The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-05
A BOOM FOR CHARLES DICKENS
ADMIRERS ORGANIZE 4 BRANCH
OF LONDON FELLOWSHIP.

Vas Appetite" so They'll Eat-Presi'
dent I'm the Mystery Class Win Mrs
Harrls-DaVid and Dora Love Again
! Without. II was just such an evening as
! Dickens would have liked. The rain was
| feebly falling on the just, unjust, &c, and
one could ina CINE the exact climatic con
| ditions surrounding such an event az the
| finish Of Mr.. Quilp. But within banquet
| hall on the eighth floor of the Hotel Aston
| where a New York branch of the Dickens
/ Fello wship was being organized, things
were different The lights we're 20 bright that
/ Little Nell could not have died there with
/ any degree Of comfort, and the panels were
/ Of blue 40 bright that Mrs William Sykes
Z would have hesita ted to slobber blood on
/ them
/ Yet in spite Of these difficulties Of en-
/ vironment. the branch was organized and
may live long and prosper. Three score
admirers OF Dickens had gathered, each
firm in the knowledge that Dickens, while
not needing elucidation, could stand FOR
some present day exploiting. There was
a speedy election Of temporary officers,
putting in Ernest II. Crosby as chairman
and Mrs. Charles OH. Craigie a. secretary,
Charles II. Govan, who sent out the call
for the meeting explained the purpose
Of it.
We are he said, "a company Of life
long friends brought together for the first
time. We all feel the same love for the
great master As he felt for justice, freedom
and truth. We are not hobby riders or
literary monomaniacs, but Dickens means
more TO us than any other
sAIontaigne said that reading is a languid
pleasure II was he who possessed the
smallest brain of all the literat II he had
lived 800 years later he would have said
that reading was languid pleasure except
when Charles Dickens was the author.
i have read every scrap that Dickens
ever wrote celebrated last Fourth OF
July by joining the parent body OF this
organization in London, and ! then decided
that would organize branch in this city.
We shall have the help Of the people
who deliver the lectures in the New York
school courses. for | have discovered that
nine Of the ten lecturers are admirers OF
Dickens, The tenth is a Browningite. We
shall travel into the country Of Little Nell,
make merry with the Fickwickians and
learn again good manners by contemplate
ing Mr. Turveydrop. Ours is 10 be a society
Of small dues and great expectations. /
trust that we will he harmonious and have
no discussions
After this il was decided TO model the
New York branch on the same principles
as the London body, which has these aims
and objects:
Ia To knit together in a common bond Of
friendship lovers OF that great master OF |
humor and pathos, Charles Dickens. 49,,
lbI TO spread the love Of humanity. which !
is the keynote OF all his work
r.
pedient 10 remedy or amcllorate those eN- !
listing social evils which would have appealed |
80 strongly 10 the heart OF Charles Dickens, /
and 20 help in every possible direction the |
cause Of the poor and the oppressed.
tdl To assist In the preservation and pur- |
chase OF buildings and objects associated |
with his name and mentioned in his works.
(sl To do all such things as are Incidental |
objects or any OF them. That the !
fellowship be open 10 all, without restriction |
as TO class, creed or nationality.
Letters were read from the Rev. Thomas
r. Slicer and the Rev, Minot j. Savage. who .
appreciation Of Dickens and
that they could not he present
A committee Of five was named to attend
10 bylaws and things. One Of the five,
a Mr.. Wilder, objected 10 serving, on the
ground that he lived in Brooklyn.
we do not recognize Brooklyn now
said Mr. Crosby. 1T is a part Of Greater
New York
Mr. GovanNslpped out Of the room for
a few minutes. While he was absent Mr.
Adams had this 10 say:
aMr Govan is reeking with Decker sism
While he is out let me VAN you never 10
suggest Scott 10 him as substitute, OF TO
mention Thackeray in the same breath
with the great master You may gently
praise Bobby Burns 20 him, but Scott he
regards as a feudalistic writer Of aristooratio
After this there were "reminiscences. Mr..
Adams would never forget the thrill he
experienced when he heard Dickens, in
Plymouth Church. read "Dr Margold's
was from Boston. said he hoped that much
Of the Fellowship's time would be devoted
TO intimate companionship with Dickens
himself
While a member Of a Browning Club in
Boston, / found that the members were
80 busy analyzing Browning that they
failed 10 get his spirit.
Has any one a pocket copy Of Dickens
with him. inquired Mr. Crosby. Alasl
nobody had. II was a most embarrassing
silence.
. that we shall have 10 resolve ourselves
into an experience meeting More silence.
and then voice from man with a regular
Dickens whiskeT
I don't believe there's any such woman
az Mr.. 'arris. Wild and bosterous laugh
ter, almost reaching a cheer A bold and
riginal member. this.
Mr.. Crosby told Of hearing Dickens read
In steinvay Hall in 1869
Il have no sympathy he said, with the
higher criticism that relegates him 20 a
barbarous past We will all admit that he
had his faults. A terrible silence Some
Of his pathos Ia not now considered up 20
date. His heroes were all a little too
priggish. Whispers OF Treason But
be Is the only writer know Of who created
r whole population peopling the city Of
London more completely than the history
)f England has. The great vogue Of
Dickens will come back again / will
admit Mr.. Crosby was now lettering TO
Dickens regularly IN the last thirty yeara,