The Life of Charles Dickens 'Whenever he felt Toots coming again, he began to laugh and wipe his eyes afresh ; and when Toots came once more, he gave kind of a cry, as if it were too much for him.' Dickens gave paid public readings from 1858 which proved very successful. Whilst reading Little Dombey in Belfast Dickens laughed heartly at a man who was unable to contain his enjoyment. Illustration by Fred Barnard