FRIEND OF DICKENS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12081, 9 August 1917, Page 8

FRIEND OF DICKENS.

MISS G. HOGARTH'S DEATH. "SACRIFICED TO CHILDREN." It is with deep regret tlint _we announce tho do&tli of Miss Georgina Hogartli, who lias passed away at the ago" of ninety years (says the "Daily Telegraph"). Georgina. was the third daughter of George Hogarth, a colleague of Charles Dickens upon the staff ot the '' Morning Chronicle " and editor, upon its establishment in 183n, of the " Evoning Chronicle. ' to "ivhieh ,l 13oy; <l. leguln;- contributor of his famous "Sketches.'' Catherine, the- eldest daughter, was married to Diokeius in April, 1830. a few days after the first, publication of the first number of Pickwick. and Mary, tho second daughter, joined the little household in Furnival's Inn as companion to tho young wife, whoso husband's duties 111 the Gallery often kept him from homo until late at night. Tho circumstances of Mary's sudden death, at the ago of seventeen, thirteen months later, and Iho intensity of Dickons's grief, are known to ovorv reader of Former's r ' Life."

Georgina, who was a child when her sister died, became an inmate of her hrothor-iu-law',s home live years afterwards, when Dickens and his wife had returned from the first American visit, and were living at 1, Devonshire Terrace. There were at this time in the family four children—Charles, Mary, Kate awl "Walter-ranging in age from live years tc eighteen months, and to these, and to the six others who followed, "Aunt (ieorgy" devoted herself with an affection truer than that of many a mother. Tn a note-book begun by Dickens in 1855, "where for the first time in his life he jotted clown hints and fancies proposed to be made available in future writings, I find," says Forster, " a character sketched of which the most part was applicable to his sister-in-law. if the whole was not suggested by her. " She sacrificed to children, and sufficiently rewarded. From a child herself, always 'the children' (of somebody else) to engross her. And so it comes to pass that she is. never married; never herself has a child; is always devoted to ' the children ' (of somebody ol°o); and thev love her; and she has alwav.s youth dependent on her till her deaTh —and dies quite happily."

When Dickons and his wife agreed to separate in 18A8 the responsibility of housekeepinsr devolved upon tho two daughters, Mary and Kate, then entering upon womanhood, but. in every difficulty, great or small, their aunt's tactful judgment was sought with affectionate confidence in its wisdom. "Miss Hogarth, always Hogarth." wrote Dickens to M. do Cerjat. in 1860. " is the guide, philosopher and friend of all the party, and a very clo.se affection exists between her and tho girls. T doubt if she will ever marry. T don't know whether to be glad of it or -wry for it'; and to the Hon Mrs Watson, a year later, ho wrote: " G-eorgina. is* as usual, tho general friend "and confidante and factotum of the whole p?.rty." One cannot doubt that his absolute confidence in her trustworthiness in all the omcrgencies incidental to tho household at, (lads 11'11 relieved Dickens of an irlinity of worries which otherwise- would have hampered and curtailed lb- work <>f his later yen'-.-. " He hadi just reason," rays Forster, "to be proud of- the steadiness depth and devotion of her friendship " AX C-NJWOK&N FIMFXDSHIP.

Tho friendship was never broken. It was Miss Hogarth's sad privilege, to he. the only person pr0..,-lit wi:h her bro-ther-in-law in bis hist, bours of consciousness, and to watch with bis children by bis couch as the precious lifo ebbed' She wa:< alone villi him at tho dinner table on tho fatal evening of .1 who 8, 1870, bis daughter Mary having gone, tho d.iy before to visit, bcr married sister Kate. It was Miss lingarth who caught, him as bo was ialting. from lu c - chair, and who tolegraplied for bis children and his physiciansthe will of Ch.irle,, Di-kms, as is wcli known, ben - .-, u-slimonv both to liis -.oiiiidenec- in Miss Hogarth's visdom and hisgratitude for her unselfish devotion 1o his welfare; to bis confidence by lh» fact, 'that he appointed her, jointly with John Forster. guardian of bis younger children, and administrator of bis trust; to his gratitude in eloquent words: " T giv-e my dear sister-in-law, Georgina, Hogarth, the sum of £BOOO, froo ai bfgacy duty . . . and 1 leaVo \ik\' my grateful blessing as the best and truest-friend man over had . . . And, lastly ... I solemnly enjoin my dear children" always to remember bow much they owe to the said Georgina Hogarth, and never to be wanting in a grateful and .-Jfootionato attachment to her, for tboy know well that she bas. boon, through a.U tho stages of their growi.n and progress, their over-useful, selfdenying and devoted friend " The injunction was never disregarded ; nor was it merely tho .sonso of duty that bound the. childron of Charles Dickens to their aunt as long a-s .she lived. No one who had the privilege of seeing tho venerable lady in the midst of her nephews and nieces, to the second and third goneration, could fail to bo touched by the respect M affection which her "sweetness inspired in. young and old alike. The prophecy oi 18o'i was fulfilled to the letter: "They loved her; and she had always youth depondont on her fill her death and died quite '•appil.v-'' In collaboration with Miss .Mary Dickens, and with tho acknowledged assistance of Wilkio Collins, Miss Hogarth edited "The I,'tiers of Charles Dickens," which. v.<<re first published in ]!sS-J, and dedicated to Mrs Pe.rugini (Kate Dickens). The growth of the, 80/. Club and of the Dickens Fellowship, founded in 1802, aroused her warm interest, and sympathy. When Mr Henry Dickens, K.C., accepted tho presidency of the Fellowship, she assented to tho inclusion of bcr iiaino in tho list of vice-presidents, and although uarturally averse from publicity, she made a point, when health permitted, of accompanying her nephew and his family t-T the annual gatherings of tho Fellowship in London.