Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-06-04
Baron Boz.

my dear friend" once said Charles Lamb,
full of mystihcation, to learned but simple
minded gentleman, "it is whispered that you
"are to be made peer. 90 dear, no hope
"not it would not suit me at all, - was the
reply. "Well, suppose suffered Lamb,
"that you cannot help yourself they will
'make you peer whether you wish or not :"
And of went poor George Dyer devising ways
and means to keep himself from being made
peerl We trust that MIR. Charles Dickens is
not in a similar dilemma; but it is whispered
that he is to be created one Of the new Life
Peerage. Men Of letters in England have been
made belted knights or baronets; but although
titular distinctions of higher order have been
bestowed upon writer's and scholars, it has been
for political services, as in the we'll known
cases of Bacon, Broughman, Bulwer. and Ma
caulay. Upon the whole, we think that n
writer whose claim is ON the public affection,
and whose throne is in the public heart and
Of whom is this more eminently true than of
Mr.. Dickens 4-can i'll afford to discard the
CHEEKY and familiar name which has been ut
tered by so many lips with admiration or af-
fection. When We would express the one, we
use plain "MIy Hbut whea we are governed
by the other, we drop even this. We presume
that nobody has said or written "Mr. Burns"
since that great man died /; yet it is noticeable
that we almost always say "Mr. Carlyle - as
if Thomas were person by no means to be
trifled with. Goldsmith happened to be a sort
of Doctor of Medicine, and Johnson was made
an LII. D., and 50 both are known as "Doc-
tors" to this day Although we relieve our
selves, sometimes, by saying ''poor Goldy,"
and sometimes by writing "Sam. Johnson
What blessing it is that the f9shion of max.
ing literary lords has come in so late Other
wise we might have had Baron Boltcourt or
Sir Oliver Goldsmith. That would not have
suited us at all. We have always thought the
"Sr" before Richard Steele name an imperti-
nent superfuity. II is impossible to forget
that in making Mr.. Dickens a nobleman all the
honors and glory would be on the side Of the
Government. The fame of that gentleman is
established. He has already an estate in eve
ry generous mind, and not even in the days OF
chivalry could the most powerful lord boast
such a band of retainers. His are achieve.
ments as great as any which ever won spurs
or coronet his have been bloodless tri
umphs over cruel wrongs and panoplied injus-
tice; his battles have been waged against out
rage and oppression with the pen, and why
should he be called to honors which are often
est associated in mems minds with the butche
ry OF the sword, or with revolving subserviencJ
to the CrownP The credit of the installation
is carried to the side Of Govdrnment. 1t does
not make the genius of Mr.. Dickens one whi
greater, but it shows its own wonderful appre
citation genius in general. 1t trades in pop
ularity upon his brains. 1t claims a share
which does not in the least belong to il of his
hard.earned laurels. It calls upon the world
TO admire its magnanimity in bestowing sucl
unexampled honors upon writer of romano
es, who has neither conquered armies mol
captured fleets, nor even made mOnstrou
fortune upon the Stock Exchange.
II cannot be forgotten, either, that the honor
offered is cheap one. Admission to a Lif,
Peerage, while great hereditary nobility con
tinues to exist in England, will bring but littl
social consideration, and the real princes viii
look down upon the mock princes, as Baronet
have always looked down upon knights.
nobleman whose patent dates from the Con
quest will regard a novel-writing Peer muc
as the Duke Of Norfolk might look upon
Scotch Judge; and will 'My Lord" him as th
drandees of Spain used to "My Lord" III
new Dukes and Marquises, while they address!
ed each other with careless familiarity. SUI
oession is the root and essence of nobility.
peerage without pedigree, or the prospect
creating one, is a substantial solecism. Will
1t brings no special social consideration, it il
wolves an increased expenditure in keeping IL
barren dignity. 1t does not found famil,
1t does not make a man an ancestor. He
lower in the pages Of Burke or of Debrett, {,
all his peerages, than the poorest Baronet.
Finally, we must be allowed as America
Republicans to put in our protest. Mr. Dicl
ens-Charles Dickens-Dickens belongs
us, He has been more generally read an
more popularly admired here than even i
England. II we may be allowed to speak wit
certain rough sincerity, it shall be to aiir
that upon this side of the water we don't lii
Lords at all. If the Queen would but ask M
Dickens to dinner, or but write him hal
familiar note to say how much enjoyment h
last book had given her, we should be please
if we thought that the attention gratifed hir
But we give notice that we shall call him pla
Dickens to the end, whatever may be the au
mentations of his eseutcheon.-M Y. n
bAne.