Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-11-16

CHARLES DICKENS.
HOME LIFE OF "Boz. -

Feval (who is the most Obliging fellow in
Christendom), offered me a letter of intro
duction to Charles Dickens, which accept
ed with alacgity.
The moment l reached London / asked
for the celebrated novelist address. was
told that Charles Dickenslived ut Gadshill,
about twenty four miles from London by
rail- | wrote to Mr.. Dickens the next
day. The following morning | received a
note, in very good French, and in a fine,
regular hand, which formed marked con
trast with the terrible scrawl of your humble
servant Mr. Dickens informed me in this
note that he was scarcely ever absent from
home except on Saturdays (wben he went to
London to sUperintend the publication Of his
last novels, which appeared in numbers, J
and invited me to come out to see him.
The railway from London to Gadshill is
built on the right bank Of the Thames, and
runs parallel with the river almost the whole
way, consequently theiaunt IS very pleasant
one. The train takes about an hour to run
the distance, so at the end of sixty minutes
/ got out ofthe railway carriage at Gadhilf S
station and as had not informed him Of
my coming, | had to walk up the hill on
whose summit lies the village in which is
Mr. Dickens residence As | drew near
the first house Of the village, and was about
to ask my way, | saw a gentleman coming
up the hill behind me with firm and rapid
step. He was man about fifty years old,
of average height, good shape, straight as
an arrow, with moustache and goatee turn
ing slightly gray, and having the energetic
look and decisive air of our officers Of the
Chasseurs d Antique | asked him in exc
cradle English, 'Will you please tell me
which is Mr. Dickens house p
The gentleman replied in good French,
ALLOW me to show you the way there
am Charles Dickens.
On the way he talked in the most friend
ly manner about Paul Feyal, whose talents
he esteems very highly, and about Fechter,
with whom he is extremely intimate. | no
ticed that he had very sympathetic tone Of
voice, and clear and abrupt way oftalking
which added to his military manners.
We reached his house, situated at an angl q
of the village In front Of it lay a lawn,
stretching to the road 4 large garden,
likewise belonging to Mr. Dickens, lies on
the other side Of the road. 1t is reached By
subterranean passage under the road.
| The stable yard, the stables and carriage
houses are on the right Of the house,
Like most English cottages Mr.. Dickens
| is plainly built and kept up with the most
ries high. As v01 enter, there is a snaH
drawing room on the right, containing Mr..
| Dickens library next Is Mr. Dickens
! study, which is very plainly furnished, and
has no ornament except two or three bron-
yes. The windows open on sort Of garden
| surrounding the house, and as the house
stands on a high piece Of ground, an eXten-
! sive view Of the neighboring country may
| be enjoyed from them. On the left Is the
| large drawing ROOM filed with
everything to make one comfortable and
| decorated with great luxury, but with no
/ attempt at show Perfect taste reigns over
everything. The drawing room opens in
/ the dining room under the dining room is
| the kitchen. Above these rooms are the
/ bed chambers, WEich are irregularly distrib-
| uted but they are extremely comfortable
and profusely furnished with those needful
/ and vast utensils which az Indispensable to
the toilet Of every Eng,Hhman.
/ After talking a few moments in hil study,
| Mr. Dickens introduced me to his family.
/ 1t consisted that day of his daughter and
| sister-in-law He has several other chill
/ dren as many as six or eight, | believe, but
his sons kept in London by their professions
rarely come out to see him, except on Sun
! days. Anotherof his daughters is married
10 4 tbuEtu O4 w llklt ABllitiNs illE dutltbt bl
THE Woman in white The daughter !
/ had the honor to meet in Gadshill is a young
/ and beautiful lady Of twenty, whose courte-
Gus and kind features are a good deal ike
those of her father Both Of the ladies
/ spoke French, and their conversation had a
| French turn, which was probably dse to the
annual visit they made to Paris Dickens
is very fond Of France and the French.
Whatever may be the popularity he en-
| Joys in his own country, he Is too vigorous
| j. attacked by hypocrites pseudo christians
and humbug philanthropists to be free from
enemies lie gives them no thought, and
/ none the less continues his crusade against
abuses. / need scarcely say that, while at
| tentively reading his works, without being
carried away by the charm of the events he
unrolls before ones eyes, one may discover
a great many philosophical views and obser-
vations upon social economy. While wri-
/ ting in a tone Of railery, he sometimes
/ advances very practical ideas, which would
! be esteemed very highly were they suggest
/ ed by the official pen of political writer.
! Dickens favorite time for working is in
! the morning He ri.es very early and sets
| to work at once. He lightly breakfasts at
/ half past nine and continues to work until
| twelve o clock At this hour he lunches.
After lunch he goes out into the fields, and
/ does not return home until half past six
o'clock. He walks every day some eight OF
ten miles
Dickens writing is, as I have said, fine
and regular. It is not unlike Paul Feyal s
hand lie keeps and has had bound the
manuscript of some of his works. II seems
1 to me his favorite novel is David Copper
/ field However he rarely speaks Of his
works but when he is driven to talk OF
1 them, he talks about himself with rare i'm
partiality, without vanity and without false
modesty. His conversation is striking by
! its Yivacity, natural tone and the absence Of
everything ike humbug and studied atti-
/ tude
Tn England, where old abuses are more
4 difficult touIroot than anywhere else, and
4 where custom acquires the force of law, a
/ foreigner can scarcely conceive what talents
/ and energy are required to overthrow a de-
/ fective institution by attacking it openly.
| Dickens has never assumed the airs Of a
! refoImer, either in his conversation or wri-
I tings nevertheless few men have exercised
so much influence as himself on the nation
/ al mind. The reforms which are Just begin
ming to be introduced into the incredible
intricaey of English pleadings and legal
/ practice were prepared, so to say, furtively
several years ago in his works by calling
public attention, and by stigmatizing the
rapacity of pettifoggers His railery has
none of the brutality of English sarcasm
/ neither does it consist Of cutting word ol
4 biting phrase, as is the case with some o
nur FFcncb tpr;fnra II Ii felt overvyvbere IT