The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-08-05
Dickens before he was Famous, as DeS-
cribed bY N, T.. Willis.

l was following a fayorite amusement of
mine one day in Strand Misunderstanding
toward the more crowded thoroughfares,
With cloak and umbrella, and looking al
people and shop windows. l heard my
name called 10y a passenger in the street
cab. From ont of the smoke of the wet
straw peered the head of my publisher,
Mr.. Macrone, a most liberal and noble
hearted fellow, since dead. After a little
catechism as TO my damp destiny for that
morning, he informed me that he was GO
ing TO visit Newgate, and asked me to join
him. l willingly agreed, never having
seen this famous prison, and after l was
seated in the cab he said he was to pick mp
on the way a young p~araSraphlst for the
Morning Chronicle, who wished to write a
description of it. In the most crowded
part of Holborn, within a door or two OF
the Bull and Mouth Inn Ghe great starting
aud stopping place of the stage coachesl
we pulled up at the entrance of a large
building used for lawyers chambers. Not
to leave me sitting in the rain, Macrone
asked me to dismount with him. l followed
by a long flight o~fstairs to an upper story,
and was ushered into an uncarpeted and
bleak looking room, with a deal table, two
or three chairs, and a few books, a small
boy and Mr.. Dickens for the contents. l
was only struck at first with one thing land
made a memorandum of it that evening
as the strongest instance l had seen of En-
glish obsequiousneSs to employers) the
degree which the poor author was over
powered with the honor of his pub
fishers visitl remember saying to
myself, as l sat down on a ricketty chair,
ssMy good fellow, if you were in America,
you would nave M need to be condescend-
ed to by q publisher" Dickens was dressed
very much as he has since described Dick
Swiyeller-minus the swell look. His hair
was cropped close 10 his head, his clothes
scant, though jauntily cut, and after chang
ing a ragged office coat for q shabby blue.
he stood 10y the door, collarlessand button
ed mp, the very personification, l thought,
of a close sailor totbe wind. We went down
and crowded into the cab Zone passenger
more than the law allowed, and Dickens
partly IL my lap and partly In Macrone's),
and drove on to Newgate. In his works, If
YOU remember, there Is q description of
the prison, drawn from this days obserya-
ton. We were there an hour or two, and
were shown some oithe celebrated murder
ers confined there for life, and n young
soldier waiting for execution; and IN one OF
the passages we Glanced to meet Mrs. Fry,
Ou AOL "a O4GAA VI
Though interested in Dickens face, l for
got him, naturally enough, after We enter
ed the prison, and 1 do not think l heard
him speak during the two hours. l parted
from him at the door of the prison, n
continued my stroll into the city. Not
long after this, Macrone sent me the sheets
of Sketches by Boz, with a note saying that
they were by the gentleman who went with
us to Newgate. l read the book with
amazement at the genius displayed In it,
and in my note.of reply assured Macrone
that l thought his fortune was made as a
publisher, if he could m~onopolize the
author.
Two or three years after l was In London,
and was presented at the complimentary
dinner given to AEcready. Samuel Lover,
who sat next to me, pointed out Dickens.
/ looked up and down the table, but was
wholly unable to single him out without
getting my friend to number the people
who sat above him. He was no more like
the same man / had seen than a tree N
June Is like the same tree in February.
He sat leaning his head on his hand while
Butler was speaking, and with his very
long hair, his very flash waisIcoat, his
chains and rings, and withal a much paler
face than of old, he was totally unrecog-
nizable. The comparison was very inter-
esting to me, and | looked al him a long
time. He was often in his elimination of
popularity, and seemed jaded TO stupefac-
ton. Remembering the glorious works he
had written since 1 had seen him, I longed
to pay him my homage, but had no oppOr-
tunity; and / did not see him again till he
came over to reap his harvest, and upset
his hayeart in America. When ali the
ephemera of his i~mprudences and IMPROVE
dences shall have Passad away say twenty
years hence-I should like to see him
Attain, renowned as he will be for the most
original and remarkable works of his time.