THE FIRST ray of light which illuminates the gloom, and brilliantly lights up that obscurity in which the earlier history of the public career of the immortal Pickwick would appear to be involved, comes from reading the following entry in the Transactions of the Pickwick Club. The editor of these papers feels the highest pleasure in laying these before his readers, as a proof of the careful attention, indefatigable energy, and fine discrimination with which his search among the numerous documents given to him has been conducted.

'May 12, 1827. Joseph Smiggers, Esq., P.V.P.M.P.C. [Perpetual Vice-President--Member Pickwick Club], presiding. The following resolutions unanimously agreed to:--

'That this Association has heard read, with feelings of unmingled satisfaction, and unqualified approval, the paper by Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C. [General Chairman--Member Pickwick Club], entitled "Speculations on the Source of the Hampstead Ponds, with some Observations on the Theory of Tittlebats;". This Association does hereby return its warmest thanks to Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., for this paper.

Vocabulary:

Gloom: Darkness and shadows.
Obscurity: Something hidden or unknown.
Transactions: Things done or said between people.
Indefatigable: Never getting tired.
Discrimination: Sorting things out carefully.
Esq: A title rather like 'Mr' (not much used today).
Unanimously: Agreement by everybody.
Unmingled: Complete, pure.
Speculations: Unproven ideas about something.
Hampstead: An area in London with a large park.
Tittlebats: A made-up word by Dickens.
Hereby: Now, in this way.