New-York tribune., 1919-07-05
The Dickens Circle
Intimate Glimpse oe BOZ
Among the Great Victorians
THE DICKENS CIRCLE. BY ]. w. It.
Ley. Published by Z. 2. Dutton e Co.
illustrated. 363 pages Price $500.
By Natalie McCloskey

Not every one is Dickens fan.
There are those who think his humor,
well-British. There are others who
maintain the great novelist has in
dulged in mawkish sentimentality to an
objectionable degree. 1t is our own
personal whim to hope such honest
thinking critics are few, and to believe
that the majority of those who in their
awkward, knee-trousered era stumbled
upon Oliver Twist and Paul Dombey,
or blinked miserablly over the last wan
smile Of Little Nell, we're drawn to a
wholesome appreciation Of and love for
the creator Of these characters.
Dickens had a great sympathy for
the under dog, the chap who was down
on his luck. To the maturcr illumina-
ton of those who at first thrilled to the
novelist's inimitable telling Of bit of
adventure, romance or crime, flashed an
understanding of the life Dickens him
self must have lived in order to write
with such conviction of the people who
inhabited London's byWays and slums.
David Copperfeld around the docks
is no concoction from the fertile i'm
agination of a young dreamer, but a
sketch from Dickenss own boyhood.
Poverty in the "Old Curiosity Shop"
and "Oliver Twist" is real, because the
author had himself felt its pangs in
Upper Cover Street. But the fact that
he blacked boots, learned to barter
with a .wizened pawnshop keeper and
worked in a blacking warehouse for
six shillings week when still d young
boy never blunted his genius or his
humor.
To the fact that the rollicking good
humOr and keen wit which created
Sam Weller never failed him DO we
owe the saving grace which lifts his
novels from the sentimental outpour-
ings Of many who see in poverty only
suffering. To his great sympathy for
all who were out of luck, his hearty CO.
operation with all who would help to
tighten the burden Of the poor, should
we be grateful for the incompatible
place he made for himself in the hearts
Of Victoria's greatest men.
Ley, in his book, has made TO at
tempt to show Dickens as a novelist,
little attempt to picture him as ar, ANA
success, portrayed him as friend
Those who do not, perhaps, feel drawn
to Dickens, do admire Browning or
Thackcray, Landor or Leigh Hunt,
Carlyle or that group Of noted illus
traitors which included George Cruik-
shank, George Cattermolc, the Land
secrs, Daniel Maclise ("dcar old Mac")
and others. They are all in The
Dickens Circle--all part of that de-
lightful cotcrie which, by means Of a
minute study of old records, biograph-
les, letters, news files and sketches, MI
Ley has done US the great service to
show, not as master minds, but as
delightful human beings and friends
of Dickens.
1t is a bit unfortunate, perhaps, that
Mr.. Ley has forgotten we arc not all
Dickens authorities so we'll Informed as
himself, and hints at the companions
of Dickens's youth without telling Us
background. However, there is little
else left out Of remarkably compre-
hensive volume. Not only are the
great English Victorians brought into
the volume in their dinners, walks
stage coach journcyings and playact-
ihgs with the genial Boz, but also those
Americans who as hosts to the great
novelist on his visits here came tc
love him exceedingly Notable among
these are Washington Irving, Longfel-
low, Professor FELTON, and Mr.. and Mrs
James T. Fields.
We're we adequately to do justice tc
Mr.. Ley's thorough and wholly de
lightful illumination of Dickens as {
friend we should ramble on indefnitel ls
and quote extensively. We won't, bu
only hint to those who not only love
Dickens, but other great Victorians as
we'll, that much pleasure awaits then
in the reading of "rhc Dickens Circle.
Some Of the chapters are rathc'
sketchy, and we were disappointed il
that one headed "Ihc Greatest O.
Then All" dealing with John Forster
biographer and most intimate of Dick
cns's friends.
The Thackeray chapter was to u
the most interesting. That that cyni
cal genius was supposed to have en-
We'd Dickens his tremendous popularit.
with the English may be true. That hi
envy was ever picayune jealous.
seems impossible in view Of the fol
lowing delightful tribute Thackcra.
paid his rival novelist, when in lcct
urc he gave in 1855, Thackcray snid:
"All children love him Dickensl
know two that do, and read his book
ter: times for once they pcrusc the dis
nal prcachmcnts Of their father.
know one who, when shc is happy
reads Nicholas Nicklcby': when she il
unhappy, reads Nicholas Nickeby
when she In tired, reads Nicholas MIX
lcby';. when she is In bed, reads Mich,
! l<|. I.-I.l Ill.,. Ia