The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-11-08
Dickens, Notes on America.

Dickens Notes on America.
We continue to give to-day few more racy ex.
tracts from the brochure of Boz on the United States
These passages including those Of yesterday, com
prehend the principal portions of the "Notes," and
the results, or the conclusions he draws from the
facts, scenes incidents and events, with which that
famous penny-a-liner became acquainted in this
country. The rest all ''leather and prunea, "
hardly worth the trouble of perusal, and certainly
not entitled any further attention from any sensi-
bic man, either American or European.
The first point that strikes the reader in these last
passages, is the bold endorsement by Charles d. OK
ems, under his own name, of the remarkable article
in the Foreign Quarterly Review" which, on its
first appearance here, excited the astonshment of
those who got up Jetes dinners, and balls to his
glorlhcation, and the general wonder of the whole
country, at the audacity and ngratitude ofthe cock
ney We believe that not one in this city, not even
the gentlemen of these committees, with their
badges in their button holes, will doubt now that
Charles Dickens is the author ofthat Reviewer at
least that he furnished all the materials and ideas.
The circumstantial evidence, by comparing the
Guiding chapter of his brochure with the "Revew,"
is so strong, conclusive, that any honest jury of
twelve men would hang culprt on such testimony.
He is, however, openly and boldly, an accessory
after the deed, and as accomplice we believe he
will be set down without contradiction There is
thessame tone-the same opinions-thes same conclu-
slons in both the Review and the Book. The whole
series of facts, scenes, events circumstances and
incidents, recorded in the Book, are of the same
character as the Review, and lead the mind of the
reader to the same general conclusions.
The identity of authorship being established, d.
recty and indirectly, between the Book and the
Review, we may proceed at once to consider them
as one emanation divided into two parts, from the
same midland that mind, the most coarse vul-
gar, impudent, and superficial, that ever had the
courage to write about the ideas and institutions of
this original and remarkable country. His view
OF the Preventative character of this land, is the
view taken by narrow minded, conceited cockney,
without single spark of philosophical elevation to
separate the dross from the gold, or to take in
correct general idea of the multitude OF principles
and interests that efervescing in this republic.
He sas completely literary bagman-a penny line
loafer-a sort of a Brummagem agent in book-ware,
came across the ocean, and undertook to de-
eide upon the size Of the Rocky Mountains by car
rying back " his pocket full of rocks" as a speci-
men-or to give to his European readers an idea of
the subimity and beauty of Niagara, by importing
a hogshead of water, dipped with ladle from the
Horseshoe Falls.
OF all the travellers that ever visited this land,
Dickens appears to have been the most himsy-
the most chdsh--the most rashy-the most con.
temptbe. He has neither common grammar
sense, arrangement, or generalization. He sur
passes Hamilton, Fiddler, Trollope, Manyatt, and
seems to be the essence of balderdash reduced to
the last drop ofsliness and inanity.
There is no necessity to enter into particulars or to
criticise his descriptions of Congress-of the Presi
dents house-of the scenes in New York-of our
railroads.&c. any chapter in his whole book, from
beginning to end II is the most perfect collection
of absurdities and trash that ever emanated
from the British press, pretending to show the pro-
gress OF society, in all its curious and original
phases this side of the Atlantic 1t seems to have
been written for only one purpose-to bring into
dsrepute in Europe, as far as he could the litera
ture, morals, manners and institutions Of the Uni
ted States-and to minister to the diseased imagi
nations and alarmed fancies, of the upholders Of
the Fictitious systems Of society and government in
Europe.
There Is every appearance, from this and other
works, that grand conspiracy has been concerted
by the STOCKHOLDERS, beok-jobbers, and government
Jobbers of Europe, TO depreciate and libel the cha
racer of the American people, in all the elements OF
society ana government Inc credlt OF the Gene-
raj Government has just been crushed by such a
combination among these capitalists, on the ostens-
bic ground that of the States repudiate,
unable to meet their engagements. American
literature Manners and morals, are TO be depreca-
ted by like conspiracy among the penny-a-liners
and book-maker And there are cligues of block
heads In this city, recreant to every feeling of
selfrespect and patriotism, to aid and such
a detestable movement in order to destroy the in
fuence Of America upon Europe and the world
Out upon all such miserable creatures! We shall
now proceed TO give fall and real history Of Dick
ems tourln the United States-with all the amusing
and ridiculous scenes, illustrated with engravings,
done up TO the lille, just they took place between
him and his toadylng committees in Boston Hart
ford, New York, and elsewhere. II will make a much
racer brochure than he has yet written and will be
inerspersed with appropriate philosophcaI concIu.
sions at the end of every chapter II will he snecee
to the " Notes.
MORAL SPEcTAcLE.-We have every reason n
believe that the election which begins and ends To.
day, will be moral spectacle of order, decencv
ynd propriety, sufficient to stamp falsehood on the
assertions made by Charles Dickens on the public
manners of this country.
Let every man vote quietly such ticket as he
chooses-let all those that hang round the polls be-