Hello and welcome to the third episode of our series on Charles Dickens.

We left you in the last episode with Dickens, The Novelist, in search of a novel.

He's a star, both in Britain and America, but he's short of money. He needs to write a bestseller.

And Dickens has a burning social conscience too. All around him in London, he can see the effects

of extreme poverty. And he's been there himself. It's the life he experienced as a child,

and he wants to bring about change.

Christmas is coming, and Dickens thinks he's found the answer.

From Wondery and Goalhanger, I'm Peter Frankabair.

I'm Afwa Hirsch.

And this is Legacy, the show that tells the lives of the most extraordinary men and women ever to have lived,

and asks if they have the reputation that they deserve.

Thank you. This is Charles Dickens, Episode 3, A Very Dickens Christmas. A Merry Christmas, Uncle! God save you!

cried a cheerful voice.

It was the voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach.

"'Bah,' said Scrooge. Humbug. He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost, this nephew of Scrooge's, that he was all in a glow.

His face was ruddy and handsome, his eyes sparkled,

and his breath smoked again. Christmas? A humbug uncle, said Scrooge's nephew. You don't mean that,

I am sure. I do, said Scrooge. Merry Christmas. What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? "'What reason have you to be merry?

"'You're poor enough.' "'Come then,' returned the nephew gaily.

"'What right of you to be dismal?

"'What reason have you to be morose?

"'You're rich enough!'

...