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

his own creations always by his side 1ney were
living speaking companions. With them only ne
was everywhere thoroughly Identified. lie laughed
and wept with them, was as much elated by their
fun as cast down by their grief ana brougnt 10
the consideration OF them belief In their realty
as well as In the influences they were meant 10 eA-
ercise. which in every circumstance sustained
him." But during the composition OF "Llttle Dor-
rt" his creative genius II 1t did not actually give
way, was at least for q time overloaded; ne re-
sorted for the first time, to the practice or
putting down written memoranda OF suggestions
OF character and incidents, and his restlessness
became more pronounced than ever. "His old
pursuits were too often laid aslue for other excite
ments and occupations; ne joined public politi-
cal agitation. set on foot by administrative re-
formers; be got up various quasi public private
theatricals, in which he took the leading place."
When Mr.. Forster demonstrated with him he re-
piled, 'Too late to say, Put the curb on and don't
rush at hills; the wrong man to say 1t to. have
now no belief but in action. ] am becoming inca
pable OF rest am quite confident should rust,
break and die If spared myself Much better to
die doing"
While he complains that his friend is not so toll
Grant as he might be Of "the wayward and IN
settled feeling which is part OF the tenure on which
one holds an imaginative ifen he does not seek to
screen himself from the blame which will follow
the act. ri claim no immunity from blame. There
Is plenty OF fault on my side, dare say, In the way
OF Thousand uncertainties caprices and difficult
ties OF disposition; but only thing will alter all
that, and that is the end, which alters every
thing" He was dead set upon carrying this sep
aration into effect, refused to listen to anything
like remonstrance or to take any middle course,
and carried it into enect then and there. Hence
forward he and his wife lived apart; "the eldest
son went with his mother Dickens at once giving
effect to her expressed wish in this respect, and
the other children remained with himself their in
tercourse with Mrs. Dickens being left entirely to
themselves" And then followed the self-innicted
coup which dislodged Dickens from his pedestal
and overshadowed the rest OF his life. SO far the
separation had been purely private matter, and,
though the general public had, Of course,
some inking OF 1t, 1t would have caused
three days. talk and then been forgotten, mad not
Dickens, in the over-excited and irrational frame
Of mind in which he then was, chosen to take the
public into his confidence and lay bare the secrets
of his domestic life. He prepared statement Of
his case for publication in Household Words, and
although Mr. Forster strenuously opposed this pro-
ceeding, all he could wiring from his friend was an
offer to suppress 1t, 'i, upon reference to the
opinion of certain distinguished man still living,
That opinion should prove to be in agreement with
mine" The present writer has Dickens own
authority for saying that that distinguished man
was Mr.. ]. 7. Deane, then and now editor OF the
London times. His opinion conceded with
Dickens, and the statement appeared in House
hold Words, whence it was widely copied through
out the country. 1t was speedily followed by
another statement, which Dickens always
called "the violated letter. paper subscribed
by his name which got into print without
his sanction. It had been addressed and
given to Mr.. Arthur Smith as authority for cor
rection of false rumors and scandals, and Mr..
Smith had given copy OF it with like intention to
the London correspondent Of the New York
tribune, by whom 1t was sent to his journal and
there published. What this second statement was
Mr.. Forster does not say, but it Is probable that it
had some reference to document copy OF
which was sent at the time by Dickens to the
present writer, with the following letter.
TAvIsToCK HOUSE, TAvIsToCK SQUARE,
LONDON, w. G., Monday Evening, May 81, 1858. !
My DEAR -. You will readily believe that
shall never make ungenerous use OF the paper OF
which send you copy on the other side, though
believe nothing will ever reconcile me to the two
who have signedit But as know Mrs. F-'s ears
to have been abused think it simply just that she
should see it. If you think SO too (but not other
Mse show to he, with my H kRa Esgefdk er
The "copy on the other side" ran thus
1t having been stated to US that in reference to
the differences which have resulted IN the separa-
ton OF Mr.. and Mrs Charles Dickens, certain
statements have been circulated, that such differ.
ences were Occasoned by circumstances deeply az
1ecting the moral character OF Mr.. Dickens and com.
promising the reputation OF others, soemnly
declare that we now disDelieve such statements
We know that they arc not believed by Mrs.
Dickens and we pledge ourselves on all occasions
to contradict them as entirely destitute of founda-
ton.
This paper is signed by two female members Of
Mrs. Dickens family.
There is no doubt that so soon as the statement
was printed in Household Words an extraordinary
revulsion of popular feeling took place against
Dickens. He who had been looked upon as the in
carnation OF every domestic virtue now stood
before the world breaking up his home and
casting of his wife, avOwedly for no fault Of her
own, but for the mere caprlcious qualification Of
his own morbid fancy. Violent articles were
written about him in the newspapers, and the fol-
lowing epigram, not given by Mr.. Forster. was
largely circulated:-
With tongue and pen no more may Dickens fudge,
In vain Tor truth and charity he pleads;
The world aroused, the author now Wen Judge,
Not by his Household Words, but household
deeds
His acquaintance was split into two sets, one OF
which sided with Mrs. Dickens, and among the
friendships which Dickens lost at that time were
those with Miss Burdett Coutrs, his partners in
Household Words and publishers Messrs Bradbury
& Evans, and his old and intimate ally, Mr.. Mark
Lemon. He bore up bravely against these troubles
but that the pain OF them entered into his soul the
following ext act from letter OF his to the pres
ent writer, dated June %, 1858, Will show
If you could know how much have felt within
this last month, and what q sense OF wrong has
been upon me, and what a strain and struggle I
have lived under, you would see that my heart is
80 jagged ana rent and out OF shape that 1t does
not TINS DAY leave me hand enough to shape these
words.
Under these circumstances 1t was lucky that he
found q new excitement in commencing his public
readings. These originated in his giving gratu-
ttous reading for the benefit OF the Sick Chidrens'
Hospital, and when the London public had once
seen and heard him they raved 20 see him again,
he being in no way coy. The first series began
with sixteen nights at ST. Martins Hall and pro-
YinCial tour OF eiQhtY-seV readings. beginning