New-York tribune., 1908-12-20
DICKENSIAN4.
Il Nez0 Collection Of His Fugitivs
Writings.

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS from The Mo-a-
ing Chronicle The Daily News. The e
Round and otter Sources Ey Charles Dfcz
ems. Illustrated syo, pp- XVI 70 Cha-lss
Scribner's Sons
SCENES AND CHARAC-TEIE-:s ACT FROM TIE
WORKS OF CHARLES DICKENS. Beng
eight hundred and sixty-six drawings by Fre5
Barnard. Hablot K Browne tPhizl. GOr10z
Thomson, Sir Luke Fildes and Others Pr.ats1
from the original wood blocks engraved f0r
1.-THE Household Edition 40 pp- L, "a II
ported BY Charles SCrlbnsrS sons
The collection Of miscellaneous papers bv
Dickens which Mr.. B. W NIatz has made for a.
additional volume to the Authentic Edition" O.
the novelist's works has better justification thar
can. as rule be claimed for compilations Of TIE
sort Many Of these scattered pieces have beer
made more or less familiar. but they have n0,
hitherto been accessible in such convenient fIr-
as is now given to them, and, what is more
the point they contain much that IS dehghtful7
characteristic OF Dickens Though they shed Z,
exceptional light his genius they at least give
on the other hand, genuine reflections 4 1t 7:
browse through this voIUme-and IL IS mean
for browsing rather than for systematic perusl
is TO come in contact once more with the ver7
nature Of the man. TO feel his atmosphere
witness the always exhilarating operation Of h
heart and intellect
The chief impression you get IS the same tha
is conveyed by the novels, an impression Of The
writer's irnmeasurable sympathy and vitalit-
He is interested in everything and on everything
is ready TO frame an opinion which fairly tnglzs
with emotion The first four pages in the boo.
are given to the Introductory cFapter which hs
wrote to the memoirs Of Joseph G-imaldL Tt
some years now" he says, since We first con-
cefved a strong yeneratiOn for Clowns" and as
he goes on he makes you feel thar the clown s
for him, at the moment, one OF the most tnpor-
tant creatures in the world IN the very mex
paper he pays his compliments. with urgsl.
satire to The Agricultural Interest and ths1
a little later on he gives at length the reasons
why he advocates the total abolition Of capita
punishment From that grim theme We turn q
a defence Of a cartoon by his friend Maclise all
to his well remembered tribute 70 Thackeray
He discourses with admiration on the ronaut1
acting Of Fechter; he pours out his wrath upo-
that dreadful establishment for paUper chiIdrz
at footing which was the cause u sensation
legal proceedings in the late 41's; in perfsc
gale of high spirits he draws UP the terms
a walking match between Dolby and Osg0o
joyfuIly signing the bUrlesque document IN II
character Of the Gad's Hill Casper or he sZ
plains with a beautiful sincerity how free frc-
all malice was his intention in using some Of IN
traits of Leigh Hunt for the character Of Haro-
SkimpOle
What he writes is always true brain stuh Z
has always intrinsic value. You are Constanr
aware of that seeing eye" OF his and Of rs
descriptive power. Take, for example, this nJt
on Landor's arms. introduced in review q
Forster's biography:
They were rather short. and were curfously =
strained and checked in their action lt the elooHs
in the action Of the hands, even when Sepalstss-
clerehed there was the same kind lt lalSe an. :
noticeable tendency to relaxation en- tEe Parl ~ =
thumb Let the face be never so intense OF us.S-
there was a commentary OF E-Il---IlVSS -
hands essential TO be taken along WIN Il = -
Hamlet, I.andOr would speak WIN d1sSeL!Ss - :
use none In the expression OF his ha-dS, ILO-s-
angrily closed there vas always sen,leAsSs4 =
tenderness. lust as when they were open an =
handsome old gentlsznan would WEve them VII
little courtIy flourish that sat vel upon hlLn' - .