Year: 1870

genuine ueaTJluesS aDOuI Iue WelCOlue eAJeuu0u |
to Mr.. Dickens that man of really fine feelings
could scarcely have failed to appreciate at its
real value in spite of the absurdities that sur
rounded it.
AS the adulations bestowed upon him
had been fulsome, the indignation was over
powering when it was found that this over
welcomed guest turned the whole thing into
ridicule as soon as he had reached home, and
that both in his American Notes" and in his no.
vel of Martin Chuzzlewit" he had little else but
abuse and sarcasm to bestow upon either the
country or the people. OF late there has been
an attempt to condone Mr.. Dickens offense on
this occasion, and TO take all the blame for the
unfortunate misunderstanding upon ourselves
We cannot look upon the matter in this light,
and no candid reader of "The American Notes"
or Martin Chuzzlewit' can say that they are
not malicious and Intentionally insulting. The
real offense of Mr. Dickens was not
that he freely criticized what he thought
wrong in the manners of the people
of the United States or their institutions,
but that from the first time of his landing upon
these shores he was in bad humor with him
self and with everybody about him, and he was
unable consequently to see any good thing. He
must have seen plenty of opportunities for good
natured caricature and humorous description;



Notes" there is only one example, so far as we
can recollect of humorous character that he
seemed to appreciate, and that is the Brown
Forester" that he met on a canal-boat in this
State and even the 'Brown Forester" he seems
to have considered as more of personal griev-
ance than as subject for artistic treatment.
The rough-and-ready style of travelling that
was characteristic of the old canal packets did
not suit him at all, and he seemed to think that
il had been invented especially for his personal
annoyance; and yet any person who has ever
travelled in one of these boats would imagine
that humorous writer of all others would
have endured all the Inconvenience for the
sake of racy and original specimens of American
men and women with whom he would be thrown
in contact. Mr. Dickens did not like the rail-
roads any better than the canals, and when a
writer represents himself as looking out of a car
window, and mistaking the spittle elected by
independent American citizens for thick
flying bits of cotton, it is evident
that his statements of fact and
opinion are scarcely entitled to respectful
consideration In writing as he did about this
country, Mr.. Dickens proved that he was lack
ing in the finer gentemanly instincts, and that,
SO far from taking manly and independent
view of things, he was content to follow in the





sort OF popularity at home by abusing
people, institutions, and manners that they
cannot and do not care to under
stand. After "Martin Chuzzlewit" came
his christmas Stories" "Dombey and Son."
and David Copperfeld," in which his genius
reached it's climax. Mr.. Dickens himself ac-
knowledges this work to be his masterpiece, and
his own opinion is supported by that of ma


ority of his readers. In the works that sue
ceeded "David Copperfeld" there is gradual
but visible decline, until in his latest efforts
noticeable falling off of the old power
is observable. 1t is true that these
later works are all distinctly marked
by the characteristics of his genius,
but the humor is often forced, the sentiment
more mawkish than ever, and there is ten
dency to prosiness that distinctly indicates the
failing artist. Let any one read "Oliver Twist, I"
| ''Dombey and Son" and David Copperield, :"
and then attempt "Great Expectations" and
'Our Mutual Friend, :" and the immense differ
ence will be apparent at once. His last novel,
''The Mystery of Edwin Brood, has not suii-
ciently advanced to form a just opinion
| of it, but the opening chapter
shows more of the old fire than any of
his other recent efforts. 1t is sincerely to be
| hoped that the death of the author has not left
| this story mere fragment ike INC OeulS
Duval" of Thackeray, but that ere he was called
away he finished it, and rounded off his life's
labors with last work that will be worthy to
be placed beside those that have for so long
delighted millions of readers.


If Mr.. Dickens had not taken up authorship
as a profession, he would probably have made


one of the first histrionic artists of the day.


His talents as an actor were undoubtedly of the


first order, and those who had heard of his per-


formances in private hailed with delight the


announcement of his intention to give public


readings from his own works. These readings


were immensely successful in England and the


recent professional tour of Mr.. Dickens in thi;


country is still fresh in the minds of the public


Merely as an elocutonist he had many palpabl6


faults, but for humorous and pathetic expires


sions in his reading, and for power OF repre-


senting the various characters introduced in the


stories selected for his entertainments he sur


passed any reader of the present day. These


readings were source of genuine deligh


to. thousands, they not only


gave the public an opportunity t


see the great writer who had afforded them 81


many pleasant hours, but conferred the unique


pleasure of hearing the most original aud racl


humorist OF the day embody his own creations


In making summary estimate of the geniu
| and labors of Mr.. Dickens IL seems to rs tina