THE LATE CHARLES DICKENS.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2242, 14 July 1870, Page 3

THE LATE CHARLES DICKENS.

(From Men of the Time.)

Charles Dickens, the son of Mr John Dickens, who held a position in the Navy Pay department, was born at Portair outh in 1812. At the close of the war his father retired on a pension, and came to London as parliamentary reporter for one of the daily papers. Charles, who was placed as a clerk fn an attorney’s office, was induced by a strong literary bias to obtain an engagement as a reporter on the staff of the Movu~ Inq Chronicle, then in the zenith of its fame, under Mr John Black. The editor, noticing his readiness and versatility, gave him an opportunity for the display of his abilities by inserting in his journal those “ Sketches of English Life and Character,” which were reprinted in a collective form, tinder the title of “Sketches by Bnz,” in 188(5-7. About the same time be wrote a comic opera, entitled “The Village Coquettes.” This graphic power of describing the ordinary scenes of common life, more especially in a ludicrous aspect, did not escape the notice of Messrs Chapman and Hall, who requested “ Boz” to write for them a story as a serial in monthly part', and the result was the publication of the “Posthumous Memoirs of the Pickwick Club.” The subject was treated in a manner at once so easy and natural, and with such a flow of genuine humor, that the author found himself raised, almost at a single step, to the highest rank amon" living novelists. Illustrated at first by the pencil of Seymour, and after his death by that of Hablot K. Biowne (Phiz), the “Pickwick Papers” had an enormous sale, and the name of the author was announced in 1888. The great success of “Pickwick” naturally caused Mr Dickens to receive a variety of offers from London publishers ; and brought about bis connection with Mr Bentley, who engaged hie services r.s editor of his Miscellany, in the second number of which, for Feb., 1837, appeared the first instalment of “(diver Twist.” This story, which was published in three volumes at the close of 1838, Ids the reader into some of tho secrets of life, as it was too frequently found in the parish-union workhouses, and in the dark haunts of thievery and villauy which form so dark a blot upon London and the larger cities in the provinces. Admirably illustrated by the pencil of George Cruieksbank, “ Oliver Twist” at once became a favorite, and is still regarded as one of the author’s happiest product ons. “ Nicholas Nickleby,” which appeared io shilling numbers, uniform with “ Pickwick,” shortly after the completion of that work, was written to expose in detail tho cruelties which were then, and are still, it is to be feared, practised upon orphans and other neglected children of tho middle classes at cheap schools, especially in some of the northern com: ties. Mr Dickens states in the preface that some of these disclosures resulted from a visit of inspection paid by himself to a school of tho “Dutheboys” class in the wolds of Yorkshire., fa 1810 Mr Dickens undertook the production of a story, op rather a series pf stories, in weekly numbers. It was entitled “Master Humphrey's Clock,” and included, amongst other tales, those since republished in a separate form, under the names of “The Old Curiosity Shop,” containing the episode of “ l.itHc Nell,” so remarkable for its pathos aqd simplicity ; and of “Burnaby RiuLe,” a talc illustrative of the senseless riots connected with the name of Lord George Gordon, m 1780. About the time of the of “Master Humphrey’s Clock,” appeared his “ Memoirs of Joaopli Grimaldi,”- the celebrated olowp, almost the only production of ssr Dipkeils’s pen which deals with tho plain prose of facts. Soon after the completion of ‘‘Raster Humphrey’s Clock,” Mr Charles Dickens sailed for the United States, for the purpose of preparing himself for the publication of a now work upon men and manners in the New World. Having visited a great part of the country and accumulated sw>.ve, c,f materials, on his return tq Lnclaml, iu 18-12, he published ■* A merman Notes for General Girovdaslon,'’ Mariv of tho author's uUtementß were controverted by our Yankee'cousins, and the book provoked a reply, under the facetious title ol “ i Hiang<> foe American No : ei.” In 1844 “Martu* Ohuzzjewit'' appeared in nnm,be-s, and in the summer of that year Mr Dickens visiroi Italy, and many of the results of his observations were afterwards published in tho J)uily\N'evm Returning to England in tho Course of 184.3. he anifrested the foundation of a cheap daffy newspaper, to advocate the spread of Liberal politics ond secular education at home, and show itself tho sworn enemy of despotic and arbitrary power abroad. Having organised a large literate staff, and surrounded himself witn fo nc of the leading men of the day, he commenced the Daily News, Jan 1, 1846, octing as the editor, and contributing to ’its columns his

sketches frmn’the south of Europe under the attractive title of “ Pictures of Italy, which wore afterwards produced in a collective form. Mr Dickens soon withdrew from his editorial post, and resumed his humorous serial publications. He wrote some stones of ammo strictly imaginative ca-t, called “Christmas Books,” of which the jiist, “A Christmas Carol,” was published in 1543 ; the second, “ The Chimes,” in IS-lo ; the third, “Thu Cricket on the Hearth, m 1841) ; the fourth, “ The Battle of Life, in 184(i; and the fifth, “The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain,” in 1848. In addition to the above Mr Dickens has written “ Dombcv and Son,” published in 1847-8 ; “The History of David Coppertield, ’ in 1840-o0; “ Bleak House/’ in 18.1,8 ; “Little Don-it,” in 18.)G; and “A Tale of iwo Cities,” “The Uncommercial Traveller” and “Great Expectation-,” the last three bavin" hj cn reprinted from Alt the Year Round. In 1810 Mr C. Dickens started Household Words, a cheap weekly literary miscellany, which he conducted for some years ; but a dispute having arisen bid ween ii m and his iinblishcrs, lie brought it to & c-’iielusiou in 1811), and established in its place another, siindar in plan and form, entitled Alt the Year Round, which lie stdl conducts. The first number of a new illustrated serial story from Mr Dickun’s pen, entitled “"ur Mutual Friend,” appeared in May, 1864. Mr Dickens has a high reputation as an amateur actor, is one of the founders of the Guild of Literature and Art, and has been an active promoter of the lloyal Literary Fund.