Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-09
DICKENS MICAWBER.
THE NOVeLlST'S FATHER WAS THE
ORIGINAL MlCAWBER.

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, Il rayther |
think it's my fatheri' Sam was threaten |
ed with committal if he did not point his |
parent out. But every oneaan point to |
Mr.. John Dickens, member of the gal |
lery, f" as the original of this sketch.
1t used to be said that Mr.. Micawber was !
caricature, much overdrawn, not resent |
bling anything we are likely to encounter |
in life. The truth is, the portrait was an
exact copy, and, if anything, fell rather
short of the original. The delightful por-
ton of him was not his odd, fantastic
speeches and quaint formulas so 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 letter writer Mr.. AIicawber, we
know, reveled in such Furnishings, and his
most amusing peculiarites were exhibited
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..
Mlcawber. 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 a little burlesque styled
"O'Thello" written by young Charles for
the Theater Royal back drawing room. Its
date is 1893, 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 >tr. John Dickens
the sire, took part in the little piece, that
of THE Great Unpaid" who was 'discov-
cred at table on opening scene" The
Great Unpaid" was of course the Duke of
Venice, under grotesque conditions:
G. U.-Begin the business.
(Brab-Rushes in and says: "Ruini Confu-
sionvo
G. U.-What charge can warrant such a
gross intrusion?
Brab.- Warrant.
G. U.-You're not warranted
In making noise enough to wake the
Tell us first having made proper
bowl,
What is the meaning of this precious
row?
Brab.- StoI'n my daughter.
q. U.-Who has done this?
Brab.- O'Thello
u. U.-Can the man in and now command
silence.
What can you say, sir, in your own
Defense?
Music. wait till he comes in. and music
stops.)
Mr.. Dickens, ST., presented this scrap TO
n friend, one Mr.. Hayden, in III. year ls422,
| indorsing it with much solemn y, This
| page is from an unpublished travestie,
| written by Mr.. Charles Dickens for private
! performance in his own family CS33), and
it is in his own handwriting. The Great
Unpaid was your humble servant, John
Dickens, Alphinston, Il June, 1872"
! have never hitherto seen letter of the
real John Dickens to put beside one of the
| racy epistles given in the novels. by IA
rare chance, however, one of these docu-
ments lately came into my possession.
Nothing more ''characteristical," as Ella
has it, could be desired, and i am certain
that all lovers of Boz will welcome with
pleasure the epistolary specimen of this
| choice character:
| "a EDWARDS STREET, PoGTMAS SQUARE
Ii February, 1857.
GENTLEMEN-It has occurred TO me that at a
| moment of some difficulty you may be willing
! to extend to me your obiiging assistance. II
| not inconvenient, or inconsistent with your ar
| rangements, will YOU do me the favor to de-
duct the -Four Pounds owe you from the in
closed Bill for go, due 9Th April, with fore
shillings, the amount of the interest, and let
me have the balance, SIS los? Do not suppose
ask this any other footing than that of an
act of obligation conferred on me- and assure
you, though small in amount its effects on me
are matters of grave consideration, because
anything that should occasion my absence
from my duties in the Gallery would be pro-
ductive of fatal effects.
| You may consider it an intrusion that
should apply to you in moment of difficulty
and l feel it to be so; but, recollecting how
your interests are bound up with those of my
son, l fatter myself if you can confer a favol
upon the father without transgressing any
| rule that you have laid down, and without in
convenience, you may feel disposed to do So
| l do not enhance IL when l say that the ia
vor. though small in amount, yet under tht
circumstances would be signal obligation con
ferred on, gentlemen, your obliged and ODE
| dent servant, JOHN DICKENS.
| Messrs. Chapman and Hall.
This is a richly characteristic production
and has the true Micawberian flavor. Their
is nothing better in the novel than the pro
posal of the bill. The writer, it will b.
seen, owes the firm "a, and he asks them t.
''do him the favor" to deduct this sun
from the rather problematic bill, and thel
what is the point of the whole-''let hin
have the balance, els 15s.,'' delightful
method of discharging his dept and incur
ring new and more su ostantial one. -
. moment of some difficulty" which woul,
have fatal effects" are equally character
istic. Notable, too, is the hint as to tn
paper in question not being likely ito
met" or taken up''-for he throws on
that it is IAN act CT obligation conferred o.
me-" as well as the more significant hin
that their interests are bound up wit
those of my son." This seems to have ha
its effect, for we find the infinitely calcu
lated interest ON the bill-''fore shillings
altered in another hand and in a differen
ink to "3s. ADJ
A pleasant touch is the iteration of tn