The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-05-20
CHARLES DICKENS.

writer nf his tmc, was born in February
1872 al Landport, Portsmouth. His faith.
er, Tie late Mr.. John Dickens, in the CARL.
er part Of his life, enjoyed post il the
Navy Pay Department, The duties ol Which
required that he should reside from time &c
time 10 different seaporis now at Plymouth,
now at Portsmouth, and then nj Sheerness
In the glorious days. Of the war with
France, these towns were full Of life, bus
lie. character; and the fther Of Boz was
at times fond Of dilating upon the strange
scenes he had witnessed. One OF his sto
res described sitting room he once en-
ioved al Bluetown, Sheerness, abnt,lne
on the theatre. Ofan evening he used 70
iii 10 This room, aud could hear what was
passing on The stage, and join IN the cho
rus ol God save the King and Britannia
rules The wayes'-ihen the fayorite songs
u Engli-hmen. The war being al an end,
amongst those who LEFT The public service
with a pension was the father Of orr nov
eist. Coming to London, he subsequently,
found lucrative employment for bis talents
on the press as a reporter parliamentary
debates. Charles uav, therefore, be said
to have been il bis youth familiarlzed with
.copv;' and when his father, with parental
anxiety for bis future career, took the pre-
minary steps for making bis son n attor
ney. the drearness Of the proposed oecupa-
ton fell 50 heavily upon the mind ofihe fu-
ture author, that he induced his father To
permit him to resign the law, and join the
parliamentary corps of daily newspaper.
His first engagement was on the .irne
SUM- an ultra-liberal paper, then carrying
on fierce struggle for existence, from the
staff of which he afterwards passed into
lhe reporting rank. ofthe sAlorning Chron-
icle' On that paper, he obtained repu'a-
lion as first-rate man-his reports being
exceedingly rapid, and no less correct. In
the columns ofihe Chronicle ne soon gave
proofs Of other talents than those OF re-
porter; for ia the evening edition of that
journal appeared the Sketches Of English
Life and Character afterwards collected
TO form the two well-known volumes of
Sketches by BE- published respectively
ia 1896 and 1887. These at once attract.
ed considerable notice, and obtained great
success; and the publisher Of the collected
edition, anxious TO make the most Of the
|prize which had fallen 10 bis lot. gladly
'came toan arrangement with Mr.. Dickens
and Seymour, the comic draughtsfaen -
the one to write, and the other TO illustrate
book which should exhibit the adveDtu-
rers Of party of Cockney sportsmen.-
Hence the appearance of .Plekwici,'
BOOK which mads its authors reputation
and the publishers fortune. Alter the
work had commenced, poor Seymour com
mi;,ed suicide, and Mr. Hsibot K Browne
was selected 10 continue the Illustrations.
which he3id under the signature Of .Paiz.'
Meanwhile Mfr. Dickens had courted snf
married tie daughter Of Mr.. George Ho-
garth, then. and now musical writer;
man Of fconsiderable attainmeDts. and who,
in his earlier days, whilst writer to the
Signet ID Edinburgh. enjoyed the intimate
friendship Of Sir Walter Scott, jeffrey and
the other literary no.ables al that day
adorniug the Modern Athens. Tue great.
success Of .Pickwick' brought down upon
lis author demands from all sides for nnoth-
er work, aud Boz agreed to write 'Nicho-
las Nickleby,' to be published IN month";,
parts. In the predatory notices, which,
give additional value 70 the cheap and e'e
CANT reprint of the works of Dickens, we
are INDUCED with Sigh, glimpsos Of his
own reco!lections, personal and literary :
II is unnecessary to note the titles oil
Mr.. Dickens subsequent works, all Of
which have Justly obtained popularity
He has la,terly entered on path not dis
similar 10 our own, and iu this he has our
very best wishes. The cause OF social
melioraton needs union of hearts and
hands.