The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-08
The Private Life OF Charles Dickens.

IRON the ddyatcs.
Everybody has heard Of the Crystal Palace OF
1851. Everybody also knows that the display OF
Bk9lbiuor, however Grand, after one council
yuicliizcd caoutehouc, calling TO attention
that What was lacking in completeness was
compensate In design, WAS mean ia the extreme.
Visitors laughed. And the more sensitive Of our
among tho nun ber-theught Il was best perhaps
That we should quietly Withdraw aud lcave arena
where we were likely to achieve failure and possibly
disgrace.
II was at this time, not far from the middle OF
June, that received note from Abbott Lawrence
asking whether thcro would he any impropriety In
permitting MIR. Dickens to visit cur department
hour before the time OF opening and, II not, begging
me TO designate day when won. ID meet him. A
icw days aitorward had the pleasure OF accom-
panipg tho distinguished novelist through
ton of the Great Exhib,ton md carly In the follow
ing week OF dining at his house Richmond Hill.
At that time Dickens thirty-niue A well
dressed, gcn,lemanly man. suaro in person, hardly
above middle height rapid IN movement. rather
slow OF speech looking YOU full in the face during
Conversation, grave. undcmons,rative, low-voiced,
aud apparently ~ far removed from the humorous
az the most ttolid scoiehnan. Tie great author
made no impression OF the spectahh OF his genius.
capital listener. Mechanics interested him aud he
easily and thoroughly comprehendcd the operations
OF machinery. There was no appearance ot the love
OF fun manifested aiterward In anecdote and laugh
ter at his table, during the hour were together,
except once. A Yankee inventor of q pianoiorte.
VIOLIN" D. e., OF piano and violin played by tie
ncuon--the clumsest OF failures-undorsiandin
that Charles Dickens was present, sat down at the
perfect. Dickens turned, looked at the man and hs
instrument listened for moment. drew his hat
over his eyes, ana catching my look Of annoyance
ut the ridiculous exhibition, answered 1t by uat
quiet auie VI quaint merriment, that, come when II
would, always reminded one OF Mr.. pic<wick.
In HE own house Mr.. Dickens was at that time APP
parcntly the happicst Of men, and he certainly
tae most genial Of hosts. or difficulties and trou-
Seeicd Mrs pstsus WIS WINS benSuful woman Of
nl out Ave and thirty, OF fair saxon complexion,
large lustrous eyes, dnoy chiseled features her az
cordial IN msnrsr %oRSry excess perS"ps when
| the children, according 10 English custom, came
rompng into the dining-room at dessert, and very
| attentive TO her husband. The sister OF Mrs Dick
| ems was present, and another lady. 1 never saw
was well ordered. The dinner capitally served.
| The host said grace before the meal. Al his own
told n better story lie mad that genial hearty
laugh which Moninigne says never comes from bad
heart OF his children down TO the baby, he was
excessively fond holding them on his knees, toast
ing the elder in wine aDd giving himself to their hu'
mors with delightful abandon.
At that date the personal habits OF Dickens were
those OF the average English gentleman. lie was
| ahstinent from breakfast to half an hour before
| dinner. THIS was his working time. lie tod me
that four hours at his desk and four hours ahcld-
on foot or on horseback, rarely In a CarraEc--was
| the rule OF his working lie; lie TOOK brandy and
| sel,zer beore dinner; drank, as everybody drinks
IN England, sherry with his meats, and port al dos
scrt sat long at table, enjoyed his cigar; spent an
hour perhaps In the drawing room at the conclusion
Of the evouing-and then, retiring 20 his study, read,
smoked, and spped brandy and water til his bed
| time at midnight
Later in lie, since the unfortunate separation
IRON his wife, aud particularly during the last years
OF his res tdence at Gads INV, his habits became
were Of the choicest kind. Wines NJ rarest vintage
Were stored in bis cellars. Hghly spiced beverages
came to be liked and lie vain Of his skill in CON
| pounding thcm. The cider cup Of Gad's Hnl''--g
drink composed Of cider. LINES, brandy, pineapple
| toa ted apples, lemon peel and tugar-5ee4mr IA
| nous as aspccla'ty OF VIC place \ lrend OF nine
who srent DAY and night 1t Gid's Hill last year,
fentem!n to whom Dickens ielt under sie', ner'
| sonal obligations and for whom lie may therefore
! have emphasize Lis hospitality, describes the WISH
! IS a continued hlbalou- icstvity from noon TIL mid
| ui-ht There was the cider cup on arriving At hat
| p st twelve p. NJ sports In the orcn air tall two
| when came brandy an watcr--l long walk through
the fields til SIX, when curacao with otnrt NQuSUr,
| were scrved-drcss. dinner from IL 10 with ever,
| variety o. wines co ice and ci-ars aud then PURE
| spirits or various compounds OF spirits, until be.
| time.
II any one infcrs from what have written that
| Charles Dickens WIS an iuiempcr1tc man. IN IA,
| usual acctputpa Of the word, whether IN this com
| try or England, lie mistake, my meaning. DicGcn:
was never drunk. HIS intellect never ohtis
| Gated hY CNUeSs. But he "etJ uyel life liz lyci
indeed too fast. This he himself felt and topce his
lOug NIlSs OF from SIX 20 ten miles day t. cuun
months Of hs life he had been increasing in stout
ness. lie noticed this and fearing What q poucndg j.
Increased his nours OF exercise. Il would Lave been
| better had he begun al tie other end
Charles Dickens NE. Ike his works, was m oral
| II was not religious. What Dean Stanley said about
| him m tile Mestuins,cr Ab.ey sermon, oue would
like TO know. How religion got into man VINO
never went TO cl Wch never Kept sunday sacred
never read bis Bible never affiliated With re-. ions
Ueope, would be US great my stcTy rs Miss aa .ha
| Brambo's, How the thunder" she wrote 10 her
iricnd could nave spoiled the beer when the DOR
| was double-lockcd, cannot conceive But rs a
moral man, respected by his neighbors loved BY the
poor, foremost IN works Of charity Tree from social
| his Cwn, Charles Dickens ~ worthy Of all praise
He was free from the TOO common sin Of using pro
was never sarpassel quick to take oGoncc, he
| was equally qdick to forgive. No man WAS ircer
| from 'nvS no man truer to his instincts.
The ugest feature in hi- lite IL his ueltmeut oils
| wife. MIR, Wells. ms business partner Nni most M.
innate iIcnd, told me last year that Il was ne one
| unplidonable act that couid neither Be explained
| nor forgiven he causes Of Tue separation are Der
| lectly vel, known. Mss Hofar'll, own sitter OF
| Mrs. Dicaens, Who had always lived IN The family
| from the time Of tho marriwc. was too much the
ayoritc Of the head. For years this was the subject
OF dlscori until II ended In separation, Mrs. Dick'n
| removing TO Gloucester Crescent, London, while
| MISS Iiosarh remained OF CABS Hin TO the last.
| No charge OF criminal aspect was ever made.
| Dickens plid his wife GgD0 pounds year. The
children, ofwhom eight are living, went at their op-
ton rom one house to the other the sons mostly re-
siding At their mothers house, the daughter, with
their father eorrospondence was kept ap betW cen
husband and wife, aud Miss llo.arth frequently saw
| refusal Of Bradbury Evans to publish Dickens's
| statement IN the columns Of PuHch that caused
the quarrel ending by his withdrawal from H1Qge.
| ca Words and commencing Al hs Year RoaRd.
Although Charles DiCkehs DR., married Miss Evans
We seniors aeVer alter tho outbreak spoke To each
ETho day OF Dickens's death was the anniversary
| OF tho railway accident IN which his lie wa N
peril. aud ON the shock Of which It is thought by
| irlenIs he never recovered Those who have heard
nm depict the scene viii never forget how as the
Tear Interest grew aud the climax approached Le
would rise from the table, his face flushed his eyes
klhdled, his words falling one by one, Ike " first
drops OF thunder shower" and act the part OF the
several sufferers to whom he lent holpng hand
II VAS not the accident upon the railway, however,
| that caused his death even remotely. Tine rea
causes ,ls are definite aud precise lie worked toe
| have given him two decades more OF lite. He triou
| these year ago, and at that time STAYED on tn,
threatened attack, But tho old habits OF lilo aut
| work returned, the system was more and more
| oyersualned and the result, e1uslon OF blood ~
the braln, long predicted by medical men, brous hi
| about tie inevitable end.
In the first instance, Gen. Grant, moved by publ,
| gaye the Office q Naval Onlcar a merit