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think there is any evidence that Dickens had read the neglected poet who was only going
to be rediscovered after Dickens's death.
Let us now consider Dickens the anti-Romantic. The Old Curiosity Shop is one of
the more obviously "Romantic" early novels, as the early pages make clear, and one could
find passages throughout the book that reveal that Romanticism in various lights-
sentimental, grotesque, demonic, enchanted and, simply, entertaining. But let us contemplate
the interesting character of Mr Richard Swiveller, Dick Swiveller. That distinction between
"Richard" and "Dick" already points to an interesting opposition: Dick Swiveller is a
Romantic at heart and has the curious habit of breaking into spontaneous verse:
"It's rather sudden", said Dick shaking his head with a look
of infinite wisdom, and running on (as he was accustomed to do) with
scraps of verse as if they were only prose in a hurry; "when the heart
of a man is depressed with fears, the mist is dispelled when Miss
Wackles appears: she's a very nice girl. She's like the red red rose
that's newly sprung in June - there's no denying that she's also
like a melody that's sweetly played in tune
(Chapter 8)
Dick Swiveller
tek. C. Green uit
The Old Curiosity Shop Household Edition p.1
