The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-05-01
Dickens and his Wife.

The history of Charles Dickens mar
rage is simple enough. He was at that
time earning about thirty shillings q
Week. and met Mrs. Dickens, then q
moon-faeed, fair-haired, even-tempered,
round-waisted, good-natured, but very
commonplace English girl; one of those
women the hight of whose ambition
IS large family, little cottage, a new
dress, big bow and merry Christmas.
Sne was an honest, virtuous, simple-
minded slightly romantic woman,
whose heart was in her home. Charles
Dickens at that time was young man
OF very nervous temperament, with un-
bounded self-esteem, and who would
have made good husband had he not
been successful. 1t was after the birth
of their second child that Dickens be-
gan to realize the importance of doing
something to add to his pot dlt feu. He
himself has often described with what
fear and trembling = having a sick
wife and two crying babes to provide
for at home, and an unlimited humber
of smalbereditOrs watching .him-how
he approached the great, big, yawning
editors box of Chapman 4 Han, and
threw in his first two chapters of
"Sketehes by BoZ.n How astonished he
was few days after to see an adVer-
tisement requesting "Boz" to call on
the editor, and with what joy and
trembling he returned home and told
his wife he had been offered E20 a
chapter for his Sketches" The era of
Dickens Sketches constituted the hap
piest days of Mrs. Charles Dickens.
Often has the writer heard how Dickens
would read them to his wife and dance
wildly around the room. With the
close of the "Sketehes" began Mrs.
Dickens troubles. To better understand
the gradual change in Charles Dickens
treatment of his wife, it is necessary to
analyZe the character and training OF
the so-called commonplace English
girl. In this country the women easily
adapt themselves TO their positions in
life. In fact, in this country the woman
generally rises superior to the man. Not
so, however, with the dull, goOd-na-
tured, loving English girl. She, from
heI earliest childhood, is brought up in
circle whose views are narrow and
whose education is extremely limited.
The monotOny of her existence is only
broken by her regular attendance at
church and the counting of the house.
hold linen on wash-day. If she goes to
the Crystal Palace she will stare vaguely
at Correggio and make quaint remarks
when brought in contract with a chef
y
she sits in the buffet, or dining-rOO
Her circle of acquaintances will be
among her class, and that class of fsociety,
like herself, sees no beauty in art, nor
can appreciate true genius. This is the
character of Mrs. Dickens-a truly good
natured, loving, motherly woman. So
long as Charles Dickens had to buffet
against adversely, so long was he con-
tented with his little wife. But as soon
as Charles Dickens began to be courted;
as soon as he found he was on the road
to immortality and fortune; as soon as
he began to mix in society, and realized
the extraordinary facination of mixing
among the upper ten, then Charles
Dickens, for the first time, looked down
upon his little wife, who could not do
Justice to the name of her husband.
There is no mystery attached to the sep
aratiOn.-COTT. Nel0 York Herald.