New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-17
CHA2LEs Dickens.

Early in lffe-tust after the publication OF
" Pickwickn = Mr.. Dickens married the
daughter Of Mr.. George Hogarth, the author
and critic. He separated from her in 1885,
and as the event called forth great deal Ct
ill-natured comment, the following letter
was written for the purpose OF being shown
to the public: .~yaTssy, ,'-...i ~ - a.
s.MY DEAR -: Mrs, Dickens and have
lived unhsppily together for many years
Hardly any one who has known us intlmate,
" can fail TO have known thai We are, IN al
respects Of character and temperament.
wonderfully unsuited to each other. u
suppose that no two people, not vicious in
themselves, ever were Joined together VINO
had greater officially in understanding one
another, or who had less in common. An
attached woman servant (more friends 70
both of us than servant), who lived Win
us sixteen years, and is now married, ana
who was, and still is, in Mrsg Dickens conf
dence ana mine, who had the closest IA
miliar experience of this unhappiness In
London, in the country, in France. in Italy,
wherever We have been. year after year,
month after month, week after week, day
after day, will bear testimony to this.
"Nothing has, on many occasions, stood
between us and q separation but Mrs.
Dickens, sister, Georgine Hogarth. From
the age of fifteen. she has devoted herself 70
our house and children. She has been their
PLAYMATE, nurse. instructress, friend, pro-
ttectress, adviser and companion. In the
manly consideration toward Mrs. Dickens,
which I owe TO my wife, viii merely re-
mark of her that the peculiarly OF her
character has thrown all the care OF her
children on some one else. do nos Know
| can not by any stretch Of fancy imagine-
what would have become Of them put tor
~,h< hau upr IN n them
whom they are devoted, ana who has sacri-
iced the best part Of her youth and life to
them. les'eS ~ % !. :" -
-fered. and toiled, and come again to prevent
= separation between Mrs. Dickens and me.
Mrs. Dickens has often expressed TO her ner
sense Of ker afectionate care and devotion
in the Housewives more strongly tnan IN
' For some time past, Mrs. Dickens has
been In the habit of representing to me that
It would be better for her to 20 away and
live apart; that her always increasing ee-
tranpement made mental disorder under
which she sometimes labors; more, that she
felt herself unfit for the life she had to lead
az nv wife, and that she would be far better
away. Il have uniformly replied that she
must bear our misfortune and fight the fight
| ont TO the end; that the children were the
frgt consideration, and that / feared they
must bind US together lin appearance. :.
| "At length. within these three weeks. II
was supgested to me by Forster, that even
| for their sakes, it would be better to recon.
struct and rearrange the unhappy home. 4
empowered him to treat with Mrs. Dickens
1 as the friend of both OF us for one and
/ twenty years. Mrs. Dickens wished to add,
on her part Mark Lemon. and did so. Or
Saturday last Lemon wrote to Forster thai
Mrs, Dickens gratefully and thankfully &C
| cepted' the terms proposed to her. VI tine
In cuniary part of them, will say that they
| ire as generous as if Mre. Dickens were 9
| lady OF distinction and 1 man of fortune,
/ Irhe remaining parts of them are easiH
described my eldest boy 70 live with Mrs
Dickens, and to tske care OF her; ny elaes
i girl to keep my house; both my girls and q!
my children but my eldest son to live witt
/ me in continued companionship of theil
i Amt Georgine, for whom they have all tht
tenderest affections that have ever seer
lamopr Young people, and who has highe
i, claim las have often declared for many
years) up pom my affection, respect and graft
tude than any body in this world,
II hone that no one who may become &C
ouainted with Whist write here can possibl.
be so cruel and unjust as to put any miscon
Isstrnction on our separation 80 far. Ely olde
children all understand il perfectly, and al
accept it as inevitable.asa 81 sJ.r
.There is not a shadow of doubt or con
cealment among us. Ny eldest son and
are one as to it all. ~ II. $3.50
"Two wicked persons. who should hav
spoken very different of me, in .considera
ton Of earned respect and gratitude, hav
Gas am told. and, indeed, to my persons
knowledge), coupled with this separation
the name Of young lady for whom hav
q great attachment and regard. will no
repeat the name-I honor it too much
Upon my soul and honor, there is NOT o
} this earth a more virtuous and spoties
creature than that young lady. know he
to be innocent and pure, and as good as m
my own daughters. tsx, ~
s'Further, am quite sure that Mr.
Dickens, having received this assuranc
from me, must now believe it. in the respet
know her to have for me, and in the pc
feet confidence / know her, in her bette
, moments, to repose in my truthfulness.
son this head, again, there is not
shadow Of doubt or concealment betwee
, nv children and me. All is open and plal
, among us as though we were brothers an
4 sisters. They are perfectly certain that
. would not deceive them, and the con6dene
among MS is without fear. c. D."