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A Message from the Sea
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A Message From the Sea (hosted by Sara) - 4th Summer Read 2021
Thank you, Jean. I am going to capture the first three slots--might not need them all...but better safe. Will post something this evening or tomorrow morning. Hope everyone is ready!
Those who were following Petra's marvelous presentation of The Wreck of the Golden Mary, will find all her research and information applies equally to A Message from the Sea, which is another of the Christmas Numbers collaborated on by Dickens and Collins. I will not attempt to duplicate here, but totally encourage anyone who missed that read to go to Petra's thread and see what you have missed.Also, as so many of the versions of this work that can be found are only partial printings, limiting themselves to Dickens alone or Collins alone, I am posting a link to the complete version, which is a reproduction of the original, that I used (for free). It contains the Club Stories that are difficult to find elsewhere.
A Message From The Sea Can Be Found Here
Background:
A Message from the Sea was written by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, with contributions by Henry F. ChorleyCharles Allston Collins, Amelia Edwards, and Harriet Parr. It was written for publication in the Extra Christmas Number (13 December 1860) issue of All the Year Round.
All the Year Round was a British weekly literary magazine founded and owned by Charles Dickens, which published between 1859 and 1895. In 1859, Dickens had a petty dispute with the publishers of his previous publication, Household Words, which led him to create a new publication, over which he could exercise full control.
He took with him his friend and confidant, William Henry Wills, making him part-owner and sub-editor. Dickens derived the magazine title from a Shakespearean quotation, found in Othello, act one scene three, displayed the quote before his title, and launched thus:
'The story of our lives, from year to year.' – Shakespeare.
ALL THE YEAR ROUND.
A weekly journal.
Conducted by Charles Dickens.
The new weekly magazine had its debut issue on Saturday 30 April 1859, featuring the first instalment of Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. One month after the launch, Dickens won a lawsuit in the Court of Chancery against his former publisher Bradbury and Evans, giving him back the trade name of his previous journal, Household Words, but his new publication continued under its current name.
The launch was an immediate success. Over the years the magazine published many prominent novels, including Dickens' own Great Expectations, and Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White, The Moonstone and No Name. Within a year of its launch, Dickens wrote to his friend, John Forster ,
So well has All the Year Round gone that it was yesterday able to repay me, with five per cent interest, all the money I advanced for its establishment (paper, print etc. all paid, down to the last number), and yet to leave a good £500 balance at the banker's!— Charles Dickens
1860 was an eventful year for Dickens. His daughter, Katie, married Allston Collins, the brother of Wilkie Collins. Dickens' brother Albert died ten days following the wedding. Following his death, Dickens burned all his own personal papers.
In November 1860 Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins visited Devon and Cornwall together to gather ideas for the nautical story, A Message from the Sea, which would prove to be their penultimate collaboration. They "arranged and parcelled out" the sections for the story before they returned, and wrote it in London during the next fortnight. The fourth chapter, "The Seafaring Man," was Collins's prime responsibility, and Dickens responded with irritation to Collins's original beginning for this section, writing to Georgina Hogarth: "Wilkie brought the beginning of his part of the Xmas No. to dinner yesterday. I hope it will be good. But is it not a most extraordinary thing that it began: 'I have undertaken to take pen in hand, to set down in writing, etc-' like the W in W (Woman in White) narratives? Of course, I at once pointed out the necessity of cancelling that…”
(From the research of Anthea Trodd)
It will be interesting to see if we readers pick up on any of the friction that existed between Dickens and Collins during the fashioning of this tale.
I was only able to locate one illustration for this story. It was illustrated by Harry Furniss and depicts Captain Jorgan meeting with Alfred at the outset of Chapter One, with Kitty hanging over the wall to watch them.
More information on this illustration can be found at https://victorianweb.org/art/illustra...
Here are three of my favorite quotes from the novella:
Quotes ~ A Message from the Sea
“True love believes everything, and bears everything, and trusts everything.”
“I have knocked about harder than you, and have got along further than you. I have had, all my sea-going life long, to keep my wits polished bright with acid and friction, like the brass cases of the ship’s instruments.”
“Thinking I would try to pacify them with their own favorite catch word, I said “hear, hear” as civilly as might be, whereupon they all returned for answer “Oh, Oh,”. I never belonged to a club of any kind, myself, and after what I saw of that club, I don’t care if I never do.”
Without further ado, we proceed to ~ A Message from the Sea.
Christmas 1860 -Chapter I - The Village (written by Charles Dickens)
In a lovely North Devonshire village, built on the hillside and running down to the sea, Captain Jorgan, an American seaman, sits on a pier wall and exclaims “A mighty sing’lar and pretty place it is, as ever I saw in all the days of my life!” He is dressed in a blue coat and blue trousers and speaks to everyone passing by, striking up conversations with the fishermen about their jobs, the tides and the harbour. Among the men he talks to is a young fisherman of about twenty-three, who tells Jorgan that he is engaged to marry and whose lovely sweetheart is seen looking over the wall at the two of them.
As they are talking, another man arrives, Tom Pettifer, who calls the Captain away to the post office and comments, mysteriously, that “the name is the post office." Jorgan says a particular farewell to the young fisherman and leaves with Pettifer. They proceed to a quaint house at the top of the hill, where a sign indicates “Mrs. Raybrock, Draper” and “Post Office”.
When he enters the post office, Jorgan sees a woman whom he greets, telling her that he has traveled a long way to see her. Although she does not know Jorgan, she welcomes him and identifies him immediately as a sailor. Jorgan acknowledges that he is a captain and then introduces Pettifer as his steward. As he is preparing to speak to the woman, the young fisherman he had talked to earlier walks into the house, bringing with him his sweetheart.
{Dickens tells us how honest and open Jorgan is “All that the captain said and did, was honestly according to his nature, and his nature was open nature and good nature…”}
Turning to the young man, Jorgan asks him if his name is Alfred and if someone belonging to him went to sea. Alfred acknowledges his name and also that his brother Hugh went to sea. This obviously startles the mother and she looks “eagerly at the visitor.” But Jorgan assures her he brings no “good tidings of him” and the fisherman, Alfred, motions toward a young widow and a child who are in the garden.
Alfred tells Jorgan that Hugh “shipped for his last voyage” some three years earlier, was shipwrecked and lost with all hands at sea. The captain says all must die, and that the comfort we have in death is to have “done our duty.” He speculates that Alfred’s brother would surely have done his. Alfred agrees that his brother was faithful and true and that these traits were passed to the boys from their father. “My brother considered that our father left the good name to us, to keep clear and true.”
The captain then reveals to Alfred that he has some information regarding the nature of Hugh's death and that he needs to talk to him alone. Before they retire together, the sweetheart, whose name is Kitty, greets the young widow, Margaret, who is holding needlework. When the Captain asks, he is told Margaret is working on a wedding gift for Kitty.
The Captain wishes a blessing on Alfred and Kitty’s marriage, and Kitty impulsively kisses her hand to him and Alfred as they pass out of the room together.
I loved the beginning of this story. The descriptions of the village are enchanting and it was a bit of a bonus to have an American character central to the plot. Dickens had long returned from his Martin Chuzzlewit excursion to America, so I hadn't expected this. Pettifer adds a bit of mystery when he comes to fetch the Captain and the Captain's assurance that he has not brought any good news regarding the missing son was also a twist for me...for, if you don't bring good news, what do you bring?The stage is set in a lovely way for our introduction to these characters, and in typical Dickens fashion, they come alive. Perhaps no one bothered to sketch them, but I could do so, because I have a definitive image of each of them in my mind.
Sara, what a great introduction to the background of this story.The beginning of this story is so idyllic and peaceful. The village, the happy family, the tranquillity of everyday life. It all come together in a sunny kind of way.
Then Dickens adds a mystery, of sorts. I have to wonder what the Captain has to say that needs privacy in this close knit family.
I agree, these characters have come alive.
I like the illustration you posted. The Captain is dressed more dapper than I expected.
A good beginning to an interesting and intriguing story.
Thanks, Petra. He did make the Captain stand out and look quite different from the others, didn't he. I liked the way Kitty was dangling over the wall as well. I felt Furniss captured the opening scene beautifully.
Thank you for the link to the full story, Sara.
My pleasure, Janelle.
I enjoyed the information about "All the Year Round," Sara. This was a wonderful introduction.Chapter 1 gave me a vivid image of the village with the steep hills and picturesque homes. I liked the illustration by Harry Furniss, although I had imagined Captain Jorgan as a stouter man. There was something about Captain Jorgan that reminded me of Captain Cuttle (from Dombey) with his good cheer and concern for people, but in a more sophisticated way.
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I'm also pleased you found the complete text for us - and an illustration I hadn't seen before too! I can't track any more older ones down either.
Thanks for the link to the entire story Sara. I had looked for a "complete" version, but couldn't find one anywhere. I too liked the sweet beginnings of the story, introducing us to the main characters and the village itself. Although I am not at all sure I would have been able to navigate all those ladders and the steepness of the trails at my age! As to the illustration, that's not how I had pictured the Captain at all, or Alfred either for that matter. Perhaps it's just as well there's only the one illustration, I can rely on my own imagination. Excellent recap of this first section.
Thanks so much, all. Connie--As soon as I knew he was an American, I had a mental image of a wiry New Englander, but Alfred in the illustration is nowhere close to my mental image of him.
Jean--The Victorian Web suggests that this story was not illustrated because it was not wholly written by Dickens. That made no sense to me, because The Wreck of the Golden Mary was also collaborative and was illustrated. What did seem firm was that no other illustrations existed beyond that of Furniss. Sad, because this story, as it progresses, would have been a great one to illustrate.
Diane - This was the only complete version I was able to unearth. I looked at dozens of others that were all selective. I would also hate to have to make the climb every day...but then doing so might have kept me fitter. :)
A postcard of a Devonshire village in the same time frame as this story. I thought it was quite lovely.
Chapter 1 has really captured a lovely and quaint village scene with such vividness. I can see it perfectly in my mind and imagine what it must be like to walk up and down the steep hillside. I enjoyed how thoroughly Dickens introduced the characters and as you said, Sara, so easily pictured in my mind because of his rich and colorful writing. My curiosity is piqued now about what Captain Jorgan has to tell Alfred in secrecy.
Thanks for the background info, Sara. I would be miffed at Collins for starting his section in the same way as his own novels. I’m sure Dickens wanted the story to be seamless.
I am reading the story on my kindle version of The Complete Works of Charles Dickens (I can post a link when I get to my computer). It has 5 chapters with Ch 3 The Club night being the longest (2.5 hours?). Hopefully this is the entire story.
Sounds like you absolutely have the full version, Lori. I have a Complete Works of Dickens that only contained the truncated version and bought a second book because I thought it was complete and it was also truncated...so, please do post the link when you can. And, thank you.
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The Dorset village we spend our summer in is almost identical to that water colour, though the sky is bluer at the moment. Add some fresh veg (surplus to the garden) and honesty boxes outside a couple of the pretty cottages, maybe someone up a ladder replacing the thatch, a stepped up kerb, one shop, and you have it :)
People's natures are timeless - which often comes through for me when we read Charles Dickens - and sometimes a place can feel as if it's set in an earlier century too.
Warms my heart to know that the English villages I envision are still there to see, Jean. If I live long enough, and life is kind, perhaps I will see them someday...if not, how lovely that so many of my favorite authors have taken me on tours of the area already.I do hope Wolfie finally takes to transportation!
The kindle version I'm reading from is found here on the US Amazon site for .99! This one is much nicer and more user friendly than the other one I bought first for $1.99. Plus it has all of his works and criticisms and 4 biographies including John Forster's. https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Works...
I couldn't find a GR link for this.
Thank you, Lori. This will make three "Complete Works of Dickens" downloads for me. Wonder if I will have everything between the three of them now. Looks like this one will be the best.
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The Victorian Web has many authors, some better than others, and like Wiki has a certain number of mistakes :(
Harry Furniss was never an original illustrator for Charles Dickens in the same way that Robert Seymour, Hablot Knight Browne and George Cruikshank were. By that I mean he wasn't illustrating for a work's first printing. But he's one of the few who illustrated Charles Dickens shortly afterwards, like the American Sol Eytinge, or Irishman James Mahoney, and I personally really like his works. I'm glad the one you found was by him :)
I had hoped to find some illustrations from a little later, but in keeping with these early ones, similar in style to the ones by John Dugan, for every chapter and story in The Wreck of the Golden Mary: Being the Captain's Account of the Loss of the Ship, and the Mate's Account of the Great Deliverance of Her People in an ... Number of Household Words, Christmas, 1856.. But my libraries have drawn a blank.
Thank for your encouragement Sara. And yes, we certainly do still have many tiny villages like this :)
EDIT:
I've found one illustrated by "Audley Gunston" who seems to be American. Does anyone know of this illustrator?
My complete stories has 5 chapters but I haven’t been able to begin yet so I don’t know how complete it is. I hope to read some this weekend but my reading list has become large so I’m not sure about the next few weeks.
I you have 5 chapters, you are likely to have the complete work. Chapter #3 is The Club Night and is the one most often dropped, but I have seen versions that drop everything written by Collins as well, so only include Chapters 1, 2, and 5. Very strange because without Chapter #4 the story would make little or no sense.
Thanks Sara. I noted it had 5 sections when I checked to see if it has it at all. So far this has been a good collection except for some of the “Wreck” stories.
This story has a series of tales, exactly as the "Wreck" did. I hope they are all present. If not, the link I provided above has them all.
The opening of this story felt fantastical to me. Because surely a village like this could not exist in reality. I mean at one point the Captain had to travel through the Cobbler's house to get to the Post Office (unless maybe they went around his house, that bit confused me a little). But the descriptions are so vivid its easy to picture how the town is laid out. I especially liked how Dickens added musical elements to the town: the ladders with musical water, the staves with musical feet, the pier with the musical wash of the sea, and the seaside birds.
I thought it was interesting that the Captain arrived at the pier by foot and not by boat. That surprised me. I read the opening a second time to make sure I hadn't missed a description of his ship.
But no, it says he arrived by a winding road (not by the cliff). I expected a "salty dog" like the Captain to have come by boat. Especially since he brought along his steward, Pettifer, who I'm assuming goes along on voyages with the Captain.
Thanks for all the background information Sara. And for picking this story -- I can tell already its going to be a fun read.
Good observations, Bridget. I missed that he had come by foot, and I read this entire things twice. Loved the musical motif. Also found the descriptions of the village.
Bridget and Sara, II assumed that the captain was "ashore" now and living on land as they do. I also loved the descriptions , but especially loved the descriptions of the birds.
Re: the illustration, the man on the right who is inked in very black doesn't look like he belongs in a coastal village. He's all dressed up, wearing tails, a tie and dressy shoes. His pointed nose and chin make him look a bit dastardly. In fact, he reminds me a bit of Rigaud from Little Dorritt.
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I liked how Charles Dickens describes all the dwellings as being slightly different from each other. They have probably been altered to suit the inhabitants' occupation, rather than keeping the picturesque impressions of rows of thatched cottages we like so much now.
Edit: I have now found that Clovelly actually was the basis for Steepways!
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Anne - I love your comparison of "Captain" Jorgan with Rigaud! I must admit, I don't picture him like that either!
The illustration of Kitty is quite lovely. I spent quite a bit of time searching for illustrations, so I am stoked that you found this one, Jean.
Love the picture of Clovely, and of Kitty. That is exactly how I had pictured Steepside, and Kitty too.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Bridget - villages like this do indeed exist! It used to be common to go through one dwelling to get to another, although now people tend to make alterations to have separate entrances, however tin..."I love that villages like this really exist! Now I want to go visit one someday. :-)
Our next installment of the story:Chapter II - The Money
Alfred and the Captain go upstairs to the young man’s room, a small room with a pitched ceiling and an unflattering likeness of Kitty on the wall. Jorgan draws from his coat a large bottle, a type that would be found in a ship’s medicine chest.
Captain Jorgan begins to relate to Alfred the details of his last voyage, around the Horn of Africa, where he was met with a severe storm that blew him and his crew off course. They encountered an island There was no island in the chart, and, therefore, you may say it was ill-manners in the island to be there; I don’t dispute its bad breeding, but there it was. Thanks be to Heaven, I was as ready for the island as the island was ready for me. Jorgan avoids crashing into the island and launches a boat to explore, at which time he finds the bottle he is holding tangled in some seaweed in a cove.
The island is totally burned from a fire and one of the crew members steps and sinks into a shallow grave containing human bones. Jorgan retrieves the bottle, spots a nearby island that is on his map, charts his new course and returns to his ship, where he opens the bottle to find a note.
“I found this little crumpled, folded paper, just as you see. Outside of it was written, as you see, these words: ‘Whoever finds this, is solemnly entreated by the dead to convey it unread to Alfred Raybrock, Steepways, North Devon, England.’ A sacred charge,” said the captain, concluding his narrative, “and, Alfred Raybrock, there it is!”
Alfred exclaims that the note is in his brother’s handwriting. The Captain offers to allow Alfred to read the note alone, but Alfred declines and the two open the note, which is damaged and faded, and make out a partial message. What they are able to determine from the note is that there is some reason to believe that the 500 pounds of money, which Alfred's father left to his family upon his death, is stolen and that the proof of this might be found in Lanrean. After reading it, Alfred lays it out on the table and tells Jorgan that he and Kitty were meant to marry the following week and that the 500 pounds his father had left, was to be used to buy Alfred a stake in a fishery and enable him to settle with Kitty.
“I am as certain that my father had no knowledge that any one was wronged as to this money, or that any restitution ought to be made, as I am certain that the sun now shines. But, after this solemn warning from my brother’s grave in the sea, that the money is Stolen Money,” said Young Raybrock, forcing himself to the utterance of the words, “can I doubt it? Can I touch it?”
Alfred resolves to get to the bottom of the situation with the money and has Jorgan swear not to tell either Kitty or his mother about the contents of the note. He tells Jorgan that Kitty’s father, Mr. Tregarthen, is from the village of Lanrean, and will therefore be in a position to tell them the names of men who were around at the time and might know about the stolen money.
When they go downstairs and reveal to Kitty that the wedding must be postponed, she cries and rails at Jorgan for bringing such disaster with his visit. But Margaret, the widow, intercedes I am sure you have some strong reason and some sufficient reason for what you do, strange as it is, and even for not saying why you do it, strange as that is. And, Kitty darling, you are bound to think so more than any one, for true love believes everything, and bears everything, and trusts everything. Afterward, Kitty consents to go with Alfred and Jorgan to see her father. Jorgan bids farewell to the family, leaving Tom Pettifer to cheer the mother.
When they meet with Tregathen, they give him no details, but Jorgan assures him that he knows the secret and that what Alfred is doing is a moral and righteous thing. Tregarthen then gives them the names of David Polreath, Unchris’en Penrewen, John Tredgear, and old Arson Parvis as men who are old enough to have the information they seek.
Jorgan and Alfred part with an agreement to meet the following day at 2:00. When he arrives for this meeting, Captain Jorgan sees Alfred and Kitty. He stole within sight at last, and saw the lovers, with their arms entwined and their bent heads touching, moving slowly among the trees. It was the golden time of the afternoon then, and the captain said to himself, “Golden sun, golden sea, golden sails, golden leaves, golden love, golden youth,—a golden state of things altogether!” And on that positive note, they are off to Lanrean.
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"A Message from the Sea" - Arthur Jules Goodman
It must have been terribly upsetting for Kitty to have the wedding postponed, especially since she did not know what was in the message in the bottle. Alfred's mother is broken-hearted too. Alfred seems very honorable, and wants to learn the truth about his brother's message. The Captain has just upended all the lives in this family by bringing them the message. I hope the steward, Mr Pettifer, is able to smooth things over until the Captain and Alfred return.
Your summary is excellent, Sara, though I know I should read the story. You keep me in the loop. Thanks.
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I loved this second chapter! A message in a bottle ... so classically mysterious.
My favourite turn of phase - which really made me laugh - was the "phrenological ceiling, expressive of all the peculiarities of the house-roof" - as if you could read its character and history by feeling all the bumps. We've had ceilings like that! Also what follows, "a dreadful libel on Kitty which ornamented the wall" - such a bad portrait by the artist ("limner") that you could sue them for libel :D
Even if we didn't know the author of this section, those comments are pure Charles Dickens. Also, the idea that there is a mystery connect with a brother who disappeared at sea (although this idea would appeal to Wilkie Collins too :) )
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But asides which reflect Charles Dickens own views of America, are attributed to Captain Jorgan. He thinks of himself as a "citizen of the world", but is basically an American.
In chapter 1, the Captain complimented Kitty, saying straight out that she was a beauty, and apologised for being too forward, and also for asking too many questions "I was raised on question-asking ground," saying it was part of his country's character. English people of a good class at this time would think this disrespectful, and against propriety. But Charles Dickens argues the American case:
"Whenever a frank manner is offensive, it is because it is strained or feigned; for there may be quite as much intolerable affectation in plainness as in mincing nicety."
Captin Jorgan mentions his home country a few times, but the other significant difference, I think, is here in chapter 2. The young fisherman Alfred Raybrock is talking about his father:
“He had risked it once—my father put down in writing at that time, respecting the money—and was resolved never to risk it again.”
“Not a spectator,” said the captain. “My country wouldn’t have suited him. Yes?”
Charles Dickens view, which comes out in the other works I've cited, was that the USA was only concerned about money: getting money at any cost in business, and that anything such as Education, or the Arts, would be secondary to this. He was extremely critical of this aspect of the USA's character, although he makes Captain Jorgan a cut above such mercenary motives: an honourable man, and one who sees America with an honest eye, and recognises them as such.
As do we all :) (Please don't shoot the messenger!)
And I Iike very much that Charles Dickens has made Captain Jorgan come from "New England". Such a good, literal description, as well as an actual place. Is the stereotype that they are all "wiry" there then, Sara?
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Tiny fishing villages of this type often didn't have anywhere safe to land - no constructed landing stage. So fishermen could come ashore in little rowing boats at one specific safe point that the locals knew of, away from the rocks. The coastline in Devon and Cornwall is very treacherous in parts. It was a big risk, but it was their livelihood. Others would look for a proper jetty, and there might not be one in a small village. It would need to be built, and these are poor people.
Oh, I also meant to mention the "red-brown" cliffs, which are mentioned and are a geological feature of Sidmouth, a lovely little town which we often visit in East Devon, right next to Dorset. But the land is quite narrow, so I imagine the underlying rock is also present in the opposite coast. Here are a couple of contemporary adverts:
The photos are breathtaking, as photos of this area always are. I have spent so much time with Daphne du Maurier and Winston Graham that Cornwall terrain and names seem to be something very familiar for me. Tregathan seems to me a particularly regional name, and I loved that he referred to one of the old men as "Unchris’en Penrewen" because he had forgotten his first name or perhaps he was never generally called by a first name. The American aspect was a surprise for me. It is always interesting to me to get a glimpse of how Dickens viewed Americans. I have gotten sidetracked from my reading of Forster, and wish I had more of that background to draw on for this read. I don't think Dickens liked us very much or understood us particularly well. He seemed to focus on what he felt were the cruder aspects of Americans, but we, of course, had a different kind of upper class, who were very well-educated, and some of the finest artists alive at the time, like Whistler, Metcalf and Eytel.
It seems almost out of joint to think that what was going on in the U.S. at this time was the beginning of the Civil War. Hawthorne and Emerson were still writing, but nearing their end, and Mark Twain and Walt Whitman were influencing American writing and thinking. Dickens knew some of these people and certainly knew of all of them, so his might be a great guage of what the English, in general, were feeling about Americans at this time.
I took the “Not a spectator,” said the captain. “My country wouldn’t have suited him. Yes?” to mean our current understanding of "speculator" more than "spectator", people who take risks, since Alfred had just commented that his father had put the money at risk and vowed never to do so again. I do think Americans were much more known in this time period for taking risks and being perhaps even reckless in sticking their necks out or exploring new things.
As for the "wiry" image, the epitome of the American seaman at this time would have been the New Englander. Moby Dick had been written some ten years earlier and I'm guessing Ahab and the portraits Melville left in the mind of an American whaler would have been what most people of this time would have believed true, and I suppose my own mental image comes primarily from that work. Melville was very accurate in his portrayal of the life and times. I think the seamen of New Bedford and Nantucket would have had a great deal in common with those of Cornwall and Devon. One gets the feeling from Dickens that Jorgan is accepted almost immediately for exactly that reason, he is a seaman, and there is a common bond between those who live their lives upon the sea that transcends nationality.
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Charles Dickens did see a lot of positive aspects in Americans, but his first visit was coloured by all the thieving of his manuscripts, and pirated copies, as you know. You're right Sara, he made friends with some of the writers and artists, and urged them to campaign with him to establish proper copyright in law. (It's all in John Forster's biography). It would be wrong to say he lumped all Americans together, and certainly on his second visit he found much to admire :)
I think Captain Jorgan using "spectate" instead of "speculate" was perhaps a bit of a malapropism, yes? He clearly is a voluble soul, so it adds to the humour. The bit I quoted made the risk factor clear; his father was a sensible, responsible fellow.
"I think the seamen of New Bedford and Nantucket would have had a great deal in common with those of Cornwall and Devon."
That's fascinating! Thank you :)
I always recall the tobacco spitting, Jean and think how could you ever get to see beyond that? I can imagine much of America looked very uncivilized to him, and I would have felt the same! I'm sure he felt more like the individuals he came to know were not really typical of Americans in general.I laughed about the use of spectate and think you are absolutely right that it is meant to be a malapropism and to humorously show that Jorgan is perhaps a bit uneducated.
I have now read the first two chapters as the details here were so inviting. I have to say, I really like this story a lot...both the story and its telling.Another early shipping city of New England is Salem Massachusetts. Anyone who visits the state really should visit the Peabody Essex Museum which has a great collection centered on its exploration history as well as modern art.
I recall that some of the passengers of the Golden Mary were on their way to the mines of California. I don’t recall when this story was written or whether that type of speculation could have been in the minds of people in England.
I found it a lovely story as well, Sue. Dickens, as usual, makes you feel involved with the characters almost from the first scene. Have never been to Salem, but would love to. I have seen the boats at Mystic, Conn.'s museum, however, and the tall ships at Baltimore Harbor. I am fascinated with sailing at this time (which is probably what drew me to this story in the first place).
A very interesting point about The Wreck...in a way Dickens involved America in both these stories. I'm sure you have hit upon why the English would have viewed Americans as speculative and risk takers. Those who went to the California gold rush often deserted everything and everyone to do so--and that was 100% the lure of money, not like the settlers who went West for land.
I like this story more and more as I read it. There is definitely a sense of foreboding building. The crewmate stepping on bones, the allusion to the "Devil's horns and tail", the reference to Mephistopheles at the end, those all made for an eerie feeling and have me wondering if perhaps some evil lurked on that "ill-mannered island" where the Captain found that bottle.Thank you to Jean and Sara for the background on how Dickens felt about Americans. I thought it was interesting to see Dickens reference "the devil's tail made into tooth-picks for plantation overseers". Sounds like Dickens might have been friends with the abolitionists. I haven't had time to read the biographies yet that you all have mentioned so I'm just guessing.
I’m looking forward to continuing with this story and so glad that my collection seems to have the whole thing. I actually got rid of my copy of Sketches of Boz since it wasn’t searchable and the one I have now is far more complete. (Of course I can’t think of the title.)
Dickensians!
Books mentioned in this topic
A Message from the Sea (other topics)The Wreck of the Golden Mary: Being the Captain's Account of the Loss of the Ship, and the Mate's Account of the Great Deliverance of Her People in an ... Number of Household Words, Christmas, 1856. (other topics)
Great Expectations (other topics)
Dombey and Son (other topics)
The Wreck of the Golden Mary (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Charles Dickens (other topics)Charles Dickens (other topics)
Wilkie Collins (other topics)
John Brougham (other topics)
Charles Dickens (other topics)
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"A Message from the Sea" - illustration by Arthur Jules Goodman: a wood-engraving from the original extra Christmas number of "All the Year Round" for 1860.
This is the thread to discuss A Message from the Sea by Charles Dickens, which is our fourth summer read this year, between 23rd July and 15th August.
LINKS TO SARA'S SUMMARIES: (Click on the title)
Chapter I - The Village (written by Charles Dickens)
(comment 5)
Chapter II - The Money
(also written mostly by Charles Dickens) (comment 37)
Chapter III - The Club Night (written by Wilkie Collins)
(comment 54)
- - - - - - - Includes:
Tredgear’s Story (by Wilkie Collins)
(comment 78)
David Polreath’s story (by Harriet Parr)
(comment 100)
Captain Jorgan’s Pipelight (possibly authored by Amelia B. Edwards)
(comment 127)
Oswald Penrewen’s Story (author unsure)
(comment 148)
Chapter IV: The Seafaring Man (written by Wilkie Collins)
(comment 158)
Chapter V: Restitution (written by Charles Dickens) (comment 179)
Sara is the host for this read, so please allow her to comment first. Thanks!