New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
FORSTER'S LIFE OF DICKENS.

lhChpnS. and fragments OF an INC
n.or. We aprrchcnd it will prove disappointment
e. The majority of lOngeXlccting and eager readers
l'mimportant as has been the work Of the editor
III It's composition. he has not been content |
with the subordinate place that belongs I"
him. He is always watchful for an occasion |
Ia display his Cwn consequence His egotism and
vanity constantly peep out through the disguise oi
simple narrative. He never forgrts himself ana Is |
the alert pcrpctually to prevent his readers from
forgetting him. Instead Of modcstly remaining IN
the back ground aS faithful compiler of event N
the lie of gre at man. he puts himself forward on
terms If perfect equality. and claims bis share OF
the admiration which belongs 10 one for whose
fame he ia merely the purvCyor. lie even
goes so far as TO interrupt the thread
of the story hN Idle dI>'nSiiI"ii
ahout the spelling of his own name. In other re-
.Jccts he has performed his task III an ung1ac"ini
and uucracionS manner. His selections from the
corr,>Inndcncc Of Mr.. Dickens strike us as Singh
ially iniudciuus. giving the preference TO letters
addressed himself. although not of character TO
bear repetition. A considerable portion of II con-
sists Of Mr. Dickcn>s letters written during his first
visit to America about thirty ago, in which he
describes his crude and dstastcfnl impressions of
this country with an air of lippant bitterness which
he subsequently, regretted himself, and which 1t
would have been wiser for the biogIaphcr 10
have lift in Oblivion. The best parts of
the volume relate the history Of Mr.. Dickenss
childhood and youth aud of the origin and progress
of hi> successive productions. although the author
goes oi his way for a rude attack on Dr. Shelton
Mackenzie. he wcll-known journalist and lterateur
of Philadelphia for statement in his " Life of Dick
cn>' relating to the connection of Crukshank with
Oliver Twist and for the proof of which he has
ample documentary evidence Without further
comment however, the shortcomings of Mr.
Forster. will devote the space AT our command TO
specimens of the volume which may crafty
the curiosity of our readers.
The childhood of Dickens passed in ahject
poverty: his father, of shifts and cxpedients
the prototype of Micawbcr. and familiar with
the inside of prisons an insolvent debtor At an
early age. the put to service in backing
manufictory. the wretchedneSs of which he thus
describes in his autObiOgraphical sketch.
."rhi. speculation was a rivalry Of 'warren's Backing
20. strand At that time very lannon's One jonathan
Warm rhc famous one was Robertl, living at No. 80
called then claimed 10 have been the original in
been drpo.cd and Unused by his renowned relation. At
last he put himself ~ the way OF selling his Tecle and
very large. and the intermediate direction very sma,
for IN annuity and he set forth ny his agents mat te
some property was found i'll George I3mer the cousin
aud brohrr-inaw Of James. He bought this right and
title and went into the backing business and the black
INK premises.
In an evil hour for me- as often bitterly Thought
IT. chief manager Jimes Lamcrt. the relative who had
lived with u, in Bay hant seeing how was employed
from day T." day and knowing What our domestic cir
cnsiaces then were proposed that should 90 into the
hIcking warch"us" to he as useful rs could, st sal
wkrth, il was ,iv or seven am iucncd to believe
from uncertainty this head that was ak al first
and seven all. rwarl. Al any rate; the offer was ar'
rrlcd very wllneN hy my father and mothrr and on
Ia begin my business life
1T wonderful to me- how conld have been so easily
even after INV descent the poor little drudge had
in SINCE We came To- London, no one had compassion
dchcatc. and hurt bodily mcutaly-to suggest
that something might have been spared az certainly 1t
might have been. place lnr at any common school.
Our friends. taxi IT, were tired out No one made any
rG NV i,hr aI mr, We GII had n w fnf
Of fsc Distinguished ut grammar school, and go
aug TO Cambridge.
..Thc hla,king warehouse the last house IN"
left hand side at the at old Hunceriord stars 1t
wa. crazy tu old house. ahutinc, OF course
CIT the INcr. aud hteial ">crrun with rats Its VAIN
oted and ill., rotten foors and staircase and the
old SwatInng down IN IN" cellars. ana the
snund az suraking and scuflng coming up the
stairs all tunes and the dirt and decay OF the place,
rise u vi>iby before me- 81 II were There again The
cnuu'in house the first floor looking over the
which Wa 10 SIT and work. MY work to the
pots 81 lachinc first with piece OF oilpIrer and
and then Ia clp the paper close and neat all
a,c, Fr, Shop When certain number Of crosses
# pot had attained thu pitch Of perfection was to
more IOt, three other boys kept at similar
du:y dow stais similar wages One OF them came
DIS :" show me the trick OF using the string
AID t;ug The kn" HIS name WIS BOD faSln ana TOOK
nv Tx I,"''' '' using III ''"' ''H' ''' :" 0''''
"our relative had kindly Hrransed TO teach me
,"ur ;hnng IN" d,mn"r honr-from twelve I" one;
think 1t was-cvrrv day: Rnt an Arrangement $" IN,
comIn, be with counting-h"uSc business soon died
,vny from no fault Of his and, for the same
reason. my small work-talr and nv Crosses OF pots
NV papers, i,sor>. pdSe-p"t, and labels hy
lire and ic vanished out OF the recess in the count
irr hou>r. and Kept company wth the DINER small
worktahcs crosses q" pots papers srinc scissors pnh
ras;rpot- down stalls ii was not long before BON
faIm and j. and another boy whose lame was iau
hut, In n
.hrstrned Poll "a belief which transferred. long after
ward- acain Ia Mr.. sweCdloWpc. IN ldtii Chn"zeWH
phan aud lived with hi, br"lbci.mhw.a waterman |
Poll Greens father had tho additional distinction ~ |
H. ,ng a fireman. and employed al DIrN Lane The
h"r WHERE another relation 0f Pol" tmhh liz ltic
sister. did imps III tie plnomin"S
"No word can express th secret ic"ni my soul as
I sunk this comyanon>hr compared thcs" every |
,lay associates with those 81 NY haplcr chdh"0d ana
t.. NY carly h"pe- Of growing ny to he learned aud
ti.'utui ~hr,. man. crushed in breast The dCpIc-
Imcmhrarc" the ~c,c nad ~ beng utterly neglected
and hoIci,,; Of the shame irt IN nv position @, ~,
n,cI, II Wa 10 10y youne heart w believe ibi Gay ny
dty what hat learned. and th"n%h aud ce!2h''' H.
AMI raised nv fancy ana my r,.a,ioh up ~ "'' pa
ing away FROM never TO be hiorh, "aCR an, more,
..uo Il, written. Nv whole nature was $" l"nctrl'h
~.t the t'~f and foundation c su.h '"nr,usra,inn,.
,r' .,cn TINT sea dc ana v hnG , "i,r
d'.r that AN man; ana wander uehoid'e! DARK
q that lime uf my ne.
.Mv mother and NV brothers and listers 0Ncerting |
Fanny in me K"yal Arndtmy M Mu>I' %Eto an Wo c
hOhs. The two pdIorS ~ the rinPcd mouse III uowri
thr elmer hour and usually either carried my dinner
with me- ur and bought II at some htlghDoilng
Isp,y loaf: sone lnrs fourpcnny plate OF beef from
cook. shop: sometimes plate OF bread any chrcsr,
Tie wa,: the Swan. 4 remember right or TIE
and something else that have forgotten. Once;
from nome III the morning. under my arm, wrapped up
piece OF paper like book ana gong INFO tnc oSst
JohnsOns alamOde beef house III Charles
Court. Drnry Lane, and inagnihcentiy oT1eihg snii
plate of aainode beef 10 with H. What the walter
might nj H