SERIOUS PEOPLE AND DICKENS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 9

SERIOUS PEOPLE AND DICKENS.

In tho ''Eoaders' Review"- the" National ' Home-reading; Union , liasS an'., organ which helps on tho good work of direction to worthy ' matter,' and :in the May: number there is. a reversion to;the /Void;;■ device of;a- Dickens ' Examination'.'■Paper..;; The '. paper, seems -tb have:been attacked With;great zest,, and thoiighrno candidate could "-answer -every quostion;';nothing was impenetrable, to their collective'efforts.!.The subjects,of the ques- ■ ' tions Ranged. from Mr. Chesterton's idea about .Dickens' >■ Being;: "'"the ;last ;of ..''the mvthoibgists:- and- perhaps, the greatest ,to the preferences 'to -whisky.; and' ■ to : Roman noses.'V'-'Thore is',not;:mnch 'of>Mr.':Chesterton; However,' arid,' inore, perhaps; of; the spirit -of ; Mr. ■ Bouncer, ' who set ,a famous examination.'paper .which may. be. .getting a little-'dim'-to" the. present generation. Home > reading is a .'serious matter,:- arid the review has serious"articles' on'.'.;tho7Benairaance'..at-; mosphere,' narrative, :. and other'grave.'subjectsV;.. Tlien,'as we are be-, coming a:little oppressed by ; the .identifies- ' tion of such '■ things with: the home,' comes this.':ligh't-hearted.stuff *,abo'ut, Dickens,; the ,- most homely of subjects'. '.Dickens is the'ie-. fngo' from: modernityii'family,: parties oling'j to' lim.,anxiously j'^and'clover..men like Mr;: Chesterton:go '. tb.'him. as;in'the hovel of un,rost the brilliant'thinker'firids solace in:the simple;, 'dogmatic -faith. ■'■';Of. course.,' ,a brilliant : thinker cannot, stop; thinking, brilliant- ' , ly, " : a^d' J Mr. ..;Che'sterton, , arm-in-arm;".with i' Paterfamiliasi; makes; :'u.p a ; queer, p'air._/; We canrhardly 'Soe.'him'leading ,the way in..an investigation .'that: shpnld ; determinbV how ' mariyrchar'acters'.with^wobdeh:legs.:Dickens' has -created,;, but;;we that';hb could say jsomethingV illuminating' about tho; .wooden "legs.:': Dickeiis;has c a great advantage, in:being; positive. 1 and.'material r ;and wheii:: ; .we:;'com6:to Japply vthe I .'examination method:to';l,ater'wTiters,: : it'will be tame'work to discover:.'theV'greatest 'number/ of; times that^- : ; Mr. :■. James; uses on ;> any one. p^ge,'Cor :; h'ow.' often : .''Mr;> : rokes \thY!;spirit;^ "B'eader's end -its grave; award ; pf '.prizes: for,/fantastic: nlly.iusejes's.' knowledge .about Dickens .'takes the ■ edge ; off siis'; didacticism..very' nicely.— "Manchester; Guardian." ■'■ f^.-,'.; ,':'-■'