The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-01
DICKENS MICAWBER.
THE NoveLisrs FATHER WAS THE
ORIGINAL MIcAWeER.


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TIE NovELisrs FATHER WAS THE
ORIGINAL MIcAWeER.
A Carefully Treasured Letter That Froves
That the Parent Of Charles Dickens ur-
nished One of the Most Delightful Char
acters In Fiction.
This fresh and diverting character was,
as we know, modelled directly from nature,
and Dickens indeed might have answered.
as Sam did Justice Stareleigh, II rayther
think it's my fatheri" Sam was threaten
ed with committal II he did not point his
parent out But every one can point to
Mr.. John Dickens, member of the gal
lery," as the original of this sketch.
1t used to be said that Mr.. Micawber was
caricature, much overtrawn, not reseu,-
bling anything we are likely to encounter
In life. The truth is, the portrait was an
exact copy, aud, II anything, fell rather
short Of the original. The delightful por.
ton of him was not his odd, fantastic
speeches and quaint formulas 80 much as
the character, exhibited chiefly in odd
views Of pecuniary transactions. the es-
sence being than an obligation could be
satisfied by rotund and flowing phraseol-
ogy, and the setting forth in a stately style
his own Indebtedness as though he were
proud Of it.
As a letter writer Mr.. Micawber, we
know, reveled in such Furnishings, and his
most amusing peculiarities were exhibited
when be found himself seated at his desk.
In one or two places in his letters Dickens,
the son, has noted characteristic speech
or two Of his sire, which might have been
appropriately put into the mouth Of Mr..
Micawber. These paternal utterances the
son relished hugely and even reveled in.
Messrs. Conway & Noel. autograph
dealers In Birmingham, have few relics
of this amusing parsonage. Among these
is fragment of little burlesque styled
"o'Thello' written by young Charles for
the Theater Royal back drawing room. Its
date is 1888, so it is fairly claimed to be the
earliest scrap of the novelist's handwriting
in existence. He was then 81 years old.
1t is even more interesting from the fact
that Mr.. Micawber, or MIR. John Dickens,
. the sire, took a part in the little piece, that
, of 1.-THE Great Unpaid" who was 'discov-
cred at table on opening scene" 1.-THE
Venice, under grotesque conditions;
G. U.--Begin the business.
(3rAb-Rushes in and says. "Ruini Confu-
sionl'D
,, @. U.--what charge can warrant such .
gross intrusion7
Brab.- Warrant 49,.
: g. U.-You're not warranted
In making noise enough to wake the
dead.
Tell US tarst having made proper
What is the meaning of this precious
Brab.- stol'n my daughter.
G. U.-Who has done this2
Brab.- 0'Thello.
I @. U.-Call the man in and now command
silence.
What can you say, sir, in your own
defense2
: Music (Wait till no comes in, and music
stopsl .-.
: Mr. Dickens, Sr., presented this scrap to
a friend, one Mr.. Hayden, in the year 1912,
/. indorsing 1t with much solemnity, This
{ page is from an unpublished trayestie,
4 written by Mr.. Charles Dickens for private
, performance in his own family 1883, and
q it isin his own handwriting. The Great
Unpaid was your humble servant, John
4 Dickens, Alphington, 8 June 1872"
=
+. real John Dickens to put beside one of the
t racy epistles given in the novels. By q
!. rare chance, however, one of these docu.
Nothing more "characteristical," as Elia
;, has it, could be desired, and am certain
that all lovers of BOZ" will welcome with
, pleasure the epistolary specimen of this
. choice character:
} "a EDWARDS STREET, poRTMAN SQUARE,
) II February, 1887. (
GEETLENEN-It has occurred to me that at q
: moment of some difficulty you may be willing
to extend to me your ohliging assistance. II
0 not inconvenient, or inconsistent with your ar.
G rRngements, will you do me the favor to de.
o duct the -Four Pounds owe you from the in.
: closed Bill for go, due 18th April, with fore
shillings, the amount of the interest, and lei
i mo have the balance, fl5 1852 Do not suppose
/ ask this on any other footing than that OF an
o act of obligation conferred on me, and assure
!, you, though small in amount, its effects on me
\ are matters Of grave consideration, because
r anything that should occasion my absence
z from my duties in the Gallery would be pro
Q ductive Of fatal effects.
You may consider it an intrusion that
o should apply to you in a moment of difficulty
). and l feel 1t TO be so; but, recollecting how
q your interests are bound up with those of m,
a son, flatter myself IL you can confer a favol
0 upon the father without transgressing any
n rule that you have laid down, and without in
y convenience, you may feel disposed to do So
Q do not enhance II when say that the ia
vor, though small In amount, yet under TIT
circumstances would be signal obligation con
ferTed on. gentlemen, your obliged and ODE
dent servant, JOHN DIcKESs-
g Messrs. Chapman and Hall.
!, This is richly characteristic production
= and has the true Micaw berian flavor Their,
= is nothing better in the novel than the pro
n posal Of the bill. The writer, it will b,
d seen, owes the firm "a, and he asks them Il
3 do him the favor" to deduct this sun
IS from the rather problematic bill, and the1
o what is the point of the wbole-'let hin
= have the balance, Els 15s.,n delightful
= method of discharging his debt and incur
Il ring q new and more substantial one. "a
n moment of some difficulty" which woult
have fatal effects" are equally character
=, istic. Notable, too, is the hint as to tn
y paper in question not being likely ITO b
: met" or taken up"-for he throws on
70 =, that it is ian act of obligation conferred OF
~ me" as well as the more significant hin
that their Interests are bound up witt
al those OF my son." This seems to have ha,
IS its effect, for we find the infinitely calcu
% lated interest on the bill-"fore shillings
altered in another hand and in a differen
y Y, ink to ''3s, Id"
W A pleasant touch is the iteration of tn
II point of Inconvenience to themselves" a
N though this were the only objection tina
N could reasonably be presented by the firm
oil who would otherwise ,the assumed, be cage
to honor his paper. The displayed fiouris
Ar at the close-'signal obligation conferre
Il on, gentlemen, your obliged" etc.-was
nj favorte form of Mr. Micawber's The lei
II. ter is Endorsed on the back, John Dicken:
ESQ.," in the writer's own hand, whic
g. seems mysterious looks as though it ha
n. been returned to him.
n. Fond as we are of Dickens curios, I dout
II there could be found any more quaint
attractive than this letter of MicaMh be