CHARLES DICKENS.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1834, 18 November 1874, Page 2

CHARLES DICKENS.

The London correspondent of the New ?ork Arcadian writes as follows :—

In the last American papers which have come to hand I see that Wilkie Collins' drama of " The Frozen Deep " has been performed in Boston. You are perhaps aware that Collins has recently been engaged in turning his play into a novel. " The Frozen Deep " awakeng many sad reflections in my mind, as that piece was indirectly the means of bringing about much of Dickens' domestic unnappiness. The whole story of his separation from his wife has never been properly told, and in aU probability never will be, as his widow is resolved to maintain the I silence she has so long kept. But it is I generally known that the family is dissatisfied with Foster's book. Your readers may have heard of the grand aniateur performance given in 1859 afc the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, in aid of the Douglas .Terrold Fund. Dickens, Collins, Shirley Brooks, Mark Lemon and many other celebrated writers took parts. The ladies' characters were interpreted by professional actresses. Among these was Miss Ellen Ternan. She was then a fresh, pleasant looking girl, not especially pretty, but possessing a good figure and an extremely agreeable manner. If ever the German poet's doctrine of elective affinities was proved to be true it was when Dickens and Miss Ternan met. It was evident to nearly sll of us that the two were mutually infatuated. Dickens was constantly at her side, though his manner was carefully guarded. Mrs. Dickens was with the party but she did not appear to notice the intimacy. Very soon after these performances Miss Ternan, at Dickens' wish, left the stage. His affection for her was said tohavo been purely platonic, and I have never met any one who was disposed to dispute this belief. But nevertheless, it was this intimacy which was the final cause of the rupti\re between Dickens and his wife. For many years prior to 1859 their mutual relations had been anything but happy, although I do not thing that Mrs. Dickens had previously had any well grounded cause for jealousy. A short time after the party -returned .from Manchester, Mrs. Dickens -went into a fashion" able jeweller's at the; West Fnd, where she was in the habijt of dealing, and i was asked by one of'. I*^ firm, who mew her well, how she %ed her new bracelet. She said she did ndt Understand him, as she had not received, any such article. The gentleman then explained that it was one Mr. Dickens liad ordered for his wife, with a likeness and some hair in it. This of course ©pened Mrs. Dickens's eyes, and a separation speedily followed. Since that time Mrs. Dickens ha-3 lived very quietly in a pretty little house near the Regent's Park, wnere her children, whose respect and affection she has always enjoyed, have ever been frequent visitors.