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Search - Works: The Old Curiosity Shop. Vol. I.

Works The Old Curiosity Shop Vol I
Author: Charles Dickens

GADSHILL EDITION. THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP. VOL. I, - 1897 - INTRODUCTION - T ze OH Cqrriosity Shop is here detached fi om its framework in lllmle H . uny u ey C s lock. After VicklelyD, icltens fearccl to weary the public wit11 stories appearing monthly, and vished to escape tlle strain of large contiiiuous i oillances. Some idea, too, he had of ... more »editing a periodical not vholly written by hhimsclf. Who lives to please nlust please to lire, and rho call hope always to be pleasing, especially alrvays in the salne way This is the tragedy of the profession of letters, wherein seniority is fouild to be rr disadvantage inuch earlier thai1 in law or luedicine. More than ever all who live by the pen lire in fear of being passJs, of being s rept off the stage by youungstecr eager to arrive, and, ill the gqy cruelty of youth, nocltiog tlleir elclclrc, who stop the way. But Uickens, already harassed by fears of becoming monotoaous, was jet joung. Far fro111 him were contempt, nad neglect, and real self-nlistrust. I11 1839 he proposed to edit, ancl mainly write, a weekly l eriodical, price threepence, with a fmineaorl, a knot of characters, Mr. Pickwick and Sam, with essays, letters, descriptions, satire, tales, and so on. Urowne and Catterniole were to be the artists. The 6601d file in a queer house, Master Humphrey, with his inanuscripts and animistic clock, was to be the chief centre hence the name, Allaster Ht 7 tphre C lock. llTe still find animism pervading The Editors Dra ver, The Editoi A rm Chair, and so on, in an Alnerican magazine. Tliis personifieatioir of things inanimate is a notable, and, at one time, a inuch-imitatetI feature in Dickenss genius. But he did it more natural, lris mind retaining spontaneousl much of the primitire qualities of huillan fancy. On larch 1, 1840, lie lnentions the little child-story, rvllicli is SURE to be effective, especially after the old mans quiet ray. The old 111 11 is Master Hu npl rweh o, still begins the narrative in the first person, but soon drops out. llre Clock di nillished in popularity when it was found to contain no long story, for intercalary chapters about Rlr. Pickwick and other matters interrupted tlre sequence. Dickens soon disentangled himself. 311 Swi ellerfi red his imaginatioii. Beginniiig with little direct coilsciousness of design, Ile worked in such plot as the story possesses, aintl rye find him conscientiously exploriilg Beris Narks, in search of a llouse for Jlr. Brass, Attorney-at-Lxiv. In October hc saw his way to a great effort at the last, with the larchionessl - 1ler attendance on Mr. Swivellers sick-bed certainlv one of the most deliglltful passages in llis works. He rv01111d up the tale rrith reluctance, dreading the slaying of Sell. That death-bed is on Mr. Foisters shouldeis. I was responsible for the tragic ending, says lie. He wanted tlie wntle, pure little figure and forlnn left cllai geless to the b fancy. Hence tlre replica of the death-bed of the clever schoolboj. Tlle story was lvvritten under the inevitable clifliculties of weekly publication, and wit11 the disadralltage of 110 settlecl plan at the outset. Hence obvious but ullessential imperfections. 7Ve might call the piece scantily motivecl. The idea of youiig Trent, that All Swiveller should marry his sister, tat fourteen, disconcerted the fatalistic philosopher himself...

ISBN-13: 9781408621578
ISBN-10: 1408621576
Publication Date: 1/31/2008
Pages: 390
Rating:

0 stars, based on 0 rating

Publisher: Read Books
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
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