New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-19
Mr.. PICKWICK.
# Fine Topical Edition of the
Famous Papers.

THE PosTHUMOUS PAPERS OF THE
flChMlCh CLUB. BY Charles Dick
ems ems ToPiSal edition Cd. y extra illustrated
volumes; svo. Pp- 4So-iio Charles
Scribners Sons.
Before these two big volumes burst
upon our delighted vision We should
have said that nothing could make these
immortal Papers more begliiling. that no
thrills could be added 20 those with
which we encounter the great Samuel
Pickwick Esq. with his Tittlebats, his
cherubic smile and his heart-warming
gaiters-but We must acknowledge
that new beguilement and new thrills
are ours. This Topical Edition gives Us
the work set forth I'm comfortably large,
clear type. with the fOrty-three original
Illustrations. 50 comically ugly and i'll
drawn. but fondiy cherished all the same.
Then on page after page comes a wealth
Of additional pictures-pictures OF orig
inals OF characters. and places. scenes
and incidents. with curious topical al
iusiOns. references and analOgies and
facsimiles which we owe 90 the industry
and enthusiasm in collecting OF Mr.. Van
NOOrden. He has undoubtedly succeeded
in HIS effort 20 produce an edition OF the
book forming a more or less complete
topical commentary upon the English life
and character OF the time. Here Is the
England OF 1897. the year in which the
novelist set the opening OF his story. with
its customs. its traditions and its land
marks. which will soon survive only I'm
pages like these. Every available source
has been ransacked. and the result is
eminently creditable 20 collector and
publisher. Further interesting additions
are 20 De found In the original announce
ment % the work. the dedieati ton OF the
original edition. the prefaces. addresses
and suppressed notes. etc. reprinted from
the Victoria" Edition with the notes by
sir. Charles Plumptre Johnson.
In the pleasant introduction contrib
uted by Mr.. Van NOOrden are 90 be
found various details as 90 the customs
of that faT-Off time and notes on the real
persOnages who served as models 20 the
novelist. We know that Sergeant Bonn
pas was the prototype OF Buzfuz. but the
statement Of BOmpas's son that the fam
rs rather prided themselves on the as
ISOLATION is something as new TO us as
Is that clustering advocates portrait
here reproduced. The author tells us
that Bu7fuz's public methods were not
carried into private life. There he was
so sincerely liked that when he died in
comparative poverty. the Bar Society
settled a competence on his family. AS
for SIR. Justice Gazelee. tho original OF
Mr. Justice StareIeigh-whose temper
"boTdered on the irritable and bFOOked
not cOntTadictiOn"-it Is recalled that the
echo OF Dickens's satire was SO loud
that the man retired from the bench
shortly after the publication OF the chap
ter describing the PiekwieIk- Bardell trial
scene. Most OF the buildings associated
with that famous episode. by the way.
have persisted. the courtroom at Guild
hall being the only survival.
The moral pocket handkerchief
them" says the inimitable Sam Weller.
las hangs UP ia the linen diapers shops
With beggar petitions and all that ere
upon 'cm"-weTe not 90 be found by the
editor. though he has been searching fOF
AtAteAA "a 81 uaN~0a~A4Al~hGs NuAANAH ANA
the last ten years. Perhaps there are
no longer shepherds Of the Stiggins type
demanding these useful objects on which
were blended select tales with wOOdcuts.
The latest reference 10 them is offered
by Notes and Queries" a contributor
reporting that the horrors OF lntem-
perance were fOrcibly impressed upon his
youthful mind by the pictures and text
OF one Of these handkerehiefs purchased
In 1871. IL Is doubtful ~ they were
available many years after that date.
one Of tile rare illustrations provided by
the editor Is Of the ''IrOfile machine"
mentioned In Sans valentine 90 the
pretty hOusemaid. the instrument tn
vented IN 1906 for tho making OF sill
hOuettes. Another illustration which Is
very rare does away with tho hitherto