The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-30
mention a character of bis with which

mention a character Of bis with which
| am unfamiliar
VERY well. then. il you can point
me out one mother in the whole oil
Dickens novels. with any claim TO ed
ucation, who can be either admired or
respected, | will own that | have
wronged him. | am ready TO admit
that on the lower orders he is less
severe.
Aager to prove that she misjudged
my favorite. began 10 search my
memory. At the end of ten minutes
was still searching. but l bad not
spoken. The fact was | was terribly
perturbed in spirit. was most anx.
ious not TO be worsted in the rgument,
for it seemed to me that grave sluI
had been cast upon Charles Dickens
character: therefore, to feel that
could only bring forward, as beng
worthy Of respect. David Copperiild !
childish mother was exceedingly NOR
tifying. Georges mother in Bleak
House | could not mention. as. al
though she is undoubtedly fine old
dame. she certainly has no claim to
gentle breeding: while IN support OF
my friend grievance there marshaled
such a CHASTITY troupe Of knaves and
fools-if so masculine a term as knave
is admissible in these circumstance
that | was utterly discounted.
My memory is at fault. muttered
to myself. Il will 90 home and consult
my Dickens.
Pleading a headache. ! made my ex'
cuses. but as | was leaving the room
nv old friend called after me:
IF YOU have a headache don I pursue
this subject 70 night. / warn you you
are going to search for needle in a
bottle Of hay. only n-somewhat grim
ly-"the needle is not there."
1 locked myself in my study and set
to work. At the end Of two hours.
wiser and much sadder, | paused. aud
gazed blankly around at formidable,
heap Of volumes. l had selected the
books haphazard, and had made a pen
Gil note on each, with this result:
Great Expectations. parents Of
any importance. slightcharacter sketch
of Herbert's mother, IA decidedly blam-
able fool.
"Old Curiosity shop" Old Mrs. Gar
land. weak Kit 5 mother. llower or
ders Mrs. Jiniwin, ldetesiable.l
Hard Times" Mrs. Gradgrind
(idiotic.l BOunderby's mother, llower
Little Dorrit." Mrs. Clennam lcrimi-
nall Mrs. Merdle and Mrs. Gowan,
fworldly heartless wretches Mrs.
Meagles. mice but very homely.)
Our Mutual Friend" Mrs. Willfer.
Outrageous.
Nicholas Nickleby," Mrs. Nickleby
and Mrs Kenwigs, Qunatics.l Mrs.
Squeers, Ia horror.)
"Dombey & Son." Mrs Skewton, Ia
disgrace 20 her sex. Alice's mother.
Good Mrs. Brown. Ian ogress.l Pol
lie Toodles. lower orders.l
Martin Chuzzlewit.' Mothers not
in it. with the exception OF character
sketch: The Mother of the Gracchi, "
Ia fool.)
"Barnaby Rudge." Mrs. Warden. lin
tensely objectiouable.l Mrs. Rudge,
lower orders.
David Copperfeld." David smother
laimable but weak-mindedj Mrs. MI
cawber Ia caricature. Mrs. Creskle IA
poor thing. Mrs. Steerforth lhorridl /.
Mrs. Hep (hateful). The old soldier,
(worse).
BLACK House, Lady Deadlock well.
well. the least said ~. Mrs. Jellyby
lauother culpable fool. Mrs. Pardig-
gle IAN insupportable creaturel. Mrs.
Guppy labominablel. Georges mother
lower ordersl.
In "Civer Twist" Tale of two
Cities. - and "PIckwickn the mothers
are very much in the background, and
taking Mrs. BardeIl as a specimen OF
those who do appear. perhaps it IS just
"a well they shonld be.-Iemple Bar.