Lente 2006 no. 56
Af en toe stop de secretaris mij een
bericht in de hand waarvan ik bij
thuiskomst denk, Tja! Geruststellend is
dat de secretaris tijdens het
overhandigen er meestal bij zegt: Je ziet
maar". Dat betekent dat ik inmiddels een
ordner heb aangeschaft waar ik zijn
berichten zorgvuldig in bewaar tot dat er
betere of magere tijden voor publicatie
zijn aangebroken.
Het volgende bericht is in juni 2002
verstuurd dus in het honderdste jaar van
de Fellowship. Wanneer ik het van de
secretaris heb gekregen weet ik niet
meer, maar als er één goed moment is
voor plaatsing in The Dutch Dickensian
dan is het wel op deze plaats aan het
begin van dit thema-deel.
WREATH FOR DICKENS' GRAVE, WESTMINSTER ABBEY
because this sense of destiny weighed, just as
well, on their lives as on Dickens's tales; that is
why, also we, feel co-involved in every one of his
novels; neither we, nor the characters, know
what the destinations are -and the author? the
tale-teller who so much despised cowardly
vagueness? He, nevertheless, preferably, left the
destinations open, or relayed them to a post
script. Just: strategy, not to spoil the sense of
destiny.
These were some elements, I discern and
admire, with which Dickens brought his
characters to life: rich perception of sense-data,
a clear voice, mutual comment, an appropriate
mixture of positive and negative comments,
interest in any particular individual, strong
sentiment, and a pervasive sense of destiny.
By the set of Ultimate Standards of the early
19 century, and by the standards of our days,
Charles Dickens made the very best
contribution to the wellbeing of the people: he
gave the best quality, in an unbelievably large
quantity (novels, journal-contributions,
theatricals, short stories), to a finite but
coundess mass of people.
Theoretically it is possible that a second time in
history such a writer will be given to mankind,
but just for safety reasons -and remembering
the last warnings of the Uncommercial Traveller
against tea-totallers-,
I propose that we do not mind our wooden legs
(thank you, Liesbeth), but stand up, raise our
glasses, level them and drink to the perennial,
everlasting, eternal -to the immortal memory of
Charles John Hufham Dickens.
Regarding the make-up of The Fellowship's wreath, it should more properly be described as a
Chaplet and it is made up as follows.
An oval of Laurel (Laurus Nobilis) with, at its base, scarlet Carnations (Dianthus Caiyophylus),
scarlet Geranium (Perlargonium X Hortorum), - Dickens favourite flower - these are made of silk
because real ones drop after being cut, and Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis).
There's Rosemary that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember.
Ophelia to Laertes, Hamlet IV.V. 174
For you there's Rosemary and Rue; these keep seeming and savour all winter long; grace and
remembrance be to you both.
Perdita to Polixenes and Camillo A Winter's Tale IV. IV. 74
To answer another question frequently asked - the wreaths stay in place for the to fourteen years,
as long as visitors leave them alone. They are not removed until they are past their best.
De brief is ondertekend door:
Peter Duggan
June 2002
