JINGLE'S PROTOTYPE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1162, 24 June 1911, Page 9

JINGLE'S PROTOTYPE.

Did Dickens invent the staccato style, of Alfred-Jingle, Esq., of No rial!,, Nowhere, or c'id lie get the hint from someone else? The question-is raised by the examination of a little volume which appeared in .1814, entitled "Tim General Post Bag; or, News Foreign, and Domestic, by Humphrey Hedgehog'/ Ksq." '. The book.is dedicated to fcnrd Byrou, and.-cdntainsi6ciiio 'satirical verses, but- its author'is unknown. Ho gives' an account of the. way in which he. came into possession of the '"Tost Bay,"'which contains, he says, "in tho most laconic terms I can command, a truo illustration of the genuine niiiltum in parvo." Thus:— "Mails, robbed—bags dropped—picked up by different persons here and there—contents scattered about the country—took a journey—popped into a roadside public house—eating and drinking, heard curious conversation respecting letters foundpricked up ears—asked landlord meaning —a packet of letters found by . rusticsmight be piirchasad—poor people—wanted money—glad to turn a penny—number, about a dozen—from high folks—about a pound might do—took hint—pound notelandlord go-between—got letters—evening's amusement-rpast midnight—read and laughed—determined to print—got home—sent for bookseller—offered five pounds for them—refused—publish them mvself—set printer to work—advanced ten pounds—wrote out advertisements—d—d papers would not. insert vexed —consulted publisher—recommended patience—came home in ill temper—sat down and wrote preface—anticipated profitsthought should be content if passed through thirty editions—and netted a couple of thousands!"

' For purposes of comparison, here is Dickens's description of the meeting between Mr. Jingle and Mr.. Pickwick and his party at the coach-stand in St. Mar-tin's-!e-Graml:—

"Heads, heads; take care of your heads!" cried the loquacious stranger as they came out under the low archway, which in those days formed the entrance to the coach yard. "Terrible place— dangerous work—other day—five children —mother—tall lady eating , sandwiches— —forgot the arch—crash—knocks-children look round—mother's head off—sandwich in her hand—no mouth to nut it in—head of a family off—shocking! shocking!— Looking nt Whitehall, sir?—fine place— little window—somebody else's head off there, eh, sir?—he didn't keep a sharp look-out enough, neither, eh, sir?"