The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-06-11


Charles Dickens is dead. A cable despatch
gives the circumstances attending this sad
event.
Charles Dickens was seized with fit while
dining on Wednesday at his residence at Cad 8
Hill, near Rochester at Kent. DIR. Strood, his
family physician, was immediately called and
remained until midnight, when he becoming
much worse physicians from London were
summoned and several arrived at Gals Hill on
Thursday morning. A consultation was held
ard the case was at once pronounced hopeless.
The patient sank gradually and died at fifteen
minutes past six last evening. Mr.. Dickens
has been ill for several days but not seriously.
He had visited Rochester and other points du-
ring the present week.
All the London papers have obituary articles
this morning. The Times says ''The ordinary
expressions of regret are now cold and conven-
t;Onal. Millions of people feel personal ber-
eavement. Statesmen, savans and benefactOrs
of the race when they die can leave no such
void. They cannot like this great novalist be
an inmate of every house,
The Daily Ne,cs says, "Without an intellect
ual pedigree his writings form an era in Eng
fish literature He was generous, loving and
universally beloved"
The Moraing Post says "Charles Dickens did
more than any contemporary to make English
literature loved and admired"
We need no special revelation to assure US
that this sudden occurrence will af1ct the
hearts of thousands on both sides of the Allan
tic; especially in our own country; for by this
people was Mr.. Dickens better understood, APP
preciated and cherished them by his own
countrymen; and those of us who have known
him by close study through bis works, feel
that we have indeed lost friend. We who
Ii we met him face to face, and felt the
power of his eye, clasped his warm hand and
seen him clothe in almost tangible form, the
most positive ideas of his life, feel that human
ity has lost one of its most efficient advocates.
In our country we Judge of a man by his
worth, not his origin. We ask not whence he
sprung, but what has he accomplished. Chas.
Dickens had not patent of nobility, as con-
ferred by prince or potentate, nor is his shield
recorded by the Herald's College; but he was
"a man for a. that" one of natures noblest
True, he began in humble sphere and toiled
long and YEARLY in the dry details of journal
ism, but this strengthened him for the great
work which he almost unconsciously undertook
as corrector of social evils, and reformer Of
political abuses in his own country. True, he
once wounded our national pride; but we need
ed the caustic, and Mr.. Dickens helped us to
know ourselves But when he returned to us
after the smart of the wound had passed, the
American people greeted nim warmly and
''chaired him around the market place, and
he went back to his own home to continue TO-
his own countrymen the work that he had just
begun.
But one cannot do in hasty article full jus
tice to Mr.. Dickens. The bare outline of his
life, with its charges and vicissitudes, are a
romance themselves; we prefer to Jay down th S
crude tribute to his memory for what he
has done by his power as a descriptive writer
and personator of the emotions, sentiments, fol
lies, weaknesses, passions and faith of his kind.
Summon up the long array of people that he
has given to immortal fame; review them care
fully, and tell us if we have had in our own
time man more potent in his vocation than
Charles Dickens has been. Like Thackery he
has died with his harness on; and the pen,
perhaps, may have dropped from his nerveless
fingers with some splendid ruth:half-expressed.
His life has gone out like the end of one of his
most beautiful sketches; and the prayer Of
Tiny Tim rises to the lips of his admirers as
they read the story of their bereavement; God
bis IS us all; God bless us every one