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The Wreck of the Golden Mary (hosted by Petra) - 2nd Summer Read 2021
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Petra
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Jun 23, 2021 08:00AM
Jean, I'm inclined to list the stories in their proper place, too. Thank you for doing this for us.
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Bionic Jean wrote: "The Golden Lucy apparently had a real life inspiration, as have so many of Charles Dickens's characters. She was based on the sister of George Stronghill. a friend of [author:Charle..."I should have guessed this. Charles Dickens was so observant in his real life and brought so many of the people he knew and met into his stories. How sweet that he included a "young sweetheart" in such a golden, lively way.
Bionic Jean wrote: "I'm not sure this is the sort of story which would have sustained me if I were shipwrecked in a lifeboat! Far too dour and bleak about human nature - a similar feel to Thomas Hardy. I admire his work enormously - he's a favourite - but not when I need cheering up!..."Oooh, yeah.....This story would be bleak if I were shipwrecked and bobbing on the sea in a lifeboat. Too close to home.
However, if I ever made it to a safe shore, a desert island, where I'm safe, have shelter, food & water, I would like the complete works of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins with me, including these short stories, to keep me company. They'd be good companions.
Bionic Jean wrote: "What do you think was the remark made by Mr. Temple to Miss Arthur, out of Will's hearing? I was intrigued by her reaction, and surprised by the events which followedThe Victorians, and country people later, would say that this young lady was "no better than she should be". Is that an expression which is known outside the UK?..."
That phrase is new to me, Jean. I love hearing these phrases and trying to picture how they originally came about.
Mr. Temple must have said something that infuriated Miss Arthur and made her realize that her dream of marrying rich were just that ......a dream. She became the woman scorned.
Maybe it was innocently said, such as "I'm leaving on Sunday. Maybe he wasn't aware that his vacation dalliance was something serious to her.
Jean, the drawings would be interesting to see but please don't worry if it cannot be done. The first drawing sounds exactly right for this story. Gargoyles watch everything we humans do in their vicinity. They know all.
Mod
The other way of saying the expression is "No better than she ought to be!" Imagine a prim matron with pursed lips, any class, and you have it. I can imagine many a contemporary reader of this story muttering it to herself! :D
I'll edit the first comment now :) Thanks.
"THE LATE MISS PARR
One of the Queen's favourite novelists"
The Sphere, March 10, 1910.
Harriet Parr (1828–1900)
Harriet was an English author of the Victorian era, who wrote under the pseudonym Holme Lee. She also wrote stories for children.
The daughter of a commercial traveller, Parr was born in the city of York on 31 January 1828. She never married and worked first as a governess before finding success as a writer with her first book, Maude Talbot; Volume I, in 1854.
From then until 1883, Parr produced about one novel a year, all published by the London firm Smith, Elder & Co., under the pen name Holme Lee.
Charles Dickens, having enjoyed one of Parr's early books, bought three stories from her for the Christmas numbers of his weekly magazines. One included a hymn that would later be republished in several Protestant hymnals in Britain and the United States.
Parr also wrote several volumes of fairy tales for children and some works of non-fiction, most of the latter under her real name.
She lived for many years at Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, where she died on 18 February 1900.
Although Parr is now almost forgotten, like many Victorian authors, her books sold well and were generally well reviewed in her lifetime. Many went through more than one edition, and several were also published in America. At least one was picked up by the Leipzig firm of Bernhard Tauchnitz, which specialized in inexpensive English-language editions for travellers.
Aiding Parr's success was the fact that she was a favourite author of the founder of Victorian London's largest lending library, Charles Edward Mudie, "to whose sense of decency her fiction strictly conformed with its depictions of shy maidens and their decent love problems”.
A number of her books are still available today on Amazon.
Excerpt from Journal of a Southern Bookreader:
"Within the last few days, however, there has died at the age of seventy-two a writer, Miss Harriet Parr, who, under the name of "Holme Lee," wrote a long succession of three-volume novels, which had an immense vogue in their day.
The works of Miss Harriet Parr, indeed, were long credited with being the favourite reading of the Queen. In that invaluable treasure-house of knowledge, “Allibone,”** I find no less than thirty novels attributed to Miss Parr, commencing with Maud Talbot in 1854, and concluding with Loving and Serving—also issued in three volumes—in 1883.
Miss Parr, it may be hoped, led a very happy life, unchequered by “booms" and their consequent reaction, otherwise it might have been a pang for her old age that she had lived through two epochs, one of which declared her to be a writer of undying literary genius, and the other that had never even heard her name.
I give here a portrait of Miss Parr as she appeared in the days of her popularity ***. It has a particular interest, as it was taken at the request of the Queen, who was first attracted to her work by a story called Poor Dick in one of Charles Dickens's Christmas numbers."
Notes:
**Allibone - I couldn't find a reference for what this is or was. It appears to be a Who's Who of some kind.
*** the picture is at the top of this post. It's the only known picture of Harriet Parr.
There is or was supposedly a portrait that was in her brother's possession but that portrait, if it existed, has disappeared.
Poor Dick's Story by Harriet Parr ('Holme Lee')(linking paragraph attributed to Charles Dickens)
On the fifth evening towards twilight, when poor Dick began to sing – in my boat, the Surf-Boat. At first nobody took any notice of him, and indeed he seemed to be singing more to himself than to any one else. I had never heard the tune before, neither have I heard it since, but it was beautiful. I don’t know how it might sound now, but then, in the twilight, darkness coming down on us fast, and, for aught we knew, death in the darkness, its simple words were full of meaning. The song was of a mother and child talking together of Heaven. I saw more than one gaunt face lifted up, and there was a great sob when it was done, as if everybody had held their breath to listen. Says Dick then, “That was my cousin Amy’s song, Mr. Steadiman.”
Amy is dead now. She sang this song while alive and Poor Dick started singing it at her death. Night fell on the boat. In the darkness, Poor Dick began to tell his story.
But first, John Steadiman tells how Dick came to be on board the Golden Mary:
A week before sailing, a friend from his youth came to Captain Ravender, at his inn, asking him to take his nephew, Dick Tarrant, on. The uncle wants to ship the nephew anywhere out of the way because he’s getting into trouble and bringing disgrace upon their family. It turns out that Dick has squandered his fortune and an aunt has offered him 300 pounds to leave England. Dick has agreed to go. Would Captain Ravender take Dick on to California, where he can find his own living and life and keep the money safe until they reach California? The captain agrees to do so and Dick is brought in to be introduced.
He’s a wreck of a man. Ten years ago he was good looking but now, due to his squandering, he is in poverty. He looks shabby, his hair is unkept, he’s haggard.
Dick is told of the new arrangements but he doesn’t seem to care. “North or south, east or west, it will all be the same” he says.
On the day of sailing, Dick didn’t show up. The uncle was informed and after awhile, the uncle found Dick and brought him to the Golden Mary. Until they were at sea, Dick was kept a prisoner. He didn’t take the voyage kindly and couldn’t see that a new life could be a good opportunity for him and his health.
But Dick proves to be a good humoured, easy going passenger once out to sea, except each evening when he stood by the rails and sang sentimental love songs. John has the crew keep an eye on him to keep him from jumping, should that be in his mind.
Dick has an older brother; both were left well provided for orphans at an early age. They received 200 pounds a year for their upbringing. At 18 years, that sum was doubled and at 21 they were given 5000 pounds to get them started in life. Julia Tarrant took in the older brother (Tom); the friend took in Dick. Dick didn’t take well to his schoolwork and was a wild one, but kind hearted and generally more well liked than Tom, a very well behaved boy.
The boys were sent to a local grammar school where Dick was soundly punished for idleness by the second master. At 16, Dick is given an opportunity to go to India to make his fortune but he declines. He’s in love with his cousin, Amy, three years older than himself. Amy loves Dick as a younger brother. In sorrow, Dick recalls that she’s the only person who ever cared about him and whether he lived or died. He worshipped her.
Tom was a shrewd fellow, determined to make it in the world and caring for no one but himself. Uncle and Aunt Tarrant were both hard and rigid people but their daughter Amy was an angel. When Dick went wild, she set things right with the Uncle. When the family began treating him as a disgrace, she was kind to him.
In order to stay close to Amy, Dick states he’d like to be a farmer and the family agrees. The arrangement works well for three years, although his friends are not the savoury kind.
One evening, his fate changed with one incident:
In the Uncle’s home there was a small parlour that Amy used. It had a low window with a cushioned seat, from which she could step out into the garden. The parlour contained Amy’s piano, books and work basket, as well as a picture of her mother and some framed sketches Dick had drawn for her. The room had fond memories to Dick. It was in here that Amy helped him with his schoolwork, where he read aloud to her over the years. These evenings had never ended. But while he loved Amy, she still saw him as a young boy and she loved another. On this evening, his delusions were ended.
When he entered the parlour, meaning to surprise Amy, neither she nor the man with her heard him. They were so absorbed with each other. Amy stood by the window, the arm of the Curate of the parish around her waist. Amy held a rose and was plucking it apart, petal by petal. She blushed as deep as the rose as she listened to the pleadings of the Curate. Her lips quivered, her eyes shone. As he heard the Curate’s words, Dick’s blood boiled.
Dick quietly leaves the room and goes to the stable, got his pony and rode away and returned to the drinking he had left for Amy’s sake. He returned home at midnight, very drunk. Uncle and Amy had waited up for him. He was rude to his uncle and refused to talk with Amy. This was the beginning of his downward spiral.
The Curate has only his profession as a good side to himself. The man’s moral, mental and personal attributes were all negative. Amy was in love not with the real man but with the personality he showed the world.
One day, Dick comes upon Amy in the garden and pours out his feeling to her. She stops him; tells him that she’s engaged to Henry Lister; Dick should not have spoken to her about his feelings.
Dick retorts that he loves her, she doesn’t know real love. Would she choose him if he faces the Curate man to man? Amy blushes. Dick takes this as agreement and encouragement. In some ways, Amy does like Dick better than the Curate. He’s fun, jovial, entertaining in a house filled with cold, hard people. But her indecision makes Dick miserable. One day he’s flying high with hope; the next in the deepest doldrums, making him drown his sorrows with his comrades. One day, his uncle throws him out of the house & Amy’s words have no influence.
Dick blames Amy for not committing to him instead of to the Curate. Amy sticks to her guns and stays with her engagement. Dick continues to slide downhill. He wastes his fortune on drink, ruining his prospects & health. Amy married Henry Lister after a 6 month engagement. Dick continues to offend his family by showing up at the wedding as an uninvited guest.
There was a scene in her parlour just before the wedding. She was dressed in her gown, her mother was with her. Dick begged her. She fainted. She fainted again at the alter when Dick objected to the marriage. Dick had to be forcibly removed from the church before the service could continue. The family disowned him and he sank further into drink.
Sadly, Amy dies of consumption within a year of her marriage but Dick suspects Henry of having something to do with the death. He goes to his uncle’s home, where she is laid out, asking to see her but is refused entry. He sneaks in by the window and spends the night at her side, crying. In the morning, he’s at her funeral, fully grieved. As everyone leaves the graveside, he confronts Henry, accusing him of murder. Dick had to be restrained or he would have attacked Henry. The family declared him mad.
Dick soon went through his 5000 pounds; he was a true scamp and disgrace to the family. All he had left was regret. His low lifestyle continued. He was seen at the races, begging for bread, looking shabby. He was suspected of theft and poaching. Tom found him singing for pennies on the street and offered him an allowance of a guinea a week. Before the month was over, Dick had sold the allowance to someone for 10 pounds.
Ten years of this pass before the uncle brings Dick to the Captain. Aunt Julia offered up the money to get Dick out of the country and to not return.
When he ceased speaking, I said to encourage him:
“You’ll do well yet, Dick, if you keep steady, and we make land or are picked up.”
“What can it be”, said Dick, without particularly answering, “that brings all these old things over my mind? There’s a child’s hymn I and Tom used to say at my mother’s knee when we were little ones keeps running through my thoughts. It’s the stars, maybe; there was a little window by my bed that I used to watch them at – a window in my room at home in Cheshire – and if I was ever afraid, as boys will be after reading a good ghost story, I would kep on saying it till I fell asleep.”
“What was a good mother of yours, Dick; could you say that hymn now, do you think? Some of us might like to hear it.”
“It’s as clear in my mind at this minute as if my mother was here listening to me”, said Dick, and he repeated:
“Hear my prayer, O! Heavenly Father,
Ere I lay me down to sleep;
Bid thy Angels, pure and holy,
Round my bed their vigil keep.
My sins are heavy, but Thy mercy
Far outweighs them every one;
Down before Thy Cross I cast them,
Trusting in Thy help alone.
Keep me through this night of peril
Underneath its boundless shade;
Take me to Thy rest, I pray Thee,
When my pilgrimage is made.
None shall measure out Thy patience
By the span of human thought;
None shall bound the tender mercies
Which They Holy Son has bought.
Pardon all my past transgressions,
Give me strength for days to come;
Guide and guard me with Thy blessing
Till Thy Angels bid me home.”
After a while Dick drew his coat up over his head and lay down to sleep.
“Well, poor Dick!” thought I, “it is surely a blessed thing for you that –
None shall measure out God’s patience,
By the span of human thought;
None shall bound the tender mercies
Which His Holy Son has bought.
(final linking paragraph attributed to Charles Dickens)
Mod
I think "Allibone" refers to A Critical Dictionary of English Literature and British and American Authors Living and Deceased: From the Earliest Accounts to the Latter Half of the Nineteenth Century, Volume 3 by Samuel Austin Allibone. It was published in 1854.
LINK HERE for a good wiki page on him.
I'll read this story tomorrow :)
The hymn at the end of poor Dick's story is a religious connection, although it's not specific to Christmas. When Dr Henry Allon was editing the "New Congregational Hymn Book" in 1856-57, he applied to Dickens for permission to use the hymn in the collection and Dickens referred him to Harriet Parr as author.https://www.djo.org.uk/indexes/author...
Thank you, Jean! I will read Allibone's wiki page later today. I'm going to a tai chi session soon and if I start down any rabbit holes of interesting information, I may forget the time. :DConnie, I had read that somewhere, but couldn't find it again. The closing paragraph is attributed to Dickens but I believe you are correct that the poem is Parr's.
It's an interesting turn that a poem in a short story, published in a monthly magazine, becomes a hymn for what must be thousands of people to worship with.
Jean, no rush on reading the story. We'll be reading and discussing it over the weekend. I hope that gives everyone time to read it. Please let me know if more time is required. We've got the time to read these at leisure.
Mod
I had intended to post this tomorrow, after I had read the section properly, but in the introduction by Herbert Van Thal, he says:
"The child's verses included in chapter 2 caused something of a sensation and Dickens was especially commended for these rather sentimental lines by a Reverend Davis."
At first I assumed that they had been written by Rev. Davis, and Charles Dickens mistakenly received a compliment. However it seems that Herbert Van Thal expressed himself badly on two counts, and that they were in fact written as you say Petra by Harriet Parr. Then later, the Congregationalists adopted the poem as a hymn, according to Connie's link.
Thank you! I too am intrigued by the idea that something written in a magazine, never intended for posterity, could end up as part of a hymn book. Charles Dickens had said that the reason he didn't include the authors' names was in case they wanted to use the stories again, so it's clear he viewed "Household Words" in this way.
As I was reading poor Dick's story, I was wondering whether his adult life would have been different if his parents had not died when he was young. It was very common for people to die at an early age before modern medicine. Dick was very close to his mother, and she could have provided the direction and love that he needed. While his uncle and aunt provided food and shelter, they were not emotionally close. There most have been lots of orphaned children that were eventually sent off to America or Australia to seek their fortune, or signed on as crew members on a ship.
I found the 5 stories of The Beguilement of the Boat on-line, in PDF form! If you would like to read these stories with us but haven't been able to obtain a copy, here they are:
(these links will take you to an introductory page. Click on the PDF icon to the right of the title to open the story)
The Armourer's Story by Percy Fitzgerald
Poor Dick's Story by Harriet Parr (published under: Holme Lee)
The Supercargo's Story by Percy Fitzgerald
The Old Sailor's Story by Adelaide Anne Proctor
The Scotch Boy's Story by Reverend James White
There's still lots of time to comment on the stories we've read. This thread never closes. Also, we won't be moving forward until early next week.
Please join us. These stories are interesting.
Petra wrote: "I give here a portrait of Miss Parr as she appeared in the days of her popularity ***. It has a particular interest, as it was taken at the request of the Queen, who was first attracted to her work by a story called Poor Dick in one of Charles Dickens's Christmas numbers.".."I found this to be a fun fact. THE QUEEN read Household Words. LOL! I think that delightful. I'm tickled pink that she enjoyed normal, everyday activities and followed Dickens' works with the rest of the population.
Petra, I clicked the link for a couple of the stories but I don’t see the story itself, only a synopsis of each. Is there another link on that page?
Petra, I just read your rendering of Poor Dick’s Story above. Thanks for that. You are doing heroic work with this discussion.
Sue, on the right of the synopsis is a little PDF graphic. Click on that and the story opens. I hope it works. I tried it before posting and they opened up. Fingers crossed that they work with all browsers and systems.
Edited to add: I double checked and found the PDF icon at the right, next to the title.
Sue wrote: "Petra, I just read your rendering of Poor Dick’s Story above. Thanks for that. You are doing heroic work with this discussion."Awwww,...thanks, Sue! I'm glad you are enjoying the discussion. I'm having a blast with it. I highly recommend hosting a short read. Lots of fun stuff comes out of the woodwork.
Connie wrote: "As I was reading poor Dick's story, I was wondering whether his adult life would have been different if his parents had not died when he was young. It was very common for people to die at an early ..."Connie, that's a good perspective. The aunt and uncle were emotionally cold, but Amy was warm and loving. It makes sense that Poor Dick, who has lost everyone he loves (even his brother lived in a different residence) would turn to the one person who showed him warmth and caring.
Then he transferred that warm feeling to Love and put her on a pedestal for his Life's wishes & desires.
When he lost her, he lost the last feelings of Love that he ever received.
I hope he finds someone in America who makes him feel as wanted and loved as his mom did.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Fantastic information about a little-known author - thanks Petra :)I think "Allibone" refers to [book:A Critical Dictionary of English Literature and British and American Authors Living and Decea..."
Jean, reading the wiki article, it seems that Allibone would have included a lot of authors "of the time" that we've not hard of. It would be a fun project to leaf through the volumes to see what people of that time were reading and who the popular authors were.
Who would we include, I wonder, if we were compiling our own Allibone's Dictionary of Literature for our times?
The Dictionary is fascinating. I hope I eventually find the time to at least browse it. I also wonder who would be included if we were compiling our own version. I often speculate on what authors will endure the 100 year mark from our time...who will the Fitzgeralds, Steinbecks and Hemingways of the late twentieth century and early 2000's be? Not, I think, some of the most popular authors.
Sara, I'd like to see the Dictionary as well and gave a browse through it. It would be the genealogy of authors, giving us all the forgotten ancestors of authors today (so to speak). Like a family tree, we'd find a few interesting, quirky, outstanding personalities in it's pages.
I agree with you. The majority of the most popular authors of today won't be remembered in 100 years time. That would make a new Dictionary for authors of the late 20th century & early 2000s very interesting to read in the far future. All those unknowns would be brought to the surface again.
The Dictionary is available at archive.org in three volumes. I have no idea when I might find the time to browse it, but I certainly have it on my endless list of projects. It is just such things as this that make this group so remarkable. I had never heard of the existence of this book before this thread.I am enjoying the discussion of these side stories. I found their placement in the Wreck rather frustrating, but I understand what Dickens was thinking in the original publication and how much more this gave his audience. Had he tacked them on to the end, perhaps they would not have been read as widely, and they would not have made sense as being part of the Wreck story at all.
Petra, I found it! And it works beautifully. I will try to read them all but my reading is a bit worse lately heading into my cataract surgery next week. That pale print is harder to see.
Sue, I'm glad you found them. Sorry to hear about the cataracts. It will be great to have them taken care of.
If I find a darker copy of the stories, I'll post them here.
This thread will always be open. I'd love to hear your thoughts whenever that can happen. Hugs.
Sue, good luck with the cataract surgery. It is an ordeal, but it will be worth it if you emerge with clearer sight!
Sue, I'm sure you'll be happy after your cataract surgery, my friends tell me it's an amazing difference. Thankfully I'm not there yet, but I'm sure it's coming. I've been otherwise occupied for the last few days, but I'm following the discussion. This was my least favorite of the "extra stories, but still a good one. Petra, you are amazing!
Thanks all. I’m looking forward to the improved vision. Only one eye needs it now. Who knows when the other will. Several people I know had both done two weeks apart, which would be convenient. But I’m not complaining. :-)
I was having a look at the various book covers for this story. There are the usual ship wrecks, high waters, Charles Dickens' portrait and such forth. I found this one interesting:
It reminds me of the 1960s with Flower Power and beaded headbands. It has nothing to do with the sea, storms, wrecks or starvation. It's a peaceful scene for such a story of despair and hope.
That is hilarious! How do they make a cover choice like that? Thanks for the morning laugh, Petra :))
Amazing cover, Petra. The cover designers obviously didn't read the story!
It really is a surprising cover.It could have maybe referred to Mrs. Atherfield's hallucination of spending time with Lucy, enjoying a picnic by the river. But Lucy was 3 years old! The lady in the cover is significantly older than that.
.....somehow I don't see it being Mrs. Atherfield either. LOL.
As you said, Connie, the cover designers didn't know this story.
Regardless, I got a chuckle out of it when browsing book covers. I'm glad you both got a chuckle, too.
“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” perhaps? She does look like a 60s flower child.
Mod
Mod
I'll be very glad when my disc arrives and I can can more appropriate etchings of these middle stories for us :)
Mod
So do these two stories depict society's view of women at the time, I wonder? One idea is that good men are trapped into marriage by crafty women. Another is that there are two extreme types of women, with an assumption perhaps that every woman falls into one or the other. Another, that a sweet young woman does not have a serious discussion about anything (such as marriage) but lets the man lead the way.
These underlying attitudes make me think that neither is a story likely to have been written by Charles Dickens! He has the views of a Victorian gentlemen, but his depictions of females are more layered and complex.
Sue wrote: "“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” perhaps? She does look like a 60s flower child."LOL......there is the slim connection of a "trip" in both song and book, Sue. LOL.
Thanks for the laugh.
Bionic Jean wrote: "What a peculiar cover! And so many are ... there is a series of all Charles Dickens novels where each cover has nothing at all to do with the stories. They are called "beach novels"..."What a strange concept for marketing! The "beach novel"! I suppose it was meant to bring attention to these books over the lighter books that are often considered summer reads. If so, that implies that our summer reading habits really do change and by enough to make publishers notice.
Jean, the similarities were my first thought, too. But I like Connie's interpretation of Poor Dicks' story, that Poor Dick came from a warm, loving family, especially his mom. When he lost them and went to live with emotionally cold adults and a friendly Amy, he transferred his feeling & need for Love to her. She became his Everything. He was just looking for that warm, loving home that he lost. And he got lost in that dream. Amy may truly have loved Henry and only ever have seen Dick as a loved brother or a loved cousin that lived in her home. I don't think she ever saw Dick as a romantic part of her life.
I liked this interpretation. I wish Dick luck in America and hope he finds his warm, loving home.
Miss Arthur was looking for a well-to-do husband and cared nothing for the person she aimed her eye at. She felt free to use anyone & everyone to get to her goal
Amy, I think, didn't have these characteristics. She seems more a loving person, who fell in love, and wanted only a happy future. Dick's confession gave her pain, I think. But she remained on her path towards a happy life for herself and Henry, hoping Dick would come around, maybe.
Mod
In book form, "The Wreck of the Golden Mary" is in 3 named "parts", of which we are in the middle section. The cover here shows that it mirrors the order used in the Christmas edition of "Household Words" in 1856.
Interestingly, when we have read a novel which was first published in "Household Words" in installments, each one is usually of 3 or 4 chapters, although this does feel slightly longer than a usual installment.
We can see here how they were set out. "Household Words" has columns, just as newspapers do now, though the print is very small. I've altered the edition on the group shelves to show the original, to make it clear we are reading the entire piece.
Apparently this Christmas edition set a new record with astounding sales of 100,000 copies!
Jean, I thought the two stories were quite similar in that the men do crazy things for the love of a woman. When I was reading, I thought about the similarity (and hoped the other stories weren't more of the same). I like imagining that the people looked forward to picking up the magazine each month and that these pages gave them a month's worth of joy as families read stories out loud to each other at night and friends talked about the stories amongst themselves throughout the days.
What a delightful way of reading the story.
These magazines brought a lot of entertainment. Dickens did a good thing.
100,000 copies!! That's phenomenal.
Mod
I do like the way you envisage people saving the stories up to share. What a lovely picture, and I'm sure it's how it was. Readers were few and far between, so those who hadn't learned would have been clamouring for them :)
Dick's uncle wanting to send him to Australia or California reminded me of Charles Dickens himself. Yes, Dick's uncle said he didn't want Dick to "bring disgrace" on the family, but there was another component I think: that of helping the lad have a fresh start. That was was what Charles Dickens himself said, when he sent his sons overseas at a similar age, to make something of themselves.
I'm really hopeful that Dick finds a new start in America. He's surrounded by caring people in the boat. That would (perhaps) have started to show him that warm, caring, loving people are found in this World. Not everyone is cold and distant like his aunt and uncle. That knowledge may help him be open to new relationships in America and maybe, just maybe, he'll find true love and happiness. I am hopeful and my fingers are crossed for him.
Our next adventure, The Supercargo's Story, was written by our friend, Percy Fitzgerald. 
A page out of a collection of correspondence between Percy Fitzgerald and Charles Dickens.
This collection would be really interesting to read. There are additional letters from the wife of Henry Dickens (Charles' son) and rare photographs.
What I found most interesting is a description of notes, in Charles Dickens hand, to a story that it is stated as having never been written but I believe we read a version of it last year in our Summer reads. Here is the description:
"....the most exciting item in the album was a sheet of headed Gad’s Hill notepaper on which is written in what he believed to be Dickens’s hand notes for a story about a ‘lonely man’ who visits ‘a Cathedral town’ where live two sisters and an ‘ill-conditioned youth’, presumably their brother, who ‘has a great lawsuit’. The man loves one sister but marries the other ‘out of gratitude’ for her nursing him in sickness but then she dies, the other sister returns and he marries her (‘she behaves wonderfully’). The youth, ‘who always hates him …comes to House’ where ‘People speak to him’ and his eyes are ‘opened at last’. "
(full article is HERE)
The ending is different, but the two sisters marrying one man is familiar. Does anyone else recall this story? I can't put my finger on the title.
A few definitions. I hope it's okay to add them here. Supercargo: a representative of the ship's owner on board a merchant ship, responsible for overseeing the cargo and its sale
Councellor = a senior officer in the diplomatic service
Brocken = a mountain in northern central Germany, in the Harz Mountains, that rises to 3,747 feet (1,143 m)
Brocken Spectre = also called Brocken bow, mountain spectre.
The magnified (and apparently enormous) shadow of an observer cast upon clouds opposite the Sun's direction. The figure's head is often surrounded by the halo-like rings of coloured light forming a glory. The phenomenon can appear on any misty mountainside or cloud bank, even when seen from an aeroplane, but the frequent fogs and low-altitude accessibility of the Brocken have created a local legend from which the phenomenon draws its name.
Images of Brocken Spectres: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...
The Supercargo's Story by Percy FitzgeraldA quiet middle-aged gentleman passenger, in the Long-boat, who was going to establish a Store out there, and had been our supercargo besides, told what follows.
He was to sail on the good ship, Brocken Spectre, the following day. He’s restless and goes to check on her 3-4 times that day. She’s an old ship and somewhat picturesque. Her poop deck has a cupola with a number of windows in it, and it contains a large lantern to light it. He was to be the sole passenger on the journey.
That evening, darkness falls prematurely and the waves take on an indigo colour indicating poor weather. Winds pick up, blowing right through him. His heart sinks at this all. He’s not fond of ocean travel in the best of weathers; poor weather sailing dismays him. With a heavy heart he goes to dinner, hoping for a better weather for sailing day.
The inn stood on a hill. From his seat he could see 3 lights, rising and falling together, coming from through the windows of the cupola as the lantern burns on the Brocken Spectre. Soon afterwards, he’s told that the Captain of the ship would like to see him and he finds the Captain pacing outside the inn.
With the weather being so rough, the Captain would like to sail that evening to ensure they round Hedder Head before the following night. “I wouldn’t be off the Helder Head tomorrow night – no, not for a sack of guilders!”
Why? Tomorrow night is Christmas night – Captain Jan Fagel’s night.
The Supercargo quickly pays his bill, his bags are transported, and he is soon on a rowboat on his way to the ship. The waves aren’t high but the underswell is strong, the boat rocks as it makes it way along, the Supercargo feels ill. He can again see 3 lights ahead as the boat makes for them. Suddenly he sees the lantern faintly at the bow of the boat (the head). They are now passing under a dark cloud. As the ship rolls in the waves, the lights of the lantern bounce off the cloud and seem to perform a dance in time with the creaking of timbers of the ship. They reach the ship and the Supercargo is soon on deck and then resting in a cabin. They will set sail as soon as the wind direction changes.
Looking around the cabin, lit only by a weak oil lamp, he sees dark, oak walls, worn by friction and years, dark recesses and an alcove with a hard bench meant as a bed. A dismal cabin. He makes his way to the bunk and is soon sleeping.
When he woke, he found Mr. Bode, the mate, waiting to help him. The ship had set sail an hour ago but wasn’t making a lot of time. It’s Christmas day. But the winds are blowing hard and the Supercargo is seasick. He stays in bed for the day. In the evening he falls into a light slumber.
When he wakes, it’s night. He’s again aware of the music of the ship (creaks & rattles). He wonders where they might be and decides to get up when there’s a knock on the cabin door. It is Mr. Bode. He tells him that the ship is at Helder Head but won’t be sailing into open seas for a day or two. Had they had another hour or two, they could have rounded the Head but no luck. This reminds the Supercargo of the Captain’s strange reference and he asks about it. Mr. Bode settles in to tell him.
Every sailor knew the story. Captain Jans Fagel captained the Maelstrom, about a hundred years ago. Mr. Bode recalls seeing what was left of the wreck on the sands, when he was younger, breaking up at every tide. He was a terrible man. When the gales and storms came on, he got wilder and wilder, dancing on deck in the rain, shrieking madly about the winds. The man was mad. Some said he had sold himself to the Devil.
Captain Fagel was a smuggler and was known from Hook to Helder, and beyond. His favorite spot was Helder and he always came or went in a storm. Soon it was said that he brought storms with him.
Over time, smuggling became to tame for him and he turned to piracy, running up the black flag. He still came and went during storms and many a struggling ship was driven into the rocks by the Maelstrom. It was at Helder Head that Jan Fagel met his end and this is how it came about:
There was a Counsellor in town who hated Jan Fagel and he offered a reward to anyone who could take or destroy his vessel. When Fagel heard this he went raving mad, foaming at the mouth, saying he would get his revenge on the Counsellor.
The Counsellor had a young, beautiful wife, Madame Elde, who he had brought to Helder Head from France. He was head over heals in love with her. The family (one young daughter) lived in a place called Loo and were very, very happy together.
One dark stormy night, Fagel sailed in. He and his crew landed and broke into the house in Loo, forced Madame Elde and her daughter back to the ship with them. The Councellor was away from home that night. An old fisherman who lived on the shore heard the screams of the two hostages but he couldn’t save them; the crew were too many for him. The crew pulled away from shore, Fagel standing in the boat, screaming over the waves. How they made it aboard ship was a miracle.
At this time also, there was an English ship in the waters, specifically looking for the Maelstrom. The Maelstrom had fired into her and left her to her fate. That captain was sailing into every cove or bay looking for her. She just happened to come into the Head while the crew and hostages were boarding the ship.
“Let go all clear!” shouts Fagel and the ship takes off. Fagel is mad with joy, jumping & dancing on deck, his eyes glowing like coals, while fleeing. He was a master mariner. But then…..CRACK!!.....and down comes the mainmast, onto the deck.
Although his ship was in danger, he still thought of his revenge on the Councellor. “Bring up the woman and child” he yells. The hostages are brought on deck and sink onto the deck in terror. Madame Elde bemoans to herself about this being Christmas night. Fagel overhears her and curses her and her husband.
She stands up and screams, her long black hair blowing behind her, and begins to pray. Fagel calls for his men to wrap them in a sail & throw them both overboard. But his crew stand back. This deed is too foul for even them. Fagel steps forward to do it himself. Madame Elde continues to pray about Judgement Day, which Fagel blasphemies and scoffs, saying he would meet her; he’s not afraid. Fagel wraps her and her daughter up and tosses them overboard.
The storms get worse but the ship holds up. It seems that the ship would come to no harm as long as Fagel is on board. But this night is different. His foot catches on some rope on the poop deck and he falls overboard. His crew run to the rails but no one thinks to throw him a life saving rope. Then a voice is heard from the mainmast top “Yo, yo! Jan Fagel, yo!” The crew answers with the same call. Again, the voice calls and the crew answers in chorus, louder than before. Then Jan Fagel was no more.
Now each year on Christmas night, Jan Fagel comes into the bay to keep his word to Madame Elde. Any ship that wants to round the Head must wait until after midnight, when he leaves.
Mr. Bode finishes his tale and must get back on deck. The Supercargo remains in his cabin, pondering the legend of Jan Fagel. He falls asleep again and dreams of the evil Captain.
It was a troubled dream. First he was on shore, out of this rolling sea, so happy to be feeling well again. He saw low houses and townspeople in old fashioned clothing walking around or sitting & talking together. They all had a dry look about their faces and stony looks in their eyes. Then the town and people fading away to become the cabin he was sleeping in. He himself was standing with his hand on one of the oaken carvings on the wall. He noticed the monotonous sound of the water. Then he was floating over the waves, seeing figures far off amongst the clouds. That, too, faded and he was back in the cabin, which was filled with a yellow light. There was a figure sitting opposite him.
The Supercargo wasn’t surprised, in his dream. The figure wore a wide brimmed hat and a frilled, white collar and a dark jerkin. All had a mouldering look about them. He leaned on an ancient sword, sat motionlessly, looking at the ground. The Supercargo stared at the man for some time. Neither moving. Then he heard “Yo, yo! Jan Fagel, yo!” The figure looked up.
In the light, the Supercargo saw a mournful, despairing face, with a stony look like the townsfolks. The cry came again, nearer now. The figure rose and started for the cabin door. As he passed the Supercargo, he looked at him with dead, stony eyes. He felt a horrid, heavy weight on him and woke with a start.
Above the sound of the waves, he again heard the call “Yo, yo! Jan Fagel, yo!”, clear and distinct.
Wow, a haunting by Jan Fagel on Christmas! This was a great Gothic story that kept my interest. I've been enjoying Percy Fitzgerald's two stories.Thanks for the beautiful photos of the Brocken Spectre, Petra. I had never heard of it before.
Dickensians!
Books mentioned in this topic
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David Copperfield (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Charles Dickens (other topics)Arthur Conan Doyle (other topics)
Elizabeth Gaskell (other topics)
Charles Dickens (other topics)
Wilkie Collins (other topics)
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