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


in The sppendage 10 their name of F. r. s.,
A. s. s. or any other mysterious signs
which hey think have the magic power Of
bestowing learning or distinction. The
melancholy termination OF the caricaturist' q
career, soon, however, gave to MIR, Dickens
the paramount voicein this Joint work.
The suicide of Mr.. Seymour was rem
dered donbly distressing to him. by the fact
of his ching with the novelist; the very day
in which he perpetra;ed this terrible deed
of despair.
He had left MIR. Dickens house after a
merry evening, when he had pointed out to
MIR. Seymour two passages in the new
number which he wished illustrated. Mex
morning MIR. Dickens was surprised at re-
ceiving very early visit from one Of his
publishers, Mr.. Chapman. His manner
was SO agitated that the authors first i'm.
preston was that he had come to announce
a suspension Of payment. "Goo1 heavens.
cried Mr.. Dickens, ''whst is the matlerf'
Mr.. Chapman's reply terrified hinl-'poor
Seymour has destroyed himself!" They
both started for the Inflated artists house,
where they found the melancholy report
was 100 true; there lay the hapless son o.
genius dead, and the cause of the rash act
was perfectly apparent to them, Tor looking
round his studio they saw mny iitho
graphic stones with the designs scarcely
commenced, but which the sanguine sketch.
er had represented to his publishers as be.
ing nearly completed.
| MIR. Dickens solution Of the mystery is
that on bis return home fiom dining with
him, the contemplation Of the heavy arrears
of work. he had 10 do, operating on quick
nervous temperament, somewhat excited by
wine, produced temporary delidun, under
which influence he destroyed himself. Every
reader OF Pickwick knows that Mr.. Browne
vas engaged to complete the Illustrations
and he as done il with such good spirit
and felicity that we venture ~ assert very
much of Mr., Dickens popularity is owing
the tangible shape in which the artist
laccs the author; in certain sense his
rapid and graphic pencil lends to airy
nothing a local habiislion and a name.
Mr.. Dickens next work was Nicholas
Nickrlby, andduring this he edited "Bent
ley's Magazine" Here he had disagree
ment with the proprietor and retired from
Is management. He, however, fin shed
according to his agreement the ia Of Oil
yer Twist, which first appeared in this peri
odical. The dispute originated in the re-
muneraticn he received as editor. Mr.
Bentley complains that he neatly doubled in
less than A year The annual sum he had en-.
gagged TO pay Dickens, and upon his hest.
taung to comply with another increased de
mand, he threw up the contract altogether.
The novel Of Oliver Twist is certainly
The finest piece of construction Mr.. Dick
ems has given to the world, and notwirh.
sanding the revolving picture it presents oil
part OF hum1n nature, there is little doubt
but that its total effect has been beneficial
We have been told by English magis.
tlates that Ihey had no idea Of the Infamous
system then foushing, until Dickens attack.
ed it, pen in hand; and several have declar.
ed that the recollection of Oliver Twist
has compelled them to give more patient
and indulgent hearing to the unfortunate
orphan, who, tossed upon the world, falls
into the hands of evil men, and becomes
their dUpe and their victim. In this work he
also exposed the ignorance, brutality, and
conceit Of some of the paid officials OF Lon
don, who are little better than an inferior
kind OF Jeffries, and who bow TO the titled
or wealthy criminal, and who exhaust their
indignation and legal vengeance On the
weak and destitute offender. The charac.
ter OF Mr. Fang in this novel was well
known TO be intended for Mr.. LANG the
notorious Bow Street magistrate; and so
conscious was he Of the resemblance, that
it was currently rumored at the time
that he wro:e to Boz" inquiring if ne in
tended to personify him in the picture.
Report adds that Mr.. Dickens reply
stated, that Mr.. Laing must be the best
dge how lar he felt the cap fitted him.
Ga a later occasion Mr.. Dickens told us
that he intended TO hold up to the scorn
and detestation the conduct of Alderman
Sir Peter Laurie, who III the arrogance and
stupidity OF undeserved power declared he
would put snicide down'-as though the
terroEs of the law would have any effect on
the phrenzied spirit, who fearing not his
God, rushed unannounced into his presence
When The "Chimes" appeared, the Alder
man Cute, in the book 30 admirably done.
every one acknowledged, by acclamalion,
The likeness 10 Laurie. The astonished
saddler reared out in the indignation and
astonishment Of the moment, 81 wonder
Mr.. Dickens is so ungratelul as to attack
me; have a ways been civil TO him, and
didn't !, at the last Lord NJ ,yor's ball, lead
Mrs. Dickens down to dinnerf' unhappy
Cute! did not the gormapdising noodle see
that when the wife Of a man OF genius con.
descends to honor such man by accepting
a personal attention, it is she who confers
the favor, ard renders him the obliged
party.
The passage in the Chimes, in which the
indignant author ridicuIes and denounces
the blssphemous folly of putting human
madness down, is powerfully written, and
good specimen Of Mr.. Dickens best STYLE.
No man can write simpler and stronger
EnglIsh than the celebrated Boz, and This
renders us the more annoyed at those man.
ifold vulgsrities and slipshod errors of
style, which unhapply have of late year.
SO disfgured his productions.
While We are on this point we may az
well allude TO the character of Dombey.
the hero of Mr.. Dickens last comp eted
monthly novel; this is well known az in.