The New York herald., 1870-06-12

Characters I'M Inc % 'ylous and subsequent works
fe author. The b that was oDo' no, readable BS
| the subject he seis, ted for the groundwork
OF "Barnaby Rudge" aaourm 9ne is,i calcuotea ora
afford opportunity for AS, lay OF his powers. AS
literary work his "AmerisaN Notes was ,hs m shs
ont u was unworthy OF Dck> "e we have mo SoDh,
III was not because he satirged Aciioans W M aia
BOOK that they condemn H. but o,e nd ne
where exaggerated faults ana 'oli'es anu in.a
US out nation OF people ncalaDie o performing
wise or decorous action. We 40 "ii, '"as n,, .n
unon tSe q uaercas .ns author .ae mus
b pe Taken taken Into consideration. Ana mardca, uahmv
oe denied that thirty years ago the eical m,raii
ues. we were rougher and less polished, R riiaps
lnen than we now are ana doubtless often I1at our
have been fairly SAID aganw us, it Is Inn pOssA Die
10 recognize IN american Notes" fatr and honest
lt e Gsss sne English r
and at thus late day we can read and laugh It's
pages; bat there were then but few Americans such
as IL uescrlDes. Dickens snglei out the isolated
individual and held him up before tic word
a. the representative Amerisan. However,
we have long since forgotten the pain which
the book caused, and have long since forgiven the
prejudice which prompted II. 1t was triumph
turned TO the United States, after an absence of
twenty-five years, we gave MIN lesson In geDeros-
ily and magnanimity by discarding our prejudices
ana receiving him with all the pleasure and entiu-
slasm his genius merited. That the absence OF
everything like malice ON our part touched him
YORK banquet, where he TOOK back all the bad things
he had said about us and apoogized handsomely for
The next novel written by Dickens on his return
10 England from his American tour was "Martin
Chuzzlewlt" ANA IN this work he also satirzed Anne
rlcans. This Is probably the poorest Of his tctons
IN point OF artistic construction, although one Of his
best FOR deineaton OF character. That hypGcrite
pecksnif, moral even In his hypocrisy, ana the jolly
Mark Tapley are admirable creations. But the plan
OF the novel is faulty and me brothers Cheerybe are
sullply lulpossDilitles. "PicCnres OF llaly," pub
a q
the land OF the Caesars. abound in humor. In fact
Dickens was not at all affected by the knowledge
that he was writing OF the classic land As when he
was IN America he could see only the comic side OF
Italian life, and thus his pictures possess nothing
Tor tie sake OF the humor and they contain In
addition to this work he wrote and published, be-
Chimes "The Cricket on the HEARTH" .'rhe Bat
tie OF Lfc and other short stories all OF which are
"Donbey and SOM appeared in 1s47-s, and at
once added TO the fame OF the author. This was
alter Dickens had retired from the patty Ne,os
which he, with Others had established in ls46
Journalism, however, was unsulted TO the novelist
who soon abandoned the editorial chair Tor more
ana Of little Paul there IS n much ii '1s that i
to be admired. The latter was based on
the model Of Nell, but although sweet
ana tender conception, II was not equal to the
heroine or "Old Curiosity Shop" Handsomely Us
this book was received by the public 1t was almost
This was at once the most comp. ehensIve ana most
perfect OF all the works of Dickens. Whether con-
sldered IN purely artistic sense for the symmetry OF
Its proportions or regarded In the light
OF descriptions OF character, 1t appears the abiest
fiction not only of the author, but of the age.
SKILL Agnes, Emily. Peg0otly, the Child wife,
Micawber-in fact, every being that he gave life to
In this book is perfect and finished whole. IL Is
the master work OF Dickens, and though it was
subsequently approached by his tale OF Two Cites,
4 % was , neither % surpassed nor equalled. "BleaS
splendid satire, while Great Expectations Is a
romance full OF pathos and sentiment. This last
ned M hal bnnn yAlt
merits deserve. Excepting David COpperheldr
ana The Tale of Two Cities II Is really the best
1t is symmetrical and If it does not attack social
wrong that Americans can appreciate from expe
rience 1t nevertheless pleads the. cause OF
last completed work OF Dickens, "Our Mutual
Fnend," disappointed public expectation. It's
principal fault was that 1t was too much the mere
novel; Stu Silas Wegg Is capitaly drawn charac-
ter and deserves to rank with the other humorous
creations OF the author. Belle too, one OF those
fair, fresh creatures which Dickens alone could
show us IN all the beauty OF nature That the last
production from the pen which must henceforth be
able The Mystery Of Edwin Droodn opened we'll
1t had often been charged against Dickens that he
not rise from above the level OF the medium classes
OF society," But in this novel he drawing a
about hun this respect. Whether The novel Is
lett complete is uncertain; we can onv hope 1t is.
HIS DOMESTIC INFELiCiTTEs.
Much has been said OF the domestic life OF the de-
ceased novelist, OF the unhappiness OF his marital
relations. He married when quite young man.
and for some years lived happily with his wife. by
whom he had several children. who survive him.
Why he separated from Mrs. Dickens WINS stated by
himself In letter to friend, which we give entire
below, as containing all that can be SAID at present
on this SUBJECT
MY DEAR -:-Mrs. Dickens and have lived unnappiy
oe % 70 ssye any pSs wo ha IN rs
Of character and temperament wonderfully unsued
joined
understanding another who had less
att q us Than
a servant, who lived with US sixteen years,
@ Mrs. Dickens eooaenes and mne nna
IN % s n s ss
have been year after yea month after month week after
has many occasions between separatloa
but Mrs M pl:kens sister GeSrsins Hogarh From the
and children. She has been their playmate, nurse,
IN he many c Mrs Dcten, whie%
@ TO w w st at Ss % cnse ns a sf
else do not know-i cannot by stretch of
this aunt grown up with them to whom they are
voted aud who has sacreed the best part of her youth and
She has reconstructed reasoned suffered toiled and
anu me Mrs Dickens has often to her her
OF her aectona.e care and devotion in the honse-neyer
some years past Mrs. Dickens has the nab Of
20 away and live apart that her always Increasing
made mental disorder M s, Under which she
the life she had to lead my wife, and that she would
bear misfortune and fight the tight to the end that
the children the hrs consideration ana that reared
they bind together SIN appearance" At
length, within these three weeks 1t was suggested to
me by Foster that for their sakes It would surely
be better to reconstruct and rearrange the unhappy
home. empowered him 10 trent with Mrs. Dickens the
friend OF both OF us for one and twenty years. Mrs Dickens
wished to add, her part, Mark Lemon, and did On
Saturday last Lemon wrote to Foster that Mrs Dickens
gratefully and thankfully accepted the terms proposed
70 her. of the Pecuniary part Of them viii only
dickens rs' ware lacy Of distinction and man u
fortune Ths remaining parts OF them easily de-
scrbetmy eldest boy to live with Mrs Dickens and TO
of her. my eldest girl to keep my house; both my
girls and MI children but the eldest to 1--we with
continued companonshp Of their Aun! oeorgne for whom
all tenderes affections that have
among young people, and who has higher claim have
often cecared for many years. upon Affection
and gratitude than anybody in this world.
hope that VINO become acquainted with what
here possibly be cruel and UNJUST any
isconsrcton our separation 80 far NY elder children
AL understand perfectly, and all accept IT as inevitable
There Is not shadow OF doubt or conceament among us
NV eldest and to II all. Two
wicked persons who should have spoken very diff.
ferently In consideration of earned respcc, and
gratitude ihave am told, and, indeed, personal
knowledge coupled with this separation the name of a
young lady for whom have great attachment and regard
will not repeat the namei honor II too much. Upon
my soul and honor there IL not n vruous aud
spoess creature than that young lady know her to be