Evening star., 1936-04-04
AUTHORS VIEW THEIR TIMES WITH CONCERNED EYES
FIRST CENTURY
Admirers Two Continents to Toast Imaginary Figure
of Mrth Who Was Made Real by Genius of Dickens
in His Youthful Adventures as Writer

thousands Of editions. The book In
fixed as the most popular single work
by Dickens.
In preface to what Is described as
the First Cheap Edition" Of Pick
wick Papers" Dickens himself explains
two interesting points. The first Is
the origin Of the signature Boz"
which he used at the beginning Of his
career. This, Dickens relates, was the
nickname Of pet child. a younger
brother, whom ! had dubbed Moses, in
honor Of the Vicar Of Wakefield; which.
being facetiously pronounced through
the nose, became BoseS, and being
shortened, became Boz. Boz was q
very familiar household work to me,
long before ! was an author, and so
] came to adopt It,"
Touching on the development of Mr..
Pickwick's character, Dickens remarks:
ut has been observed Of Mr.. Pick
wick that there is decided change
in his character, as these pages pro-
ceed, and that he becomes more good
and more sensible. do not think this
change will appear forced or unnatural
to my readers, II they will reflect that
in real life the peculiarities and oddi-
ties of a man who has anything whim-
sical about him generally impress us
first, and that 1t is not until We are
better acquainted with him that we US
ually begin to look below these super
II knat AxHl % a hAffaH
part of him"
The month Of April, 1886, had
double significance in the life OF
Charles Dickens, marking as it did
the first publication of the "Pickwick
Papers" and, also, his marriage to the
daughter of George Hogarth, one Of
the editors of the Chronicle. Just q
faw days before the marriage an
nouncement appeared in the Times,
that same newspaper carried another
notice that on the 3lst would be pub
lished the first number of "Pickwick
Papers" The wedding took place
April 2.
It would have seemed that Dickens
marriage coming coincidentally with
the publication Of SO popular a work
as "Pickwick Papers marked
the real beginning of his great career
should have been a happy augury
for his married life. But it was not.
Dickens marriage was not successful.
largely due, perhaps. TO the mercurial
quality Of his own temperament.
Nevertheless, his wife's sisters were
his dearest and closest friends until
the end.
OF ALL the vast gallery Of Dickens
characters, Mr.. PickWick stands
out not only as the greatest, but also
as the best beloved. He is Samuel
the Good. Samuel the Credulous,
Samuel the Ridiculous and ais
Samuel the Courageous.
Within his 100 years he has become
timeleSs parsonage, like Falstaff, ana
Ulysses, and Puck, and Paul Bunyan.
Mr.. Pickwick is the Don Quixote o.
the English speaking peoples. an.
Sam Weller is his Sancho Panza.
But aside from anything else M.
Pickwick may be. he is great fun.
On both sides Of the Atlantic, mem
bers of the Dickens Fellowship will
take the lead in the programme
festivities. Throughout the United
States, libraries will have exhibits. and
it is understood also that special COM
memorative broadcasts are TO be ar
ranged.
Devotees on this side, however, may
we'll eat their hearts out when they
learn how the anniversary is to be
observed in England. First of, there
is to be a dinner of the Fellowship. at
which the Duke of Kent will propose
a toast to The Immortal Memory OF
Charles Dickens" Then-and this is
too much to miss-the whole illustrious
company of Pickwickians will ride to
Rochester by coach. Arrived there.
they will meet at luncheon delegates
of the Dickens Fellowship from mary
countries. That many Americans will
be present is certain.
But Mr.. Pickwick is 10 be still
further honored. The original pub
fishers, Chapman & Hall. are to give
a benefit play; the Lord Mayor OF
Portsmouth, Dickens birthplace. is
planning a fete; and there will be =
special collection of manuscripts on
view at 4s Doughty street, Blooms
bury, where the Papers" we're COM
pleted.
1t Is going to be quite a celebration
on both sides of the Atlantic, that Is
clear. But even so, it will not be
enough to indicate the warmth of the
worlds fluctuations to Mr.. Pickwick
and company as they start on their
second century.
AS Sam Weller had it so express
sively, Long Life to the Pickvicks!"