Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-02


short visit to Sir Morton Peto, at Somerley-
ton Hall, near by. and his host took spe
cal pains to show him round the country,
which is very beautiful. Sir Morton had
large interests in Lowestoft, and he par
ticularly brought this place to Dickens
notice, in the hope that the district might
possibly be benefited by its Introduction
into fiction.
Characteristic Village.
The lapse of half century and more
leaves the village practically as Dickens
found 1t, and as one approaches 1t one is
struck by its ideal situation, hemmed in,
as it were, by the chief high roads of the
surrounding country, everything fresh and
glowing in the summer picturesqueness, and
the whole place nesting in peaceful seclu-
sion. One well imagine Dickens falling
In love with it as he did by rambling
through the green lanes to such charm
ing village, SO perfectly English In all its
characteristics.
Little David, as everybody who has read
his personal history knows, was born in
the Rookery, and there can be little doubt
that the rectory of today was the house
which Mr.. Copperfield bought and named
the Rookery, because The liked to think
there were rocks about it." There are still
elms In the garden, but the strong wind
which made them bend ito one another, like
giants who were whispering secrets and
causing the 'Weather-beaten ragged old
rocks nests burdening their higher branch
es'' to swing like wrecks upon stormy
sea-, had given place when / visited it to
light summer breeze, which quietly famed
their leaves. There is another house
Blundeston Hall-which has made claim to
being the Rookery, on account of the fact
that Dickens description of the interior of
David's birthplace comedies more fully with
1t than 1t does with the Rectory And, fur
Their, when Dickens was visiting the spot
and called at the hall for the purpose OF
becoming acquainted with its interior, he
made himself known to the old housekeeper
who was in charge of the place at that
time and had her permission to enter.
David's Birthplace.
It is a fact that Peggottys kitchen and
the long passage leading from it to the
front door, the dark store room that is
place to be run past at night" and other
features described in the book, were to
be found at the Hall and not at the Rec
tory. However, that Is the license Of the
novelist and was often Dickens way.
On the other hand there are other ana
weightier reasons for believing that the
Rectory was the house Dickens had IN
view when making the "Rookery' the
birthplace of David. AS a matter of fact,
the Hall can have no claim whatever from
a geographical point of view. In the first
place. the gravestones In the. church
yard cannot be seen from any window
in the Hall, whereas they can from the
Rectory. The same applies TO the sundial
over the porch, which David saw from his
mothers room. 1t is true, there are or
were, elms in each of the gardens, but no
one remembers a pigeon house on a pole
with no pigeons in it. in the garden of the
Hall, while such a piece of architecture is
clearly recalled at the Rectory. And, again,
1t will be remembered that David met Mr.
Murdstone and Mr.. Qunion, after his moth
er's death while ne was turning the cor
ner of a lane near his house. and after
strolling with them he returned home.
Looking back" he says as L turned into
h. don
leaning against the wicket of the church
yard and Mr. Quinion talking with him"
This would not be possible from the Hall.
but if any one will take up a similar posi-
tion at the wicket gate, the Rectory will
be seen, and one will recognize how par
ticular Dickens was as to his minute geo
graphical details: Another point In favor
of the Rectory being the "Rookery'' will
be found in the hedge of the front gar
den, which divided Mr.. Murdstone his
horse in the roadway from David's mother
in the garden when they walked up and
down conversing. Then, again, take that
delightful little incident of Peggottys
when David was packed off in Mr.. Barkis
cart on his way to school. David and the
carrier had gone some little distance when
Peggotty burst from a hedge and climbed
into the cart and presented David with
bags of cakes" and purse containing
three bright shillings which she had evil
IDENTIFY polished up with whitening" Dickens
had studied the geography of the village so
we'll as to make this little incident possible
The cart would have to travel the road on
two sides of the field adjoining the Rec
tory, and Peggotty would have just had
time to reach the second corner by taking
diagonal run across the field, which no
doubt she did. This would not be possible
in regard to the Hall.
Dickens Faithful Geography.
Apart from the "Rookery,'' the chief in
terest in Blundeston for Dickensans is the
church. 1t has round tower (not spire.
as mentioned in the book In common with
many churches in the district, and dates
back to the Norman period. Its antigua
rian interest is very great, but we are con-
cerned with 1t just now from Dickensian
point OF view. David's chronicled recollec- |
lions Of 1t hold good today. There is moth
ing half so green that know anywhere, as |
the grass of that church yard he says; |
nothing half SO shady as it's trees; nothing |
half so quiet as Its tombstones. The sheep |
are feeding there, when 1 kneel up. early in |
the morning in my little bed and |
I see the red light shining on the sundial."
The high-backed pewS to which he refers |
In the same chapter have been removed, |
but the situation depicted in his early i'm |
Peggotty, is easily recalled. The window |
near the high-backed pew, "out of which |
our house can be seen, and Is seen many |
times during the mornings service, by |
PegBOty, who likes to make herself sure |
as she can that It's not being robbed, or is |
not in flames" Is the same as when the |
good soul satisfied herself on those points. |
On any bright sunny day one can see the |
same picture as David saw, minus, per- |
haps, the sheep. II look at the sunlight |
coming in at the open door through the |
porch, and there see stray sheep don't |
of l,s,fq