Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-23
Dickens as David CopperGeId.

The new biography of Dickens by his intimate
friend, John Forster, reveals the fact that his
childhood was passed in almost abject poverty.
His father Mr.. John Dickens, fell into money
difficulties, and was confined in the Marshalsea
prison, afterward so wildly described in Little
DoTitt." Every small sum of money that could
be earned by any member OF the family became
of vital Importance; so the boy Charles, at about
ten years of age-that is 10 say, in the year1S22
was placed in backing warehouse, belong
ing to a distant connection Of the family, named
I9mert, which establishment was opened as
lival TO the famous backing shop of Warren in
the Strand. Lamer's house was at old Hunger
ford stairs, and it is 10 be found exactly de-
scribed in David Copperfeld." What many
suspected before is now specifically revealed.
The life Of the boy David Copperteld is the lie
of the boy Charles Dickens. The future novel
list entered the warehouse of James Lamert in
The most mental capacity, at a salary of six or
seven sblllings a week. His work was to cover
the pots of paste backing first with oil paper
and then with blue paper, 10 tie them round
with string, to clip the paper close and neat,
ana to paste on a printed label. In the discharge
of these duties his companions were boys OF
humble birth and uncutured manners, and
young Dickens, remembering his happier child
hood at Chatham, longing for education aud for
a start in life, and fearing thar, if his present
employment continued, he would sink into the
mere dregs of society, suffered degree Of an
shake off at the very hight of his prosperity.
In fragment of autobiography which Dickens
wrote in 1871, he said
From that hour until this at which write,
no word OF that part OF my childhood. which
have now gladly brought to a close, has passed
my lips 10 any human being. / have no idea
how long it lasted; whether for year. or much
more, or less. From that hour until this, my
father and my mother have been stricken damlJ
upon it. have never heard the least allusion
TO it, however far off and remote, from either Of
them. have never, until ! now impart il Il
this paper, in any burst Of confidence with any
one, my own wife not excepted, raised the cur
tain then dropped, thank God"
Many portions of this unfinished autubionra.
ply were introduced, almost word for word two
wears later, into David Coppelfield;" and the
manuscript has now been largely drawn upon
by Mr. Forster That gentleman thus relate,
the way in which the revelation was first made
to him :-"Ihe incidents TO be told now would
probably never have been known TO me, or in
decd any OF the occurrences Of his childhood and
youth, but for the accident Of question which
] put 70 him one day in the March or April oil
lS41. 1 asked If be remembered ever having
seen in his boyhood our friend, the elder Mr.
Dixie his fathers acquaintance aud contempt.
rary, who bad been clerk in the same office Ia
Somerset house TO which Mr.. John Dickens be
longed. Yes, he SAID, he recollccted seeing him
al a house ia Gerard street, where his uncle Bar.
row lodged during an illness, and Mr. Dixie had
visited him. Never at any other time. Upon
which told him that some one else had been
intended in the mention made 10 me, for that the
reference implied not merely his being met acct
dcntaily, but his having had some juvenile en-
pioymenf in q warehouse near the Strand nj
which place Mr.. Dixie, being with the eideI
Dickens one day. bad noticed him, and received
10 return for the gift OF half crown, very
low bow. He was silent for several minutes
felt n al had unintentionalIy touched pain'u
place IL his memory; and = Mr.. Dixie ! neyel
sp1se Of the subject again. II was not hOwcve;
lhru. hnf solle Hs.ks laIer that Diekens mad.