Table Talk [pp. 638-640]

1871.] TABLE-TALK 639
tions. No cause is too insignificant, no sect Some time, in October last, the littoo poor in numbers, to be without represent- erary men of England engaged pretty genative bodies, meeting at stated periods, and erally in one of their periodical raids on this
discussing the interests in behalf of which country because of the refusal of Congress to
they assemble. It is all the more strange enact an international copyright law. As
that Americans are not "clubable" beings. usual, a vast amount of bitterness was exOur social clubs are few and far between; hibited, and, if possible, a more than usual
Major Pendennises, whose heaven on earth is amount of ignorance as to the real state of
a club bow-window, are rarely to be found. the question. The controversy became so
What clubs we have are almost the exclusive fierce at last that the London Times was comdomain of bachelors; feminine influence is pelled to close its columns to the combatants,
very powerful in this country in keeping tlhe and at least one libel-suit is announced as a
Benedicts at home. In truth, notwithstand- consequence of the foray. None of the dising the croakers and the American tourists putants seemed to be aware of the fact that
who return from abroad dazzled with the the only difficulty in the way of granting an
polish and mannerisms of Continental so- American copyright to English authors in this
ciety, home life is keenly appreciated, and country is one which has been created by the
anxiously looked forward to and heartily en- cupidity of English publishers, who demand
joyed by most Americans. The English sys- that the American law shall be so framed as
tem of clubs cannot but have many bad to further their special interests, to the detrieffects upon domestic happiness; and, al- ment of our book-manufacturers, without rethough we have the reputation in England gard to the interest of the English authors.
of being peculiarly fond of hotel and board- There is little opposition in this country to
ing-house life, it is doubtful whether, after the enactment of a law which would grant to
all, "the merry homes of England" are as English authors their just rights, but there is
numerous in proportion or as merry as those a natural and reasonable unwillingness to alof Yankeedom. But there is one class much low English publishers to force English copies
benefited in the old country by clubs, and of books into our market to the manifest
that is the class which is engrossed through detriment of our own printers and publishers.
a long day with hard labor for subsistence, During the height of the controversy, Mr. W.
and for which the evening is the only time H. Appleton, the senior member of the firm
when there is leisure either to dissipate or to of D. Appleton & Co., was in England, and,
improve themselves. The English " working- his house being assailed among others, he adman" has, at last, been discovered by his so- dressed a letter to the Times, which will be
cial superiors to be "a man and a brother." found at length in our Miscellany, and of the
Suffrage has been conferred upon him; he effect of which the able London correspondhas been aiven the right to send his children ent of the New-York Tribune gives the folto school, and has acquired for himself a lowing account: "Of Mr. Appleton's letter it
trades-union power which enables him to pro- is not too much to say that it has changed
tect himhnself against the rich employer of the aspect of the discussion. The literary
labor Soon the ballot will aid another arm merit of it is remarkable. It is a clear, forto his already-extended political authority. cible, pungent, and perfectly good- natured
This advance of the working-man to be a statement. One almost regrets that a man
prominent figure in society and power in the who knows the use of the English language
state has had, among other results, that of as well as Mr. Appleton should be publishing
establishing "working-men's clubs;" and books instead of writing them. I shall not
this is a matter of more importance, prob- undertake to condense his letter, for I hope
ably, to the future of England than appears that, although it fills a column, you will find
at first sight. For these clubs, which are room to reprint the whole. It is the testirapidly increasing, and will soon spread mony of an expert, and is a more complete
through every English town where working- statement than I have seen on his side of the
men inhabit, are not mere lounging-places question. Those who have all along taken it
where to dissipate idle hours. They are for granted that the American publishers
really schools for adults —places where ra- were the opponents of a copyright law will
tional amusement is had, facts learned, ideas be surprised by Mr. Appleton's declaration
disseminated, the taste improved, and tempta- that he, as an American publisher of large
tions counteracted. They are found to be, in experience, is in favor of such a law, and bea multitude of cases, effectual antidotes to lieves that his conviction is shared by a large
the bad habit of loitering away the nights in number, if not by a majority, of his countrybar-rooms and public-houses; for the wise men. He would have it exclusively an auspirits whose idea it has been to found them thors' copyright-a limitation which might be
have been careful to suggest occupations made the basis of a compromise that would,
which are at once entertaining, innocent, and I presume, satisfy nearly all Englishmen exuseful. There are billiards and cards, lee- cept those interested in the manufacture of
tures and debates, current literature and bod- books. You will not fail to notice Mr. Apily refreshment. The establishment of such pleton's remark that the most effective weapon
clubs in this country, everywhere, would, it of the enemies of an international copyright
would seem, be one not ineffectual means of law in the United States is a batch of Engreducing the number of the intemperate and lish newspapers after one of their periodical
criminal among the working-class. One of explosions. Still keener is his reply to Mr.
the roots of these evils-the necessity of Collins, who complains that the Appletons
some recreation after the hard day's toil- reprinted his novel and paid him nothing fi)r
would be thus struck at, and an experiment it. Mr. Appleton says it is very likely they
which has proved to be a success in England did, though he never heard of it, but he takes
would not be likely to fail here. a rail Bour s,1 ati, l,'r )iig nothing of the
fate of Mr. Collins's novel, offers to give him
all the profits if he will indemnify them
against loss. The letter abounds in telling
points."
- The admirers of Charles Dickens in
his native town of Portsmouth are determined
to do him some palpable and material honor.
In vain they are reminded that in his will he
earnestly deprecated any purpose of erecting
a monument or other sculptured memorial to
him; in vain he left it, as a last and earnest
wish, that his fame among his countrymen
should "rest upon his published works." The
Portsmouthians are resolute, and are of one
mind as to a memorial, being only divided as
to what the memorial shall be. Violence
was done to the dead novelist's wishes when,
instead of interring him in the quiet country
church-yard which he chose as his restingplace, he was laid among the sombre shades
of the great abbey; but he himself would
doubtless be partly consoled for this, could
he look on men's works from the spirit-land,
to see that no fulsome epitaph in irregular
lines and pompous phrase disfigured his
tomb; for its simple legend, "Charles Dickens," is an ample and perfect record. The
Portsmouthian proposal has elicited many
suggestions as to what would be the best
memorial to the novelist in the town of his
birth. One suggests a plain granite shaft on
the public common, with the name and dates
of birth and death; another, the erection of
a hospital, school, or other charity, to illustrate Dickens's humane and catholic heartas if Dickens would be honored by one more
institution lorded over by British bumbledom! A better idea than either seems to be
for the town to purchase the plain, old-fashioned house in which her illustrious son was
born, repair it, and enclose it, keeping it in
good order as a perpetual memento of him,
as the birthplace of Shakespeare is kept in
Stratford-on-Avon. It is curious in what outof-the-way places men of genius are sometimes born; this natal house of Dickens is
described as a quaint old building in an obscure street, a curiosity in itself. A charming description of it appears in one of Mr.
Fields's recent "Whispering-Gallery" chats,
from which it appears that its memories are
not restricted to the novelist's birth, but extend to some of his creations, Mr. Vincent
Crummles in particular standing out as one
of its haunting spirits. The purchase and
care of this house would not conflict with
the letter, at least, of Dickens's expressed
desire; and, although the pilgrimages to it
would not probably be so numerous as to the
banks of the Avon, it would keep the memory
of the novelist alive among the succeeding
generations of his fellow-townsmen, and lead
many to take that charming Kentish trip
which Dickens himself has described so often
and so lovingly.
- We observe that Wilkie Collins has
dramatized and produced in London a stageversion of his novel of "The Woman in
White," and that Mr. Reade has prepared for
the stage a play founded upon his story of
"Griffith Gaunt." Here we discover how
novelists may favorably extend the use of the
materials they have gathered and multiply
their profits largely. The certainty that a
1871.]
TABLE-TALK.
639