The Holly-Tree Inn (hosted by Robin)

[Greg]

I'm curious as to what others made of this passage in "The Ostler":

"Mrs. Scatchard was a woman about the average in her lowly station, as to capacities and manners. She had seen better days, as the phrase is; but she never referred to them in the presence of curious visitors: and, though perfectly polite to every one who approached her, never cultivated any intimacies among her neighbors."

If I'm reading it correctly, Wilkie Collins seems to say it was common among people of lower stations ("average" in "manners" for her "station") to not refer to their problems and to keep to themselves, not even mixing much with their neighbors. Unless I'm misunderstanding what he means by cultivating "intimacies"?

This struck me as a little surprising.

I always thought the stereotype generally went that people in the best economic situations were more restrained and less free with each other but that people in worse economic situations were generally more open and freer with each other.

A lot of movies and books depict things that way anyway.

What did everyone else make of it? Was this really a Victorian cultural thing? Or is this just a bias or quirk on Collins' part?

[Sara]

I take cultivating intimacies as sharing very private confidences. I took it to mean that she was a proud woman who did not discuss with others her financial losses "had seen better days" or complain of her current situation. So, she may have mixed with her neighbors, but she did not trade intimate details of her life with them.

I would actually think this would be true of most Victorians. I doubt there would have been many lower station people who wouldn't have pretty much recognized the situations of the people around them and known who the worst suffering were, but I would not expect that they discussed it very often with anyone outside the family circle or very close friends. I think of Daniel Peggotty in David Copperfield, who made light of his situation and would never have bemoaned his poverty.

[Greg]

Sara wrote: "I take cultivating intimacies as sharing very private confidences. I took it to mean that she was a proud woman who did not discuss with others her financial losses "had seen better days" or compla..."

Thanks Sara, that makes sense!

I was thinking that cultivating intimacies meant something along the lines of making friends, but maybe it means sharing things that are more private as you say.

Why though would he specifically point out that it's average for people of her "lowly station" then though? Maybe just that they would have more difficulties to keep private out of a sense of dignity/pride?

[Sara]

That is what I would think, Greg. Especially someone whose situation has deteriorated. It sounds like she was better off at one time.

[Greg]

Sara wrote: "That is what I would think, Greg. Especially someone whose situation has deteriorated. It sounds like she was better off at one time."

Makes a lot of sense to me Sara. Thanks for your thoughts on the passage; they sound right to me.

I really like reading with a group! - it enriches the experience for me quite a bit, and I feel like I end up understanding things much more deeply.

[Daniela]

It is the same for me. I am reading all your comments and I understand and appreciate everything much better.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

It's one of the benefits - and pleasures - of reading slowly, isn't it. In "Dickensians!" we've found that even the slightest works by Charles Dickens can reveal many hidden aspects, given a careful read. A story which seems lightweight and entertaining can be enjoyable as a quick read, of course, and there is a place for this too. But a classic author like Charles Dickens often has so much more to give, if we listen.

I know it's unusual for Goodreads, where we are urged to read more and more. (Even the challenge says "I've done with ..."). But that's why we allow time even for short reads, and hosts like Robin will choreograph them carefully, so we don't zoom through. Then we can ponder the deeper aspects as we choose, instead of just letting them pass.

[Robin P]

**Summary of Part IV - The Landlord - by William Howitt

This is actually the story of the landlord Sam's older brother Uriah Tattersall. The story starts out with a very Dickensian family scene, lots of children, happy and comfortable home ready to celebrate a nice Christmas even though they are not rich. The children especially love stories of travel and adventure.

That night, Uriah tells his wife that he has reviewed the books for his business and found that after 20 years, he has only the same amount of 3000 pounds that he started with. She says that's all right, as his serious tone made her think the news would be worse. But he insists he needs more so that he can leave enough to the children and proposes they go to Australia. Some of their neighbors had gone and reported a paradise.

(Dickens wrote of Australia in some of his books as a land of opportunity and he encouraged his sons to go there. His youngest son, Edward-Bulwer Lytton Dickens - named for the famous novelist but called Plorn by the family - did emigrate, and serve in the Australian parliament, but died poor at age 49.)

Uriah's wife Maria is dismayed by the plan but eventually agrees and the whole family departs. But instead of the beautiful green land they expected, they find rain and mud, people living in shacks, and empty lots full of tree stumps. Uriah runs into one of his former neighbors, Robinson, who tells him he should have stayed home with his tidy business. But he finds the new family a house and the next day advises Uriah to buy up whatever property he can. Right now immigration is stopped and people are leaving but Robinson is sure it will start up again.

Uriah buys land but over the years he wonders many times if he made a mistake. HIs family survives mainly from produce they grow. In his poverty, however, he helps a family who needs food and medicine. Eventually immigrants start to arrive again, and then - there is a gold rush! The family ends up with a beautiful villa, extensive gardens, and a merchant business in which his sons are employed. His 3000 pounds has grown to 70,000. The story ends, as it began, with a beautiful family scene of happiness.

There seems to be a moral of working hard, being patient and helping those who are worse off. This may not be how everyone looks at land speculation, but it is clear that we are supposed to approve of the Tattersall family.

[Robin P]

**Summary of Part V - The Bar-Maid (by Adelaide Anne Procter)

Our narrator Charley notices the barmaid reading a letter and kissing it, so he guesses she is to be married soon. But we don't get a story of her life. Instead, Charlie reveals a heretofore unknown talent for verses in telling a story from her part of the country . (The author of this section was mainly a poet.)

The first scene shows us a country inn on a lovely summer day. The boy who lives there sees a grand party of nobles approaching and is especially struck by a beautiful young girl on a white pony. When she admires the flowers on a tree, he breaks off a branch and gives it to her.

Years later, a bridal party comes by and the girl is now a lady. Maurice plucks another branch, but she just doesn't remember and it falls into the dust. Many years after that, in winter, a carriage comes by carrying an old woman, sad and worn. And finally, on a spring day, a funeral train passes. Maurice, now old himself, may be the only sincere mourner, and he places on the coffin a purple blossom.

The tree is a "Judas tree". It does have beautiful flowers, somewhat like cherry or apple blossoms. Wikipedia says of the name of the tree,

"There is a myth that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from a tree of this species, causing its white flowers to turn red. This belief is related to the common name "Judas tree", which is possibly a corrupted derivation from the French common name, Arbre de Judée, meaning tree of Judea, referring to the hilly regions of that country where the tree used to be common. Another possible source for the vernacular name is the fact that the flowers and seedpods can dangle direct from the trunk in a way reminiscent of Judas's possible method of suicide."

In any case, the mention of Judas is a reminder of betrayal. Was the boy betrayed by the girl who quickly forgot his gesture? Was she betrayed by all the wealthy nobles around her? The form of the story also reminds me of songs like "Les Trois Cloches" (The Three Bells), where the bells of a church ring over the years for the birth, marriage and death of a character.

[Connie]

Part IV--Regarding Australia

Both William Howitt and Charles Dickens had an interest in Australia. Howitt participated in the gold rush, and also wrote "A boy's adventures in the wilds of Australia: or, Herbert's note-book." Dickens had characters that went to Australia in "David Copperfield" and "Great Expectations."


The Sydney University Press has published five volumes of stories written about Australia that were collected from Dickens' "Household Words." This is their description of the works, one about Mining and Gold:

Dickens had a keen interest in Australia and fortuitously began publishing the periodical at a transitional moment, just before the heady days of the 1850s gold rush set the world ablaze. The discovery of gold drove a period of mass immigration and expansion into the hinterlands, and caused radical economic and social changes in an emerging nation.

Of the nearly 3,000 articles published in Household Words, some 100 related to Australia and have been collected in this anthology. Dickens saw Australia as offering opportunities for England's poor and downtrodden to make a new start and a brighter future for themselves; this optimism is reflected in many of the articles.

The stories have been grouped into five volumes: Convict Stories, Immigration, Frontier Stories, Mining and Gold and Maritime Conditions.

This volume focuses on mining. The goldfields stories in Household Words present a broad picture of life at the diggings. Occasionally a fabulous find (sometimes spent in a week); but, more often, depictions of optimistic diggers being beaten by the hard life, hard luck or looming failure. There are stories of men and women from all ranks of society, sailors on the run and Chinese immigrants, all hoping to make a fortune.

https://sydneyuniversitypress.com.au/...

Australia changed from being a convict colony to a place where free immigrants flocked hoping to find gold. Australia's population tripled from 430,000 in 1851 to 1.7 million in 1871 per Wikipedia. Property values were enhanced. So as Robin pointed out, Dickens sent his sons to Australia hoping for prosperity, but it didn't work out for them. Dickens had to send them checks to help support the two sons.

[Greg]

Thanks for the summaries Robin and the information Robin and Connie!

Dickens' connection to Australia is interesting - I had never heard before that his son emigrated there! I also enjoyed the information about the Judas tree.

For me, I am not too much a fan of Hewitt. I have read some excerpts of his work in anthologies before, and I wasn't much enamored of them. This story didn't grab me much either.

The characters operate at only the most basic level. They are happy as a family; they struggle with poor conditions. They desire more financial success. There's really no backstory or intricacies of motivation; there's a lot of how but almost no why.

Also, for the most part the descriptions don't feel evocative to me. The metaphors don't have much freshness or uniqueness. There's nothing particularly lovely in the rhythm or cadence of the sentences.

It's all very plot oriented, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I tend to be drawn to stories that have more of a style or character focus. So I got a bit bored.

[Greg]

I liked the poem by Proctor better.

To me, the poem felt wistful.

There's something so touching about the constancy of the boy's attachment to this girl, the purity of his intention, that lasts througout the years regardless of whether the feeling is returned.

The pretty girl asks the boy for the Judas flower "with a gesture, / ⁠Half pleading, half command." When he gives it to her, he sees her innocent pleasure, "her happy laugh . . . ⁠Like silver on the air."

And when she returns, she's a bride to be. He can hope for nothing in return. To me, it seems he just wants to give her that simple joy again and to show his appreciation. But she is focused on a different joy now, on her new marriage, and she doesn't even notice the flower. So it just falls to the ground. He isn't bitter though. He knows she doesn't owe him anything; he just wanted to offer her the purity of appreciation in his heart.

And when she eventually passes away, he still feels this. He places a flower on her grave, and among all the mourners, his sorrow is the "pitying, tender," and the "most . . . honest" of all the mourners. With no hope of return, with no hope of the inheritance or worldly benefit that her heirs might expect, he offers what he has in his heart.

It reminds me a little of a poem, "Saint Judas," by James Wright. In the poem, after Judas has betrayed Jesus and is overwhelmed with regret, he encounters a man being beaten by soldiers. Judas no longer holds any hope for salvation, but he acts out of compassion and runs to the man, regardless of the soldiers. There's a heartbreaking purity to what he does because he can expect nothing whatsoever in return, in this world or the next. But he does it anyway; he does it out of love only.

"Banished from heaven, I found this victim beaten,
Stripped, kneed, and left to cry. Dropping my rope
Aside, I ran, ignored the uniforms:
Then I remembered bread my flesh had eaten,
The kiss that ate my flesh. Flayed without hope,
I held the man for nothing in my arms."

If I had to guess, I'd say that what is being honored here in Proctor's poem is similar: the complete lack of self interest or pretention, the love for love's sake, the compassion for compassion's sake, with no intermingling of selfish desires.

I'm not sure what the betrayal might be in the poem if there is one, but it is certainly not him. She is the one who asks for the Judas flower. And I don't think she has betrayed him either - after all, he had no reason to expect anything for what he gave. If anything, it is the mechanism of the social world that betrays them both in that it is organized solely around practical things, around money and the social order, and not around the impractical and pure intentions of the heart.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Robin - Links are now in place - thanks for these summaries :)

Greg - (and Connie - thanks!) We have a thread called "Charles Dickens's family", where we talk about how he sent two of his sons to Australia.

LINK HERE for a post about all his 7 sons.

And LINK HERE for a lengthy post (with photos! :)) about one of his sons nicknamed ("Chickenstalker") who he sent to Australia, and who there became Inspector Francis J. Dickens. "Plorn", whom Robin mentioned, was the other one whom he sent there.

So I'll hand you back to Robin and the story ...

[Robin P]

Thanks for all the Australia information, Connie and Jean!

Greg, I agree with your assessment of the stories. The Australian story seemed flat compared with the ones Dickens wrote.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

We've read Adelaide Anne Proctor in collaborations before.

I remember she wrote a lovely story for 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., because Petra wrote a fabulous post about her, including a photograph:

LINK HERE.

It's well worth reading :)

Sara - did she contribute to A message from the sea (1860) by Charles Dickens?

Greg - I'm not sure l've come across William Howitt before ... but from what you've said I won't be looking especially!

Connie - I do appreciate the information from the Sydney University Press, as I'm unlikely to have found that - thanks :)

[Connie]

While I did not feel emotionally connected to any of the characters in William Howitt's story, I'm glad I read it for the information about the Australian gold rush and immigration. We learn about the gold rush in California and the Yukon region, but very little Australian history, in American schools.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Very little about America here in English schools, but a little about Australia :)

[Connie]

Those were lovely thoughts about the Proctor poem, Greg. As you pointed out, there was a difference in the social status of the young girl and the boy. They had a special moment as children when he gave her the flowering branch from the Judas tree. The boy never forgot the girl's sweetness, beauty, and happiness. But that moment was probably not as important to her since someone in her social class had many more special opportunities and memories. The young girl enjoyed it at the moment, but it was later forgotten.

[Greg]

Connie wrote: "Those were lovely thoughts about the Proctor poem, Greg. As you pointed out, there was a difference in the social status of the young girl and the boy. They had a special moment as children when he..."

Thanks Connie! :)

I agree with all that you say about their difference in social status and what you say about it meaning much more to him than her, partly for that reason. It definitely feels right to me.

[Greg]

Connie wrote: "While I did not feel emotionally connected to any of the characters in William Howitt's story, I'm glad I read it for the information about the Australian gold rush and immigration. We learn about ..."

That's true Connie. It's amazing what an effect that single ruling had on the Australian emigrees (the "one pound per acre")!

Strange to think of people half a world away stamping a paper somewhere, and then in Australia, everything changes overnight for those (now unfortuante) emigrees!

I knew nothing about conditions in Australia at that time; I didn't even know there was a gold rush there.

[Robin P]

Of course, just as in the U.S., there is little mention of the existing inhabitants of Australia and how they may have been impacted by immigrants, felling of trees, fencing of land, etc.

[Greg]

Robin P wrote: "Of course, just as in the U.S., there is little mention of the existing inhabitants of Australia and how they may have been impacted by immigrants, felling of trees, fencing of land, etc."

True Robin!

[Janelle]

The Australian story is set in Melbourne which was only established in 1835, so was still very small when Uriah arrived in 1843. (Sydney was settled in 1788 for contrast). The streets mentioned in the story Flinders, Swanston and Collins are all important streets in Melbourne’s CBD (Flinders st station is the big Melbourne train station).
As Robin says I also noticed that there’s no mention of Aborigines who would’ve been dispossessed. I gasped in horror at the sons shooting lyrebirds! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrebird )
And the ‘great patriarchs of the forest’ that they chopped down would’ve been Mountain Ash, probably hundreds of years old. Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) is the tallest flowering plant, one of the tallest trees in the world. There are some tall examples in the Dandenongs to the east of Melbourne now but they are only about 80 or so years old. They grow in Victoria and Tasmania.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centuri.... The link is to the tallest living example in Tasmania.
I know I’m looking at this story from a modern perspective, that’s what colonists did here. Chopped down every tree, killed native species and brought over rabbits, foxes along with the cattle sheep etc.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Fascinating ... and appalling. Thanks Janelle.

[Sara]

The Landlord is more interesting to me now that I have read all the contributions here. It was a rather flat story for me, not fostering any real attachment to the family or other characters. I did remember while reading it, however, that Australia had a strong attraction for Dickens.

Greg--I loved your thoughts on the Bar-maid.

I did enjoy the poem. For some reason narrative poem have always been a love for me. I used to recite The Highwayman and the first quarter of Hiawatha when I was young...so, it might stem from that.

In considering the betrayal element in the poem, I would say that it was life that betrayed the girl. She seemed so enchanted, her life had so much promise, when she was a child. But the third appearance shows us a disappointed woman, someone whose life has not lived up to her expectations. The betrayal is in her face. When we learn that Perhaps an honest sorrow
⁠Dwelt only in one breast.
it seems to me we have proof that her hopes and expectations had been betrayed. It is not her children or those who know her well that mourn her, only a person who has seen her but three times truly feels the loss.

[Greg]

Sara wrote: "She seemed so enchanted, her life had so much promise, when she was a child. But the third appearance shows us a disappointed woman, someone whose life has not lived up to her expectations. The betrayal is in her face. When we learn that Perhaps an honest sorrow
⁠Dwelt only in one breast.
it seems to me we have proof that her hopes and expectations had been betrayed. It is not her children or those who know her well that mourn her, only a person who has seen her but three times truly feels the loss."

Love this Sara! - it is telling that a near-stranger cares about her more than anyone she has chosen to surround herself with. I hadn't really thought about it, but with all her beauty, wealth, and advantages, she has somehow missed out on all that is most valuable and most true. It's such a sad thing!

[Connie]

Janelle, it's so good to have the point of view of someone who lives in Australia. The lyrebirds are beautiful! It seemed like colonial powers ignored the indigenous populations all over the world--very tragic.

[Sean]

I’ve opted to limit myself to just the parts that Dickens wrote for the Holly Tree Inn so I’m unable to comment on the topical part of the story. But I can offer the odd interesting (or maybe not) comment on the story in general.

Looking at the total number of Dickens’ readings the Holly Tree Inn makes up about a third(ish) of the titles that he read (that estimate is just my own ‘ticking off’ of his reading lists that I have in front of me, so it’s not reliable research), and I’ve noticed that in the commentaries of his readings there is, with exception of(view spoiler)[ Nancy’s Murder (hide spoiler)] and a few general terms overall, very little description of ‘how’ Dickens read a particular title - he could do up to 3 (but usually 2) readings per session, and most of the commentary sums up the sessions with the usual adjectives.

However, a couple of the readings make an exception, such as Holly Tree Inn (always the Boots) read at the Rotunda, Dublin, where he also read Little Dombey and Mrs Gamp:

“Most charming throughout is” the report says in the Dublin Evening Mail, “Boots at the Holly Tree Inn,” it was, says the report, “one of those graceful trifles which no one can write so well as Dickens” and that. “The way Mr Dickens read this piece was inimitable, and kept the audience convulsed with merriment, which would have been more demonstrative but for their fear of interrupting him.” it goes on to describe his histrionics: his “chuckling tone”, his “merry twinkle of the eye”, his “expressions to the salient points” where often “impossible to be described” , and that Mr Dickens had “entered into the spirit of the story throughout”

Of his Christmas Story readings, Holly Tree Inn appears (and this is just my own observation after scanning through Dickens Pilgrim Letters) to be the only one that Dickens writes in detail about the effect on the audience, especially so to Mrs Couttes, Georgina and Forster

And:

Walter Dexter wrote a series of ‘Dickens Will Read’ articles, and in one case acquired and published Dr Frank Beard’s record of Dickens’ before and after pulse monitoring. Dickens' pulse varies considerably, but even to the uninitiated it’s not difficult to work out that there was, what Beard considered, a ‘safe’ reading and an ‘unsafe’ reading.

The list is too long to print in full, but just a cursory glance shows that the Holly Tree Inn was generally ‘safe’

‘Boots at Holly Tree’. before reading: 94. after reading: 112
(that seems to be fairly constant with this story, but it’s very different when done alongside (view spoiler)[ Nancy’s murder (hide spoiler)] )

Not surprisingly (view spoiler)[Nancy’s murder (hide spoiler)] was ‘unsafe’

‘Nancy and Sikes(view spoiler)[ (murder)(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]’. before reading: 90: after reading: 124

Surprisingly David Copperfield was regarded as ‘unsafe’

‘David Copperfield’. before reading: 100: after reading: 124

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Very interesting, as always Sean :) It's clear that Charles Dickens could have lived longer if he had followed Doctor's orders, but that wasn't his way. I can't see his public readings of this set of stories aggravating his condition very much, though it's good to know they were occasionally included :)

Just a request - please could you put the parts about Nancy under spoilers? Two words in paragraph 2, plus several near the end. Thanks!

Not a spoiler for Dickens scholars, but a heck of a one for those who do not know the story!

[Robin P]

I must admit that when I volunteered for this story, I didn't even know about the non-Dickens stories, which so far have been darker in tone, while the frame story and The Boots have some humor. I didn't find The Boots all that humorous, more charming, but I'm sure the way Dickens read it made all the difference. (This is why I often find humorous books funnier on audio than in print, a lot can depend on intonation, pitch, pauses, etc.)

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Wouldn't you have loved to see him "acting" these stories out for his readings though, Robin? He was so theatrical, and according to his daughter, he used to leap up from writing and make faces at himself in the mirror, to get inside the part of the characters he was writing. Then he'd rush back to his desk and start writing furiously again :)

[Greg]

That description from hus daughter sounds wonderful Jean! I bet he would've told some tremendous bedtime stories if he was so inclined :)

[Greg]

I am struck by how disparate these stories are, in tone, manner, and content. I wonder why he chose to gather them together?

I guess the story frame is that these are all stories people told at inns. But the Hewitt one doesn't really come across for me as the sort of story someone would tell at an inn. It's not very lively or picturesque. And though I liked the poem by Proctor, it's quiet and wistful in manner. It doesn't come across as something that people would crowd around at an inn to hear either.

Neither one of them has ghosts like "The Ostler" or a single memorable incident that people would continually feel the urge to discuss like "The Boots."

So I wonder how they fit the frame and why he chose to include them in this particular grouping?

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Greg - When Charles Dickens organised these collaborative works at Christmas, in order to ease the pressure he usually invited specific authors to contribute. The two we have read (mentioned before) were like this, with discussions between him and Wilkie Collins initially.

But Charles Dickens was very prescriptive. The stories had to conform to his rules for the magazine, and sometimes he asked from contributions from more authors that he needed, so he could select the ones he considered the best. He retained the power of veto!

I haven't looked into this set specifically, but unless Robin can tell us otherwise, I expect it was the same. After 5 Christmas novellas he did not really want to continue writing a special story each Christmas, but his public demanded it, so this was his compromise, to keep everyone happy.

[Greg]

Bionic Jean wrote: "Greg - When Charles Dickens organised these collaborative works at Christmas, in order to ease the pressure he usually invited specific authors to contribute. The two we have read (..."

Interesting Jean!

I can definitely see why the public was clamoring for more of the Chistmas stories, based on A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, and others that I've read! :)

I wonder what everyone thinks of how well these particular stories fit into the framing device for the The Holly-Tree Inn though? I'm not sure myself.

But I am enjoying it regardless, and the whole thing is worth it just for "The Boots" alone. Absolutely priceless!

[Sean]

Robin. “I must admit that when I volunteered for this story, I didn't even know about the non-Dickens stories, which so far have been darker in tone”

Greg. “I am struck by how disparate these stories are, in tone, manner”

He seems to have griped incessantly about this set of contribution for the AYR Christmas Story. Forster gets it in the ear, as well as Georgina and a few close friends - but Wills, as sub-editor, must have been in a flutter

Dickens to Wills Nov 1855

15 Nov

My Dear Wills

…

”I return the No.*—a most alarmingly shy one **, and really requiring something

* Xmas story contribution (for Holly Tree Inn). * poor

And again on 24 Nov

My Dear Wills
…

”I have received for the Xmas No.—with very blank feelings—besides my own paper and the Inn Pensioner, A question of mistaken identity, the Landlady, and the Actor—all running, by an extraordinary fatality, on criminal actions and criminal trials.”

Ever faithfully
CD



He’s not happy at all about the criminal and trials theme, in fact he doesn’t appear to have been happy about the final selection (only his own) of stories for this set of AYR Christmas story contributions. Even before the stories were formally separated for a new edition of Charles Dickens vols, it seems that Dickens himself went to some trouble in distinguishing his own contribution from the others, in spite of the ‘anonymous’ policy he adopted for AYR

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Wow!

"AYR" refers to "All the Year Round" everyone - Charles Dickens's magazine/newspaper at the time.

Thank for the edits, Sean.

[Sean]

Jean. “Wouldn't you have loved to see him "acting" these stories out for his readings”

Sorry about he abbreviations without explanation: I seem to always do it with Household Words (HW) as well ...

It would appear that Dickens didn’t mind others having a go at acting out his stories



Dickens writes to Benjamin Webster on 6 Feb 1856



My Dear Webster

…

On Friday evening I am coming to the Theatre * with Lemon. We can then, I hope, find an opportunity of talking over the Dulwich matter.

CD


* According to Pilgrim notes Dickens was going to see “Webster's Boots at the Holly Tree Inn: CD's response is not recorded. The scenery and acting were praised, especially Webster as Cobbs, the Boots. The Times (5 Feb) thought it "a perfect instance of a story placed upon a stage", but they and others noted that its reception was cool.”

I don’t think audiences at Dickens’ Hilly Tree Inn performances have ever been described as ‘cool’, smoking-hot, maybe, but never ‘cool’

[Sara]

Greg--A thought on your observation about the stories fitting into the framework. I would believe that the narrative poem would have been very well received as a crowd-pleaser at an inn. Folk songs were often narrative in nature and loved by the masses. Many people did not read, so a tale told in rhyming verse was something they could hear repeated and memorize themselves for retelling. When I come across something of this nature, I think Homer.

[Greg]

Sara wrote: "Greg--A thought on your observation about the stories fitting into the framework. I would believe that the narrative poem would have been very well received as a crowd-pleaser at an inn. Folk songs..."

That makes sense Sara. I guess I felt that it was a quieter sort of narrative. I can imagine a lot of people gathering around to hear something like "Alonzo the Brave and the Fair Imogene" with all the thrills of the action. But I guess it depends on the temperament of the listeners. Certainly, I would've gathered happily to listen to "The Bar-Maid!"

But I do think "The Landlord" would have put most of the listeners to sleep by the end. It doesn't have much storytelling pizzazz.

[Sara]

Greg wrote: "But I do think "The Landlord" would have put most of the listeners to sleep by the end. It doesn't have much storytelling pizzazz."

I'm afraid I have to agree with you there, Greg.

[Sean]

After Dickens had performed his first couple of readings it became obvious that the original text of his stories wasn’t best suited to his ‘stage performances’, and he made changes to his public reading texts; changes for the Holly Tree Inn - the Boots were initially piecemeal, but later (in 1858 - ‘change’ being something of a byword for that year) he made more significant changes

As with all of Dickens’ readings, of necessity he created a prompt copy for the stage performance, initially making just a few alterations in the original text ie deletion of signal phrases, such as ‘said Cobs’, and the odd prompt ie ‘pause’ - subsequently Dickens expanded amendments and used either blue or brown ink, with occasional use of pencil - he also marked where there was to be a change of accent - there’s a small degree of variation, but typically: ‘T’ (blue ink) = Traveler spoke plain English, and ‘Cobbs’ (brown ink) (series of underlines) = spoke Cockney

He also interpolated an introductory paragraph (in the Boots) - and the end result appearing more like a script for a play - so, compare the first 2 paras of the ‘prompt copy’ (below) with the original text of the story of the Boots in Holly Tree Inn (I’ve put the amendments/insertions in bold)

“BEFORE the days of railways, and in the time of the old great North Road, I was once snowed up at the Holly Tree Inn. Beguiling the days of my imprisonment there, by talking, at one time or other, with the whole establishment, I one day talked with the Boots when he lingered in my room.”

“Where had he been in his time? Boots repeated, when I asked him the question. Lord, he had been everywhere! And what had he been? Bless you, everything you could mention a'most."

Source: The Public Readings: Philip Collins (1975) is detailed, very detailed, actually. However, it’s price is beyond reasonable, but you can get it from the library (not sure if it’s online), but you may have to wait a bit (I had to wait 3wks)

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Here it is Sean :) The Public Readings of Charles Dickens by Philip Collins. He seems to have written quite a few books on Charles Dickens.

You are finding us little gems of information :) Thank you.

[Sean]

Was the conclusion to The Ostler written by Dickens?

Writing to Collins from France (1855), Dickens starts off lightly describing how their journey had given Plorn seasickness, and the price of apartments. But then goes on to say:


“The Ostler shall be yours, and I think the Sketch involves an extremely good and startling idea.”

But:

“I am not, however, sure but that it trails off in the sudden disappearance of the woman without any result or explanation, and that some such thing may not be wanted for the purpose”.


He offers Collins a plausible method of concluding the story, and asks:

“ Will you consider that point again?”

Now, according to Harry Stone, in his Uncollected Writings of CD, vol 2. p546 (looks at CDs ‘interpolations’ in Household Words & All The Year Round contributors), he (Stone) appears to be saying that Dickens did much more than suggest an alternative ending for Collins’ Ostler, but that he (Dickens) wrote the new ending ie, the ‘suggestively threatening‘ conclusion, from:

“At this point of the narrative …

To

““Who can tell!” said I.”

However, the editors of vol 7 Pilgrim Letters suggest in their notes that Stone is ‘surely mistaken’ in his attribution

[Daniela]

I think The Landlord is the story I liked better so far, perhaps because of its happy ending.
I too was appalled by the shooting of the lyrebirds.
I wonder if Aborigines were living in the Melbourne zone in those times, perhaps the land was uninhabited.
I liked very much also the poem, so The Barmaid is the second best story in my opinion.

[Robin P]

Going back to the frame story of this book, maybe some of the rest of you were struck by this recent news report:

Sixty-one guests, including the Oasis tribute band Noasis, were snowed in for three days in a Yorkshire pub after a winter storm blew through and cut off access to roads.

So it's still possible to be trapped by snow in Yorkshire!

[Greg]

Robin P wrote: "Going back to the frame story of this book, maybe some of the rest of you were struck by this recent news report:

Sixty-one guests, including the Oasis tribute band Noasis, were snowed in for thre..."

Ha Robin, I feel for them!

The description of the weather conditions was really wonderful - I'm kind of hoping for a little more in the last piece where I imagine Dickens closes the frame

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Sean - Indeed, we have found several times in examining these collaborative pieces that the truth is hidden in the annals of history. Charles Dickens authored parts that weren't generally known to be by him.

In one case an earlier manuscript, hidden away in the offices of "All the Yea Round" was discovered ... if you look through the threads you will find the details or Robin or Petra (who led that read) might be able to direct you to the correct place. I seem to remember it was a 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.. It predates even the magazine edition, and certainly the novel which purports to be by just two authors Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. It shows that the provenance of certain parts of these collaborations is impossible to establish. We can only surmise.

It also happened with A message from the sea (1860) by Charles Dickens, led by Sara. Thank you for raising the question again with "The Ostler" in this one. It's a rare privilege to have access to the Pilgrim edition :)

Robin - You certainly can get snowed in in Yorkshire! It's happening right now ... I actually lived there for the first 19 years of my life. When I moved down South and they talked of a dusting of flakes as "snow", it really made me laugh!

[Bridget]

Daniela wrote: "I think The Landlord is the story I liked better so far, perhaps because of its happy ending.
I too was appalled by the shooting of the lyrebirds.
I wonder if Aborigines were living in the Melbou..."

I really liked The Landlord too Daniela. I loved the opening scene where Uriah comes home on a cold December day and is greeted so warmly by his family. It felt like Christmas to me. It reminded me of the warmth of the Cratchit Family and the happiness and joy of the Fezziwig Family.

I admired the bravery and sacrifice of the wife leaving for Australia with her husband instead of waiting for him to go alone and send for them. It indicated a deep love that she didn't want to be separated from him.

When they arrive in Melbourne, and the streets are paved with mud instead of gold, they don't despair. They band together as a family, growing their own food and scraping by, and not just that but helping others too. The money they are spending to buy land from everyone, is helping the people around them have some income.

So from time to time, one tale of urgent staring distress or another lured him on to take fresh bargains, till he saw himself almost penniless.

Until at last there is nothing left of their 3,000 pounds. And even after all that is gone, he helps yet another man whose family are sick and suffering. Uriah gives the man his cows and takes the man's family into his own house to care for them while the man is away selling the cows. Uriah gives generously of his material things, and saves his soul instead

This state of things makes monsters of us. It turns our blood to gall, our hearts into stones. We must resist it or we are ruined, indeed

I find great hope in this story. The Tattenhalls could have lived miserly on their 3,000 pounds and kept to themselves all they had. But they shared what they had and helped their neighbors instead. And they are rewarded incredibly for their generosity. It felt like a story true to the Christmas Spirit, to me :-)

[Bridget]

Greg wrote: "I wonder what everyone thinks of how well these particular stories fit into the framing device for the The Holly-Tree Inn though? I'm not sure myself.

But I am enjoying it regardless, and the whole thing is worth it just for "The Boots" alone. Absolutely priceless

Such a great question Greg! I've been thinking about it since I read through the comments last night (sorry to be so late to this conversation everyone, but really enjoy it now that I'm caught up).

It is hard to find a common "theme" running through these stories. One thought I have is maybe they are all meant to be stories simply for entertainment. I think of an Inn as a place where travelers can swap stories, sitting round a fire together or perhaps at a bar. These are all sort of "Tall Tales", the kind which even today we might repeat to each other at Holiday parties, or while sitting next to each other in the lobby of a hotel while enjoying holiday beverages. "Did you hear about the Tattenhalls? They moved to Australia and almost lost everything!" or "Did you hear that new song about the Judas Tree? Its so beautiful!".