I've loved reading the Sketches - a delicious and illuminating part of the vast hidden forest of unknown Dickens, enchanting and surprising, and beautifully introduced by Dr Schlicke. Simon Callow, CBE

The young Dickens at his most playful, writing anonymously and slyly observant of the manners and morals of the 1830s, when he was himself a young gentleman and one member of a young couple. Paul Schlicke's delightful edition includes the original Phiz illustrations. Claire Tomalin

So little known they qualify as "new Dickens", and as hugely enjoyable socio-economic writing from his most exuberant phase. Paul Schlicke is to be thanked for bringing them to our attention in his handsomely embellished volume. John Sutherland, Emeritus Lord Nortcliffe Professor, UCL 

INTRODUCTION; SKETCHES OF YOUNG LADIES; The Young Lady who Sings; The Busy Young Lady; The Romantic Young Lady; The Evangelical Young Lady; The Matter-of-Fact Young Lady; The Plain Young Lady; The Literary Young Lady; The Manly Young Lady; The Young Lady who is Engaged; The Stupid Young Lady; The Interesting Young Lady; The Petting Young Lady; The Natural Historian Young Lady; The Indirect Young Lady; The Hyperbolical Young Lady; The Whimsical Young Lady; The Abstemious Young Lady; The Sincere Young Lady; The Affirmative Young Lady; The Clever Young Lady; The Mysterious Young Lady; The Extremely Natural Young Lady; The Lazy Young Lady; The Young Lady from School; Conclusion; SKETCHES OF YOUNG GENTLEMEN; The Bashful Young Gentleman; The Out-and-Out Young Gentleman; The Very Friendly Young Gentleman; The Military Young Gentleman; The Political Young Gentleman; The Domestic Young Gentleman; The Censorious Young Gentleman; The Funny Young Gentleman; The Theatrical Young Gentleman; The Poetical Young Gentleman; The "Throwing-off" Young Gentleman; The Young Ladies' Young Gentleman; Conclusion; SKETCHES OF YOUNG COUPLES; The Young Couple; The Formal Couple; The Loving Couple; The Contradictory Couple; The Couple who Dote upon their Children; The Cool Couple; The Plausible Couple; The Nice Little Couple; The Egotistical Couple; The Couple who Coddle themselves; The Old Couple; Conclusion