New-York tribune., 1869-06-02
CHARLES DICKENS ON HIS RECENT SICK
NESS.
A FLY-LEAP IN A LIFE.

help; which imposed constant strain on the attention.
memory observation. and physical powers; and when
involved an almost fabulous amount OF change OF place
and rapid railway travelling had followed this pursuit
through an exceptionally trying Winter in an always
irving climate and had resumed II In England after but
brief repose Thus II came to be prolonged until, al
ength-and as IL seemed all OF sudden-it so wore me
out that could rely, with my usual cheerful conn
dence upon myself achieve the constantly recurring
task and began 10 feel Qor the first time In my e) gddy
arred shaken faint uncertain Of voice and sight and
tread and touch and duh Of spirit The medlcal ADVICE
sought within few hours given In two words IN
slant rest" Being accustomed to observe myse as curl
ously as II were another man, and knowing the adVce
TO meet my only need instantly halted In the pursuit
| OF which speak, and rested.
MY intention was to nterposo, ms 1t were hyeaf In
the book of my life in which nothing should be written
from without for brief of few weeks But somo
very singular experiences recorded themselves on THIS
Same fly leaf and going to relate them literally
repeat the word literally
My first odd experience OF the remarkable coinct
donce between my case In the general mind and one Mr.
Merdos as find 1t recorded in work OF fiction called
Little Dorrit TO be sure, Mr. Merdlo was swlnder,
forecr and thief and my calling had been Of less harm
full land remuneraye nature but 1t was all one for
| that.
| Here is Mr.. Merdle's case:
AT first was dead Of all the diseases that ever we're
known and Of several brau-now maades invented with
the speed Of Light TO meet the demand Of the occasion
He had concealed dropsy from infancy he had inner
tied large estate Of the chest from his grand
| father he had had operation performed upon him
every morning his life for eighteen years. he had been
subject tho explosion Of important veins in his body
after the manner Of fireworks ho had had something the
matter with his lungs had had something the matter
with his heart he had had something the matter with his
brain Five hundred people who sat down to breakfast
entirely uniformed the whole subject believed before
they had done breakfast that they privately and person
| ally knew Physician to have said TO Mr.. Merdle, You
must expect to 20 out some day like the snuff Of cande
and that they knew Mr Mcrdle TO have said TO Physician
man can die but once BY about eleven o'clock in tho
forenoon something tho matter with the brain, became
tho avore theory against the field and by twelve the
something had been distinctly ascertaned to be Pres
! sure.
pressure was SO eutrcly satisfactory to the public
mind and seemed to make every one 80 ocoufoahe that
It night have lasted all day but for Bars having taken
the real state Of the case INTO court al hafast nine
Pressure however, far from being oyorhr0wn by the
discovery, became greater fayore than ever There
was general noralzug upon Pressure every street.
all the people who had tried % make money aud had not
been able TO DO It, SAID, There you wcre You no sooner
began TO devote yourself the pursuit of wealth. than
you got Pressure The idle people improved the occasion
In similar manner See said they, what you brought
yourself 20 by work. work. worki You persisted In work
ing you overdid II! Pressure came on, and you were
doae for This consideration very potent IN many
quarters but nowhere moro so than among TIE young
clerks and partners who had been In tho slightest
danger Of oyerdoingit Thoae, ono and Oh declared
quite pousy, that they hoped they would never forget
the warning long they lived aud that their conduct
might DO so regulated 20 keep on Pressure, aud pre-
serve them comfort their friends, FOR many years"
Just my case--if had only known t-whcn was qu
city baskug In tho sunshine my Kcntish meadow
EBut while 80 rested, thankfully recovering every hour
had experiences moro odd than this HAD experiences
Of spiritual ccnce FOR which, as giving me new warm
ing against that Of mankind, shall always feel
grateful TO the supposon that too far 90 pro
test against playing ck lion 10 any stray donkey with an
itching hoof All SORTS OF people seemed 10 become vca
rousy religious at expense. received the most I'M
compromising warning that was Hcathcn; on the con-
elusive authority OF field preacher wLo Ike the most OF
his Ignorant and vain aud daring class could not construct
tolernbe sentence In hrs tongue fair lot
ter This inspired individual called mo 20 order roundy,
and knew in the freos aud easiest way whore going
TO- and what would OF II failod 20 fashion
myself on his bright example land terms OF bias
phemous confidence with the Heavenly Host. lie was IN
the Of my heart and In the lowest soundnga OF
my soul-hel-and could read the depths OF my nature
better than bis G. ana could turn me Inside out Ike
his own clammy glove. But what far cXtraordi
nary than thsfor such dirty water this could aouo
DO drawn from such shallow and muddy sourCc-I found
from tho information Of beuccod clergyman, OF whom
never heard and whom never saw, that had not as
rather supposed had, lived Afo Of sOmo reading, con
i
| rather supposed had. TO inculcato some Christian
lessons IN books that had tried, as rather sup
posed had 10 turn child or two tcndcry toward the
knowledge and love OF Saviour; that had never
had rather supposed had had, departed friends
stood beside open graves; but that had lived Ito of
uninterrupted prosperity" and that / needed this
check overmuch" and that the way 20 turn to
count was read sthcse and these poems, in.
closed aud written and Issued by my correspondent!
beg II may DO uudcrstoodthat relate fact, Of ny own
| uncommcrcial experience, and no vain imagllugs Tho
documents In proof lie near my hand
Another odd entry on the hyeaf. Of entertain.
ing character the wonderful pcr,iscncy with which
kind sympathzes assumed that had njurou.y coupled
with the so suddenly relnqushed pursuit those personal
habits Of mine most obyiOusy Incompatible with 10 and
most plainly impossible OF being maintained along With
It. As all that exercise, all that cold bathing oil that
wind and weather all thatuphll traIuiug-a that every
thing else say which is usually carried about by express
trains in portmanteau and hatbox, aud partaken OF
under a flaming row OF gas.ghts in the company OF two
thousand people This assuming Of whole against
all facts aud likelihood, struck particularly dro
and was an Oddty OF which certainly had had ado.
dunte experience IN o until turned that curious fly
leaf
My old acquantances the beggngletter writer's camo
out the 1ycaf very piOusy Indeed They were Glad,
at snch serious crisis 20 ofcrn another opportunity OF
sending that PostOnlco order. needn't make 1t
pound as previously insisted on shlngs might
my mind. And Heaven forbid that they should refuse,
at such On insignificant figure, 10 take weight of tho
memory OF crriDg feow-creaturcl one geuteman OF
an artistic turn land copOusly Illustrating the books OF
the Mendcity Society, thought might sooho my con-
the tender respect Of gifts msused II would
Immediately cash up and Of hs lowy talent for orgl
nal dcsign-as n specimen OF which he enclosed me
work of art which recognize as tracing fIom wood
on America forty or fity years ago The humber OF
people VINO were prepared 10 yo long years aIter nue.