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ContributionstoAllTheYearRound1ContributionstoAllTheYearRoundbyCharlesDickensContributionstoAllTheYearRound2ANNOUNCEMENTINHOUSEHOLDWORDSAftertheappearanceofthepresentconcludingNumberofHouseholdWords,thispublicationwillmergeintothenewweeklypublication,AlltheYearRound,andthetitle,HouseholdWords,willformapartofthetitle-pageofAlltheYearRound.TheProspectusofthelatterJournaldescribesitinthesewords:ADDRESSNineyearsofHouseholdWords,arethebestpracticalassurancethatcanbeofferedtothepublic,ofthespiritandobjectsofAlltheYearRound.Intransferringmyself,andmystrongestenergies,fromthepublicationthatisabouttobediscontinued,tothepublicationthatisabouttobebegun,IhavethehappinessoftakingwithmethestaffofwriterswithwhomIhavelaboured,andalltheliteraryandbusinessco-operationthatcanmakemyworkapleasure.Insomeimportantrespects,Iamnowfreegreatlytoadvanceonpastarrangements.Those,Ileavetotestifyforthemselvesinduecourse.Thatfusionofthegracesoftheimaginationwiththerealitiesoflife,whichisvitaltothewelfareofanycommunity,andforwhichIhavestrivenfromweektoweekashonestlyasIcouldduringthelastnineyears,willcontinuetobestrivenforalltheyearround.TheoldweeklycaresanddutiesbecomethingsofthePast,merelytobeassumed,withanincreasedloveforthemandbrighterhopesspringingoutofthem,inthePresentandtheFuture.Ilook,andplan,foraverymuchwidercircleofreaders,andyetagainforasteadilyexpandingcircleofreaders,intheprojectsIhopetocarrythroughalltheyearround.AndIfeelconfidentthatthisexpectationwillberealized,ifitdeserverealization.Thetaskofmynewjournalisset,anditwillsteadilytrytoworkthetaskout.Itspagesshallshowtowhatgoodpurposetheirmottoisrememberedinthem,andwithhowmuchoffidelityandearnestnesstheytellContributionstoAllTheYearRound3thestoryofourlivesfromyeartoyear.CHARLESDICKENS.Sincethiswasissued,theJournalitselfhascomeintoexistence,andhasspokenforitselffiveweeks.ItsfifthNumberispublishedto-day,anditscirculation,moderatelystated,treblesthatnowrelinquishedinHouseholdWords.Inreferringourreaders,henceforth,toAlltheYearRound,wecanbutassurethemafresh,ofourunwearyingandfaithfulservice,inwhatisatoncetheworkandthechiefpleasureofourlife.Throughallthatwearedoing,andthroughallthatwedesigntodo,ouraimistodoourbestinsincerityofpurpose,andtruedevotionofspirit.Wedonotforamomentsupposethatwemayleanonthecharacterofthesepages,andrestcontentedatthepointwheretheystop.Weseeinthatpointbutastarting-placeforournewjourney;andonthatjourney,withnewprospectsopeningoutbeforeuseverywhere,wejoyfullyproceed,entreatingourreaders--withoutanyofthepainofleave-takingincidentaltomostjourneys--tobearuscompanyAlltheyearround.Saturday,May28,1859.THEPOORMANANDHISBEERMyfriendPhilosewersandI,contemplatingafarm-labourertheotherday,whowasdrinkinghismugofbeeronasettleataroadsideale-housedoor,wefelltohummingthefag-endofanoldditty,ofwhichthepoormanandhisbeer,andthesinofpartingthem,formthedolefulburden.Philosewersthenmentionedtomethatafriendofhisinanagriculturalcounty--sayaHertfordshirefriend--had,fortwoyearslastpast,endeavouredtoreconcilethepoormanandhisbeertopublicmorality,bymakingitapointofhonourbetweenhimselfandthepoormanthatthelattershouldusehisbeerandnotabuseit.Interestedinaneffortofsounobtrusiveandunspeechifyinganature,OPhilosewers,saidI,afterthemannerofthedrearysagesinEasternapologues,Showme,Ipray,themanwhodeemsthattemperancecanbeattainedwithoutamedal,anContributionstoAllTheYearRound4oration,abanner,andadenunciationofhalftheworld,andwhohasatoncetheheadandhearttosetaboutit!Philosewersexpressing,inreply,hiswillingnesstogratifythedrearysage,anappointmentwasmadeforthepurpose.Andonthedayfixed,I,theDrearyone,accompaniedbyPhilosewers,wentdownNor'-Westperrailway,insearchoftemperatetemperance.Itwasathunderousday;andthecloudsweresoimmoderatelywatery,andsoverymuchdisposedtosourallthebeerinHertfordshire,thattheyseemedtohavetakenthepledge.But,thesunburstforthgailyintheafternoon,andgildedtheoldgables,andoldmullionedwindows,andoldweathercockandoldclock-face,ofthequaintoldhousewhichisthedwellingofthemanwesought.HowshallIdescribehim?Asoneofthemostfamouspracticalchemistsoftheage?Thatdesignationwilldoaswellasanother--better,perhaps,thanmostothers.Andhisname?FriarBacon.Though,takenotice,Philosewers,saidI,behindmyhand,thatthefirstFriarBaconhadnotthathandsomelady-wifebesidehim.Wherein,OPhilosewers,hewasachemist,wretchedandforlorn,comparedwithhissuccessor.YoungRomeobadetheholyfatherLawrencehangupphilosophy,unlessphilosophycouldmakeaJuliet.ChemistrywouldinfalliblybehangedifitslifewerestakedonmakinganythinghalfsopleasantasthisJuliet.ThegentlePhilosewerssmiledassent.Theforegoingwhisperfrommyself,theDrearyone,tickledtheearofPhilosewers,aswewalkedonthetrimgardenterracebeforedinner,amongtheearlyleavesandblossoms;twopeacocks,apparentlyinverytightnewboots,occasionallycrossingthegravelatadistance.Thesun,shiningthroughtheoldhouse-windows,nowandthenflashedoutsomebrilliantpieceofcolourfrombrighthangingswithin,orupontheoldoakpanelling;similarly,FriarBacon,aswepacedtoandfro,revealedlittleglimpsesofhisgoodwork.Itisnotmuch,saidhe.Itisnowonderfulthing.Th