The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-22
Charles Dickens.

p
ary 1912, at Rochester, and passed his early
years beneath The shadow Of that fine old
well. preserved. ruin, the castle, wandering
on the banks of the Med way, or listening
I've strongly suspect outside,) to The chaunt-
ing OF The cathedral service.
His father, who was clerk in the Chat-
ham dockyard, retiring on a pension some
years afIer. came to London, where his &c e.
brated son flashed the little ucalinn he
ever received; be Was then articled 10 a
solicitor in Bedford Row. where he formed
the acquaintance Of a reporter engaged in
the "MOrning Chronicle" He soon grew
disguised with the drudIery of the desk 5
"dead wood, " and exchanged it for the more
exciting life Of the public press. He. there
fore, became one OF the staff of The leading
liberal journals, the paper al eady named
Here, his sagacily, quickness, and above
all, skill in selzing on the prominent fea-
tues Of subject, made him one Of their
most useful attaches, and be was generally
Despatched to attend the most important po-
litical meetings.
In the "Chronicle' aPpoa AIRED those clever
sketches which first made the name Of
boz known to the world; this soubriqtet
ne had given 10 his youngest brother, Angus.
tus, whom he called Moses, which. corrupt
ed INTO Bosses, finally became Boz" a 40
as a remembrance Of (ondness for the child,
he resolved TO adopt il as his lteIery name
These sketches are TOO well known to need
any distinct criucisn; the surprising mi.
nuieness of their details, the ingenuity with
which he selects pecdliaTiiies, an ! by humor
Gus exaggeratons carries them into the
world OF caricature, made him at once the
favorIte author Of those who read only to
to be amused. IL may be doubted whether
these sketches will not be his chi, fest pass
port 10 fame In future times; unable to con.
struct symmetrical plot. his larger works
grow tedious; compelled by the very ma.
ture OF his P IN 10 publish hi chapters sepe-
rately, he has confined the artistic unity OF
his novel TO the epheneral necess ty of pro-
ducinE something very Piquant for every
number the great effects are, therefore,
frittered away in the progress of the work,
and the GROWING interest Of the climax is
divided among twenty numbers, published
at stated intervals: this unfortunate dillu
ton OF an originally strong article is avoid
ed in his FIRST production, and the sketch.
Is will always remain as a record Of the
life OF the lower classes Of England.
His next work was a smart brochure, en-.
titled Sunday under three heads" to which
he placed the assumed name Of Timothy
Sparks" Here, he lays bare with I'm
sparing hand, the hollowness Of that phari.
saical Sect which endeavored by legisla.
ton, TO enforce the gloom of a puritanc
fast on the christians cheerlulSabbath. This
work, which is not generally known, had
prrhxed to it an ironical dedication TO the
Bishop Of London, who had rendered him
self busy IN the matter. There are many
admirable sketches in this liule volume,
full OF point, and bitter truth; such as the
description OF fashionable congregation
of miserable sinners" where the Ievity,
foPPery, and millnefism OF the whole as
sembly OF 'prayer(ul persons" are depicted
with much PoweI and sarcasm. A picture
in this sketch, Of father fetching home the
Sunday dinner from the bakers, with all
his little ones hailing him as be comes up
the street, within sight of his own door. is
one Of those graphic touches OF low life
which PLACES Mr.. Dickens far above COM
petition in that inferior class of wiring.
We have a great objection to this eternal
painting with mud, instead Of oolors; intro
duced into a story as part OF the whole,
II is an agreeable change and gives greater
effect to the pathetic and lollier portions, as
the scenes where Dogbeny and Verg.s fg, |
ure in Shakespeare drama Of "much ado
about nothing" but when this is the entire
staple, the work becomes degraded to far
lower style Of art, and is not the represen.
tstion Of life; but only particular phase of
il; Hamlet Of grave-diggers, or a Henry
the Fifth, full of Nyms and B lrdoIpes.
would be an equivalent in the world Of let.
tiers 10 most If not all, OF MIR. Dickens
works.
The writing Of "Pickwick" was one of
hose accidents which now and then hap.
pen in "literary Hfe:" it is, however,
an absurdity TO believe that had not this
special opportunity occurred, the author OF
"Oliver Twist" would have waited for cir.
cumstance to make him popular writer;
us genius would have crealed the circum.
tance had it not been offered to him with
out the trouble Of waiting. Ii is, however,
strictly true that Mr.. Dickens was at first
engaged merely to illustrate the design oil
MIR. Seymour, the artist, who had formed
he idea OF ridiculing, in series of engrav.
ngs, that class Of pompous dulIness which
trut about society in the peacock feathers !
4 a few facts learned by note, and which ,
hey consider and call learning; we are ,
ometimes inclined to agree with Lamb. :
sho, when asked by member Of the ROYAL !
society to define learning, b Idly answer. .
d, and maintained for considerable time.
nat II was the systematic arrangement OF
gnorance-a grammer which all solemn !
ools quoted. Sey mour thought that club 2
Cockneys. travelling about geologizing, a
'otAniz'ng. gormondIzIng, and employed on
thsr equally scientific pursuits, would be