The national Republican., 1867-08-24

CHARLES DICKENS.


The appearance Of Mr.. DOLBY, Mr..
DICKENS agent, in this country, for the |
purpose of making arrangements for the
distinguished novelist to give readings |
from his own works in our principal cities,
has called out numerous newspaper arti-
cles some Just views are expressed, but
many foolish criticisms and ill.natured
filings are INDUCED in by Others unworthy
the American press.
To be sure, Mr.. Dickens in Martin
Chukzelwit" and in his American Notes
did say some severe things Of US; but that
was twenty years ago, and we ought to
have forgotten all about it long ere this.
Why is it that we are SO thin-skinned that
we cannot bear to be told the TRUTH It
Is said that after Mr.. DICKENS was cour-
teously and Hospitality received, he turned
around and abused US. II is true be did
not bestow upon as unmixed praise, hut
that he abused US is not so clear. 1t is
certain that in the works alluded to above
he did caricature some OF our people, and
severely crieicised some Of our practices,
customs and institutions. These word
pictures were little overd.awn, but it
must be recollected that caricature is al
ways grotesque, whether in prose, poetry
or art. But then he abused US as people,
il Is said. He drew fcticious characters
and presented them as living men and
women, and gave the impression that
these people constituted the bulk Of our
population. Not quite this is largely q
creature OF our Imagination. Let us sec
The task is by no means difficult, to find
in newspaperdom such characters as Col
Diver and Jefferson Brick. Then we
should not require candle to discover
among our would,be statesman the pre-
else counterpart Of the great Elijah Pog-
ran, and the numerous other characters
that III up the chinks in Mr.. DICKENS
works on America The most superficial
observer Of Life aad character will not find
.E !!fcutt to point them out nv day in
the week. They cross our path at many
points, and strut their brief life upon the
stage, lnl though !hsir existence is ephe.
neral the race does not become extinct.
Our s5rest poin; when Mr.. DICKENS was
IN this country, twenty years ago, was
slavery, and his exposition Of this institu.
ton touched u, both North and South, in
very tender point. We writhed a good
deal under the caustic application which
he administered, and though we have got
rid Of slavery we are 10th to forgive him
for chasuzing US so severely. Slavery is
now dead, and the great author may, when
he visits our shores again, have the oppor.
tunity to witness the fact that our institu,
tions are fast becoming homogeneous.
But we shall do well to consider that /
Mr.. DICKENS had drawn unnatural and &c
titious characters, and presented them at
types Of American life, they were no mort
mere exaggerations than are many Of hi
characters in his purely English novels
II he has abused our institutions by point
ing out their defects-for nothing human
is perfeCt-he has also abused the institu
tions of his own land, as oil familiar witt
his works know. We regret to see thes
snarling criticisms upon Mr.. Dickens O.
the eve of his starting for America
While we would not act the part Of tn
aunky nor toady to this really great ma
Of letters, we would cordially welc ON
this able instructor Of man, and thi
moulder Of institutions, with cordialit
that should be open and frank, and with
manly dignity, on our part, that shoul
convince him that We can patiently bea
to be told our faults. We trust when Nj
DICKENS shall come among us again
will note some Improvements which hav
been wrought in the land during the las
twenty years, and that though he may fin
some things to censure, he will also fin
many things to commend. One edito
hopes that DICKENS will be wise, imitat
THAcKERY, and write no account Of b
next visit. We hope he will not imita
THACKERY, and we trust he will write
book. If there was ever material in or
land at any time for such writer Q
Dickens to seize upon and give it bod
and form and life, that material it ha
We hope, therefore, he will write bool
and that he will not rorego this labor fc
fear of offending us Americans by IN,
thing he may choose to say Of us.
Army APPoINTMESTs.-Sam T. Han