Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-04-07
Mlis1eIlaneons.
Charles Dickens.

II is stated, and on the very best author
ity. that within the twelve years which
have passed since Dickens death no less
than 4.239 900 volumes of his works have
been sold in England alone. A long way
the first on this astonishing list stands
"Pfckwick," while David Copperfield,
the second, is almost equally far in front
OF .sDomby and Son. Little Dorrit"
has found nearly as many readers as
Martin ChuzZlewit," while. with the ex-
ception Of Edwin brood" ''Tbe Tale Of
Two Cities" and "Great Expections" take
the lowest place. Nor has his popularity
been confined to England or to English
speaking people. French. German and
Italian. Russian and Swedish translations
Of his works appeared during his lifetime;
when he was still but Young man the
pages of Boz were devoured, we
have been told, with enthusiasm in
Silesian villages; '-Pickwick," it is
said, and no no less circumstantial
authority, was found equal. when all
else failed, to the task of soothing the
sleepless nights Of Mohemet Ali. Mr.
Foster has published a story Of a strange
half human recluse who had built his cell
amid the eternal SHOWS of the Sierra Ne
vada. and who found in 'Pickwick" and
in '.Nich6 las Nicklby'' the only intercourse
with humanity that be desired. If it were
true-as has been said BY one who has
certainly managed to refute his own words
If it were true that present popularity
is the only safe presage Of future glory.
what an eternity Of glory should await
Dickens! And yet present popularity, how
vague. how brilliant and irresistible soever
it may be, or what manner of prologue it
may furnish to future glory, is quite an
other matter from that glory itself-from
the real definite glory-the one thing, as
NJ, Renan tells us, which has the best
chance of not being altogether vanity.
That posterity will regard Dickens as he
was regarded in his lifetime, or even as
we now regard him, is, of course. out OF
the question. ITO the public" said Prof.
Ward, in lecture delivered in Manches-
ter in the year OF Dickens death. Ito
The public his faults were often insepa-
rable from his merits and when our criti
cal conscience told us that he was astray in
one of his favorite directions the severest
censure we had for him was that he was
growing more like himself than ever"
That the critical conscience of posterity
will have tar severer censure tor Dickens
tudI tulr, Oilt uVupt, bVt ih'tfh
can any one. thoughtful for the fame of
English literature. desire that it should
not. "No man. it has been well said,
''can trust himself to speak of his own
time and of his own contemporaries with
the same sureness of judgment and the
same proportion as OF times and men gone
by" Brought up, as most of us have
been, in the faith of Dickens; whose
earliest laughter has been stirred by Sam
Weller and Dick Swiveller and Mr..
Micawber; whose earliest tears have
flowed for the one sordid wretched-
ness of David Copperiield's forlorn child
hood, or tor Florence Dombey toiling up
= the "great wide vacant stairs" with her
brother in her arms and singing as she
goes; who have stolen trembling after
Jonas Chuzzlewit through that awful
wood. or stared with face as pale as Pip
himself at that grim midnight visitor IN
the lonely Temple chambers-to such it
must surely seem little short of profanity
to consider too curiouslv the old familiar
pages; to stand aiar off, contemplating
with cold. impartial scrutiny the old IA
miliar figures. as though, like Trabb's
boy. he did not know them.