87
The availability of these letters has not been very great. Of course, there
is the large Pilgrim Edition, far from finished yet, but also very expensive
and very large indeed. The three volumes of the Nonesuch Dickens only ap
peared in a limited edition. This situation has now been redressed somewhat
by David Paroissien (general editor of the Dickens Quarterly)who made an
extensive selection from the Nonesuch edition of 1938. A laudable initiative,
providing a wide public with the most important letters. The arrangement in
three sections (Personel Letters, Social and Political Letters, and Profes
sional Letters) seems a bit forced to me, but the annotation is excellent. A
good book. (Ml)
Another book with correspondence is Harriet Martineau's Letters to Fanny
Wedgwood, a collection of letters between two Victorian women of lively
intelligence and keen social awareness, one of whom knew, among others, Darwin,
Thomas Carlyle, Charlotte Brontë, Matthew Arnold, Florence Nightingale, and,
yes, also Charles Dickens, which is why I draw attention to the book (M2)
Apart from sketching in the background to Dickens's life and work, there are
also explicit references to Dickens - especially a long passage on his mis
behaviour against his wife ("Swearing at her, in the presence of guests,
children and servants") which we would do good to keep silent about.
Drinks
"Edward Hewett W.F. Axton cordially invite you to attend a veritable feast
of reason celebrating the pleasures of the flowing bowl" in a book titled
Convivial Dickens. The Drinks of Dickens His Times (M3)Although "all
taps is wanitys", the authors' search for original recipes has not been in
vain. In this richly illustrated book every chapter (with delightful head
ings like 'Jamaikey, The Inwariable and The Cratur' or 'Wine, Ma'am, Wine')
is followed by a number of recipes (with delightful names like 'Pick-Me-Up'
or 'Ladies' Blush'). A must for all convival Dickensians.
Two giants beside Dickens
Two authoritative works appeared in the past year on great Victorians, who
determined the face of the period in their field as much as Dickens did in
his: J.M.W. Turner and Charles Haddon Spurgeon. De laatste was de grootste
prediker en evangelist die (althans naar het oordeel van velen) ooit ge
leefd heeft. Zondag aan zondag preekte hij het evangelie aan de duizenden
die samendromden in zijn Metropolitan Tabernacle. Dickens kende hem uiter
aard, maar was 'no friend' van hem, aldus Meckier in een artikel in de
Dickensian (vol. 71). Of Spurgeon Dickens noemt in zijn omvangrijke Auto
biografie (M4) heb ik nog niet kunnen nagaan. Ik denk haast van niet, want
hun opvattingen liepen zeer uiteen. Toch evenaarden zij elkaar in de greep
die zij op de massa hadden. Lezing van dit boek van/over Spurgeon verdiept
het inzicht in de tijd van Dickens.
Een andere grote Engelse negentiende-eeuwer was de schilder Turner: an
other giant beside Dickens. A stupendous work appeared recently, repro
ducing and commenting on all Turner's paintings. Anyone who is enough of a
Turner fan to pay a hundred pounds for these two volumes will do so with
out me recommending the book. Still, I will do so, for it is the ultimate
art book worthy of the man it is dealing with. (M5)
Dingeman van Wijnen.