The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-16

gotten that Scott when he was romancing
when he left the humble little world
he loved 50 well for the medieval castle
and royal court, was seldom humorist.
His influence, on the whole, arrested
rather than advanced the realistic reac-
ton which was 10 bring the novel back
to life and true humor.
This reaction came in full tide in 1896
with the publication of 1.-THE Ptckwick
Papers" In this novel, IL II may be called
a novel, in "Oliver Twist" and subsequent
works Dickens professed TO give mi
mute study Of London life, especially In
those humble circles which he knew so
Intimately The result was phenomenal.
Dickens became In a moment the most
popular OF all English writer's, title
which he has never for moment lost.
and he was hailed as the greatest of all
English humorists, save only Shakes
peare.
As to the quality OF Dickens humor
there is room for honest difference of
opinion. Few other writers have ever
called forth such chorus Of widely diff
fering criticism. On the one side are
those who declare that his humor is sim
ply an exhibition of mere clownish an
tics and that his pathos is nothing but
mawkfsh sentimentality; on the other
hand are those. and they are by no means
few who place him side by side with
ceryantes and Baizac and Shakespeare.
The truth doubtless lies between these
extremes
edge OF the life he depicts no one denies.
and that he was kindly and sympathetic
almost to an extreme appears everywhere
in his writings. but 1t is also true that
he distorted and exaggerated his scenes
until at times they are positively gro
tesque, and that he allowed his feelings
to carry him to such lengths that some
times he came dangerously near to
mawksh sentimentaity- All of Dickens
characters are exaggerated TO some de-
sree. Take. for example Quip, Who
"Ate hard eggs. shell and all devoured
gigantic prawns with the heads and tails
on. chewed tobacco and .watercresses az
the same time. drank boiling tea without
bent sent again lin etiD the women
were nearly frightened out Of their wits
and began to doubt II he were really
human creature.
He seems to have been In many re-
spects descendant of Ben Jonson. Both
excelled in comic characterization; both
We're quick 10 seize upon some single
grotesque phase of character or personal
appearance. some trait or trick and TO
magnify 1t until all else was lost sight
of. Uriah Heep is always umble;
Poor Joe is always "a moving on" Mi
cawber Is always waiting for something
to turn APP Each has his trademark
and we never lose sight of II.
Dickens had little real wit. Such exag-
geratiors rs MIR. Pickwick proceeded to
put himself in his clothes, and s
clothes INTO MS portmanteau are run
rather than wit. He undoubtedly pos
sessed pathos, but as Saintsbury declares
He could never be content with a mod
crate dose of it," and pathos overdone
becomes mere sentmentality.
The truth seems to be that Dickens ere
ated new world and peopled II with be-
ings which under exceptional circum-
stances might be found in actual life. In
his world there are TO be found only ex-
aggerations and exceptions, but II we en-
ter It leaving behind all recollection Of
the real world, everything will become
natural and consistent. 1t Is simply the
pitching of life In another key--to enjoy
II one must shut out the real life about
him, else there would be discord; but
when once we have actually done this
there is never a jar TO awaken us. The
most marvellous thing about Dickens art
was its power to create an artificial
world and to manipulate II so that the
Illusion Is never broken. Admit this little
world and all else follows; Dickens be-
| comes true humorist,
The secret of Dickens artificiality lay
! undoubtedly In his temperament. HIS