New-York tribune., 1897-08-22

MA,,rt the high Splits WiiiCn
Dickens communicated to every one with whom
he came in contact Susceptible as he was 70
the profoundest tenderness, becoming at times
pensive to the point Of melancholy he was
nevertheless in mis- most characteristic mood an
Incarnation Of happiness. 1t was chiefly in TINS
mood that the author Of the present volume re-
membcred her father
Dickens was above all things home Keeping
man. He not only loved his children put ne was
never happier than when plunged in their
amusements and daily interests. Miss Dickens
tells of his tidiness and Of his passion for Keep
ing the whole house in apple-pie order she ana
her sister used to occupy a certain little garret
chamber the walls of which they decorated with
cheap prints pinned up neatly as possible
Whenever a new print secured the children
would drag their father up to see it, quite
slap-up." he would say, and it never mattered
how often the steep stairs had to be climbed, he
would climb them always with the same mper-
turbable humor His resource, too, in amusing
the children had no bounds. PantomimeS. con-
turing charades. games dancing. outdoor Sports
these and a dozen other gayetes he cultivated
with the vim of boy. Upon one famous occa-
sion he threw himself into the preparation OF
some charadcs with such gusto that he forgot.
until reminded at the last moment, to invite an
audience. These aboundng spirits seem to have
been with him from the very start There Is
delightful anecdote dating from the period just
before his marriage. The Hogarths were living
4 little way out of London. in a residence which
had a drawing room opening with French win
dows on to a lawn In this room my mother and
her family were seated quietly after dinner on
this particular evening. when suddenly young
sailor iumned through one of the open windows
into the apartment whistled and danced horn
pipe and before they could recover from thelr
ainaZement jumped out again. few minutes
later my father walked in at the door as seda'e-
ly as though quite innocent OF the PRANK ana
shook hands with every one; but the sight OF
their amazed faces proving too much TOT MS at
tenpted sobriety. his hearty laugh was the sig
nal for the rest Of the party to join in his merri-
ment." With this anccdote may go another Of
Dickens learning to dance. He would practIse
grayely in a corner" says Miss Dickens. with
out either partner or music. and RENE mber one
cold winters night his awakening with the fear
that he had forgotten the step so strong upon
him that. jumping ont Of bed. by the scant illu-
mira;ion of the old ld-fashionod rushlght. and to
his own whistling, he diligently rehearsed its
one two. three: one two. three. until he was
once more secure in his knowledge" Through
stories like this brief and trivial but very char
acteristic Miss Dickens made a volume small
but valuable for it brings back a full sense Of
the lovableness of a ma? whose genius was as
much of his heart as Of his brain.
Mr. Kitton's book is n desirable contribution
to THE Book Lovers Library" He has trav-
ersed the history of each one of his authors
works and gives us in compact form Such an ac-
count as makes the evolution of them plain. The
most interesting item, perhaps. is one when
brings up the question of literary success III
Dickens's time and to-day With every author
publishing the figures Of his contracts with TINS
publisher or that we are dazzcd more or less, we
get the impression that no new author was ever
so Immediately prosperous rs he is to-day When
tie twelfth number of The Pickwick Papers
was reached the publishers of the serial, Messrs.
Chapman and Hall, gave the author check for
600 By the time the last number had been
nublishcd Dickens had received from the firm no
less than f30OO in addition to the stipulated
payments of ia for each number. During three
wears the publishers made clear profit of
$4,000 out of THE Pickwck Papers" Mr..
Kitton gives lucid statement of all the de-
tails in the creation Of "Pickwick." The allcga-
tions Of Mrs Seymour fully answered and
no one could be excused for adopting her curious
notion that Dickens owed part Of his inspiration
to her husband