The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-04-07
Dickens on Thackeray-A Graceful
and Touching Tribute.

ana VO0cnlHB AHADutc.
The following tribute to the memory Of william
Makepeace Thackcray, by Charles Dickens, opens
the February number of the csrnhiH Mqgasi ins;
II has been desired by some Of the personal
friends Of the great EngIis!, writer who established
this magazine that It's brief record Of his having
been stricken from among men should be written
by the old comrade and brother Ia arms who pens
these ines and Of whom he often wrote himself,
/ saw him frst reariy twenty eight years ago,
when he proposed To become HE Illustrator Of my
earliest book. saw him last slasi'y before
Christmas, at the AthehRuni S!ab, when he told
me that he had been in bed three days--that, after
three attacks he was troubled viii, cold shiver
ings "~ hich qn;te took the pswer CT work out OF
him. and that he had II In his mind 10 try new
remedy which ne iaushlngiy aescrlhed He WAS
very cheerful, and looked very bright. tn the
night Of that day week he died.
- The long Interval between these two periods Is
marked In my remembrance OF him by many 0cea-
SiOns when he was supremely humorous when
be was iresis,ibly extravagsnt--wlen he was soft
encd and serious-When nc was charming with
Children But by none do recall him more ten
drry than hy two three that start out OF the
crowd when he unexpectedly presented himself In
my room, announcing how ssias some passage In q
certain hook had made him cry yesterday and how
that he had come to dinner because he cOuIdn help
IL, and must talk some passage over No one caa
ever have seen him more genial, natural, cordial,
fresh and honestly impulsive than have seen him
at those times. No one can be su.er than of the
closed itself.
We had our differences of opinion. thought
that he too much feigned want of earnes tness
and which was not good for the art, that he made a
pretenca OF undertaking his art that he held in
trust But when he tell upon those topics il was
never very gravely, and have lively image Of
him In my mind, twisting both his hands IN his hair
and stamping about laughing, 10 make an eN, of
the discussion
When we were associated in remembrance OF
the late Mr.. Douglas JerrUd, he delivered a pub
lie lecture in London, in the course of which he
read his very best contribution to Ponch, descriu-
ing the grown up cares OF poor family of young
children. No one hearing him could have doubted
his natural gen,ieness, Eis thoroughly unaffected
mlniy sympathy with the weak aud ,owy He
read the paper most patheticay, and with sim
pic,y OF tenderness that certainly moved one of
MS audience 10 tears. Tbis was presently after
Dis standing for Oxford, from when place he had
dispatched bis agent to me with Groii uois itp
which he Afterwards added verbal postscript urg-
lug me 10 "e0me down and make. IL speech, and
tell them who he was. Tor he doubted whether
thore than two ef the electors hid heard OF
linn, and he thought there might be many as
six Or e,ghtNsEo had heard of mn.'' He introduced
the lecture just mentioned with reference to his
la.e csecti0ueerng failure, which was full of good
sense, good spirits, and good hum0r.
lie had particular deli aht In boys ard al ey
ceiieIt way with them. remember his once a. king
me with fantastic gravity. when he had been at
Eton where my eiG.i boy then was, whether
felt as he ai in regard of neser seeing boy with
ont wanting instantly 10 gi.e him sGvsfeiln.
thought of This when looked down into his grave
after ne was iaii there, for looked down into II
over the shoulder of a boy to whom hs had been
Kind.
These are slight Temembrances tat Ii is TO lutte
iaaiar things, suggestive OF the vote, lock, man
neT, never, neve, more 10 te encountered on this
earth, thai the mind first turas in Bereavement.
And greater things that are known oil hiti, In te
way Of his warm affections, his luiet endurance,
his unseT-a tba1gitifulne5s for Others, and his
tiiunlflcent hand, may not be told.
IT, ia the reckless yivaci;y of youth, his satiricai
pen had ever gone astsay, or done ainss he had
caused il 10 prefer .s own petition for forgiveness
long before
::'rve writ the foolish fancy Of his brain,
the aiInicss jest that. striking, hath caused
pain;
The Idle word tilat he'd wish back ssaia.''
In no pages should take il upon myself at this
time 10 discourse oth!s books, of his refined know
ledge OF character, OF his subtle acquaintance
with the weakness Of hug,an nature, of bis de-
lghtu play fuiDess essay!st ot his quaiat and
touching ballads, Of his mastery over tao Engisi.
language. Least nf all, IN these pages enriched by
his brilliant qualities from the first OF the series ami
beforehand accepted by the pnbic through the
strength of his great name.
But Oh the table before me- there Hes al; til st h-
had written of his latest and las; sfor.. That IL
would be very sad IN any one that il is iHeXrres-
sibiy SO to a Writer-in its evidences of n,atufsd
designs never to he accomplished of intentions
bequn be executed and destined never to be com
ptetec, OF careful preparation for long roads or
shining goa:s tia; he was never TO reach, will be
readily believed. The pain. however, that | have
teit in perusilg 1t has moi been deeper than the
conviction that he was in the heaiihiest visor or
his powers when he WIOuyn: On This last iahcT.--
Ia respect Of earliest feeling, ia! seeing purpose,
character. incident, and certain loving pictUr
cfQuaaeSs blending the whole, befeve Ii 10
be mach Of an kis WORKS. ltai lie fully meant
Il be 50, that lie had become strongly attached
II II, and ihat he bestowed great paius upon it,
trace II i'll aiGiost every page. Ii ssnaina one pie
lure which must have cost him feine distress
END which Is Il masterpiece. IGtfe are two chill
tfen in II, touched win hans, loving and ttsi-
der ever rather carassed his little child VITA.
There is young love as pure and Innocent
aud pretty as the truth 5hd Il, Is very rcHiasaabie
that by reason OI the si6guiar construction OF the
story, more than one main incident usually be
longing TO the end OF such fiction is anticipated
In tae beginning, and thus there Is an approach 10
completeness in the fragment as 10 the satisAc
ton Ut the readers mind concerning the most in
tcTes,.ug persons, which could hardly have been
better atniucd ii the writer's breaking off had cen
fo;eseeii.
The last line he wrote, and the iast proof he
corrected, are among these papers through which
have sot:owtuiiy made my way. 1he condition
OF lite ittie pages OF manuscript whore deth stop
ped his hand shows het he had carried them al ut,
often taken them out OF his pocket, here and there
i,vr patent revision and fntcrliuea,ion. The lest
W 0rds he corrected IN print We're, And my heart
thr,sbbed with all exquisite bliss" God grant ;iat
Oh hat Christmas eye, when c laid his head back
wont . do when very we ,y, some consciousness
of duty done and Christian hope througiasOt lite
fuubly cherished, may nave caused us own neat
80 TO tiir, VI when he passed away TO III. Redeem
eT's rest
He was found peacefully !y;ng rs above des cribed
Composed, undistuYbed, and 10 all appearance"
asleep, on 1he GATH ct December, 1853. lie Vas
Gny Ia Ills Aiiy third yeaf~s3 }oung maa that
,he mother vino blessed him in bis i's sleep bieSsea
him In his last TWeniy years keiore hr had VIII
ten, after being III a white ssfdali-
And when its fares expended,
The harmless storm was ended,
And, a: the sunrise splendid
came blush.ng o'es ii,c sea-
thought, as day was breaking,
Ny little girls were waking,
And riiilin2, and making,
= prayer at h0Hne foE me-"
Those ,ttie girls had sfowa 10 be women when
the MOURN i day broke that saw iLcir iatef yns
dead In those t"eaty years ai coIhpahiohsisip
with bin the had learned much IRON MIA, a'i:t one
has literary course beio9" ne' "''lhy vi "Si
famous name, ,
On The bright w;ntry day, the last but one OF the
,,lt wear hn was raj. In his grave HI hssai ifreen
there tn n;pg,e tI.. dU- which ihe mortal part OF
MIN had returned with thai 0i a third child, iosi
IN her infancy, years ago The heads OF great
coacourse o. his ie!!qH "o' Aes i t''e a'ts were
bowed around the tomn'
4 SCRAP PROM illsroRY.-IIe tud the follow Ing
in The Albany IN. W .arsas
ssIu.t after Pona's rout in front OF Washington
eha bi.h oiicers of the GUvernment were seized
with Such terrible panic ina. they gave up eli
hope of saving the capital. Ia tue Wild despair Of
t,s moment, orders were actually given 10 blow up
and DESTROY the Washington Arsenal and the nil
lions upon millions vi ao'iais worm Oh war inii
ieria 10 prevent them from ia'lhs INTO the hands
ti,..V ptate =