The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-22

David Copperfield" is generally viewed, and with fairly ample reason, as a partial autobiography. There is no doubt that the description of David's unhappy childhood is, indeed, 8 very real description of the authors youth, after disaster overlook his careless, happy go-lucky father. As for the rest, David Copperfield" fs probably as much of an autobiography and as little of one as "Nicholas Nlokleby," Martin Chuzzlewit" and Little Dor Tit" all of which contain characters who have been "identified' as Dickens'5 mother, his father, himself, and so on. The truth is, that Dickens possessed in a degree hardly ever approached by any other known writer, ancient or modern, the genius for creation. Since he wrote millions of human be- ings have been born. have played their parts, have died and are gone as If they had never been. The creatures of his brain remain--far more real than all the .'real' multitudes of. men.
 It is said that Micawber. the wonder full, dissipated, hopeful. "cadging," low able Micawber, Is a description of Dickenss own father. If Dickens were writing today probably every reader would feel assured that Micawber was drawn from one of his own acquaint- ances. We have all known Steer forth, and loved him, and served him, content to accept him as something great, and loyalty shutting our eyes to our gods feet of clay. Uriah Heep may be found anywhere today. The brave, true, simple, noble heart of Peggotty beats beneath 8 rough coat at every huntingdon Peggotty is the brave simple, noble heart of our real humanity, that throbs true evermore under the ugly and disgusting armor that we wear in our war for a living. vUyHEN little David Copperfeld A/ first saw the Ark" he could
 w not have been more charmed with the romantic idea of actually liv- ing in it if 1t had been Aladdin's pal ace, roc's eggs and all. It lay In the, flat waste of Yarmouth, with the big gray sea crouching close to 1.-the sea that had once fondled 1t and swung it and borne it, but was never to bear it again. There was a delightful door cut in one side and 1t was roofed over and there were little windows in 1t. And in the little doorway stood a most beautiful little girl, who wouldn't let him kiss her when he offered to, but ran away and hid herself.
 And there was mighty young man, who did not run away, but stood smil- ing sheepishly in canvas jacket, and pair of such stiff trousers that they could have stood quite as well alone. There was also a most astonishingly neat woman, who announced almosr at once that she was a lone, lorn crea- ture, with whom everything went con- trairy. And there was MT. Peggotty, the owner of the entrancing house, hairy man with a very good-natured face who welcomed David politely and expressed the hope that he had left his ma pretty jolly.
 When the inmates of the ark gath cred at the chimney corner that night, David, sitting on locker by the side of the little girl, cogitated gravely on the varied relationship of all these in teresting people. MT. Peggotty inform ed him that Little Emily was the daughter of his broth -in-law who had been "drowndead"; and the tall young man, Ham, was the son of his brother who had been "drowndead'; and the lone, lorn woman was Mrs. Gummidge. widow of his old fishing partner.
 This information was elaborated la ter by David's nurse, who was sister to MT. Peggotty, and who told him that MT. Peggotty, although poor fisher man, had taken all these forsaken ones into his keeping.
 During the fortnight's visit David
 
 Little Emily, and she confided to him that she would like to be a lady so that she might keep her cousin Ham from the sea and give her Uncle Peggotty a sky blue coat with diamond buttons. a red velvet waistcoat and cooked hat. When the time for parting came the two went arm in arm to the car rier's cart that was to bear David away, and felt the first great void In fb air vollng hearts.
 All the way homeward Peggotty was strangely confused and disturbed; but it was not until they had alighted in front of Blunderstone Rookery that she could bring herself to speak Then she threw her arms around the boy and told him with tears that he had a new father to take the place of the father who had died before his birth.
 When he came into the room he saw A gentleman with very black hair and very glossy black whiskers. who said to Davids pretty, gfrlish mother as she arose hurriedly:
 Now. Clara, my dear, recollect! Con- trol yourself always control yourself
 As soon as he could David crept up stairs-but not to his old dear bed- room; for he was now to lie in little attic room, a far way off. And there he sobbed himself to sleep.
 The next day MT. Murdstone's sister Jane arrived, and that dark, uncompro- missing, thin-lipped, metallic woman inn mediately assumed charge of the house. hold. suppressing the little wife's fec ble opposition so summarily that the Murdstones were masters of the place almost without siege.
 The two black ones became the em- bodiment of awful authority to David They burdened his childish heart and hrain with terror, until one day when Mr Murdstone gave him a frightful heating. he turned in his anguish and blind fear and bit the kindly gentle- ,nan sayagely in the hand.
 within a few days he was on his way to school. His young mother, under the watchful eye of Miss Murdstone. hardly dared whisper a frightened fare- we'll to him.
 Az soon as he arrived in Salem House | nlacard was fastened on his back. On it was written in great characters, .Taks care of him, he bites" The ori- rinality of this device was a source of intense qualification to the proprf- etor of the establishment. MT. Creakle, a fiery-faced, stout gentleman, who viewed boy, particularly if he was chubby. as a subject to be fiogged Off eight. Unfortunately for his complete endowment of the placard, the young gentlemen under his care were all so iow-spirited that they did not seize upon the opportunity with the savage delight that the normal young of the human species would feel at such an invitation.
 However. even had the youthful fn-