North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-06-15
OBITUARY.

On Friday the 10th Of June, the tele-
graph flashed the sad intelligence Of the
death Of Charles Dickens par excellence,
the moralist and writer of the present CEN
fury, news which will bring regret to thou
sands of hearts and households in every
quarter of the globe.
Charles Dickens was born at Portsmouth,
England, in the year 1912, and was conse-
quently only So years of age at his death.
His father, who held subordinate positn
in the navy department, obtained for young
Dickens a clerkship in an attorneys Office
in London, doubtless expecting his son to
become quiet respectable city lawyer =
but the tastes of the future novelist were
in different direction, and these were so
decided that he did not stay very long in
his legal position, but sought and obtained
post upon the reporters staff of the
" Morning Chronicle" London paper Of
considerable influence.
While upon the staff of this paper Mr..
Dickens commenced his literary career by
contributing, over the signature Of" Boz"
o number of clever articles entitled Sketch.
es of English life and character" which
gained him considerable notoriety and at
tention. The FIRST serial story published
for him was the celebrated Pickwick pa
pers" which appeared in the year 1886,
and at once made his reputation as the
first living comic writer Of the day, while
only "a years of age. In 1887 Dickens
gave to the world Oliver Twist" story
which amply sustained his youthful repu-
tation, and is still placed among the best
of his writings. This was followed by
" Nicholas Nickleby,'' and in 1910 by
"Master Humphreys clock" In 1912 ap-
pcared American Notes." and in lS43
"a Christmas Carol" the FIRST of a charm
ing series of Christmas stories. In 1874,
" Martin Chuzzlewit," in As "The Chi
mes 49, The Cricket on the HEARTH
AT Dombey and Son." '49 " David Cop.
per6eld." 1853 brought out Bleak
House." and "Hard Tines followed in
the succeeding year. "Littie Dorrit" ap-
peared in 1856, and Our Mutual Friend"
in 1864. The present year saw the first
numbers of his last new story "The Mys-
terry of Edwin Brood"
Besides these literary labors, Mr.. Dick
ems contributed largely to the Daily Ne,cs,
paper which he assisted in starting in
1916. After Withdrawing from the edito-
rial management of which, he in 1850,
commenced weekly magazine, called
/" Household Words which gained rap
id and extended circulation in this country
as well as England, and which he contin-
ued to edit and publish until the year 1859,
when, in consequence of disagreement
with his publishers he ceased all connec-
ton with that journal and started an oppo-
sition periodical, entitled "All the Year
Round" in which paper he published " A
tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expecta-
tions." He continued to edit this journal
up to the time of his death.
Probably no writer has ever enjoyed
greater popularity than Charles Dickens.
Keeping aloof from political subjects, al-
ways looking upon the pleasant and comic
side of life, his inipitable delineations Of
character have carried happiness to every
reader, while no writer excels him in de-
scription of pathetic home scenes.
One secret of Dickens great success is |
that he touched with kind and sympathe-
tic hand q large class of persons who have
seldom been handled nv s.y wr;tA-, ..vA to
ridiculs and trample upon them, ignoring
their many good traits and characteristics. |
Dickens was man Of large heart, he
appreciated that in the breast of poverty
are depths of affection and truth, that ig-
norance cannot smother, and which have
been supposed to exist only in those occu
plying more exalted and favorable positions
in society. In this regard he may be ia
vorably eontrasted with Benjamin Disraeli
the novelist of the aristocrat, who deals al
most exclusively with the upper-ten, and
writes as glibly of lords, dukes and mil
lionaires, as though the world was COM
posed solely or mainly of them. How the
great mass Of the thinking, reading public
appreciate this may be judged by the fact
that while Dickens works are on every
shelf, Disraeli's novels, except it be "Lo-
THAR" his latest bantling, are known to
but few outside of the l,terati, and seldom
seen save in large Libraries.
Scarcely any one has laid down novel
OF Dickens without having shed some tears
of sympathy, nor do we envy the man who
can read, with dry eyes, the many beauti-
full and pathetic passages he gives US in his
death bed scenes.
Dickens stories stand forth in strong
contrast to the vicious, sensational novels
of the present day while always exciting
and sustaining the interest, they are de-
void of horrors and morbid sensations, and
have all SQUAD moral tone at the Same
time there is nc religious cant or hypocri-
sy about them on this latter virtue has
been based charge of in6delity but we
notice that recent writer in " Appleton's
Journal" has given very interesting list
Of quotations, showing the biblical and re-
ligious passages in his works, which we
think entirely refutes the charge.
AT one time Mr.. Dickens became unpop-
ular in this country by the publication of
!" American Notes" written after his FIRST
visit to the United States. That be hit