The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-12-28
From the Me- YORK Herald. Oct -
Princes OF the Pen.

Ma. EDuUND YATES o. CHARLES DrCEEN-lIts
RESIDENTS, HAErTS. AND NErUE-PERsoNAL
kEGLNIsCENES.
Mr.. Edmund Yates delivered last evening 4
lecture, tie subject Of which was advertised -
- Princes Of the Pen. but which turned out, in
fac, - simply refer ~ Mr.. Charles Dickens, Mr..
laies having found it too much for him 10 speak
Vt Ihackeray and Iennyson az well 90 the same
evening. The audience was very thin, bat = iair
degree of interest was manifested.
Mir. Yates began by saying that he should not
give them a criticism Of Mr.. Dickens Us a novel
ist; lac would simply speak of him as
HIS DEAR DEAR FRIEND.
He aimed merely for the nonce TO be the Boswell
OF tine great novelist. When be had first known
Dickens that great man had already changed very
nOticeably IN personal appearance from the young
man who, assOmeO one had said, = came and calmly
took his place at the head of English literature. >
aud whose features had been preserved for US by
the pencil of Naclise- His HAIR was already
streaked with gray; time had carved thoughtful
lines about bis face, and his complexion had a
peculiarly weather-beaten red-brown tint, which
made him look singularly like some sailor, who
had been subjected to every yicissitude of climate
and weather. Mr.. Yates proceeded to infinitely
describe Mr.. Dickens residence at GadshIll-its
guardian dogs, its furniture and pictures, It's
apartments and garden, and more particularly
ami mInutely than all, Dickens study. Dickens
HABITS OF LIFE
were very regular. He breakfasted at nine, and
from ten to two invariably secluded himself in his
study or in the little summer chalet given him by
Eechter for purposes Of literary work. Dickens
believed that literary work should be done at
stated hours, the same as any other business.
Dickens, it might be stated also, worked very
slowly. Even when young this was the case, Us
he confessed himself, when he wrote 10 Lady
B~lessington, " that he had just finished Il book,
and had come out of 1t looking like amurderer."
II. Il - H. = a ~ II ~
did an immense amount of work, all the reallabor
OF that Journal being in truth done by him.
Dickens, as well known, was Il great walker, and
he (1ates) had been greatly surprised, since he
had been IN this country, 10 hear it stated that
this was mainly to get rid of the effects OF the
PREVIOUS NIGHTS ROTATIONS.
No calumny could be more unfounded. But
Dickens walks were no mere pleasure strolls.
He was ever, on these pilgrimages, busy collect
ing new scenes and characters for his novels.
Dickens was a great actor. HIS power OF imper-
sonatIon was something wonderful, though he
only played at private theatricals. Dickens was
a happy and charming etter-writer-a faculty
which Mr.. Yates proceeded to illustrate by read
ing several humorous and pointed epistles from
Dickens to himself and to his mother. Dickens
had been
STRUCK DOWN
in the height of his fame and glory, though not
without warning. Strangely enough, five years
before his death, on the same day-thc 9th of June
on which he died, he was in a railroad accident
at Staplehurst. Dickens then sustained a shock
which probably shortened his life, and from the
effects of which he never thoroughly recovered.
Mr.. Yates went on to allude to Dickens political
opinions and his intense contempt for the aristoc-
racy. All the noblemen in his novels were either
foolish or absurd, and he had once told Mr.. Yates
that the idea of an hereditary peerage was pre-
posterously absurd.
The ouly public occasion on which Dickens ever
lost his temper was onceat a dinner, when, having
been twitted by Lord Houghton for his literary
injustice to the peerage, he turned round and re-
piled What amazing devil had possessed him to
accuse him of having deprecated the patrician
order" Before his death Dickens was shown
considerable favor by the Queen, and might have
obtained any distinction that his tastes and opin-
ions would permit him to accept. Mr.. Yates
then narrated the manner of the great novelist,s
IUOuu, anu OUIIUIuueu by Il perordtiUn, IN which
ne paid an affectionate tribute to the character
and genius of the author of 81 Pickwick."