, 1874-02-25

g Edwin brood ~ =. Tho NovclfKt9s
Separation from Ellis sEifc.-H1is tucn
OF AbstolaliOllR Dicts


Separation from Rnis xyi4c--1uis 1ucn
OF Abstolni0us Diet.
II EDWIN BROOD"
From the Third VoInnc qf torstcrs Life ef ptcktns.
Tie last book undertaken by Dickens was
bo published in Illustrated monthly numbers
1t closed unfinished with tho sixth
number. which was itself undor-w1tton
~. two pages. Ills first fancy for the
talo was Expressed in letter in tho middle Of
July. "What should thiuA Of tho idea " of
story beginning i'll tins way2 Two people,, boy
and girl, Or very young, going apart from oEo
another, Pledged to DO laarricd aftor many yours
ut tho cnd Of tho book. Tho intarost to arlso
out Of the tracing Of their SEPARATE Ways, and
with thnt impending fato. This waa laid as,le,
but it Left marked trace OH tho Btory ~ after
ward designed in tho position Of Edwin brood
aud his botrothed. I first hoard of the latcr do
rlgn iu q letter dated Friday, tho 9Th day Of
usual ul'Btintcd praiho ho bestowed always
OIL what moved hun III others. Of 4 little
talo ho had received for his journal, ho
spoke Of tho chnngo that llnd occurred to hiu,
fancy told you OF, at.d hayo q very curious md
new idcn for MY nav Htory-not communicable
idca Tor tho interest Of tho book would bo gono),
but Il very stroug Que, though difficult to work."
Tho story, loarlsed immediately aftorwutd, WIS
to DO tint Of the murder Of nophew by hia
uucle; tho originality of which WAS to consist
iu tho review OF tho ulurdorer's career Of him
sef at tho close, when its temptations were to.
DO dwolt upon us IT not to the culprit, but some
other man, wore the temptca.
Tho Inst chaptcrs woro to be writton III tho
condemned coll, TO which his wckcdnosH all
deliberately eioited from him aa II told of anoth-
or, had brought him. Discovery by tile murderer
Of tho utter noollesBness Of tho murder for itB
Of tho decd; but all discovery Of tho murderer
was to bo baillol till towards The close, wheu,
by means OF D gold ring which Ind resisted
tho corrosive effects Of tho limo into which
lie haa thrown the body, not ouly tho
peraon murdered was to DO iaoutiled. but Tho
locality OF the crime n.ld the man who committed
It. So much WIS told to mo before nny Of tho
hook WIS written and it will be recollected
TINT tho ring. taken by brood to bo given by Lis
betrotl'ed only II thoir enSagotslont went ,on,
inorYlow. nosn waa to marry Tartar, and
Crisparalo tho sister Of Lanlless, who wns him
self, think. to l.aye porishod III assisting l'nr~
tar finally to utlnaal and soizo tile murderer.
parts Of tho design, excepting what III fonnll in
tho published numbers; there was no hint of
preparation for the soquel III any notoa OF
characters IN advance; and tAoro remained not
even what 10 had lnlBoif 10 sadly wrltton Of
lhe book by rhackosay aho interrupted by deatl.
Tho ovidonoo Of natnred designs novor
to DO accomplished, iutontlons planned
nsver to 10 executed. roads OF thought
marked ont neyor to bss trayorsod,
goals shining III ti,o Distance neynr to 10 roacs-
od, WIS waiting. here. Enough llud been COM
plotted, nevertheless, to tivo promise Of much
creator book than Its Immediate predecessor.
" hope his book 10 tluislod," wrote Longfol-
low when tho uewH Of h,B death waH flashed to
America. "lt IL certainly ono Of hA most beautl-
III! wurH, it not tho moat beautiful .ot al@. It
wouu he too sal to thiuk tho pom had fallcn from
hla hnnd. ana loft it ,inconplase. some OF
its characters wcro toucllod will, Bubtloty. mud i'll
its descriptions Ills imaginative power was ut its
best. Not line was want!ng to itB roality, In tho
trastoi md wo aaw with oq,lal yiyitlnosz tic Old
oat!,odral-town nnd tho lurlA opium. .oator'a don.
Something ilo tho old l,ghtnoHh a1t1 buoya1oy OF
animal spirits gave nov troshnesH to tholunior;
tho seonos Of tic ohildheruine and l,or luokless
in tI,om mud Mr.. Qrowglous In clamboya with
hia elork aad tho two walsaro, tho ooasaltea Hap-