An Unsparing Attack Upon Dickens.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3279, 10 August 1889, Page 2

An Unsparing Attack Upon Dickens.

A letter of great interest to every reader of Dickens, "J.M.fi." appeared in the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle in reference to an article which that paper had published on Dothoboys Hall, Bowes. The correspondent, who is a native of the Barnard Castle district, says j- "■ Nicholas Nicklcby," a study.in untruth, broke the hearts of two very decent people, and sent tliem to their grave bofpi-e their time. The book (as far as the school aimed at was concerned) was a terrible libel. In the second edition Dickens protests that he meant no particular school. This may pass with outsiders ; but those who know the district are aware that, like Dickens picture of tho school, and like his letters about tho Bev Thomas Binney his protest lies on tho cloudy side o truth. Anyone over fifty who bns read the book, and who knows the district, can see a dozen finger-posts in the novel directly poiuting at one school, "Squeers," says Dickens, "had only one eye." This alone would show wlio was meant, as there was only que schoolmaster near Greta Bridge who had only one eye. The blow aimed so meanly was tho outcome of spite and fun, for Dickens would have his laugh, if his bestfriend had died for it. The prototype!

of Squeers gave great offence to H.K. « Brown and Dickens by his haughty bearing when they invaded his school, For this he was deprived of character, reason, and ultimately of his lifo, No crueller wrong was ever done than this by any literary writer of our time

The picture drawn of tho school was 'as far from the truth as it well could be. In Dickeu's novel Nicholas was tho only usher. The sohool contained about forty scholars. They h_, were bleary eyed, hair-lipped, and /r deformed. This picture was made to do duty for a school where the scholars numbered two hundred, and where ths teachors were seldom fewer than Boven. The charges of feeding the boys on cattle. Jbat had died»natural dtoth, and treacle farce, the frmen pump story,—all these and a heap of other novel furniture, were simply so many untruths. I have heard Mr Bailton, gamekeeper, of Barnard Castle, tell how many geose, turkeys etc,- he - M used to supply for' boy consumption,' M Aly grandfather, who lived near ™ Bowos, know the schoolmaster well. I have tallied to him many an hour about Dotheboys, and his indignation at the perversions of fact by Dickens was fierce enough to be almost amusing. Ho used to dosoribe the scholars as perfect healthy young scamps, declaring that he thought they knew the flavor of overy apple, pear and plum tree in the neighborhood. His description of the master was that ho was a kindly goodhearted feiiow, justja shade hasty his temper, not by any means the man to food boys on natural dead ' cow.

As to the picture of Miss Fanny Squeers, the lady who has had to suffer vicariously for that imaginary character was ono of the sweetest and kindest of women. When I was an apprentice lad I knew hor fairly well. Her consideration for the feelings of others, her fear lest she herself should give you any unnecessary trouble, I shall never forget, Every word I ever heard her utter, £ every glance ol her eye or motion of , her hand, bespoke a kindly heart. She was the sort of woman a dog or a chill leaps to instinctively. She has suffered her undeserved martyrdom in silence, but even now our Dickens worshippers will not let her rest.

The correspondent you quote writes about "tho occupant of Dotlteboys Hall objecting to the visits of gentlemen like himself," and suggests that he might have been pitched out if the proprietor had found him prying about his kitchen. Well, I wish more strength to the arm of tho pstcher, and a healthy energy to his foot the next time ft man of the Dickens cult invades his privacy.

In my youth I remember it was said that the book which had lulled the father and mother had married the daughter, -that some gontlemen who knew tho family had stood by the girl in her deepest agony, and that indignant sympathy budded and blossomed into love and marriage. If that was so it would be delightful to hear that a descendant of such a union periodically varied the monotony of his lifo by lifting these literary Paul Prys out of his invaded Greta, Bridge. Tho article; ; you quote says Fanny Squeers is doad. If ever I am in the neighborhood where she lies, I hope to lay a flower upon the tomb of the patient, silent, injured, dead.