OUR LITERARY CENTER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14275, 10 February 1912, Page 7

OUR LITERARY CENTER.

• CHARLFS DICKENS—THE MAN AND HIS WORK.

(By CsAEtEs Witsoy, Parliamestaiiy Librarian).

(SPECIAtLT WRITTEN FOR "THE PRESS."). Probably no « tncr great English rnitot « vcr packed into the erst twenty years of his lifo so many varied experiences as did he trboxd centenary the whole Ens-]ish-s?<>aking world is celebrating this week. those experiences wore, for the most part, such as itouM, under ordinary circumstances, be deemed • foreign, and. indeed positively inimical, to tho birth and velopment of great literary talent. Horn on the 7th of February, 1812, Charles Dickens—christened, by the way, Charles John Huffam Dickoris--first saw light of day at No. 387 Mile End Terrace, Commercial road, Ports<?a. His father, John Dickens, a clerk in tho Navy Pay Office, was two years later, transferred to London, and thence again transferred to Chatham, and placed on duty in the dockyard. Hero, until tho winter of 1822-1823, the family remained, and led what was on tho whole a very happy life. Charles was not strong, never' partir cularly fond of games, being, as he told his biographer, John Forstor,. subject to attacks of violent spasms which disabled him from active exertion. Bub this "very queer smuli

boy" was very handsome with his long

curly light hair and, so the teacher i of the;&nmll preparatory school ho attended declared, exceptionally intolligent and good-natured. In' a sparo room, "where nobody over went," tho

lad discovered a few books which he ■ * devoured with avidity. Good Thomas ■Newcoine, wo know, disapproved 'rf "Tomo Jones," but >young Dickens no 3oubt saw no evil in tho pages of ether Fielding's famous masterpieco, «rlh ".Roderick Random" and others %-Smollett's work. "Gil Bias" was ■'slso. a favourite, and so also wore '>ifne.\ Vicar of Wakefield," "Don ;Qfdx6ie/.' "Robinson Crusoe," and (?ilio Arabian Nights." Herein" was a ,; >Vsniliudo of stimulating litorary'food. '.Traces of the Fielding- and Smollett <n-#ffenco-are unmistakable in "Tho -Kckwick Papers" and in "Nicholas and: "Don Quixote" may, without too great a stretch of imagina-

tion, bo held to have played no small .part in' tho basic features of Mr Vick- ' s wick. At Chatham, young Charles •" gathered impressions which were to ' ' serve him in -good stead in Boveral of - -his novel?,. notably in "The Pickwick J Papers, 1, in- "David Copperfield," and fa "Great-Expectations." ;

. ■ EARLY TROUBLES AND TRIALS. • Hccalled to Somerset House towards ' the close of 1822, John Dickens removed his family to London, Charles remaining behind 'for a few weeks, and ■ then journeying to London alone— :u a stage coach . . . packed, liko gaino, and iorwarded, carriago paid, to the .Cross"Keys, Wood street, Chcapside v It was in ; the same vehicle- that 3lr ' - Pickwick, and his companions journeyed down to Rochester on a famous occasion, but the little lad of ten left "Dullborougli," and it is said that old thb stago coachman, served ,-aa thY original of that amusing personage, tho elder Mr Weller. But it was a sad, dreary, indeed most miserable life, that tho bby was to lead in London, for John Dickens was soo'i "retrenched" or had to resign from his office, and for tho Dickens family there commenced a period of almost Bordid ' x Mvortv. Of those dreadful thrco years 'between leaving Chatham and ' tho improvement in his father's finanoial position which enabled him to send young Charles to a decent school, ' Dickens' hfmsolf has given us, through Forster, a most pathetic record. There pan be littlo doubt that John Dickons, . . who stood, in part at leasts for tho' ■ portraits .of Wilkin '.Micaivber, and ■ ~ .William Dorrott, was singularly remiss in tho management of his own -affairs, and ■ a ,term ot chronic impecuniosity. was followed by his orrest and lodgment in lho Visits -to his un- '' . happy parent.provided the future novel- . isb with impressions to be put toex- ■ cellent Borvico in his pictures of tho ' Ffeet'Prison in "Pickwick," and of tho

■ Harshalscain "Littlo Dorritt." Uov the boy was put to wont at a blacking factory, situated close to where Charing Cross station now "stands, how ho, "a , child," as he has told us, "of singular abilities, quick, eager, delicate, and soon hurt, bodily and mentally/ bravely - did his duty arid hoped for better and hap- - \pier days, need not be recounted.in - datail. To tho end of his life these early , experiences woro never alluded to by him in hie children's hearing. Indeed, the late Miss Mamie Dickens states in "My Father, as I Recall Him,!' that it wa9 only after their father's d<Jatk that tho full story became known -<to them. Still all'tho'time gathering impressions was the ever-observant lad; . making acquaintance, at first " hand, ■ Trith all >tho humour and pathos, the . wraedy and tragedy of the everyday ' . life of tho London masses. Even at this time his knowledge of London was t like that of Mr Samuel Weller, "extensive and peculiar," and to tho end of his days he was wont to aver "that nowhere did he find more stimulus to creative work .than in the busy streets of that modern Babylon to which his .introduction was . made nndor such • •comingly iinpropitious conditions. • PREVIOUS TO PICKWICK. .' At last, as I have said, something "turned tip," for tho Micawber-like father, in tho shape of a small legacy, j "With this and tho further and timely assistance of the Insolvent Debtors' * - Act, John Dickens bade farewell for ; ever to the Marshalsca, the family moved into a more comfortable home, and.' to his intense joy, young Charles, in 1824, became a pupil at Wellington House Academy, m tho Hampstead road <tho Salem'House of David Cop'perfield). It was not a good school, the master was , supposed among us to know nothing, and one of the ushers was sunposod to know everything," but it was a vast improvement, as a daily environment, upon tho blacking . m ;warchouso. In May 1827, young Dickens entered as a clerk in a lawyer's •office in Gray's Inn, where he remained -jabout a year. Here he kept a petty cash book, a book which contains such names as Weller, Mrs Bardell, Corney, Rudge, and -Newman Knott. Here, too, ho would probably meet the origifcala of Messrs Syenlow and Jorkins, ; ' of the Vice-Chancellor's "own particular friend," Mr Solomon Pell, of tho •fussy but good-hearted Mr Perker, cf ' "I^ wto i n ;. t " e bibul °us law clerk, and cf that delightful person, 'thoyoung man ,of the name of Guppy." Dickens's own personal opinion of the law, m formed, to some extent, during his = ■-. ;twdve months' stay in Gray's Inn. is tooV exactly Writing •to Mrs tredenck Pollock he says:----•-1 have that opinion of tho law of .fcngland generally that it puts all the tawct-men under the diabolical hoofs ~ ft. mU the . scoundrels." Nevertheless,

ORIGINAL AND; SELECTED MATTER.

NOTES ON BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

some of the most, intimate and most valued friends of the novelist were lawyers, and if Jio did not like th<; In TV, that did not prevent his giving ! tho world, as tho Into Sir Frederick i Lockwoed has stated/ , , tho most amusing portrait gallory of 'lawyers and lawyers' clerks •' to be fo'.ind in tho pages-of any English writer." From the lan- to journalism was Dickens's next "quick change. ,. His father had studied shorthand arid become a Parliamentary reporter. Young Charles, followed suit, his first engagement heing on tjo staff of "The True Sun." which journal, in 1833, he left to join tlxp " Morning Chronicle." He was aii exceptionally able shorthand reporter. Hβ travelled all over tho country' to report the speeches of Lord John Russell and other statesmen, arid did some Parliamentary reporting, his last appearance in the Press gallery being at the close of the session of 1836, when, in the words of David Copperfield, he "noted down tho music of tho Parliamentary bagpipes for the last time." During Uiin journalistic period ho wrote somo sketches of London life. These, the famous " Sketches by Boz." were reprinted from tho 'The Monthly Magazine" and from the "M-orning Chronicle," and paved the way for "Pickwick" and "Oliver Twist. , *' Tho pseudonym "Boz" was the nickname of a younger brother, Augustus Dickens, or.gir.ally dubbed Moses by Char'.es, and th : s, pronounced through tho nc&c, became "Boses,"' and finally Boz. It was as "Boz" that "The Pickwick Papers" wero signed, and as "Boz"' that Dickens first conquered the big reading public. And what a conquest it was. AY .■:'. England laughed over 'The Faithful Record of the Perambulations, tho PerKu; Travels, Sporting Adventures and Sporting Transactions of tho Corresponding Members" of the famous PickwVk Club. Everywhere the green covered monthly parts appeared the fame of "Boz" became firmly established. The young author eignalised tho appearance of the first .'number by marrying, his choice being Mies Catherine Thomson Hogarth, the eldest of the three daughters, Catherine, Georgina, and Mary, of "Boz's" fellow worker on "The Chronicle," Mr George Hogarth. The young couple set up housekeeping in Furnivall's Inn, and later on in Doughty, street. Seymour, a contemporary artet, specially skilkd in sporting pictures, illustrated the first number, but committed suicide "before tho eecpnd was completed. He was succeeded, first, by an artist named Bass, whoso etchings were mor.t unsuccessful and were afterwards withdrown; and second, by Mr Hablot K. Browne, 'who, as-"Phiz," drew'.tho illustrations for all the Dickens books up to;" r Our Mutual Friend," on which Mr Marcus Stone (now an R.A.) was employed. George Cruickshanks, I may Ray, illustrated only "The Sketches by Boz" and, "Oliver Twist'" His etchings in tho latter "\vt>rk were ■ exceedingly realistio, his •" Fagin in the Condemned Cell" being still famous. FROM " PICKWICK " TO " BARNABY BUDGE;" ' How strenuous was, Dickens's life in 1839 may be seen when we read that in that.year he was writing the later chapters of, "Pickwick"; was busy on "Oliver Twist,"" had already commenced "Nicholas Nickleby," and had edited ,th© memoirs of the famous clown, V Joey " Grimaldi; " " Oliver Twist ,J struck the publio as a remarkable con-trast-to "Pickwick;" The latter has been described as a.great "comic epic , '; in' the ■ former tho note • is sterner J ■ in-: finitely more serious. ■ The pathos of poor < Oliver's life; the tragedy of tho hapless Nancy; and the brutal Sykes; the villainy of-Fagin—all possess, may be, a tinge of the'melodramatic.• But the almost ferocious • earnestness • of the' attacks the 'law system of 'the time,- the merciless ■ satire with which workhouso administration was exposed, impressed the public with a deep sense of the sincerity, the courage, ana the .brilliant literary talents of tho author . Thackeray's tribute reflected an opinion which was probably universal! "Tho power of cue writer Js so amazing that the reader at once be-' comes his captive and must follow him whithersoever he leads.'? "Nicholas Nickleby "followed »" Oliver Twist," and again the author attacked v abuses, this time the cheap Yorushire boarding schools. Nicholas himself is but" the conventional "walking gentleman" of early .Victorian drama, but in none of Dickens's novels is there a richer gallery of character portraits than in this work. Squeers, and, his urianriable spouse;, the rburly and good hearted John Browdie; < the bibulous Newman Noggs ;'that immortal pair .of mummers, Mr and Mrsv Vincent Crummies; the delightful Mr;Mantalini; the Kenwigs family.;:"',the Brothers Oheoryble (of whom the originals wore well-known Manchester merchants), and their clerk, Tim Linkinwater —all these sharply etched characters are admirable', so admirable that the stagey Ralph: 'Nickleby, ■ and Sir Mulberry Hawk — the too-carefully elaborated, pathos of Smike's life—and death— may well be overlooked. For one character alone, the charmingly inconsequent Mrs Nickleby/ the novel deserves to It; isi said that just as, later on, there was to be more than a touch, of John Dickens in Micawber, so that in Dickens's mother was the true Genesis of Mrs Nickleby. A tour in,tho Highlands, preceded.by a^publio banquet at Edinburgh, where Dickens met such, meri as Lord Jeffreys the famous critic," "Christopher North" (Professor John IVflson); Sir Archibald Allison, the -historian j John , Blackwood, the publisher; and other notables, followed the completion . of Nickleb'y. The industry, of .the author —he was still «^ only twenty-nine —was soon to be displayed in-the production, in rapid succpf-non, of two more stories, published; originally in a periodical, " Master Clock," written entirely by .Dickens. These -were "Tho Old Curiosity Shop." ! with its famous characters. Little Nell, Quilp, Dick SwivelW, the "Marchioness," Messrs Codlin and Short; and "Barnaby Rudge," in which Dickens tried his hand, and with a fair success, at historical romance, the interest of the story centring round the notorious "No Popery" riots of 1780, in which Lord Georgo Gordon was so prominent. -Dickens has been accused of : having unduly " piled up the agony," in this story of' Little Nell and her ■wanderings, arid has been charged with having been " both mawkish and morbid" in the scenes immediately preceding'the death of his youthful heroine. But he himself took the story very seriously. " I am breaking my heart over this story," he wrote, " and cannot bear to finish it"; and for nearly a week after writing the chapter in which Little Nell's death is describcß, the novelist was quite unequal to tho task of composition. Lord Jeffreys and Daniel o'Council both admitted having wept over that chapter, and if there, were any excess of sentiment, tho reading public of that day assuredly found ,no fault. AMERICA AND CHUZZLEWIT. In 1842 Dickens went to America, •where he was feted as a hero. " How can I give you tho faintest notion of my reception here," ho writes, " of the crowds that pour in and' out tho whole day; of the people that lino the streets when I go out; of the cheering when I went to the theatreof the copies ' of vereea/ • letters

of congratulation, welcomes of all kinds. balls, assemblies, without end? ' In "American Notes." and later, in "Martin Chuzzlewit," he utilised his experiences in the States. That he had keen greatly disillusioned was evident. Ho had gone to hoping and expecting to see and find that democracy had solved many of the social problems in which, in his native laud, he took so keen an interest. But slavery disgusted him, and as to minor evils and his oninions thereon, ho expressed himself in the " Notes" »nd in "Chuzzlewit." with a frankness which aroused a temporary _ storm cf resentment on the western side of {he Atlantic. From America, however, ho brought back pleasant memories of a host of new friends, including, amongst others, Washington Irving, William Cullen Bryant, Horace Greeloy, Prescott, and Agassiz. "Chuzziewit/ , will for ever be famous if only for Pecksniff and Sairey Gamp. The hero was again of the "'walking gentleman" type, but Mark Tap'>»y has a host of admirers, and the American scenes, though inclined to caricature, were painted with a quit-) fascinating brio, and • of good honest comedy there was no stint. SOME LATER WORKS. An article on Dickens would be incomplete without some reference to his Christmas books, the first of which "A Christmai Carol," is justly recognised as the author's masterpiece in this genre. It will suffice, I think, to quote, Thackeray's criticism thereon:— '•Who can listen," asks the author cf 'Vanity Fair," "to objections concerning such a boon as this? It seems to mc a national benefit, and to every man and woman who reads it a personal kindness. The 'ast two people I heard speak of it were women; neither knew the other, or the author, and both said by way of criticism, 'God bless him« " Tvhat a feeling is this for. a writer to be able to inspire, and what a reward to reap." •The Chimes," the "Carol's" eucces&or, was written mainly at Genoa, and, with the third of the series, "The Cricket on tho Hearth,", was scarcely lese popular. In 1845 Dickons' returned temporarily to journalism as editor of the newJy-established "Daily News," a past lie Teeigned after holding it a few weeks, and, retreating to Lausanne, was soon hard at work on "Dombey and Son," which contains some of the author's special successes in characterdrawing, notably Major Bagstock and Captain Cuttle, and his unfortunate friend, the oracular Bunsby, and that delightful noodle, Mr Toots. In the death of little Paul the pathos is too deliberately heightened to suit latterday tastes, but Thackeray pronounced it "stupendous." . . . "There's no writing against such power as this—one has no chance." With the spring of 1849 came the first number of what has been Pickwick's on.y rival, "David Copperfield." As we all know now, there is a strong autobiographical element in ths, to my mind, the most artistically complete and most charming of Diekens"s many works. How carefully the novelist planned the work, with what almost feverish excitement ha wrought it, chapter by chapter, k told at lenqrth in Forster's "Life." In "Copperfield" there is more of the real Diciiens than in any other of his books. Ho wrote to Forstor:—"lf I were to say half of what Copperfield makes mc feej to-night; how strangely, even to you. I should be turned inside out! 1 seem to be sending some part of rny.snlf into the Shadowy World." " Of all my books " ho wrote, on a later occasion, 'T like this the best. . . Like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child, and his name is David Copperfield." From 1850 to. 1859,-Dickeiis edited a weekiy "Household Words," which enjoyed a large circulation, its place, in tho later year, being taken by a journal of. similar character, entitled "All the Toar Round." Amongst other notable contributors were Mrs Gaskell, Wilkie Collins, Lard' Lytton, Charles Lever; arid Charles Read©, Dickens himself being mainly responsible for the Christmas numbers, amongst which "Mugby [Junction" and "Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions," are specially memorable. . FROM "BLEAK HOUSE" TO "LITTLE DORRIT." "Bleak House," the next threedecker—to use Mr Kipling's expression —was completed in 1853. Here Dickens attacked, the delays of Chancery suits, and herein he satirised, rather too openly, two old acquaintances, Walter Savage Landor and Leigh Hunt, the first in the character of the robustious Laurence Boythorn; the second as the easy-going—especially in matters financial—Harold Skimpole. Mr Chadband deserves a place by the side of Mr Stiggins, whilst • Mrs Snagsby, Mrs Jellaby, "the young man of the name of Guppy," .to say nothing of Mr Tulkinghorn, the lawyer, aro all strongly drawn and effective characters. In "Poor Jo" Dickens personified the outcast boys of the great city almost too painfully. "Hard Times," though praised byßuskin, has never been very, popular., Dickens's ideas oh industrial warfare were rather 'inoohate. But those who go to Dickens for character < sketches will, never, regret {lie writing of a-story in which appeared "Alithter Sthleary,', , of Sleary's damous "Horse-Riding," -which, the nompous Bounder by and Mr Gradgrind". "the man of facts and calculations,", held in such unmerited contempt. "Thank God I have finished," wrote Dickens a , ; his Kentish home, upon the completion of his next novel, "Lifcrle Dorrit," and, truth, to tell,< the story has "longueurs" which detract very much from ite general, interest. Still, there is much pure gold 'therein for the industrious miner, and the pictures of tho Marshalsea arc drawn (with, a striking boldness of light and shade. From 1858 to 1870, tho year of his death, Dickens occupied himself very largely with , giving public readings from his works, not only in Great Britain and Ireland,; but in the United States, where the warmth of his welcome, in 1868, proved that whatever ill-feeling might have been caused by "Martin Chuzzlewit". had totally disappeared. .:.-■"..' ' • APPROACHING THE END. Tho three last novels —previous to tho unfinished ".Uystery of Edwin JL>ro<kt'— showed no falling off in their author's pow em of invention, but Dickens now worked much more slowly: tho old spontaneity had gone.' "A Tale of Two Cities, ,; with many people the most popular of Dickens's stories, is, to uso an admitted expression, the least purely •'Dickensy" of his works. In writing it Dickens was great, ly influenced by Carlyle's "French Revolution," and by his friend Wilkie CollinsV desire and suggestion tliat strongly dramatic scenes'should be considered before elaborate characterisation. In "Great Expectations," Dickens returned to his earlier s.yle, and to the scenes of his youth. The hero, Pip, is but a ireak creature, but who that has read tne story will" .not remember with pleasure honest Joe Gargery, and Mr Wemmick, with his affection for "portable property,"" and that most human of all Dickens s juveniles, Trabb's Boy, and that pomoous humbug, Uncle Pumblochook. There was a long spell between "Great Expectations" and "Our Mutual Friend," the final issue of the latter appearing in November, 1865. The novel has its admirers* but it can hardly. bo accounted equal to the earlier stones. The Veneering aro mere caricatures, and most readers aro out of sympathy with tho young barrister, Eugene Wrayburn, who nlays a prominent part in the stofv. But that D:ckens's hand had not lost all its old cunning was shown in the. amusing ixgures of .Sir Podsnap and Silas .Wepc, and f'Boz never gave us a more charming heroine than xTrettv Belli" Pilfer* , A / ter s reading tour in Amerca; Dsckcns commenced a new' Renos of readings m England. But ill-health now,senous£ afflicted iisn, and.a stern-mandate from

his physicians determined his final retirement from "these garish l'g h * s ' to use his own expression, on his la.it appearance at St. James's Hall. Rotiring to Gad's Hill, he set to work,oll what was to nrove his last story, the unfinished "Mystery of Edwin Drood. . Only six numbers had been published when on "Wednesday, June Sth, 1»<O, he closed his work for the day by wruing a nassage of ouite exceptional , beauty-~-a passage clearly reflecting tho deep, religious feeling of the author, and struck down in his own house by paralysis, passed peacefully away without ever regaining consciousness. DICKIES, THE MAN. Dickens, if we may accept the unanimous verdict of thoso who knew him ; best, was as genial and truly lovable | i a man as he was a singularly original . and brilliantly gifted author. All through hie life he had a host of personal friends, and tho sincerity, the loyalty of their friendship was quite , 'remarkable. In his earlier career, such 5 men as Thackeray, Carlyle, Lytton, ' Harrison Ainsworth, Talfourd, ■ Jlaclise. and btansfield. and the ever faithful John Forster, wero valued intimates. Later on, he widened his field of acquaintance, and was the honoured guest of the noblest and greatest in the land. As to his unfailing geniality ; thero is a wealth of testimony, and i one has only to dip into his "'Letters" ; —as amusing and delightful as the best of his novels —to see how deeply , ho valued a good friend, how kindly- i hearted, and practically helpful he was, | and how, even when domestic troubles : and temporary disappointments were : present, his natural gaiety of nature, his boundless joio de vivre, never quite deserted him. Had he chosen to adopt a 'stage career he would no doubt have been 'one of the greatest Thespian celebrities of the mid-Victorian period, for he was one of the line&t amateur actors of his time,- and organised and took part in many theatrical entertainments for charitable purposes, j His so-called "Headings" were., in j reality, acting. "No one," says 1 Edmund Yates, "who ever heard Dickens read tho story of Bill Sykes's death, could ■ refrain from shuddering, so painfully realistic was the impersonation." All his life he loved tho stage, and took pleasure in the company ot actors. In early life Macready was a bosom friend; later on, Charles Kcan and FeclKcr wero his intimates.' In his home life, ho was' the most nffectionalo of.fathers, the most kindly airl thoughtful of parents. .That he separated from his wife, the wife who had bore him ten children, was a. sadly regrettable circumstance. There were faults on both. sides, maybe—thos© who care to read of such things may peruse Forster's careful statement of the actual facts—but- that the separation took place at all is seriously at variance with the pictures of tho life at Gad's Hill which we owe to his eldest daughter. This one blemish on his life's .story apart, there is nothing lefo but admiration and rcepect. Carlyle was no flatterer, whatever his prejudices may have been, and with Carlyle-'s verdict on Dickens this article may suitably conclude:—'"'A most cordial, sincere, clearsighted, quietly decisive, just, and a loving man. ... It (Dfckens's

death) is an event world-wide; a unique of talents suddenly extinct; and has eclrosedj we, too, may say. 'the harmless gaiety of nations.' . . . . The good, the gentle, high-gifted, everfriendly, noble Dickens—every inch of him-an Honest Man."