The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-18
THE LATE CHARLES DICKENS.
The Family OF Dickens.

Mrs Charles Dickens survives her husband.
She has lived apart from him ever since their
unfortunate differences resulted in public
scandal in 1885, Mr.. Dickens had buried sew
eral children, and leaves two daughters-one
marAed to Mr.. Charles Collins. brother OF VIII
kie Collins, the novelist, and one unmarried
and several sons, the eldest married and alrea-
dy dabbling in literature, one in Australia, one
in the navy, and one winning high honors in
the university. Miss Hogarth. "a sister of his
wife, has given her life to the care of the fami
ly, and was with Mr.. Dickens at Gad'shill at
the time of his death. Of his many friends,
perhaps the most intimate was Mr.. John Fors-
ter, the blographer of Goldsmith and Landor,
to whom Mr. Dickens dedicated the last edi
tions of his works; and 1t seems likely that
upon Mr. Forster will devolve the duty of writ
ing the life Of his friend. The great humorist
had many personal friends in this country,
though In his recent visit his exhaustive labors
as reader made such demands upon his time
and attention, that he was sole to enter very
few private houses during his whole stay. He
was an intimate friend OF Mr.. Fechter, and the
mail by the last steamer brought letter from
Mr.. Dickens to the tragedlan.
Nothing could we'll be more absurd than the
rumOr circulated In some quarters OF an inten-
ton on the part of the Queen of England to
raise Mr.. Dickens to the peerage. The fortune
left BY the great novelist would i'll suffice to
support the charges of such dignity, and 1t
would be eXquisitely out of keeping with the
whole tenor of his life and writings, to bestow
the titles and prerogatives Of privileged or
der upon the representatives OF q man whose
genius was one OF the great levelling and dem
ocratic forces Of the age.
Dickens as an Actor.
1t was fifteen years ago, in 1855, that Dick
ems first became conspicuously known In Lon
don society, as the posseesor OF dramatic tai
ents, hardly less noteworthy than his gifts as
an author. In that year he took leading part
In the performance at his then residence
''Tavistock House".of striking play In two
acts, written by Mr. Collins, "The Light
house." So much was said of this perform
ance, and so much curiosity was excited In re-
gard to it, that Mr.. Dickens finally consented
ton, then Inhabited by the fashionable, since
become the felonlous, Colonel Petrie Waugh.
The play was then performed for the benefit OF
a charity connected with the army In the Cri-
mea. The splendid mansion was crowded with
the most brilliant company that could be as
cast Of the comedy:
Aaron Gurnock, head llght-keeper. .Chas: Dickens
Martin Gurnock. his son. .Wilkle Golllns
Jacob Dale third nshsSeeper ma MARX Lemon
R lief OF Keepers Boatmen, &c.
ShipwrecGed Lady. .................. MISS Hogartn
Tho Fne ssene Was mid in the Eddvstone Tie Lighthouse
Of the performance, notice written by Mr..
Tom Taylor, next day appeared In the London
Times In this We read that "lhe acting OF
Mr. Dickens and Mr.. Lemon was most admira-
BILE, not only worthy Of professional actors, but
of kind not to be found save amon9 the rarest
talents. Aaron, q rough, rugged son of Corn,
wall, with the lines OF misery deeply furrowed
in his face, rendered more irritable than hum
BILE by remorsc, and even inclined to bully his
way through his own fears, Is elaborated by
Mr. Dickens with wonderfulncss Of detail, so
that there is not an accent, growl or scowl
without Its distinctive significance. Inaword,
it was great individual creation OF Kind that
ha5not been exhibited before. Jacob Dale,
the bluff, honest, straightforward father OF
Phoebe, does not afford the same opportunity"
tie Times goes on to say-"f0r refined yarle-
ty, but his representation BY Mr.. Mark Lemon
was masterpiece of sturdy, thoroughly made
up reality"
Much praise was also bestowed upon the Ia
dies. But the association OF Miss Hogarth with
these performances gave great umoraSe 10
cause of the melancholy rupture between her
self and her husband, which occurred the next
year. Nothing in any way dlsgracefil attach
ed to either party from this rupture; but 1t Is
one of the few chapters In the great noveists
life In regard to which silence will be most
scrupulously preserved by all those who most
truly honor his memory.
His Last Work.
Mr. Dickenss last published instalment ofthe
''Mystery of Edwin Drood," ends in the follow
ing singular strain:
"sI wonder whether I shall sleep tonight
At oil events, will shut out the world with
the bedclothes and try
'iGrewgious crossed the staircase to his raw
and toggy bedroom, and was soon ready Tor
bed. Dimly catching sight of his face In the
misty looking glass, he held his candle to 1t for
moment.
"a likely some one, you, to come into any
body's thoughts in such an aspect . ne eX-
claimed There, there there Get to bed.
poor man, and cease to jabber!
''With that he eXtinguised his light, pulled
up the bedclothes around him, and with anoth-
er sigh shut out the world. And yet there are
such rneXplOred romantic hooks in the unlike
liest men, that even old tinderous and touch
woody p. J. 7. Possibly Jabbered Thus, ut
some odd times, in or about seventeen-fOrty
seven."
Thus the "Mystery of Edwin brood" remains
q mystery forever.