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American Notes for General Circulation Vol. 2 (hosted by John)
Julie wrote: "Oh, and one more catching-up point: I was very glad Dickens liked Montreal. I have been there on two visits, two decades apart, and both times felt it was one of my favorite cities."It is a fascinating place, isn’t it? Did you get a chance to try a Montreal bagel? Nothing like them in Toronto!
I would be remiss in not mentioning that Dickens said goodbye to George Washington Putnam in New York, but the two men remained in contact for many years. Here is a quote from a letter from Dickens to Putnam that was written in 1851:I have received your letter with great pleasure. I have often traveled, in fancy, over the old ground or water in America, and have beheld you coming at dusk with a little jug of some warm mixture intended for my cabin. Whether we look as we once did, I cannot determine. I am much redder and browner than I believe I was in those times. Mrs. Dickens is stouter, though not quite so well in health as she used to be. Anne, who has been with us in Italy and Switzerland, is still with us and looks much the same.
John wrote: "I would be remiss in not mentioning that Dickens said goodbye to George Washington Putnam in New York, but the two men remained in contact for many years. Here is a quote from a letter from Dickens..."Thanks for the including this letter John. I find that letters are a wonderful way to discover much about the writer. In this letter we find Dickens recalling the past as well as reflecting upon the present.
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That's lovely, John! It sounds so personal, and sincere.
Another personal detail from me is that when Dickens commented that all the trees and buildings looked small, as they were coming in to Liverpool, I had exactly that feeling when we returned from New Zealand! It was January, not June, for us, but everything looked tiny, grey and cold. I can see why some Americans think of England as cramped, but also why Dickens was so looking forward to the sheer variety in a relatively small place.
Mary Lou wrote: "I will echo those agreeing with John, that the book should have ended here. I kind of dread the next section. While it is crucial to know our history and learn from it, I also believe that at times..."I echo your trepidation about the next chapter. I have read it and am thinking about how to summarize it. It is what it is and seems to only need some background on it. I know he felt very concerned about making the statement on it in this book. And, truthfully, it would have been difficult to fill one of the traveling chapters with his concerns. So, perhaps, a separate chapter at the end is appropriate.
Peter wrote: "Julie wrote: "It is a fascinating place, isn’t it? Did you get a chance to try a Montreal bagel? Nothing like them in Toronto!"..."
We had them at our B&B, but I am not sure they were giving us the Montreal bagels people talk about. I didn't realize at the time they were something distinct.
We did try a smoked meat sandwich, though! My then-12-year-old was so pleased he asked the restaurant owners could he take home one of their paper placemats with the restaurant printed on them, and to this day it hangs on his bedroom wall.
I do like traveling to eat! Sounds like that often didn't go so well for the Dickenses.
Bionic Jean wrote: "This hit home to me too, as it describes my family. I was told as a child that "You could have been an American!" and it seemed so very exotic! I tried to imagine what it would be like!"That is very funny. I love that kind of road-not-taken story. I once had a plan to move to Hood River, Oregon, but instead I took a job where I live now. And as much as I appreciate my current hometown which is probably a better fit for me, to this day whenever I hear of anything interesting happening in Hood River, Oregon, I feel I am missing out.
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That's fine John - I'm sure we all completely understand and empathise. 😢 So since in "Dickensians!" we always separate summaries from commentary (and personal responses) perhaps you could just put one short sentence to describe what the chapter is please (for current reading information, and so that I can link to it for our future new members, and convenience when using this as a resource). Then you can move straight on to a new comment (or two) with the background, and a third with your responses. This would be perfect, thanks!
It's a very tough chapter to read, but now I've read half I agree with you - and will say why when we get there 😊
Thanks Julie! The history seemed to match so well with the returning passengers in steerage Dickens observed, that it seemed silly not to tell it! Having read this, I'm even more impressed with my great, great aunt, and great grandmother's bravery.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Dinner is always a full meal whereas "tea" varies according to where you are in the country. I think Dickens is stressing the unusual times rather than anything else! Nobody would call a snack at 7.30pm "tea"! It's generally between 3pm and 5pm..."Thank you for this insight, Jean. It didn't dawn on me that Dickens was actually puzzling about the type and timing of meals onboard ship. As you say, perhaps Canadians observed different meal customs? Or now I'm wondering if it was perhaps normal to serve meals in accordance with the destination time zone. So, 3 pm New York time would be 7 pm London time.
Bionic Jean wrote: "On the other hand, Dickens and Women is from 1983, so although some of these ideas were filtering through, the analysis of relationships might not be as we now see them. Michael Slater is a highly respected Dickens scholar though, whose biography of him is unsurpassed..."Thank you so much for telling me exactly what I needed to know, Jean, about the two books (Nayder's vs. Slater's). I will be searching for Slater's book as I prefer to read older history books (prior to 1980) that do not present history from the perspective of today's culture and/or mores. Plus, I love the idea of Slater discussing some of his female characters, as characters like Nancy in Oliver Twist seemed so real to me. It would be interesting to know if Dickens modeled any of his female characters after the redoubtable Anne Brown.
Bionic Jean wrote: "A personal noteThere were 2 sisters, who with their husbands, set out from Liverpool for America, to work the land and make a new life. Obviously they went steerage. (My family were Yorkshire and Lancashire folk, and hard-up.) They were young, and excited, with everything before them. But it was not as they had hoped..."
How interesting, Jean! I'm so glad you included your personal story. Somehow we Americans never read these stories in our history books. We just assumed that everyone who came here found the "land flowing with milk and honey" or the "streets paved with gold." But that wasn't always so. One of my favorite American novels is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Smith's semi-autobiographical novel follows an immigrant family in New York in the early 1900s and the harsh realities of how hard it was to overcome poverty. Stories like yours confirm that harsh truth.
Mary Lou wrote: "I will echo those agreeing with John, that the book should have ended here. I kind of dread the next section. While it is crucial to know our history and learn from it, I also believe that at times..."I love all of the points you made in this comment, Mary Lou. I also dread reading what Dickens might have written because I feel that, throughout most of Dickens' travelogue, it was evident that the bloom had fallen off the rose as far as his esteem for the States were concerned.
Dickens commented that his knowledge of those in steerage came from "the carpenter, who had charge of these people." Isn't it odd that Dickens, who visited prisons and asylums, didn't speak to them directly? Was this a matter of protocol? I would have imagined he'd go on deck when they were out and mingle among them, hearing their stories first- hand.
I thought the exact same thing when I was reading this passage. Dickens always seemed to gravitate towards downtrodden people, and these poor souls in steerage were definitely downtrodden, so I found it strange he didn't want to know more of their stories. I regret that he did not because he could have written a powerful, first-hand report of this backward migration movement that has not been documented (to my knowledge).
John wrote: "I would be remiss in not mentioning that Dickens said goodbye to George Washington Putnam in New York, but the two men remained in contact for many years. Here is a quote from a letter from Dickens..."This is so heartwarming, John! Thank you for including it in our discussion.
VOLUME TWOChapter The Ninth (or Chapter 17)
Slavery
This chapter contains examples of cruelty taken from a pamphlet entitled American Slavery As It Is, written by Theodore D. Weld and published by the Anti-Slavery Society in 1839. The pamphlet was also listed in the catalogue of Dickens' library.
As we saw in earlier chapters, Dickens cited two instances where he came face to face with the misery of slavery. The first was in Baltimore, when he realized that the person serving him dinner was a slave. Dickens felt shame and embarrassment.The second instance came on a train, when he saw a slave woman with the "face of misery" and crying children, and learned that she had been separated from her husband in a slave sale.
I believe these two incidents ended any consideration of traveling beyond Richmond, and I had the distinct impression that he did not even wish to do that. The visit there was hurried and there a palpable relief to head back north and then west. The pamphlet cited was part of his personal library and he likely wrote this chapter after arriving home.
The strongest sentence in this chapter, in Dickens' own words, was in my opinion:
"Now I appeal to every human mind, imbued with the commonest of common sense, and the commonest of common humanity; to all dispassionate, reasoning creatures, of any shade of opinion; and ask, with these revolting evidences of the state of society which exists in and about the slave districts of America before them, can they have a doubt of the real condition of the slave, or can they for a moment make a compromise between the institution or any of its flagrant fearful features and their own just consciences?"
I read a few remarks wishing this chapter was not included in the book and I wish if anyone would care to elaborate why? For me, this was a strong and necessary punctuation to the book and the trip. I don't feel it summarizes the trip but it seems to summarize Dickens' feelings on what he experienced that he most disliked from the trip. I don't look at it as just a dislike for slavery. I see it as a dislike for the character entwined with U.S. slavery and perhaps even an unavoidable consequence. That is a character of coarse, cruel, insensitivity, one that is self-centered and inhumane rather than compassionate. I think this would have rubbed Dickens' character completely wrong from what I have read of his writing. I look at the essay as an opportunity for him to fight back.
Sam wrote: "I read a few remarks wishing this chapter was not included in the book and I wish if anyone would care to elaborate why? For me, this was a strong and necessary punctuation to the book and the trip..."Sam, one aspect of me wanted to see the book as solely a travel book and perhaps address slavery in a separate book. But, after giving it more thought and reading the Slavery chapter for the third time, I do see the necessity of including it.
When considering the timeline — 1840s — Dickens was 20 years ahead of many others on the need to end it. And you are very accurate about his personal feelings and how people in the trade were monsters to him.
Bionic Jean wrote: " ... I did enjoy seeing the word "pilot" here. We looked at that before, as we tend to think of aeroplanes, but it fact the it meant someone with local knowledge who could steer a ship into harbour.Bionic Jean: In many ports today, a pilot comes aboard to take a ship out of the harbor and take a ship back in. We were on a ship only a few weeks ago that had a local pilot come board at several locations. The most interesting occurred when we entered San Juan, Puerto Rico. Part of the harbor has a Spanish fort from the days of exploration; he took us close to the harbor so we could see more of the old city.
I carefully read the comments of John and Sam. The ‘slave’ chapter was indeed hard to read. As we know the slave trade and slavery had ended in England by 1842 but the taint remained. Still, to see slavery first hand, and so close, shook Dickens to his core.I don’t know much about books on travel and travelogues. Rick Steves is my default point in travelling. It's an interesting point … should a book on travel be focussed and objective or anecdotal and personal?
I’m not sure a novelist is the best travel writer. I don’t have a very logical reason for this point of view beyond the thought that a novelist dwells in the world of creation and the imagination whereas a travel writer should/needs to present facts as a primary focus of the text.
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The question of where to put Dickens's condemnation of slavery
John wrote: "Sam, one aspect of me wanted to see the book as solely a travel book and perhaps address slavery in a separate book. But, after giving it more thought and reading the Slavery chapter for the third time, I do see the necessity of including it ..."
This is what I mentioned before as completely agreeing with 😊
I had been thinking that it would be better to include Charles Dickens's thoughts as he went, but there is just so much damning information in the chapter, that it needed to be separate. Thanks for reminding us about the 2 episodes where he did witness slavery at first hand - and also for details of his sources. The woman and her children are seared into my memory. 😢
The problem is that putting something near the end of any book means that it will be remembered and is more likely to get an inflamed response (as it did from Americans of the time!) But if Charles Dickens had put it earlier, not only would it have altered the momentum - and the mood, obviously - but also a lot of people may have stopped reading. He really was in a cleft stick, and there was no right answer. I think he may say something about this type of dilemma in the next chapter.
Although not of the same magnitude, we could make this point about the copyright issue. Charles Dickens has not mentioned this once, has he! But we know that he did have many consultations and arguments about this with various people, as John Forster includes those parts. Charles Dickens just did not think it was the right place to include it in a travel journal.
To my mind he got the balance just right for what he included in the main journal about slavery, and it spoke millions that he altered his route (as John reminded us) as he could not bear to go to the slave-owning states further South.
I personally would have preferred this chapter (17 - or vol II the ninth) to have been titled "Appendix". I would also like this chapter to have been published separately, in addition (i.e. duplicated).
We expect a travelogue to end when the journey has finished, and not after a treatise on one subject it raised in the author's mind, however strongly they felt. Structurally, it should have ended there.
Sam - I don't actually think there's a consensus of people wanting it not to be said, but more that most people dreaded reading it!
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This is interesting. Certainly his philosophical argument gave the different types of people and their "justifications" and then proceeded to effectively knock them down.
John reminded us that "Dickens was 20 years ahead of many others on the need to end it. " and I do have to add years ahead of American jurisdiction. It was already history in his own country (as Peter has just said) when Dickens went to America - albeit very recent history - and writing American Notes for General Circulation in 1842.
In the first thread I wrote a long (morning's worth 🙄) post on slavery in the UK as comparison. But it was in answer to someone who said Britain had slavery too. They must have deleted their post, as mine has disappeared as well. This happens on GR if you use the reply function (aaargh!)
I can't recreate it, so will just briefly note the dates.
In Parliament, antislavery campaigns began in 1772. Later ones were led by William Wilberforce. It was only after many failed attempts that, in 1807, the slave trade in the British Empire was abolished by an Act of Parliament. However, slaves in the colonies (excluding areas ruled by the East India Company) were not freed until 1838.
So we can see how very recent this legislation was, and how the decades of campaigning against it by those before him would be uppermost in Dickens's mind.
Here is chapter and verse on slavery in Britain. (Parliament website) https://www.parliament.uk/about/livin....
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Peter wrote: "should a book on travel be focussed and objective or anecdotal and personal?
I’m not sure a novelist is the best travel writer ..."
Ooooh this is interesting! Actually I think I've enjoyed this and Pictures from Italy so much precisely because Charles Dickens is a superb fiction writer, and knows how to write! So as long as you have someone with scruples enough not to "colour" too much, resulting in untruthful representation, it can be far more entertaining.
Charles Dickens himself was very scathing about travel/art writers in Pictures from Italy and Little Dorrit wasn't he, so he deliberately gave us an alternative view. There are no dry lists, lots of little anecdotes, an occasional rant, ... but also a piecemeal account rather than a balanced structure, and one which breaks off at odd moments. I love it, but it's not for everyone.
The great literary critic John Carey, who wrote a book about Dickens, said that nothing escaped his eye as a novelist. There was a visceral feel to his descriptions that combined lived experience with an immense talent to put it into words. I am paraphrasing Carey a bit, but I think his point is clear about how Dickens took everything in. And when I first read American Notes, I was struck by the absolute clarity of his descriptions. It was peerless.
I was struck by the writing on acts of violence and thought about how it still is a stain on this country. While violence can exist anywhere, acts of physical violence and certainly racial violence have been a fact of American life throughout its history and not only in the slave holding states. But then the U.S. is very different in size and structure than when Dickens visited of course. Dickens certainly was an acute observer.
I have to do more reading on matters related to slavery, but I have not come across anything written in the 1840s that is as powerful as what Dickens did. I use the word “did” because he took the words that slaveholders used to describe their runaway “property” and turned those words around on them. It was not until John Brown came along do we really have such a powerful voice. Brown rejected slavery in the name of God. Dickens used common humanity to reject it.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Kathleen - how interesting - thank you! I thought I'd better clarify it, as we had had such a long discussion about pilots of ships LINK HERE to that bit in our group read of [book:Oliver Twist|182..."I reread the book with the group, but did not remember the good discussion about pilot whales etc. All the read togethers and discussions are excellent. I’m impressed with all the time John must be putting into this discussion. Applause!!!
Yes cheers to John and a second cheers to Jean, Peter, and all the members whose names I am skipping for their extra contributions that helped us appreciate the read even more.
Thank you, Jean, for your comments about slavery in Britain and in the West Indies. I was just going to bring it up. I’ve assumed that in Britain, slave owners were not as cruel as in the US, but that in the Caribbean, it was not unlike the US. This is based on various fiction books I’ve recently read.
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Mine are called "Chapter 18 Concluding Remarks" and "Postscript" in all my 3 editions, and the Gutenberg one, for when you get to them John, and then in one editions there are 2 Appendixes, (although one is the preface!) I'll do my best at linking them if you can give both alternatives, ... and could you edit post 254 to add "or chapter 17" please? Thanks.
It bothers me that Dickens is paraphrasing from Weld without attributing him. The same thing happened earlier when he visited the deaf. I might have mentioned this concern at that time. Dickens worries about his copyrighting concerns, but essentially quotes others without quote marks or comment. Perhaps that was the standard at that time, but it’s taking the thoughts and works of others and using them as if they were his own,
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Frankly I had no idea that slavery was so routinely barbaric, mutilating and branding. I had seen the original "Roots" series, but the idea of routinely identifying someone who had run away by the mutilation inflicted on them - presumably in part for this
reason - is astonishing and vile.
I did not know that a freed slave had no written proof, and was thus often recaptured. The hypocrisy involved in not providing proper legislation and documentation is profound.
Another thing I noticed is that Charles Dickens is addressing these remarks mainly to non-Americans. I'll try to find the bit where this is made evident, and add it.
Do we actually have anyone who is descended from slaves here? I find it so interesting talking about American Notes for General Circulation with American and Canadian descendants, and that would be another unique perspective.
Travel writing. I love think there is a big difference between what Dickens wrote and what Rick Steve’s writes. Dickens is telling us his experience, not recommending how we should travel or what we should see and do.
American Notes is most valuable in what he tells us about himself. We know his reactions and what was interesting to him. We also learn about the challenges of getting from place to place in the mid nineteenth century, so some of this book has historical value just for that.
I’ve greatly enjoyed taking this journey with all of you and appreciate everyone’s comments and explanations, especially for Peter’s and Jean’s, in addition to John’s excellent leadership.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Oh yes John was the perfect person to lead this one (and thanks 😊) but we still have 2 more bits to go! Mine are called "Chapter 18 Concluding Remarks" and "Postscript" in all my 3 editions, and ..."
Thanks Jean and I will edit. It does seem the editions do vary near the end of the book. The sections of actual writing seem the same, but the way things are titled gets confusing amongst the editions.
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"What! shall we declaim against the ignorant peasantry of Ireland, and mince the matter when these American taskmasters are in question?"
If he had been addressing largely Americans, I don't think that comparison would have been made - or not in the same sentence. It's in the paragraph near the end of ch 17, where he does condemn slavery in the name of Christianity.
(Thanks Kathleen 😊 - hope you'll still be with us for the final chapter and extra notes.)
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Is this the Rick Steves several have mentioned? For comparison I suppose I'd thought of Mark Twain - or an English travel writer - but it's not my field.
How does Mark Twain compare John? I know you read a lot of nonfiction! (And thanks for the edit.)
Bionic Jean wrote: "Good points Kathleen. Is this the Rick Steves several have mentioned? For comparison I suppose I'd thought of Mark Twain - or an English travel writer - but it's not m..."
Yes, the Rick Steves that was mentioned by Peter, I think.
(Also, I plan to be here until the end. I don’t want to miss a comment.)
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Bionic Jean wrote: "Good points Kathleen. Is this the Rick Steves several have mentioned? For comparison I suppose I'd thought of Mark Twain - or an English travel writer - but it's not m..."
Sorry to jump in before John answers but I must strike while the time is available. First, I disliked The Innocents Abroad, Or, the New Pilgrims' Progress as it is extremely and intentionally biased and my belief was that part of the reason was in answer to Dickens and American Notes. I hope John can confirm or correct that. Roughing It and Life on the Mississippi are quite different because the targets of Twain's mocking style won't seem as offensive IMO.
For those interested in slavery in the U.S. I recommend the Great Courses' video lecture, America's Long Struggle against Slavery by Richard Bell. The focus of this course is on the resistance to slavery in America from earliest times to Reconstruction but in his focus on the resistance, Bell does an excellent job in describing the institution of slavery in America not sparing us the heartbreaking details. I like the course because instead of dealing with slavery as a static institution, Bell shows its development over time becoming more race oriented and more entrenched. The lecturer got his graduate degree at Cambridge and postgrad degrees at Harvard and he has an insider/outsider appeal where he seems able to better discuss atrocities being unhesitant over generational guilt and yet exudes a sense of care that can sometimes be divorced from outside interpretations. He teaches in the U.S. and has many awards and accolades. He also wrote several books including, Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, a book that investigates "child-snatching," where a free black child could be kidnapped and brought south to be sold for profit. I think some of you might enjoy Bell's lectures and while I haven't read his books, the one I mentioned is on my TBR.
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Not at all; thanks Sam. That confirms what I've heard, but just stored up to ponder as I have not read it. Charles Dickens himself is considered offensive by some - not only American Notes for General Circulation - but some take exception to his Pictures from Italy.
I rarely find Charles Dickens's mockery to be offensive, as it's meant in fun and not vicious, but it sounds as though Mark Twain just went too far. Yes, I have read that he loathed American Notes for General Circulation, but I never realised his travelogue was a response! Was it a deliberate parody?
Sam wrote: "For those interested in slavery in the U.S. I recommend the Great Courses' video lecture, America's Long Struggle against Slavery by Richard Bell. The focus of this ..."Thanks, Sam. I've listened to many Great Courses and they tend to be excellent. This one is now on my Audible wish list.
Sam wrote: "For those interested in slavery in the U.S. I recommend the Great Courses' video lecture, America's Long Struggle against Slavery by Richard Bell. The focus of this ..."Thanks Sam. Interestingly enough, the only historian I could think of off the top of my head who wrote deeply about slavery was Eric Foner. So I was up early this morning and purchased one of his books: Forever Free: The Story of Emancipation and Reconstruction. He has quite a few and this one was available at a good price. Given I live in the South, I was curious about Reconstruction, too.
As to your points and Jean’s question, I am familiar with Twain’s work, but perhaps not as deeply as others. I was not aware that Twain had an opinion on American Notes, so it is something I would need to learn about.
I seem to recall Henry James’ The American Scene was sort of an imitation to American Notes. I also recall that James was rather snobbish about Dickens. Perhaps Julie would know? In my opinion, James and perhaps Twain, too, were writers who could not admit how envious they were of Dickens.
VOLUME TWOChapter The Tenth (or Chapter 18)
Concluding Remarks
Here we find Dickens providing his closing thoughts. He finds Americans to be "frank, brave, cordial, hospitable, and affectionate." But he also addresses a wide range of concerns he has about the country:
Lack of trust among people.
A desire to put something over on someone (or get ahead on a trade -- he refers to it as "smart dealing.")
Lack of "literature protections," which is his grievance about his novels being pirated due to no international copyright law.
The need for better hygiene and cleanliness.
Perhaps a "universal church" is needed?
He closes, however, with an appreciation of his readers in America, who he writes "met me with open hand and not with one closed upon an iron muzzle."
APPENDIX I
Dickens Unpublished Introduction of 1842
Here Dickens seems to be offering a warning of sorts the he wanted to be truthful, but he also did not wish to offend. He seems to be anticipating some of the pushback he probably expected. He believes he needed to do "justice" to the truth.
APPENDIX II
Dickens' Preface of 1850
(Preface to the Cheap Edition)
Here is a preface written eight years after publication, when an edition called "the cheap edition" came out.
He wishes to defend the book. His last sentence says it all:
"I have many friends in America and feel a grateful interest in the country. To represent me as viewing it with ill nature, animosity, or partisanship is merely to do a very foolish thing, which is always a very easy one: and which I have disregarded for eight years and could disregard for eighty more."
APPENDIX III
Dickens Postcript of 1868
Here Dickens quotes a speech he gave in New York in 1868, which was his second and last visit to America. Here Dickens, again, wishes to defend his book as truthful, fair, and reasonable. He indicates this postscript will be published in every future edition. So long as this book will last, he says, it should be "fairly read as inseparable from my experiences and impressions of America."
The final chapter in my edition is following by three fairly brief appendixes. It is possible these appendixes are not in every edition, or are listed differently. Hopefully there is some uniformity among the editions we are using.Well, that was quite an ending. On the one hand, it sounded defensive to me. But I have to put myself back into the time of its publication in order to fully appreciate how he felt about it and what kind of pushback he was receiving. Thoughts?
He did list everything that concerned him, clearly. I did not see much about the prisons -- did he not wish to offer a final summation? Perhaps the varying degrees of difference among the prisons did not lend itself to any firm conclusion.
When I first read this book, I really did not appreciate the pushback he received. I looked at it as a crisp snapshot of 1842 America. I've not come across many, if any, books that offered like this one a "snapshot in time." Posterity appreciates that.
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I agree that "it sounded defensive", and with parts of this section I felt like saying "Oh get on with it!" as Charles Dickens was so effusive in his descriptions of how he he been received. But when I read his criticisms, I had to take a deep breath. They were candid to the point of rudeness. Charles Dickens has accurately summed up what he felt, but when it is crystallised like this, it must have seemed to insulting to the Americans of the time who read it. Mostly it is America here, and not Canada.
I think Charles Dickens was very wise to insist on including parts of the speech he gave in New York in 1868, to accompany every single edition in perpetuity. This makes it clear just how much he had revised his opinion. Mostly he put this at the feet of the changes and progress which he had observed made in America, but he also admits that he had been 25 years younger, and perhaps unwise in how he said things.
Did anyone else feel the poignancy of this? Charles Dickens was to die just 2 short years later, yet here we see how committed he is to writing another, 2nd American journal - after he had sworn never to do so - to set the record straight. It really gave me a lump in my throat.
It's such a unique record of one personal reaction to part of a continent at a specific time, with details we will find nowhere else. As John says "Posterity appreciates that."
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We still have a few more days to discuss these final sections before moving on to Mrs. Gaskell.
John wrote: "I also recall that James was rather snobbish about Dickens. Perhaps Julie would know?"Good question, and all I've got is that James referred to 19th c novels as "loose, baggy monsters" in style, but I don't know whether Dickens was included in that or not.
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Dickens commented that his knowledge of those in steerage came from "the carpenter, who had charge of these people." Isn't it odd that Dickens, who visited prisons and asylums, didn't speak to them directly? Was this a matter of protocol? I would have imagined he'd go on deck when they were out and mingle among them, hearing their stories first- hand.
Aside: as I write this, I have on the classical music station, and Handel's "The Harmonious Blacksmith" just came on. It's a piece I shall always associate with Dickens and Great Expectations. As my little dog, who is sitting nearby, is named Pip, I kind of think of this as his song. :-)