVIDED FOR CHAPTER 11 - I BEGIN LIFE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT, AND DON`T LIKE IT CHAPTER 12 - LIKING LIFE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT NO BETTER,
I FORM A GREAT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 13 - THE SEQUEL OF MY RESOLUTION CHAPTER 14 - MY AUNT MAKES UP HER MIND ABOUT ME CHAPTER 15 - I MAKE ANOTHER BEGINNING CHAPTER 16 - I AM A NEW BOY IN MORE SENSES THAN ONE CHAPTER 17 - SOMEBODY TURNS UP CHAPTER 18 - A RETROSPECT CHAPTER 19 - I LOOK ABOUT ME, AND MAKE A DISCOVERY CHAPTER 20 - STEERFORTH`S HOME CHAPTER 21 - LITTLE EM`LY CHAPTER 22 - SOME OLD SCENES, AND SOME NEW PEOPLE CHAPTER 23 - I CORROBORATE Mr. DICK, AND CHOOSE A PROFESSION CHAPTER 24 - MY FIRST DISSIPATION CHAPTER 25 - GOOD AND BAD ANGELS CHAPTER 26 - I FALL INTO CAPTIVITY CHAPTER 27 - TOMMY TRADDLES CHAPTER 28 - Mr. MICAWBER`S GAUNTLET CHAPTER 29 - I VISIT STEERFORTH AT HIS HOME, AGAIN CHAPTER 30 - A LOSS CHAPTER 31 - A GREATER LOSS CHAPTER 32 - THE BEGINNING OF A LONG JOURNEY CHAPTER 33 - BLISSFUL CHAPTER 34 - MY AUNT ASTONISHES ME CHAPTER 35 - DEPRESSION CHAPTER 36 - ENTHUSIASM CHAPTER 37 - A LITTLE COLD WATER CHAPTER 38 - A DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP CHAPTER 39 - WICKFIELD AND HEEP CHAPTER 40 - THE WANDERER CHAPTER 41 - DORA`S AUNTS CHAPTER 42 - MISCHIEF CHAPTER 43 - ANOTHER RETROSPECT CHAPTER 44 - OUR HOUSEKEEPING CHAPTER 45 - MR. DICK FULFILLS MY AUNT`S PREDICTIONS CHAPTER 46 - INTELLIGENCE CHAPTER 47 - MARTHA CHAPTER 48 - DOMESTIC CHAPTER 49 - I AM INVOLVED IN MYSTERY CHAPTER 50 - Mr. PEGGOTTY`S DREAM COMES TRUE CHAPTER 51 - THE BEGINNING OF A LONGER JOURNEY CHAPTER 52 - I ASSIST AT AN EXPLOSION CHAPTER 53 - ANOTHER RETROSPECT CHAPTER 54 - Mr. MICAWBER`S TRANSACTIONS CHAPTER 55 - TEMPEST CHAPTER 56 - THE NEW WOUND, AND THE OLD CHAPTER 57 - THE EMIGRANTS CHAPTER 58 - ABSENCE CHAPTER 59 - RETURN CHAPTER 60 - AGNES CHAPTER 61 - I AM SHOWN TWO INTERESTING PENITENTS CHAPTER 62 - A LIGHT SHINES ON MY WAY CHAPTER 63 - A VISITOR CHAPTER 64 - A LAST RETROSPECT |
