The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-09

looked less eager and busy. and not 30 much out
of himself or beyond himself 1 should IKE 70
catch him asleep and quiet now and then"
The next six or seven years OF bis life were COM
paratvely unimportant to the public. In them
his literary labors consisted in his starting his
new bantling, AL the Year Round with
the "Tale Of Two Cities,n perhaps the
most wholly perfect Of all his works; and
to the same periodical he contributed the
admirable "Great Expectations He reverted
to his old form Of serial publication between green
leaves, with "Our Mutual Friend" which appeared
In the years 1S64'6S, and in the interval, besides
many short papers, he wrote consecutive series,
the ''Uncommercal Traveller" which contains
some of the brightest bits Of his humorous 0bserva-
ton. During this time, too. he gave second and
third series Of public readings In Great Britain,
which were highly remunerative, but the labor
attendant on which had some effect on his con.
stitution bringing about an attack In the foot now
believed to be suppressed govt, which troubled
him to the last. Also IN this interval several OF his
intimate 1riends-notably Egg Leech and Thack-
eray-were carried OF, and on the 9th OF June,
1865, Dickens himself was in a terrific railway &C.
cident at Staplehursr, which, though doing him no
actual injury at the time, was undoubtedly great
shock to his nervous system and told upon bis
future life
Towards the close Of the year 1867 he decided
on paying second visit to America, and giving
series of readings there. Some little time before
he wrote, ~ begin to feel myself drawn towards
America as Darnay, In the Tale OF Two Cities,'
was attracted to Paris" And again. "Every mail
brings me proposals. and the number OF Americans
at ST. James Hall has been surprising. certain
Mr.. Grau who took Ristori out, and is highly re.
sponsibe. wrote to me by the last mail (for the
second tlme) saying that ii 1 would give him
word OF encouragement he would come over imme-
diately and arrange on the boldest terms for any
number chose, and would deposit large sum at
Coutts'. Mr.. Fields writes to me on behalf Of COM
mittee OF private gentlemen at Boston, who wished
for the credit of getting out, VINO desired to hear
the reading ana did not want profit and would
put down as O guarantee f10,OO0 also to be banked
here. Every American Spectator who comes to
London repairs straight to Dolby with similar pro-
posas." The result OF all this was that ne sent
MI. Dolby (who had been his manager since the
death OF Mir. Arthur Smith as his pioneer to Amer
lea. to how the land lay; and that on receiving
his report Dickens decided to give series OF read
ings in America, not as the nominee OF any specus
lator, but on his own account. Amagnihcent fare
well banquet, over which Lord Lytton presided.
was given to him Oh the "a Of November, at st.
James, Hall, and on the 9th few intimate friends,
including Mr.. Wills, Mr.. Wilkie Collins and the
present writer, who had accompanied him to Liv-
erpool on the preceding day, took farewell of HIM
on the deck of the Cuba and watched the gallant
vessel steam slowly away bearing HIM to Boston.
The fifteenth and sixteenth chapters OF Mr.. For.
sters book are entirely devoted TO the narration
OF the incidents of Dickens second visit to America
and are chiefly told in his own language and az
you have no doubt reprinted most Of the I'M
portant points ! VIII not repeat them here.
The homeward voyage did Dickens great deal
of good and within a few months Of his return he
commenced the final series OF readings, which had
long previously been agreed upon between him
and the Messrs. Chappell. In them he had the
usual success and there Is nothing special to re-
cord about them, save that his determination to
read in public the episode OF the Murder OF
Nancy" from "Oliver Twist" was the cause Of a
painful correspondence between him and Mr..
Forster who says :-'It is impossible for me to adj
init that the effect to be produced was legitimate,
or such as 1t was desirable to associate with the
recOllectons Of his readings" Dickens foot began
to trouble him again, and as his work progressed
he became so i'll that 1t was considered necessary
to consult Sir Thomas Watson, the cleverest living
English physician, who writes subsequently
to MIR. Forster:-'srhe state thus described
showed plainly that Charles Dickens had been on
the brink of attack OF paralysis of his left side
and possibly Of apoplexy. 1t was no doubt the re-
suit OF eXlTeUlo hurry, ONcIW OIh duu CAClICmSue
incidental to his readings" BY Sir Thomas Wat
sons advice the readings were suspended for some
weeks, then renewed in the country. and finally
concluded at st. James Hall on the 18th OF March,
1870 when the last words of his little speech were,
"From these garish lights vanish now Tor ever
more with heartfelt, grateful, respectful, afec'
tOnate farewell"
Little more remains to be added. He continued
at Gadshin, occupying himself with his new book.
edwin Brood" and, though those intimate
with him saw considerable change in his
face, o dimunition Of his animal spirits and
Of his physical activity, one had any
idea that the end was SO near. On the
9th of the following June he was suddenly struck
down by an attack OF apparently mingled paralysis
ana apoplexy such as Sir Thomas Watson had
foreseen and never spoke again. Five days after
he was buried IN Westminster Abbey.
we have thus run through the principal portion
OF Mr.. Forster's book. the only passages untouched
by US being a chapter In which Mr.. Forster gives
his own criticism In detail on Dickens principal
works and another called personal Character
isticsu which has been separately treated by US.
Mr.. Forster has discharged his duty modesty, af-
fectionateiy and well. He has been more out
spoken than was generally expected; but the
death of his hero was OF too recent a date to
enable him TO tell the whole truth concerning the
last years of that strange troubled life Mr.. Fors
ter's biography is the book for generation;
perhaps to the next some future writer Will give
work which, based upon it. will tell the tale it
is now impossible to be told
EDMUND YATES.
The Stain Upon His Fame.
From the st. Lonis Republican, March IL
There never had been, and is not until this day,
SO far as we aware. the slightest breath Of
scandal concerning Mrs. Dickens she has borne
the reputation OF true vile and fond mother.
and never allowed the reputation of her husband