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in many of Dickens's novels. (I am not the first to notice this opposition,
this balance). The Spirit of Innocence belongs with love, generosity, hope
and trust - trust in another - and relates in a way to the Garden of Eden.
The Spirit of Experience belongs in the fallen world: it is a Spirit of
suspicion, fear, hypocrisy and expedience. This, at any rate, is how we might
say William Blake presents the contraries. It is not very likely that Dickens
ever read Blake, but whether he did or not makes no difference to us. Dickens
offers us his own contraries - and they are not so different (and so for
instance does Henry James). Here is James Harthouse(just before he attempts
to seduce Louisa, p. 179).
And yet he had not, even now, any earnest wickedness
of purpose in him. Publicly and privately, it were much
better for the age in which he lived, that he and the
legion of whom he was one were designedly bad, than in
different and purposeless. It is the drifting icebergs
setting with any current anywhere, that wreck the ships.
When the Devil goeth about like a roaring lion, he goeth
about in a shape by which few but savages and hunters
are attracted. But, when he is trimmed, smoothed, and
varnished, according to the mode; when he is aweary of
vice, and aweary of virtue, used up as to brimstone,
and used up as to bliss; then whether he take to the
serving out of red tape, or to the kindling of red fire,
he is the very Devil.
179.)
No author has a monopoly in these matters of Innocence and Experience. But
we can say that this opposition is a 19th century, and not a 20th century
concern. The 29th century believed in Innocence, and the power of Innocence,
as we do not,by a large. A Sissy Jupe as a positive affirmation of anything
in a 20th century novel in unthinkable. It is also relevant to notice that
the 19th century found William Blake's Songs of Innocence finer, more moving,
than his Songs of Experience. For the 20th century, it is the other way round.
We prefer Experience - we hardly believe in Innocence. (All right, I'm
exaggerating a bit
But because Dickens himself believed in the power of Innocence, he can
make us believe in it. This is part of his real value for us. The best example
is when Sissy drives the bored and cynical James Harthouse out of Coketown
and makes him leave Louisa alone. Harthouse, the worldly gentleman, the
bored and experienced exploiter of all occasions, is defeated. I want to read
some of this scene; but later. First I want to read some extracts from another
fascinating scene, right at the beginning, in the school. You will remember
