The Childhood and Youth of Charles Dickens. By Robert Langton.
(Hutchinson and Co. 5s.)—This is a new edition of a book which was first published in 1883 and reprinted in 1901. Mr. Langton, who was a wood engraver by occupation, was an enthusiastic Dickensian. Born at Gravesend and educated at Rochester he belonged to what may be called the Dickens country, though his life's work was done at Manchester. He spared no pains in collecting the materials for this book, and was careful always to "verify his references." Of Dickens himself he could not say more than vidi tent urn, but he know Chatham and Rochester, and ho was at great pains to acquaint himself with other places con- nected with his hero, as the house where he was born, at Portsea, his school in the Hampstead Road, Sm. This edition has been augmented and annotated.—In Dickens Street, by W. R. Thomas (J. Smith and Son, Glasgow, and Chapman and Hall, 3s. 6d.), is a collection of essays, most of which have appeared in the Glasgow Herald. They arc not exactly serious criticisms. If they were, we should have found Mr. Thomas taking occasion in "The Showing up of Mr. Toots" to remark that Dickens's characters have a way of developing. Pickwick himself is changed from a buffoon into a sensible old gentleman, as Toots at the end of "Domboy and Son S' Is a long way from the poor simpleton whom vvo meet at Dr. Blimber's. Still we may learn not a little from the book : it is the .work of one who has read with care and insight. It is interesting to see that of the thirteen essays two are given to "Pickwick," two to "David Copperfield," and one to the "Old Curiosity Shop," "Nicholas Nickloby," "Martin Chuzzlowit," "Bleak House," and " Dombey and Son." Two have to do with the later storiee. One touches on the Christmas Books and one on "Edwin Drood."
Previous page
