New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-30
HENLEY And DICKENS.
Souvenirs Of the Critics Admir0ti0"
for the Novelist.

as a member of the Boz" Club, when he pa
thetically said. There are very few things le1t
that | should like better than the results of
membership But, for the time belES-for mat
alone, | hope-I am an invalid and go noWha. e
One of these days hope to be capable OF better
things Meanwhile, l must say NO; though II
ever man were born of the Boz Club l think
you will have to look for him here. in me
Alas! his spirit fed all too after the receipt
of this communication. In a previous letter l
alluded to the gratifying results attending the
effort to organize a Dickens Exhibition in Lon
don, apropOs of which he observed: Il am as
pleased a dog with two tails over the sue
cess of the Dickens Show. This though I'd
nothing to do with it." Again, with reference
Mr.. Swinburne's famous eulOgy of Dicl ems in
The Quarterly" he remarked: Il am CAD thai
A c. S. has said his say, and wish there had
been more of it."
In May of last year Mr. Henley gave me to
understand that he was down for Dickens"
in the series of Great Writer'S to be published
by Messrs. Blackwood. Such a volume from
his pen would have been profoundly interesting,
but it is doubtful if he even began to work
upon it. few months ago l was fortunate in
securing the services of this eminent literary
critic on behalf of the publisher of the new
American edition of Dickens commonly called
the "Millonaire's' Edition., and he pledged him
self to prepare introductions for four different
works. only two of which he lived to complete.
He particularly wished me to give him Martin
ChuZzlewit," and, owing to the lamentable death
Of Bret Harte (whO had engaged to write the in
PRODUCTION for that volume), l was enabled to
comply with that wish, much to his delight.
His essays upon "Chuzzewit" and Reprinted
Pieces were undoubtedly his final contributions
to Dickensian literature, and, although they
not yet in type, l am sure no objection will be
raised to my quoting a characteristic passage
or two.
TODGERS'S C'MARTIN CHUZZLEWITO.
-. In Chapters VIII and TX he switched
on $50 to speak, that admirable journey to Lon
don, piece of work age cannot Wither nor GUS
tom stale; and. not content with that went on
to plump you straight into the dead but UNI
dying, life at TodSerss: an achievement in en-
Vronment and character and circumstance as
faWless as the Monument which some hold to
done. Done, too, with the finest, the most joy
GUS. the most sensitive and discriminating
humor. 'Tis an attitude which none could lay
at the door of Wren; and it may be that in
tioning his name-the artists name, that is of
a supreme expression of grace elegance, pro-
portion-in connection with Todgerss l should
apologize to his august, immortal Ghost. But
confess that to me Todgerss is more vital and
substantial element, at the same time that it
plays far livelier part in human existence than
this lovely piece of architecture. NJ TOdgers
herself, Bailey. Noodle, Jinkins, Mr.. Pecksniff
drunk, the air the lighting, the space the
TamaroO. who steps into Baileys shoes truly
there is not much better in Dickens: and if any
better there be. we must look for it later in this
same book, in the unapproachable portrait of
Mrs. Camp"
LITERARY STYLE IN "CHUZZLEWIT."
And the style of Martin Chuzzlewit'? the
English of it? the writer's mastery of his
medium? Frankly, L see no reason for discuss
ing the question, since, to my mind the book
blank verse (and there is precious little of it)
and all, is an example to Englishmen that want
to write their mother tongue | admit that the
lambic beat is more often peTCeptible than it
should be; but in the famous coach-run
from Salisbury to London-a piece of discours-
ing aud presentation uneQualled in English lit
erature outside Dickens-it be felt only if
you look for it, and if you read the passa ga
aloud you will not feel it at all, and If you do
what does it matter? Throughout the book the
writer does as he will, and uses what style he
pleaseS.
THE MASTER AND HIS IMITATORS GRE
PRINTED PIECES')
IT cannot say that these reprinted pieces are
the best the editor did for Household Words
for l can never forget-(WhO that has ever
readD-the wonderful stuff he wrote for GER
tain Christmas numbers: The Holly Tree Inn
say, The Seven Poor Travellers and The
Wreck of the Golden Mary But none but him
self would have written any of them. There
is none, in fact, that is not the true Dickens
I borrow this phrase . for the simple rea-
that, while there is nothing in this book
which comes within thinkable distance of that
lively Ightsome article The Stun and Cellar
or Whitechapel Life Limned After Dark there
is also very little which is not signed C. D.
writ large, too, all over every page. Dickens
had many 'SedulouS apes but there was never
an ape of them all who did more than suggest
the trick of his foot as he walked, the shadow
of his hat the wall or. at best, faint, feet
ing, foolish sense, that here il might be, was
copy which he had waste basketed even with
the swiftness OF putting-off.' In truth. the
Seduous Ape is the feeblest kind of fool in life.
He forgets that, after all, he is striving after
the Unattainable- unless ne compass the