The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-09
CHARLES DICKENS.
Edmund Yates on FOrster's Life Of
the Great Novelist.
SOME UNPUBLISHED LETTERS.
A Special Personal Notice of the
Career of "BOZ."

| LONDON Feb. 10, 1874
1t may be briefly stated at the outset that this Is
a most melancholy book, and that one rises from
It's perusal with feeling OF profound pity for the
subject OF the bographer. 1t is the old story OF the
great comic actor, Rich, who suffering under an
access OF melancholia was advised by the physician
whom he consulted, and to whom lie was unknown,
to go to the theatre and "see that funny dog,
Rlch," as the best cure for low spirits From the
pages OF Mr. Forster's last volume we find that
while Dickens in his concluding series OF readings
was evoking the laughter OF thousands and was
reaping enormous rewards. he was suffering sharp
bodily torture, which ended in his premature
death. Throughout other portions OF the book
also there Is morbid and narrowing strain. to
which we shall aude In its proper place. promising
that, while Mr.. FOrster's book Will form the ground
work Of this notice, the present writer, with whom
Dickens for the last fifteen years OF his life main
tanned close and unbroken intimacy, will bring
his own "reminiscences, extracts from letters &c,
to aid as illustrations to that portion of the story
This third volume, then, opens in the year 1850,
when Dickens. living in Devonshire terrace, was
at work on "David Copperneld,' perhaps, on the
whole, the best and most thoroughly popular OF
all his works. In it, too, he, almost for the first
time, began not merely to draw largely upon his
own personal experiences, but, of course un-
der fictitious names, sKetched the portraits
OF certain living personages of his &C.
quaintance Mrs. Seymour Hill, "a grotesque
little oddly" a female dwarf who gained
her living by corn cutting, protested strongly
against being brought before the public as MISS
Mowcher, and In consequence Dickens had to
make some alterations in his work. The authors
father, too, unquestlonably stood for MIR. Micaw-
Der, MIR. Forster going somewhat out of his way to
explain that in this instance no nlal disrespect
sentiment OF Walter savage Lander as Boythorn
and Leigh Hunt as SKimpoe IN "Bleak House,"
The former is mere irascible fellow, to whom
no objection could be taken, but skimpole
was SO much like Leigh Hunt alike in
his fascinating roibles as in his monetary
obligations, that some OF Hunts friends naturally
took objection to it. and though Dickens made the
best apology in his power to Hunt, and after
Hunts death published a more elaborate defence,
there Is no doubt that Leigh Hunt will be regarded
the prototype of Harold Skimpole SO long as the
book lasts At the end of 1851 he took up his resi-
dence at Tavistock House, and there commenced
his new novel, "Bleak house." which was finished
in Boulogne, in August, 1853. With the last-men-
toned place he was delighted, returning TO 1t in
two subsequent summers, and writing an admir-.
able description Of it IN Household Words, under
the title OF "Our French Watering Place." From
Boulogne, at the end OF the summer OF 1853, he
started on an Italian tour, accompanied by Wilkie
Collins and Augustus Egg, the painter; but by
Christmas he was back in London and hard at
work on his new story, "Hard Times" AS this
tale was to be published in Household Words, he
felt, for the first time, what he described
as 'the difficulties Of space" He had, as he has
more than once mentioned to the present writer,
bound himself down to write a short story which
should be comprised in certain number Of weeks;
repeated the experiment. His social life about
this time was pleasant enough. His first public
reading, for a charity, took place at Birmingham
with great success, and in the winter Of 1854
commenced the private amateur theatrlcals at
Tavistock House, in which the principal character
in Mr.. Collins two dramas OF "The Lighthouse" and
"The Frozen Deep" were acted with wonderful
success by Dickens. In October. 1855, he went to
Paris and there commenced his novel Little
Dorrt."
Dickens life in Paris was very pleasant one.
He resided near the Avenue des Champs Elysees,
amused himself at the theatre, made the acquaint-
ance OF Schefrer, Regner. Scribe, Emile de
Girardln, George Sand and other celebrities, and
saw many OF his old English friends who
came over to the French Exhibition of 1856.
He sat to AIRY schefYer for the portrait which is
hnOw in the National Portrait Gallery, and returned
from Paris at the end OF April, being engaged at
this time "Little Dorrit," which was published
the following spring. and certain work for House
hold Words, notably "The Lazy Tour OF Two Idle
Apprentices" the record Of jaunt which he had
MADE with Mr.. Wilkie Collins. About this time
Douglas Jerrods death occurred, and was an
especial grief to Dickens They had been firm friends
for many years, during which they had only had
one difference, at the reconciliation Of which the
present writer was present Dickens, who was
81 Gov In., arv,s,.r
some friends in the strangers room. while Jerrod,
as stranger. was dining with another member.
AS it happened the tables were contiguous and
after little while Jerrold suddenly wheeled round
his chair to the other table and cried, al can't
listen u your voice as stranger any longer.
For Gods sake shake hands," Dickens in.
stantly complied, and the old intimacy was
as firm as ever. Jerrold lett his family in
want, which, coming to Dickens knowledge, he
thus writes to Mr.. Forster "a propose that there
should be a night at the theatre, when the actors
shall play the Rent Day and Black Eyed Susan;'
another night elsewhere, with lecture from
Thackeray; a day reading by me- night reading
by me; lecture by Russell, and subscription
performance of THE Frozen Deep as at Tavistock
House. My confident hope is that we shall get
close upon f20O0n On the day Of Jerrold's funeral
Dickens, Arthur Smith (of whom further mention
will be made) and the present writer dined TO-
gether, when Dickens drew up a short programme
OF the intended performances, which, at his re-
quest, the present writer placed In the hands Of
each OF the editors OF the London daily newspapers
that evening. The result fully justified the antici
patton, the sum OF e. 900 being invested ultimately
for the benefit OF Jerrold's unmarried daughter,
who still receives the interest from Mr. Forster,
the sole surviving trustee.
The next chapter, called "Nhat Happened at
This Time," contains, or is supposed to contain,
description Of that portion Of Dickens life the
most difficult to be dealt with by his Dographer, the
most eagerly looked for by the public. In the
opening sentence OF the chapter Mr.. Forster tells
us that an unsettled feeling, greatly In excess OF