The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-07-14
DICKENS IN 1896.
BY n. +. WILLIS.

was following favorite amusement of
mlne one day i'll Strand. Misunderstanding
toward the more crowded thorou ohfares.
with cloak and umbrella, and looking at the
people and shop windows. / heard my name
called by passenger in street cab. From
out of the smoke of the wet straw peerel the
head of my publisher, Mr. Macrone Ga most
liberal and noble hearted fellow, since dead }
AFTER little catechsm as to my damp dcs-
tlhv 1or that morning, he informed me that
ne was going to visit Newgate, and asked me
10 ION hlm. | willingly agreed, never hay
ing seen this famous prison and after was
seated in the cab he said he was to pick M
on the way young paragraphisl for the
Morning Chronicle, who wished to write a
description of if.
In the most crowded part of Ilolborn, with
i'll q door or two of the Bull and Mouth inn
(he great starting and stopping place of the
stage coaches we pulled up at the entrance
OF large building used for lawyers char
herS. Not to leave me sitting in the rain,
Macrone asked me to dsmount with him. |
followed by a long flight of stairs to IN upper
story, and was ushered into an uncarpeted and
Dleak-looklng room with deal table, two on
tnree chars and few books, 4 small boy and
Mf. Dickens Tor the contents. | was only
struck ut first with one thing, land made a
strongest instance ever seen of English oh
sequiousness to employers the degree to
which the poor author was overpowered with
the honor of his publishers visit | remem-
her saying to myself, rs | sat down on Il
rlckety chair, My good fellow, ii YOU were
in America with that fine face and ready
quill, you would have no need to be condes-
cended to by a publisher" Dickens was
dressed very much as he has since described
Dick SWiveller-2niN1tS the swell look His
hair was cropped close to- his head, his
clothes scant though iauntilv cut and after
changing ragged office coat tor shabby
blue, he stood by the door. collarlesr and
buttoned up, the very personication, |
thought, of sailor close to the wind
We went down and crowded into the cab,
Cone passenger more than the law allowed
and ID ickens partly in my lap and partly in
Macrone's,) and drove on to Ncwgate. In
his works, if Nou remember, there is {; de
scrption OF the prison, drawn from a days
observation. We We're there an hour or two
and We're shown some OF the celebrated muir
dcrerS consigned for life and one Young sol
dier waiting for execution; and in one Of the
passages we Glanced to meet Mrs. Frye, ou
her usual errand of beneyolencr. Though
interested in Dickens face, forgot him nat
urally enough, after we entered the prison,
the two hours. | parted from him At the
door of the prison, and continued my stroll
into the city. Not long after this Macronr
senl me the sheets OF Sketches by Boz, with
u note saying that they were by the gentle
man who went with us 10 Ncwgate. | read
the book with amazement at the genius dis
played III it, and in my note of reply assured
Macrone that thought his fortune was mad,.
rs a publisher, il he could monopolizr the
author.
Two OF three Years after was in LontOn,
and was present M the complimentary dinner
given to Macready Samuel Lover, who AT
next to me, pointed out Dickens | l0okrd
up and down the table, but was wholly un-
able to single him ont without getting my
friend to number the people who sal above
him. He was no more like the same man
had seen than 4 tree in june is like the same
tree in February. He sat leaning his head
on his hand while Bulwer was speaking. and
with his very long hair, his very Hash waist
coat his chains and rings, and withal a much
paler face than OF old, he was totally un
recognizable The comparison was very in
tPreSing to me, and | looked at him long
time. He was then in his elimination of
popularity, and seemed iaded to stupetaction,
Remembering the glorious works he hat
written since had seen him, lonGed to pay
him my homage. but had no opportunity,
and | did not see him again until he came
over to reap his harvest, and upset his hay
cart in America. When all the ephemera OF
his imprudences and improy licences Shall
have passed away-Say twenty years hence,
should like to see him again, renowned Il
he will he for the most original and remark
able works of his time