The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-16

Life of Charles Dickens by r. Shelton Mack
enze, liter-ry editor of tue Philadelphia
Press published by I. b. Peterson & Bros,
and for sale in this city by Atwel 81 Co. can
vasslng agents.
This book was evidently written in haste,
and is anything but creditsble to the author
as literary production and unworthy, if
meant for a lasting memora) of the great nov.
eist whose name it bears. It is altogether too
soon to look for a life of Dickens worthy OF
place in the library along side bis books, and
the expectation of such volume for months to
come is not likely to be realized But not
withstanding its very noticeable defects in the
matter and plan OF composition il is really au
interesting and highly readable book, so much
so that one is almost led to the conclusion that
the authors intention was to produce a book
that should take with the multitude, rather
than to exhibit his own scholarship and COM
position. We think he has succeeded admira-
bly, in this, aud we apprehend that few who
commence TO read it will relnqulsh it before
arriving at the end
The book abounds in personal recollecticns
and anecdotes with judicious selections from
the great author himself, with several letters
never before published and 'uncollected pa
pers" in piose and verse. We make few ex-
tracts, which will give the reader better idea
of its readable qualities" than any remarks of
our own:
BRINsLEY SHERIDAN AND JOHN DICKENS.
! Mr.. John Dickens told an anecdote well,
and remembered many. Here is one which
| has not found its way into any SherdanaDa:
| When the Fox and Greuvllle administration
was formed, ON the death OF Mr.. Pitt, early in
| 1906, the office OF Treasurer of the Navy was
| given to Richard Brinsley Sheridan, who, in
| and out of Office, was almost always in an i'm
| pecunious state. John Dickens, one Of the
| clerks in the Navy Department, then \ hand
some, smart young fellow, had attracted Sher-
| idan's attention. One day Mr.. Dickens was
| summoned into the Trcasurer's room. Sheri-
dan civilly invited him to be seated, and, pro-
| ducing two important looking letters, with the
| large official red seal upon each, said: MIR.
| Dickens, am going to employ you in an i'm
portart mission upon his Majesty's service.
I Information has been received that certain
| French emissaries have been sent over to pay
| secret visits to our dock yards, for the purpose
| of obtaining information for the enemy. You
| Immediately set out for Portsmouth, with
| these letters, and Immediately ON your arrival,
respectively deliver them to the Port Admiral
| aud the military officer comm lndiDg the sta
| tion. On receipt of their answers, you will re-
| turn to me without delay. A post chase and
four horses will convey you through YOUR jour
| ney, and the principal pay clerk (naming him,
1 Will prOVlue you Win ample IuuuS lor uefdy-
| ing all expenses. | need not impress upon
| you the propriety of being profoundly secret,
even 10 the gentlemen of your Office. have
| the pleasure of wishing you pleasant jour
| ney.' AS this new Kings messenger was
| leaving the room, naturally elate and impor-
| tant, Sheridan added, by the way, Dickens,
| have just remembered that Mrs. Sheridan is
| on visit at Southampton, and has expressed
| desire to return. After you leave Ports
mouth, you may drive round to Southampton
and pick her up. Here is her address. L am
| sure | can rely upon your taking every care of
| her." instructions were followed to the very
| letter. The missives to Portsmouth, pooh
! pOObed by the authorities there as "od SheI
| RVS idle fancies," were officially answered, and
| young Dickens, who travelled over ninety
| miles in a rafting post chaise, hastened to
| Southampton, where he "picked up the lady,
| and had the honor of escorting her to Loudou,
| paving all expenses out of the government
| purse The truth, as the reader has probably
| already suspected ere this, that Sheridan, hav-
| Jog no money and wishing for his wfe's re-
| turn, had iarented the French spies, and had
| a navy clerk despatched merely to bring Mrs
| Sheridan long and expensive journey at the
public cost!
| TOM MOORE AND ROYALTY
On one occasion, when he (Thomas Moors)
| was the favored guest of the then Prince OF
| Wales, afterwards George the Fousth, and was
| brghiening the horizon OF the board with wi
| aud song, his royal host observed ssBy the way
Moote, your surname is the same as that Of the
| Marquis OF Drogheda! l shall ask him here one
| OF these days to meet you. OF course you be-
long to his family?" Tuere was a moments
| pause, and then the poet answered, "Our COM
mon descent is the same, | beheve-from
Adam. But l desire to inform your Royal
| Hi2hness that am not akin to the Peerage.
| My father was son Of a county Kerry farmer,
| aud to this day keeps grocer's shop in Dub
lin, where was born and bred" The manli-
ness and independence of this response GER
tainly did not injure Moore-who usually was
somewhat of a tuft-hunter-in the opinion OF
those who beard it.
FLAsHY TASTE IN DRESS.
Dickens personal taste in dress was always
''loud." He loved gay vests, glittering jewell
ry, snowy satin stocks, and everything rather
| DrOnonce vet no man had keener or more un-
| sparing critical eve for these Vulgarltes IN
others. He once gave friend vest OF the
| most gorgeous shawl-pattern. soon aiter, at
a party, he quizzed bis friend unmerchuIiy Tor
| his "sfnnnips vest although he had on him at
that very moment its twIn-brother, or sister.
whenever sex vests belong to. This inability
| 70 ,nrn the bulls eye upon himself, with the
same searching fearlessness he did on others,
was defect in bis idiosyncrasy: for, despite
| mau's selflove and vanity, there exists in men
a little sell-conselousness, All of US are not
| blind to our own defects.
DICKENS AND WORDSWORTH.
Wordsworth and Dickens did not take to
each other. Indeed, there was a mutnal con
tempt between them, though they met only
| once. This was about the year 1S43. Some
days after, the gentleman whose guest Words
worth was, in the suburbs of London, asked
the poet how he liked the great novelist?
| Wordsworth had great contempt for young
| men, and, after pursing up his lips in fashion
peculiar to him, and swinging one leg over the
other the bare flesh OF his ankles appearing
over his socks, slowly answered: why, l am
not much given to turn critic on people meet
but, as You ask me, L will candidly avow thai
L thought him very talkative, vulgar young
person-but dare say he may be very clever
Mind, / don't want to say word against him
for have never read line be has written !
Some time after this the same querist guard
Laureate? "Libe him? Not at all. He is ,
dreadful old ass" In short, the two author,
did not assimlate at all