'Before leaving the cotton mill I had the good fortune to make my first acquaintance with the earlier works of Charles Dickens. Our manager, who was a reading man, was subscribing to periodically issued numbers of the "Pickwick Papers"... and he generously offered me an early perusal of the "Pickwick Papers", on the condition that I fetched the numbers as they were due from a little stationer's shop near the Navigation Inn. This was a double pleasure to me, as in addition to reading the pamphlet I could have half-an-hour's breathing outside the mill. Dickens assisted in lightening the burden of a weary time. I gathered fresh life from his admirable writings; and even then began to look into the distant future, with the hope that at sometime I might be enabled to track his footsteps, however far I might be behind. This prospect constantly buoyed up my hopes; and, when at last I was taken away from the mill I felt a regret that by this proceeding I sacrificed a glorious opportunity of making myself known in the world.'