The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-06-22
No so.

) Ivice. It was a singular quartette.
! Lord Shaftersbury, the representative
of the Evangelical laymen OF England;
John Stuart Mill ,, one of the most re-
condite thinkers of modern times !;
Mr.. Fawcett, an acute mathematician.
a politician of the most adj
school, and completely blina Mr.
Dickens, the good -humored, genial
painter of scenes drawn from every
day life, the novelist par excellence
-and, singularly enough, it was the
pen of the latter that wrote the rough
draft of the ideas and spirit of the
numerous pamphlets upon the subject
which flooded England during 1858
i 1851 Another social reform, the
chief credit of which must be given to
him, is the spread of the principles of
Life Assurance through the masses.
Every year in House hold Words, and
subsequently in AU the Year Round,
he published series of articles demon
strating the practical advantage of
i prudent Life Assurance, and with in
vincible logic, but in plain and home y
language, combated the objections
which prejudice and dullness and sell
fish fear had raised among large body
of the people against the theory and
practice of Life Assurance. Many q
family would now be destitute had it
not been for the foresight inculated by
Charles Dickens And this led him
to the consideration of other topics of
a kindred nature, such as building
societies, savings banks, natural .bene-
fit associations, and the creation of
funds for the support of the widows
and orphans of different guilds, socie-
ties or professions. At the dinners
given BY the Dramatic Society, tue
Art Society, the Press Society and the
Printers Association, all of which
more or less resemble savings banks,
Charles Dickens was one of the most
earnest, most popular and most con-
vincing speakers one who, by his
tongue, seemed to perfect the work his
pen, more than that of any others,
had begun. But good as he was, the
genial side of his nature shone out
pre- eminent brilliancy. He was what
DIR. johnson would have called ga
clubable man." in the sense of the
terms ever ready to enter into the
whim which for the moment pleased
the company best, and to add his ever
flowing humor to the common amuse-
ment. We must not forget a laugh
able incident at the Garricks Head, a
rather noted tavern Of the older type,
| in Bow street, London.It was late
in the evening. Father Prout, the
inimItable wit, was at that hour, as
usual, smoking a long "Churchward :;
| the late John Lang. editor of the
I Motitssilite (of Upper India, author
of the Err fife, and many other excel
Ilent novels; Mr. w. B. Stevens,
Solicitor to the late, Sir Robert Peel !;
Gregor Grant, ex Judge of the Jud-
| Stocqueler, and Mr.. Thorton Hunt.
| the editor Of the London Telegraph,
were all, if the truth must be told,
slightly under the influence of the diff
ferent liquids they had imbibed during
| the course of the evening. Mr.. Lang
was counsel for the defense in the
celebrated case of Jostee Pursaud
against the Bengal Government, and
for which he received a fee of two
lakhs of rupees, (e20,000 or $780,
| 900; he was, at the same time. one of
| the most brilliant wits and poets in
India, and one of the ablest relaters
of anecdotes in Europe. AT this little
supper Father Prout, by a series OF
maDeuvers, elected story after story
of real facts and scenes experienced by
the Iudia barristeri and journalist,
treasured in his extraordinary memory,
and with all his wealth of fancy and
humor. Dickens capped story after
story with his own. When Lang was
mournful, Dickens was pathetic; when
Lang was in earnest, Dickens was
solemn when Lang was merry, Dickens
literally boiled over with fun, and the
most singular thing was that all
Dickens stories were laid in Bengal,
and the northwest provinces of India,
with which Lang was thoroughly fami-
liar. Every minute detail was told
| with such vivid accuracy that the
whole party were astonished, and Mr.
Lang refused to believe that Dickens
had never been in India, for while his
own stories were founded on fact,
Dickens were the fruits of the imagina
tion of the moment. This, perhaps
showed his versatility more than any.
thing he has published.
AS friend Dickens was constant
and sincere. Between himself and
Thsckaray there was never aysingle
feeling of jealousy, or aught but the
most afectionate regard. The press
and the critics were arrayed in two
camps-one magnifying the author of
Yanity Fair, the other the graphic
hand of the Pickaoick Papers. But
when Thaekeray died and left the Id
ventmss of Phillip unfinished, as has
now been left the Mystery Of -Eas0in
4 brood, Thackeray had no sincerer
mourner throughout all England than
I the great rival WHO has now followed
Thin to the grave. e.-Eaqmref. aea
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