The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-09-11
THE ORIGINAL CT porHgeoYs HALL.
An Unsparing Attack Upon Dickens by .
Friend of the s'Squeers' Family.

THE ORIGINAL CT DoTHEBoYs HALL.
An Unsparing Attack Upon Dickens by
Friend of the ''Squeers" Family.
A letter of great interest to every
reader of Dickens, signed 81. M. B."
appeared in the Newcastle Weekly
Chronicle in reference to an article
which that paper had published on
Dotheboys Hall, Bowes. The cOrre-
spondent. who is native of the Bar
nard Castle district, says:
"Nicholas Nickleby," study in un-
truth broke the hearts of two very
decent people, and sent them to their
grave before their time. The book (as
far as the school aimed at was con-
cerned) was a terrible libel. In the
second edition Dickens protests that
he meant no particular school. This
may pass with outsiders; but those
who know the district are aware that,
like Dickens picture of the school,
and like his letters about the Rev.
Thomas Binney, his protest lies on the
cloudy side Of truth. Any one over so
vino has read the book, and who
knows the district, can see a dozen
finger-posts in the novel directly
pointing at one school. ''Squeers,"
says Dickens. .'had only one eye."
This alone would show who was meant,
as there was only one schoolmaster
near Greta Bridge who had only one
eye. The blow aimed SO meanly was
the outcome of spite and fun. for
Dickens would have his laugh if his
best friend had died for it. the protO-
type of Squeers gave great offense to
II. X. Brown and Dickens by his
naughty bearing when they invaded
his school. For this he was deprived
of character, reason, and ultimately of
his life. No crueller wrong was ever
done than this by any literary writer
of our time.
The picture drawn of the school was
as far from the truth as it well could
be. In Dickens novel Nicholas was
the only usher. The school contained
about forty scholars. They were
bleary-eyed, hair-lipped, and de-
formed. This picture was made to do
duty for a school where the scholars
numbered 200, and where the teachers
were seldom fewer than seven. The
charges of feeding the boys on cattle
that had died a natural death, the
birthstone and treacle farce, the frozen
pump story-all these aud a heap of
other novel furniture, were simply so
many artistic untruths. have heard
Mr.. Railton, gamedealer, of Barnard
Castle, tell how many geese, turkeys,
etc.. he used to supply for ''boy con-
sumption" My grandfather, who lived
near Bowes, knew the school-master
we'll 1 have talked to him many an
hour about Dotheboys, and his Indig-
nation at the pervasion of fact by Dick
ems was fierce enough to be almost
amusing. He used to describe the
scholars as perfectly healthy young
scamps, declaring that they thought
they knew the flavor of every apple.
pear, and plum tree in the neighbor-
hood. His description of the master
was that he was a kindly good-hearted
fellow, just shade hasty in his tenn
per, and not by any means the man to
feed boys on natural dead COW.
As to the picture of Miss Fanny
Squeers, the lady who has had to suffer
vicariously for that imaginary charac-
ter, was one of the sweetest and kind
est of women. When was an appren-
tice lad knew her fairly well. Her
consideration for the feelings of others,
her fear lest she herself should give
you any unnecessary trouble, shall
never forget. Every word / ever
heard her utter, every glance of hez
eye or motion of her head bespoke .
kindly heart. She was the sort of
woman dog or child leaps to instinct
lively. She has suffered her undeserved
martydom in silence, but even now our
Dickens worshipers will not let her
rest.
The correspondent you quote writes
about 1.-THE occupant of DOtheboys
Hall objecting to the visits of gentle
men like himself" and suggests that
he might have got pitched out if the
proprietor had found him prying about
his kitchen. Well, | wish moro
strength to the arm of the pitcher aud
healthy energy to his foot the next
time gentleman of the Dickens cut
invades his pricacy.
In Inv youth 1 remember it was said
that the book which had killed the
father and mother had married this
daughter, that some gentleman who
knew the family had stood by the girl
in her deepest agony, and that indig
nant sympathy budded and blossomed
into love and marriage. If that was
SO, it would be delightful to hear that q
descendant of such union periodically
varied the monotony of Bowes' life by
lifting these literary Paul Prys out OF
his invaded kitchen, and by assisting
them along the broad road that leads
from Bowes to Greta Bridge. The
article you quote says Fanny Squeen
is dead. If ever am in the neighbour
hood where she lies l hope to lay q
flower upon the tomb of the patient
silent, injured dead.