The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-10 00:00:00

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BEATH OF CHARLES DICKENS.

The sudden and unlooked for new a ()I. the death of ono
of the most popular and best known of living authors has
ever3rWhere occasioned a feeling of poignant regret.
Charles Dickens died at six o'clock on Thursday evening,
at his residence, G-adshill, Kent, having been stricken
with Paralysis on the previous day, and never having
!allied from the shock. He had just sat down to dinner
On Wednesday, with his sister-in-law, Miss Hogarth, who,
observing an unusual appearance in his face, became
alarmed, and said she feared he was ill, proposing in the
14.111 e breath to telegraph for medical assistance. Mr.
Dickens replied, "No, no, no; I have got the toothache,
411 d shall be better presently." He then asked that the
Widow might be shut ; and almost immediately he lapsed
alto unconsciousness, from which state he never recovered
11 the moment of his death. Meanwhile Mr. Frank
Beard, of 44, Welbeck-street, Mr. Dickens's regular
medical adviser, was telegraphed for, and arrived at
'atishill in the course of Wednesday evening. He saw
at once that the case was hopeless ; but, for his own
satisfaction, as well as for that of the relatives, he sum-
Int'lled the assistance of Dr. Russell Reynolds, who could
Only concur in Mr. Beard's belief that nothing less than a
two
could save the life of their patient. For the last
"vo or three days Mr. Dickens,- though not apparently
°llt his usual health and spirits, had complained of a
'lleulty in doing his work, saying that it did not come
BPontaneously to him, as it used to come. Mr. Charles
Dickens the younger was telegraphed for on Wednesday
aeverd"g, but the message did not reach London till Thurs-
day Morning. He started instantly for his father's resi-
dence, and was present at the death-bed, with two of his
stem, Miss Hogarth, and the medical attendants. It is
a Bi2:nificant fact that when, last year, Mr. Dickens was
811dealy seized with illness at Preston, his doctor warned
not to read, at the peril of his life, and brought him
almost by force to town.

Charles Dickens was born at Portsmouth in February,
1812. He was the son of Mr. John Dickens, of the Navy
pay Department, and much of his early life was spent
iri
Bea Port towns—a fact which will not surprise the
readers of " David Copperfield." His father afterwards
,I°Ltained employment in London as a reporter for the
it Papers, and the family settled in town. At first
~",was intended that young Charles should be placed in a
literary
office, but happily his father early recognised his
ttetarY ability, and allowed him to follow his own
profession. He began his career as a reporter on the
Arne bun, and subsequently joined the staff of the
oaring Chronicle. Every one must remember his speech
boasted 11:t the Newspaper
be Press Fund dinner, in which he
of longing to the Fourth Estate, and described
early experiences as a reporter in his own graphic
yle His connection with the Morning Chronicle, then
Mr.•
er John Black's editorship, was the means of first
:;trterwa,educing Charles Dickens to that public which was
ilrds to prize his works so highly, and in its columns
World-famous sketches of "Boz " first appeared,
eder,the title of " Sketches of English Life and Cha-
act ter." They were collected and reprinted in 1836, and
liv; °toe attracted notice. It is interesting to know that
le Pseudonym of " Boz " was given him in childhood by
baby brother.
dAttleng the many who recognised the graphic power
licil>„`aYed in the sketches, were Messrs. Chapman and
a•
", then publishers in the Strand. They asked the
Parts, and
to write for them a story in monthly
ih.rte, and as the reward of their discernment
toe/ received the " Pickwick Papers." It is needless
eaY that these papers immediately attained an immense
eir
°illation. A well-substantiated anecdote illustrates the
"ens and unexpected success of the work. It was a
~,tien between Messrs. Chapman and Hall and their
tell'er, Mr. Bone, whether a greater or less number than
L.-°ee hundred copies should be stitched in wrappers.
f,-,,t,e,ad of hundreds, it soon became necessary to provide
• "le sale of thousands ; and the green covers of " Pick-
eticide were seen all over the country. The melancholy
r'f Se our the caricaturist who illustrated the
avli„ Yr° '
knd numbers, caused a crisis in. the publication,
set the publishers on an eager quest after
hee°lllPetent artist. Thackeray has humorously narrated
to w he, an obscure man at the time, and rather seeking
nmake himself a place in art than in literature, called on
e,
Young author in Furnival's Inn, and submitted for
c 7roval sketches which were not approved. The artists
ti;egaged to take Seymour's place was first Mr. Buss, and
tined r. Hablot Knight Browne, who, as " Phiz," or so many years to delight Mr. Dickens and his
''del.e. Naturally, the success of "Pickwick "
the author to be eagerly sought after by the
gee°lldee Publishers and in 1837 Charles Dickens
, ePted the editorship of Bentley's Miscellany. In the
whali,number he began the "Life of Oliver Twist," in
colj. he skewed his artistic power in stronger and darker
11,rs• In this work again Mr. Dickens was fortunate
ei,„:4B illustrator, securing the pencil of
'George
iii-gkshank. "Oliver Twist" lets the • reader
hatb° the secrets of life as it was, and, per-
;4.l:l3', Still is, to be found too often in workhouses
it ~„131 the " slums" of London. When finished
and as republished as a novel in three volumes,
in that shape too enjoyed an extensive sale.
14,1°11°Ias Nickleby " followed, introducing the immortal
a . and Mrs. Squeers, poor Smike, John Cheeryble, and
h QBt ef other familiar names. In this, as in many other hi
to expose8 w°rlcs, Mr. Dickens had a definite object, intending
orphans in detail the cruelties which were practised upon
Beil-4,118 and other neglected children at small and cheap
liod LB, Where the sum charged for the board of hungry
£l6 °wing lads, with everything included, ranges from`2.'
thio;° () a year. Mr. Dickens tells us, in the preface to
Of beck, as it stands, republished in the collective edition
ins 18
Works, that it was the result of a personal visit of
boyip:ctien Paid by himself to some nameless " Dothe-
amid the wolds of Yorkshire ; and the reader
soad's carefully studied it will with difficulty be per-
tak that Mr. Squeers and Mr. John Browdie are not
1838e° from living examples. The work was published in
tne,ce In 1840 " Master Humphrey's Clack " was cora-
d'
and in the second tale, " Barnaby Rudge," he
thast maven the best and most graphic account extant of
Itiot relnarkable episode of English history—the Gordon
aos Bof 1780. About the same time appeared the life of
Anse ~Ph Grimaldi." In 1841 Mr. Dickens visited
can -;a1 and •on his return published his " Ameri-
tal °tee," and in 1844 appeared a new serial
dlieed cc
Martin Chuzzlewit," in which he intro-
/11. further sketches of American character.
ern this time
"nd in.
i almost incessant,
40, 1846
A 7. he took a prominent part n establishing the
few sre", of which he was the first editor. After a
hter-°llths of editorship, however, he returned to his old
011 (7:labonrs, more congenial to his tastes and talents.
the r,stroa,s, 1843,
had appeared what may be termed
r;eniai.e°l of his writings, "The Christmas Carol,"
it w And evergreen as the holly itself, and
ohri:tsr followed with varying success by other
tlealtil,4,B Stories, "The Chimes," " The Cricket on the
" The Battle of Life," and the " Haunted
1848. The last of this series appeared at Christmas,
with 0, es these Mr. Dickens has published "Dealings
ra
David Co of Dombey and Son," the " History of
.k. °l)Perfield," " Bleak House," " Little Dorrit,"
cclin'e-ale of Two Cities," " Our Mutual Friend," the
at.d, illtlnercial Traveller," "Great Expectations,"
°f st of all, the " Mystery of Edwin Drood,"
.4 185 p Only three numbers have appeared.
Periodic , Dickens projected a cheap weekly
which at v.,!_,
"ion he called Household Words, and
varu Was and
. b Published by Messrs. Bradbury
1)1110144;i_u difficulties having arisen between author and
orn:::,,:oitiz..:
ediscontinueddto in 1859, and Mr. Dickens
IvilieTilleeed in its stead its successor, All the Year Round,
conduct to the last. True to his
liter; Charles Dick
ens was an ardent advocate of all
Hate
or-Teultutions intended for the relief of less forta-
elinders
_B‘.B gifted authors. He was one of the
,AB a ,vigoi!): the Guild of Literature and Art,
e 44
aniate: 8111'7‘"el. of the Newspaper Press Fund.
Whirle4ct4r
01.
tw
Who
his e
xhciesll
e,snuccee success
awpaus
brlie remarkable a r
readerkable
iandsi.a
me xi-.
r.O ,
United Were fortunate enough to hear him. In the
psiiid, four thehe chanceo
of seeing and hearing a man of whom
Jae subject were so proud. In connection with
aa, adclre,,,se We may quote the words which
ell.. ontoitorhyissy last audience in the St.
44°11 the Prelim i.ll concluding his public readings,
mptoms of his last fatal attacx
ft ;14471escia, to discontinue :
tirnis°2lticl be hGentlemen,—lt would be worse than idle,
hat T Ypocritical and unfeeling, if I were to disc
Or and i
1;:, coneici-Zi"ab.?sele this episode in my life
with feelings of
pain
-Uregentine my
_ or some fifteen years, in this
Kinar d
e places, I have had the honour
°w chethhed ideas before you for your