New-York tribune., 1879-11-24
DFtTU or n S. DICKENS.

Y
in London on Saturday morning by tho death of
Mrs Catherine IIogarth Dickens The story of her
separation from the novelist must yet be iresh III
the public recollection. Thirty-seven years ago.
when Mr. Dickens made his first visit 10 tins cOuh-
try, he was accompanied by his young wife, ana III
the numerous reports of his movements and OF the
attentions which he received she was sometimes
kindly mentioned 1t was believed that they were
extremely happy in their domestic relations
nor was It supposed that one who wrote
so tenderly Of domestic love could 1all 10
love tendcrly 10 the end. so far as the Woru
knew. the novelist and his wife continued 10 I'VE
contentedly together until 1ooS, when scahuai
came. and the separation was announced. The old
reason was assigned of incompaiibility of temper
There was a supplementary story of the overiond-
ness of Mr. Dickens for Miss Georgiana Hogarth,
his wifes sister who lived IN his family. THIS Mr.
Dickens publicly repudiated as grossly false and
scandalous-as a libel upon the ladys character and
his own. Ii is not at all necessary to go into any
discussion OF this matter. NJ. Dickens may have
lost his old love without the influence Of new and
unlawful one. 1t is enough that it was lost. lncon-
patibllity is sad enough without the imputation OF
inhdelity
Society on both sides of the ocean, however, has
made this private and family misunderstanding
the subject of much discussion. Mr.. Dickens HIM
self thought fit tOprnt his version of the affair
the sum total of considerable writing being that
he could live happily with his wife. and as she
could not live happily with him, 1t was better they
should live apart. This might be said OF any
separation Of like kinds but when husbands and
wives talk about their incompatibiity-a word
whchsve are sorry to say has into frequent
1t by no means follows that the whole morality OF
The matter has been disposed Of 1t is the duty of
s.l p, lfva " hgY
For tho sake of children, of good manners. of a
relation the sacredness OF which must not
be lightly disregarted. marriages should not
be practically annuued, except under the
prtssure Of the gravost necessity. \ man
of irritable nerves. OF peculiar tastes, OF exactng
habits. of Fixed notions. may find 10 hard work to
live with wife who frets him. who crosses him.
who docs not understand him. or who, perhaps
understands him too well. But all this does not
bv nuv means excuse the sunderng OF ties solemnly
adopted In tine presence of God and the world.
conscientious and high-minded. OF even a merely
kind-hearted husband. Will seek 20 make bad better
VIII bear and forbear. will be gentle aud pltlful
oven though he may be soTely provoked, and Will
sacrifice not a few of his own preferences and par
talites for the sake Of peace and to the good
name of his household. But 1t is unquestionably
true that men Of genius too often selfish. aud
labor under tho halucination that this would WIS
created and s carried expressly for their benefit
If Mr. Dickens petted by the public, and
fdtod and battered, and N early life met with
an astonishing literary success, such q fortune
may have exercised damaging effect upon his own
character. There is evidence enough, even IN the
collection of bis letters recently published. that he
was man difficult to please and particularly fond
of having his own way. Little traits Of his oharac-
ter peep ouI which are not altogether lovely. He
may have been man Of the highest
honor and his affections were undoubtedly strong
but We suspect that one ever lived more reso-
lutely bent upon having bis own way. OF. We NAV
say, his own ways, Of which he had many. He must
have been positive about little rs well as about
great things. Without much stretch Of language,
he NAV be set down as eccentric-Guite rs much so,
we think. as his friend Mr.. Landor. who also had
domestic difficulties. II we were wiring Of any
man smaller than the author nf THE Tale of Two
CiuesD we might describe him fGssy. He had
not little OF tho particularly and pertinaclty
which the world reasonably or unreasonaby. at
tributes 20 old maids. lie speaks his letters very
sweety Of those who served uDon his staff during
bis reading tours. hut it may be violently suspected
that tney did not have a good time OIL.
If we consider the scandal OF Mr Dickens's mar
rcd life from these points OF view II Is eisy to
why his home was not happy ono. Mrs. Dickens
undOuDtcdly was not "a woman OF Ecl4uSj aDe was
a plain. honest simple Englishwoman, with her
little tempers, perhaps, and may be with other ln-
drInites OF purpose and conduct. as the wife of
her husbands youth. the mother of his children,
she was worth caring for and carefully concilist-
ing IL this utterly impossible. there Is moth
ing more to say; but impossible is a strOng word.
There is at the present time tendency to depre-
ciate the marriage relation. There new theo-
RES about it. some Of them wicked, aud some of
them nonsensical. Men occupying a distinguished
position. whose example is therefore likely to be
important, may well pause before they add the
authority Of their names to pleas of incompatibhty
which are mere evasIons OF duty aud honor