The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-02
a RhOs't Life OF nicltens,

glsh Men Of Ietters." now rcpubishng by the
Harpcrs. Is devoted to Charles Dickens. The
preparation OF this volume has been long de-
lsyed. apparently for tho reason that It was not
easy to find among men duly qualified by their
own literary reputation TO fix tho artistic value
Of Dickens's writings a biographer likely to
appreciate the qualities which have given the
novelist his incompatible popularity with the
mass OF readers. 1t is well known that even
during the lifetime OF Dickens there was
Il strong tendency among literary men to de-
tract from his merits. as compared
with those Of Thaokeray. and this dis
position has been aggravated by the indis-
criminate and almost fulsome euogy which
MIR. John Forster published under the name OF
biography. The editor Of the series has dis
covered at last. however. in Prof WARD q writer
who fully shares the popular admiration OF the
author OF The Pickwck Papers," and who at
the same time is able to give plausible. II not
convincing. reason for the faith that is in him.
The limitations Of Dickens rs u thinker and
writer may almost all be traced to his want OF
education u want for which he never him
self sought to compensate by adequate efforts
at self-instruction in after life. His Letters
from Italy" attest q deporable ignorance of
history and art. and. what is still more charac-
teristic of the man. they do not contain an init
nation that the author supposed the things OF
which he was himself ignorant to be worth
knowing In his reserved illusions to this SUBJ
ject. Prof. Ward admits that y" the letters pub
lie and private which Dickens wrote from Italy.
are not among the most interesting produc-
tons OF his PEN" The Cockney novelist
thought that Rome looked like London" and
that was about all he had to say of the Eternal
City. No wonder his biographer remarks sig
nificantly that in Italy, as elsewhere q man will,
In m nfI only hot at nla tb.ara
But although Dickens was assuredy no
classical scholar he was not. and in the ma
ture OF things could not be. a selfm writer
in the sense Of owing nothing to those who had
gone before him. Among those predecessors
it is usual to assert that Smollett exercised the
greatest influence upon Dickens. 1t Is no
doubt true that in David Copperfelds library
Smollett's books are mentioned first. and al
lusions to them are frequent in Dickens's other
novels. and in his letters. Prof. Ward notes.
moreover. condolences Of detail which bear
witness to the later writer's familiarity
with Smollctt. Thus. to Lieut.. Bowling and
Commodore Trunnion. as to Capt Cutie every
man was q brother" But on the whole. the
biographer thinks the manner OF Dickens re-
sembles Fielding's more strikngly than Smo-
let's. and he deems it impossible that Dick
ems should have preferred the method of
the novel OF adventure pure and simple, such
as Smollett produced alter the example OF " Gil
Bias" to the less crude form adopted by Field
ing. With the lattcr's nature. too. Dickens was
congenial for they both had that tenderness
which Smollett lacked, and tho circum-
stance that Of all English writer's OF
the past. Fielding's name alone was given
by Dickens to one of his sons indicates that
the modern novelist had learned to feel an
almost personal affection for his predecessor.
Among the authors of Dickens's own age Prof.
Ward mentions two or three who. in different
degrees and ways. exercised q notable in
huence upon his writings Dickens. 1t seems.
once declared to Washington Irving that every
thing written by the latter author was kept
upon his shelves and in his thoughts. and in
his heart of hearts" 1t is probable. rs the
present biographor suggests. that the American
classic may have aided to stimulate the imagi-
native element in his EnGlis admirers genius.
and to preserve him from grossness of humor
into which in the Sketches by Boz" he had
shown himself inclined to lapse. Dickenss
debt to Carlyle was much more considerable.
and the proofs are not few Of his readiness to
accept the teachings of one whom he declared
he would go. at all times further to see than
any man alive" Prof. Ward thinks that
not IA little OF the declamatory element in Dick
ens-the satirlcal invective whose edge
now seems blunt. aud whose energy seems in
fiation-must be ascrbed to the imitation OF q
writer who was often much more stimulative
than nutritious. Most persons will be sur
prsed TO learn that the third person who ex-
| erted marked inn uence on Dickens was Will
| kio Collins. who is regarded not only as the
| friend and fellow laborer of Dickens but as his
pupil and mitator. Prof Ward however as
| signs reasons for believing that the manner of
the disciple had no small share in bringing
| about transformation in that Of the master
| 1t was owing. We are told. to Collins that Dick
| enss stories gradually lost all traces Of tho old
er novelists both in general method and in de-
| tall while he learned to concentrate his effects
in SUGGESTIONS Of skilfuly arranged scenes.
| But while the obligations of Dickens to other
writer's are recognized. they are reckoned by
| the bographer but trivial In comparison
with what no owed to his natural gifts. First
| among these Prof. Ward naturally places his
| scnsibility. that quality of which humor and
pathos are the twin products. This sonsibility.
| however. would not have given us Dickcns's
| gallery OF living pictures had it not been for
| the powers OF imagination aud observation
| which enabled him spontaneously to exercise
| it in countless directions. In its lower form
| this combination of the faculties OF mag
| inaton and observation has the cleaning
| rapldity OF wit. and, indeed. sometimes is wit.
| But the quality which seems more prominent
than any other in his whole being is physical
| vigor. which unluestionably was the parent of
some Of his foiblcs. and particularly OF his ten
| dency to exaggeration. No fault has boon more
frequently found with his workmanship than
| this. and Prof. Ward does not pretend that
| no can DO defended successfully on this
| score; but no adds that without this visor Dick
ems could not have been 50 marvellOusly ere
atod as he was. and he insists that in this nov
| eist there were united with rare complete
ness swift responsiveness to tho impulses OF
humor and pathos. an ineXhaustible fertility
| in discovering and invcnting materials for their
exercise. and the constant generative desire TO
give to these newly created materials vivid
| plastic form"
| AS regards Dickcnss mannerisms tho biog-
raphcr points out that he gradually wecded out
| the solccisms and vulgarsms OF his earlier
| style got rid OF the Cockney habit of punnlng.
and ceased to lapse. in highly mpassioned
passages. into blank verse. TO the last. how
ever he was not free from Amercansms in
his photography, and his punctuation was gro