New-York tribune., 1910-02-20

ounQ %
- not very important books which the
80, ,..;,,,s oor,pile~ finds much amusement ana
'OO' zfe;-,,,t,- in putting into shape Dllsent
10 =, .,,,,,,os af biography. Of remlniscence
se- = ,-,s,,or5ence results in the collection
"o - ,r anecdotes and OF personal descrIp-
o " - --a-rerization: and these things,
'', ~ % thread Of genial comment provide
a,,ooL which is not at all bad in its way
-, C,o-e makes his reader more or less init
-, acquainted with Dickens and the writers
- s--ists who surrounded him All are gone
and for most Of rs their work is dead. too
-. Novelist himself remains gloriously alive
= - books Of which edition after edition con-
- IN roll Of the press. although various
-o,-ss sGuonish rs that these stories are
,.,,lessl, old fashioned. No doubt they are,
u1,ne men have hearts and 4 sense of
% -bs- NH read and enjoy the novels Of
- Dickens The favorite charge against
= : that of exagseration To this Mr. Ches-
-, made the other day. as good an answer
~Ir one once gets fairly To human
= he said. with those classes that form
- ,-,st mass of mankind. one finds ones self
-, o. mage ur Dickens The novelist often
"a from sentiment into sentimentaty, as
=, Sr,re adn!.;s-but how often. too, he has
- -te secret places Of wholesome emotion
- made life easier for the sorrowful and the
,,-esse6, Il may be that in q materlallstlc
oea when bouquets are sent to murderers and
ts-,es are manufactured out Of sordid advent
--s-s mankind need not greatly worry over
- sent5rrer-ality Of Dickens The fact re-
mains that ha touched 10 sympathy a genera
ia, thar had been Indifferent to the expioIta-
i,r NJ -f,. POOR and the helpless. and that he
7,ogcht about changes IN feeling and in meth
a5s for which Englishmen may still be grateful
When Mary Covden Clarke read the an
-7-rce-nert Of MS death. the SUM-. she said,
~sa.-n.5 suddenly hIotted out" An incarnation
- sunshine. he often seemed to his friends. his
high spirits. his contagious comicality, 50 sell
dom failed He Was q handsome fellow in his
youth as Mrs Clarke in her old age reme1n-
he--5 What eyes his were she said. Large.
dark blue exquisitely shaped. 1ringed with mag
-i7cer.tll long and thick lashes-they now swan
in rc.!id lir7,id sufTueion. when tears started
into them from a sense q humoT or sense OF
rarhos and now darted quick flashes q ire
..raI! some generous Indignation 1t injustice or
some E.zh wrought feeling Of admiration OF
,nacaarirlity or some sudden emotion Of in
-..-est and excitement touched him" He loved
10 rark t. laugh. 10 tell stories, but he was as
-aa.7 a listener IS raIker Impulsive and i'm
-.-..r-.- ae he was he was q miracle of indus
~ arG-as his daughter Mary wrote Of him
There meyer existed. think. in all the world
more thoroughly tidy OF methodical creature.
lie was tidy IL every way-in his mind,
IN his handsome and graceful person, in his
work .r keeping lis writing table drawers, IN
us large correspondence. in fact. in his whole
life H. drew On his stores Of energy without
raercy-Nr. shore notes that his way Of rest
ns q tired brain was To indulge in violent bod
.ly exerciSe-but he drew upon them by rule.
II ND certain hours for working. and moth
ng zaS allowed 10 break into them. But when
he played a- played with viii. and everybody
hear him eXr-uded in that sunshine Those who
-re amused In these days at descriptions Of the
-5yelist's gorgeous clothes and many rings ana
I-ssIeritr and popularity dandies wore such
things and were admired. Perhaps Dickens pre-
served his Horid taste rather later in life than
56 his carly companions-he need not be
-~-Gse6 that amiable weakness. Those who
loved him joked about It afectonately- Ne
a-e told that when the gift Of a gorgeous piece
u st.f was made t. 4 well known artist Of the
t-rlod b. wondered what he could DO with il.
Oh senG L Il Dickens said his friend, WiIke
collins -H-'l make Waistcoat OF it
With children Dickens was his most delight
l.. aad Iayaule self There Is q charming ailt-
-re q rs evening performances with his own
-lti- ones. when he would sing one comic song
4.;er another 10 them the which he would
himself enjoy and laugh at as much as any
II MS small audience" At these before bed
line enter;a lnnents ~encores were allowed, es-
a +5-