The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-07
or
CHARLES DICKENS

| This is the 105th anniversary of the
ond and last visit to America was paid
| half a century ago this year. It was
in 1912 that Dickens visited America
| the first time, and, although he had
not yet written the novels which are
now generally esteemed his best, he
| was given a most fiattering reception
| Dickens was then just thirty, and
| more of a boy than man in actions
and feelings. He frankly enjoyed the
attitude of the Americans, for every
where he went he was courted, prais-
ed and run after. The appearance of
Dickens in the street was the signal
for the gathering of crowd, and he
was stared.at and cheered with great
er interest and enthusiasm than IL he
had been a crowned potentate. Dick
ems remained on this side of the At
lantic from January to June of 1872.
On his return to England he wrote
american Notes for General Circu-
lation," a rather poor return for the
hospitality he had received, since
many Of his criticisms were grossly ex-
aggerated. This work aroused GER
tain amount Of animosity toward the
young English author in the breasts
Of Americans, but it did not diminish
the number of his readers in the Unit
ed States.
Whatever i'll feelings Americans
may have cherished toward Dickens
as the result of the "Notes" had al
most completely died out when he re-
turned to America in 1867, to make a
eading tour which continued into the
following year. In the interval be-
tween his first and second visits Dick
ems wrote 'David Copperfield, Mar
tin Chuzzlewjt,'' ''Dombey and Son.
Little Dorrit," ga Tale of Two Cit
ies," "Great Expectations" and sever
al other volumes. A quarter of
century older, and much more sedate
that word could never be
properly applied to him-than on the
occasion of his first visit, Dickens re-
ceived an equally cordial welcome.
Americans f1ocked to his readings in
such numbers that he reaped rich
financial reward. Dickens gained
truer appreciation of Americans on
this extended tour, and wrote sort
of apologize note which was prefix
ed to the next edition Of his "Amer1-
can Notes."
There are many people now living
who had the pleasure of seeing and
hearing the great author half a CEN
turv ago. Among the friendships
formed by the great novelist, one hot
the least appreciated was with a little
girl named Smith, who was destined
to win fame as a writer under the
name of Kate Douglas Wiggin. Little
Miss Smith assured the distinguished
visitor that she had read "all but two
or three" of his novels, and that she
intended to read the others just as
quick as ever she could. When she
declared that she had read David
Copperfeld" seven times, and that 1t
was her ifavorite, but that she didn't
dare read certain parts on Saturday
nights because it made her eyes so
swollen for Sunday school, the noy-
elist was quite affected by such praise,
and assured her that she was quite
right in liking David Copperf1eld'
best of all his works.
Dickens was a handsome, athletic
man, with an eloquent voice and great
dramatic power. but much prone to
exaggerations and eccentricities In
dress. He had a fondness for the
outre and extravagant, which mani
tested itself in many ways, such as his
purchase Of the famous Great Bed of
Ware" which was large enough to
.'sleep" dozen people, and old
enough to have been mentioned by
Shakespeare in Twelfth Night"