All the evidence goes against the necessity of such precaution.

Nevertheless, were I giving advice to a tiro in novel writing, I should recommend it.
With the last chapter of _Denis Duval_ was published in the magazine a set of notes on the book, taken for the most part from Thackeray's own papers, and showing how much collateral work he had given to the fabrication of his novel.

No doubt in preparing other tales, especially _Esmond_, a very large amount of such collateral labour was found necessary.

He was a man who did very much of such work, delighting to deal in little historical incidents.

They will be found in almost everything that he did, and I do not know that he was ever accused of gross mistakes.