New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-04
LONDON.
DICKENs's LAST READING FOR THE SEASON NEW
BOOK ON THE GEoRGEs-A NEw WORK on COM
PARATIVF MYTHoIOGY-REoENT LITERATURE.

DICKENS'S LAST READING FOR THE SEASON - NJ"
BOOK on THE GEORGEs-A NEw woRK on COM
PARATIvE MYTHoLOGY-REoENT LITERATURE.
''''- LONDON, June IS. 1867
Charles Dickens recently gave his last reading for
the season from his works The pieces selected were
the terrible picture OF DothebOys Hail. including the
thrashing of Squeers by Nicholas Nicleby. and the
scene of Bardwell VS.. Picltwick. have listened to
many good readeTs--to Fanny Kemble Nandenhoi1,
Murdoch, Miss Gyn, and with pleasure; but had
not even family imagined, until heard Dickens
read from his own books, what marveis could be
wrought by a single voice and a single face. He
hardly ever gaces at the book; he rarely gestcuaes
except with the features of his face ;'but his won
derful eye and his flexible voice blend into wand
of Prospero at whose waving there rise up and float
through the air all those strange pathetic humorous
sad forms with which his brain has teemed--forms
far beyond those which any other English brain has
conceived for variety, beauty. and character except
ing that of Shakespeare alone. The vast crowd
listening is spell bounds eyes mOisten and gllsten,
breasts heave, heads bend forward; the hours are
winged There plainly before us IS me poor.
cowed starving Smke, with bis thin wiry voice;
there the lspng Miss SqueeTs; there the poor llte
wretches of DothebOy's Hall. When come TO think
Of it. il seems TO certain that Charles Dickens mas
personally known all the characters he has created
and how should he nOtR What must man not nave
seen who has graduated from Grays Inn Lane to Bel
dered through ST. Giless seeking items for newspa-
pers who reported in police courts, the dead hoises
by day, the House OF Commons by nlghtT III any one
who has lived in London some years with hls eyes
and ears open will then read again DckenSs works,
he will find that the stories are new ana that CTlk
shank never made such Illustrations Oh teln as are
TO be found at every The lanes OF llghbury
where Sykes wandered, the Field Lane where FaeIn
cellar still stands the bridge, where Rose Maybe told
her story all these have tints of poetry Them
or of tragedy Dickens recently said of his friend
Stanfed the marine painter, that he had WTlten ms
name on the restless sea; but OF himself 1t may DE
said that he has impressed ms name forever on the
GREAT human sea that and rolls III the great
! city, whose depths he has fathomed, whose pearls
| he has found, more than any man that has lVed.
He has wrought a double refOTm-One IN art and lit
erature which now have abandoned the stilted van
| tiles of palaces and the pomp of battles for the
struggles of the lowly and the still sad music OF
humanity the other is practical reform exhibited
in the direction of phllanhropic energy 10 regions
! pointed out by him in way that compelled atten-
| tiOn What has been accomplished III Fleld Lane
the scene of the exploits of Pagan and the Arttnl
Dodger in "Oliver Twist was recently shown at the
anniversary of the Field Lane Ragged Schools. The
nsefnl trades are taught There 1913 strangers find
nightly shelter and coo have been provided with
good situations during the year. There IS tie dosDt
that this is but oneof numerous benefits which nave
indirectly but surely come from one who has done
| moro than any other writer to vindicate and show
! the plan and task of fiction in this century.
| If Herbert Spencer is philosopher, W,J. Ih0ms,
T. & A. is not and rice Mr.. Spencer writes TO
show that there must be hre when there Is smoke
there must also be some foundation for every story
| Mr. w j. Thoms has written q work TO show that
all the Georgian scandals have no foundation al all
His work and il is both interesting and ingenious IS
entitled Hannah Lightfoot; Queen Charlotte ana
the Cheyalier d EOn; DR.. Wilmots Polish Princess"
| The reader will remember the trial two years ago
| relating to the Princess of Cumberland, as a lady
! now living in London prOfeSsed TO be-. br. Ihoms
finds that she Mrs. Serres) who pressed tins claim
is descended from myth, and that myth is Hannal
Lghtfootl Nevertheless Though it is too long a
story to give here, may. say that MT lhoms mas
really rendered it probable that George Ill was
remarkably VTtuOus man, personally, 10 the end OF
his life notwithstanding his stupidity The scandal
| about Queen Charlotte seems absolutely WITHOUT
| foundation Nevertheless there remains some cloud
about the Duke of Cumberland ana tne daughter OF
| DR. Wimot lclaimed by Mrs Series to be the author
| of the letters of Juniusl which remains to be
| cleared away. If there be no foundation ioi
| the story, the most gigantic series OF 1Orgenes
! ever known on earth was laid before the courts
| one meriting the investigation OF philosophers
| work on a subject Just now of commanding inter
est, Comparative Mythology is promised us from the
| ford and jointedtOr with the late Prof Branch o.
| the Dictionary Of Science, Literature and Art
| Mr. Cox's work will be on the Mythology OF the
Argan nations Prof. Hutley, in the powerful series
of lectures which he is delivering IN London on
| EthnOlogy has introduced the astonishing results
obtained by Maunhart and other German writers on
| Comparative Mythology, and shown thatthe paths
and migrations of nations from East to West may
be traced as much by the reappearance OF ancient
myths in new scandinavian. 1eutOnlc, ana Drldlt
forms as they can by language and complexion mus
the SaOma plant of the ancient Persian the Tree OF
Life of the ebrews reappeaTs IN the gdfasll OF the
Scandinayians. Mr.. CoXs book VIII trace the HreeK
aud Roman myths into Their more ancient llIhd0S
~ EvIsIsn Iorlls DON'T laloH wv ~. soX MI