The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-20

nand IN one Oh tne LONDON Offices, ana
instead Of pursuing his later method OF
giving personal appearance that should
in some sort render difficult the Identified
ton OF mental peculiarities, he was only
eager TO get in the whole man complete
upon his page, figure and face
as well rs manner aud mind. lie
wrote accordingly TO Mr.. Ilaines
q gentleman who then had general super
vision over the police reports for the daily
papers; "ln my next number OF oliver
Twist j must lave magistrate; and cast
ing about for magistrate whose harsh
ness and insolencc would render him fit
subject to be shown up, have as a neces-
sary consequence stumbled upon Mr..
Laing, OF lIatton Garden celebrity. /
know the mans character perfectly well;
but as IL would be necessary to describe
his personal appearance also, ought TO
have seen him, which fortunately or UNI
fortunately, as the case may be- have
never done. In this dilemma il occurred
TO nc that perhaps might, under your
auspices, be smuggled into the Uaiton
Garden Office for n few moments some
morning II you can further my object |
shall DO really very greatly obliged TO
you" The opportunity was found; the
magistrate was brought up before tho nov
elst; and shortly after, on some fresh
outbreak OF intolerablc temper, the homo
secretary found IL an easy and popular
step TO remove Mr.. Laing from the bench
"A comfort TO everybody, saving only the
principal person.
II will be remembered that Dickens and
his illustrator Travelled together 10 the
north OF England, for the purpose OF coll
Letting material for "Nickleby," making
the Kings Head, ut Barnard Castle, their
headquarters. The novelist there made
inquiries concerning thestate OF the neigh
boring boarding.schools, and was directed
10 one known as Bowes academy at Greta
Bridge. Tho master, whose name was
William Shaw, received Dickens and his
companion with extreme hautour and did
not 80 much a8 withdraw his eyes from the
operation OF pen-maling during their in
teryiow II is said that "Phiz watching
his opportunity, sketched him ON his nail
Ia branch Of the fine arts OF which / must
confess extreme ignorance), reproducing
him 20 exactly that when the more finished
representation OF him appeared in the
book, the school began TO decline, and ult-
malcly became deserted. There are many
IhirFiAn HAlil llNliE AMilO NilN lulllh VI
William Shaw and well remember his
academy nj Bowcs) who assert that the
school in question was believed 10 have
been one OF the best OF lis kind, and that
the master was by no mcanssuch u wretch
as that depicted by the novelist. II was,
indeed, warmly affirmed by some old resi-
dents in Barnard Castle, that the alleged
prototype Of Squccrs was, in private life ut
least, an excellent AMI amiablo man, and
believing the imputat!cn TO be lcveled at
himself linstoad OF, M was really the ease,
at the bad system which had long pre-
vailed In that section OF the country. his
scnsitivonCss caused him 10 become an OBJ
feet Of ridiculc 20 his noiehbos, and this,
together with the subsequent loss Of his
pupils, utterly broke his spirit
Further evidence confirming the account
may be- found in the autobiography Of Mr..
II. +. Lloyd, tho wcll-known Glasgow
comedian. lie was n pupil Of William
Shaw, whom he represents as "a most
worthy and kind hearted, II somewhat pc
culiar, gentleman. | can see him
now as plainly as / did then, and can tcs-
tily TO the truth OF the outward present
mcnt OF the man ns described 10y Dickens,
and depicted by his artist In the pages Of
his novel; allowing, Of course, for both be-
ING greatly exaggerated. A sharp, thin,
upright little man, with slight scale COW
oring one OF his eyes. Yes. There he
stands, with his Wellington boots aud
short, black trousers, not originally cut too
short, but from habit ho had Of sitting
with ono knee over the other, aud tho
trousers being tight they would get
'ruck'd' halfway up the boots. Then, tho
clean white vest, swallow.tailcd black coat,
white nccktic, silver mounted spcciaclcs,
close cut iron gray hair, high crowned
hat, worn slightly at the back OF
his head, aud there you have the
man." Mr.. Lloyd writes In almost glow
ing terms OF the excellence OF the school,
Us situation and internal arrangements
and rs for Mr.. Shaws lifting his hand 10
boy, save In the way OF kindness, such q
thing was almost unknown lie would
walk round the school.room, look over his
pupils while writing. and here and there
pat boy ON tho head, making encour-
aging remarks the while. lie was an adept
on the flute, and would sometimes sit by
the bedside OF sick boy for an hour or
two together 10 amusc him. II these state
ments are true land the evidence N strong
IN that direction, such was the man that
Dickens. with the best intentions possible,
pilloricd as Squccrs, aud caused him t0
suffer for the misdccds Of his ncighbors.
II must b. admitted, with feelings Of rc-
greet, that both the novelist and the artist
committed tile error ~ too faithfully ne
producing by pen aud pencil, the personal
pcculiaritics Of William shaw, andin tmns.
icrring him 10 another school then existing
IN the ncighborhood, which was similar 10
that described IN the story, and was pre-
sided over by a genuine SquccB.
Turning 10 more congcnial subject,
there Is the novclist's authority for stating
that the portraits Of those mostexcoplional
pcrsonagcs, the Brothers Chocryblc. were
drawn irom life, that their noble chaac.
tcristics were not creations OF his brain,
but wcrc absolutely founded ON fact. Their
prototypes wcrc the Brothers Grant dan.
lei and Milliaml, merchants and manu-.
incturvr, OF lnmsbottom and Manchester,
whose acquaintance Dickens made during
his visit 20 that neighborhood In 1883. Tho
two brothers were born at Elchics, Moray.
shire, where their father, William Grant,
was n small farmer, who, being ruined by
q Hood, aftcrward became cattle drOver.
Subsequently he commenced business In n
very small way in Manchester, and pros.
pcrcd, when In 1870 the family was located
In a retail shop IN the markot.placc, Bury,
whore They sold linen, prints, small wares,
cic.i the boys, atthat time, bcingcmploycd
NJ some print works In the neighborhood.
Tho Grants, through their perseverance
AMI courtesy, rose ~ rapidly that ON the
retirement Of the hst Sir Robert Peel,
and by his special help and favor, they