MATTHEW ARNOLD AND CHARLES DICKENS.
[TO THE EDITOR OF TILE "SPECTATOR:1
Sin,—Perhaps you may think it worth while to publish the following facts as a pendant to some remarks in the Spectator of July 26th and by way of commentary on Mr. Swinburne's diatribe in the Quarterly Review upon Matthew Arnold's "stolid scorn" for the writings of Charles Dickens. (1) Arnold was a prominent figure at the farewell dinner given to Dickens by his admirers on the eve of his departure for America, November 2nd, 1867. (See "Arnold's Letters," Vol. I., p. 374.) (2) In an essay on "The Incompatibles," written by Arnold about 1880, and reprinted in his "Irish Essays," there occurs the following reference to (pace Mr. Swinburne) Dickens's masterpiece :— " Much as I have published, I do not think it has ever yet happened to me to comment in print upon any production of Charles Dickens. What a pleasure to have the opportunity of praising a work so sound, a work so rich in merit, as 'David Copperfield ' ! Kan less nicht die mistrebende, mitwirkende ' says Goethe. 'Do not read your fellow-strivers, your fellow- workers.' Of the contemporary rubbish which is shot ki plenti- fully all around us we can, indeed, hardly read too little. But to contemporary work so good as' David Copperfield' we are in danger of perhaps not paying respect enough, of reading it (for who could help reading it ?) too hastily, and then putting it aside for something else and forgetting it. What treasures of gaiety, invention, life, are in that book ! What alertness and resource! What a soul of good nature and kindness governing the whole!"
And he goes on to make some excellent play with the characters in this "all-containing treasure-house," in pursuit of his favourite pastime of baiting the Philistines. I should
like to add, for the benefit of any reader of the article in the Quarterly who happens to be an admirer of Matthew Arnold, and finds his susceptibilities ruffled by Mr. Svrinburne's parenthetical vituperation of him as a poet, that he may re- fortify himself and re-establish Arnold in his esteem by perusing a certain glowing eulogy (in a certain volume of "Miscel- lanies ") pronounced some years ago by a brother-poet and brother-critic who, in the words of Sairey Gamp, "slain be nameless betwigst you and me."—I am, Sir, &c., 197 Rake Lane, Liscai d, Wallasey. W. A. snm&r,D.
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