Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-07-06
Dickens Before he Was FnmOus. as De-
oe4abe0 On n. r. VGlanfn. srrs~


one day in Strand, DISTINGUISHING toward the
more crowded thoroaghfares. vi h clook and
umbrella, and looking at people and shop vim
doxs: ! heard my name called BY passenger
wet straw peered the head of my pu blisher. Mr..
MacroDe, @ most liberal and noble-hearted
fellow, since dead.) After little catechis'u -
formed me that he was going to visit Nswgxtc,
and asked ne 10 join him. I Willingly agreed.
never having seen this famous prison, and after
was seated in the cab he said that he was
for the Morning Chronicle. Who wished to
write description Of it.. In the most crowded
part of Holborn, within . door or too OF the
stopping place Of stage coaches.) We pulled up
lawyers' ehageers Not to leave me sitting In
him. followed BY long flight Of stairs 10 an
upper story, and was ushered Into IN uncarpeted
and bleak -leoking room, with deal table, two
or three chairs and few books, small boy and
at first with one thing, land made . memo
randum Of IL that evening, g the strongest i'm
stance had seem Of English obeequiousnee to
the e Which the author
lshers visit! remember saying to myself, as /
sat down on a rickety chair, ''My good fellow,
il you were in America, With thar hne face and
your ready quill, you would have no need to be
condescended to by publisher" Dickens was
dressed much rs he has since described Dick
Swiveller-miaas the swell look. His hair was
cropped close to his head. his clothes scant
though jauntily cut, and after changing a ragged
ONCE coat for shabby blue coat, he stood by the
door, collaflees and buttoned up, the very per-
sORihcation, thought, of q close sailor TO the
wind. We went down and crowded into the cab,
zone passenger more than the law allowed and
Dickens partly in my lap and partly in Ma
cIone's,) and drove on to Newgate. In his works,
II you remember, there Is description of the
Prison, drawn from this days observation We
were there an hour or two, and were shown
some Of the celebrated murderers confined for
lie, and one young soldier waiting tor execu-
meet Mrs. Fry, on her usual errand Of benevo-
lence. Though interested in Dickens's face,
forgot him, naturally enough, after we entered
the prison, and L do not think 1 heard him
at the door Of the prison, and continued nv
stroll into the city. Not long after this Macrone
sent me the sheets OF Sketches by Boz with
note saying that they were by the gentleman
who went with us to Newgate. read the book
with amazement at the genius displayed in it,
and in my note of reply assured Macrone that
L thought his fortune was made a. a pub
Usher, IL he could monopolize the author
Two or three years after was in London, aud
was present at the complimentary dinner given
to Macready. Samuel Lover, who sat next TO
me, pointed out Dickens. looked up and down
the table, but was wholly unable to single him
out without getting my friend to number the
people who sat above him. He was no more
June is like the same tree in February. He sat
leaning his head on his hand while Bulwer was
speaking, and with hrs very long hair, his very
flash waistcoat, his. chains and rings. and withal
a much paler face than old, he was totally uHsS
recognizable. The comparison was very inter-
esting to me, and looked at him q long time
He was then in his elimination of popularity.
and seemed taded to stupefactiOn.