CHARLES DICKENS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1929, Page 7

CHARLES DICKENS

OUTLOOK TOWARDS SOCIAL REFORM.

lIIS CONSERVATISM

WELLINGTON, April 8

In the course of a lecture for the Workers’ Educational Association belore a large audience on Saturday night, Mr G. W. von Zodlitz, M.A., made some interesting observations on the attitude of Charles Dickens towards social and economic reform—his failure in certain directions and conspciuous success in others. “Dickens did not consider himself a social reformer,” said the speaker, “and vet he had gained a leading place in Knglish literature largely owing to the reform lie effected in the matter of pronunciation. The colloquialisms, vulgarisms, and slang of one generation become the official language of a succeeding generation, though not necessarily the next. In the Latin language during the time of Augustus the letter ‘H’ was dropped and remained lost through the influence of the French and Italian languages in which the aspirate is not sounded.” The lecturer explained how the London Cockney pronounces every initial vowel ill a halDand-half way and hits off the letter ‘H’ accurately In a manner that implies a thorough knowledge of spelling which is remarkable for an uneducated person. This misplacement of vowels by the mass of the people in the great metropolis would have a far wider influence on the language than any pronouneiation that originated at Oxford University, said Air von Zodlitz, and it is entirely due to the exaggerated use which Dickcms made of the word “humble” by Uriah Heap in “David Copporlield,” and the “W” instead of “V” by Sam Weller in the “Pickwick Papers,” that these vulgarisms were checked and the linguistic habits of the English people generally were changed.

ATTITUDES TO PATRIOTISM AND SCIENCE.

Dickens attempted a much bigger reform both in England and America with regard to the popular conception of patriotism, but his efforts in this direction were not nearly so successful. He endeavoured first to induce his fellow-countrymen to realise their right attitude to patriotism was to do their duty in a spirit of noblesse oblige instead of thinking that whatever they did was right simply because they were Englishmen. The insular prejudice from which English people have always suffered was a serious factor in destroying the welldirected efforts of the great writer, and lie struck a fresh blow In a more high-coloured form at Americans, which was strongly resented, and proved equally futile. The whole work of Dickens in the field of social reform bears upon bis attitude towards religion and political and publico life. He was a deeply religious man indirectly rather than actively, influenced by the outlook of the established Church of England, and there was something Catholic in his attitude to all moral questions, and his conception that ideas with regard to social reform should work along what might be called religious lines. His attack against established abuses was not so much an endeavour to got rid of this or that evil as a permanent attack upon a frame of mind that human beings will always have, and that is why bis efforts resulted in failure rather than success. The iniquities arising out of officialism and bureaucracy remain precisely as Dickons described them so forcefully in “Little Dorrit.” He was no democrat in the sense of abolishing the idea of the social differences that existed between certain classes, but be was a democrat in bis horror of the differentiation of the terms between people on account of other things.

HIS RADICALISM. The Radicalism of Dickens consisted of two sides—the one which sprang from the fruits of the French Revolution of greater powers for the- people through political equality, and the other, which was very characteristic ol him. that he never put forward a scheme for the general improvement in tin- conditions of the people. None of Ids characters ever portrayed a figure that is probably familiar to everyone to-day—the working man, who exhibits a noble discontent with existing economic conditions. and thinks independently in polities and religion. Dickens was very bitter against the discontented type of individual, and it never entered his head that there could be such a thing ■is a perfectly honourable discontent. His real idea of political independence may he found in “Bleak House” where lie made his only attempt to describe the conflict between employers and employees, and drew a picture of a hero somewhat dear to his heart—the working man who never jibs against any sort of treatment, but accepts with perfect resignation, the inevitahleuess of existing conditions.

ATTITUDE TOWARDS SCIENCE. His whole attitude towards Science was one of ridicule and hostility in an age* when Darwin, Huxley, and "the?* great thinkers were revolutionising the* scientific world, and the sneaker considered that Dickons’ at- ! inch towards republicanism and educational reform would have* been just as hostile. He would not have been pleased with a scheme to rid the

world of poverty, because be thought it was a splendid thing for tho poor to enjoy special trentss on such occasions as Christmas. Dickens had a strong aversion to people who could not bear to see others happy, and bis convivial spirit revelled in depicting the fe.stivites of Christmas lime, and the genial atmosphere of family gatherings. The dream of his life was to purchase an estate and live as an English country gentleman, while providing a fortune for his family, so that they would not need to work for a living. This ideal is not in any way dishonourable, said the lecturer, and is one for which we can feci sympathy and respect, hut it is not a logical idea, and this inconsistency is shown in his books. Dickens had no conception that human beings are influenced for good or evil —are warped or Helped.—by their .surroundings. His characters remain the same in all circumstances, and this outlook really leads on logically to oppose any kind of reform. Mr Yon Zodlitz concluded a most interesting series of lectures by reading some extracts from “A Child’s Journey With Dickens in America,” and was accorded a hearty voto of thank.s