Charles Dickens （b. 1812,d. 1870）. This celebrated novelist was born in Portsmouth,England. He began his active life as a lawyer’s apprentice,in London;but soon became a reporter,and followed this occupation from 1831 t1836. His first book was entitled "Sketches of London Society,by Boz." In 1837 he published the "Pickwick Papers," a work which established his reputation as a writer. His other works followed with great rapidity,and his last,"Edwin Drood," was unfinished when he died. He visited America in 1842 and in 1867. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. Mr. Dickens excelled in humor and pathos,and was particularly successful in delineating the joys and griefs of childhood. His writings have a tendency tprompt tdeeds of kindness and benevolence. The following extract is taken from "Nicholas Nickleby," one of the best of his novels.
1."Come," said Squeers,"let‘s gtthe schoolroom;and lend me a hand with my school coat,will you?"
Nicholas assisted his master tput on an old fustian1shootingjacket,which he took down from a peg in the passage;and Squeers,arming himself with his cane,led the way across a yard ta door in the rear of the house.
"There," said the schoolmaster,as they stepped in together;"this is our shop,Nickleby."
2.It was such a crowded scene,and there were smany objects tattract attention,that at first Nicholas stared about him,really without seeing anything at all. By degrees,however,the place resolved2 itself inta bare and dirty room with a couple of windows,1Fustian,a kind of cotton stuff,including corduroy,velveteen,etc. 2Resolved,made clear,disentangled.
whereof a tenth part might be of glass,the remainder being stopped up with old copy books and paper.
3.There were a couple of long,old,rickety desks,cut and notched,and inked and damaged in every possible way;twor three forms,a detached desk for Squeers,and another for his assistant. The ceiling was supported like that of a barn,by crossbeams and rafters,and the walls were sstained and discolored that it was impossible ttell whether they had ever been touched by paint or whitewash.
4.Pale and haggard faces,lank and bony figures,children with the countenances of old men,deformities1 with irons upon their limbs,boys of stunted2 growth,and others whose long,meager3 legs would hardly bear their stooping bodies,all crowded on the view together. There were little faces which should have been handsome,darkened with the scowl of sullen,dogged suffering;there was childhood with the light of its eye quenched,its beauty gone,and its helplessness alone remaining.
5.And yet this scene,painful as it was,had its grotesque4 features,which,in a less interested observer than Nicholas,might have provoked a smile. Mrs. Squeers stood at one of the desks,presiding over an immense basin of brimstone and treacle,of which delicious compound she administered5 a large installment6 teach boy in succession,using for the purpose a common wooden spoon,which might have been originally manufactured for some gigantic top,and which widened every young gentleman’s mouth considerably,they being all obliged,under heavy corporeal7 penalties,ttake in the whole bowl at a gasp.
6."Now," said Squeers,giving the desk a great rap with his cane,1 Deformities,misshapen persons. 2 Stunted,checked in growth.
3Meager,thin,lean.
4Grotesque,fanciful,absurd.
5Administered,gave,dispensed. 6 Installment,part,portion.
7Corporeal,bodily.
which made half the little boys nearly jump out of their boots,"is that physicking1 over?"
"Just over," said Mrs. Squeers,choking the last boy in her hurry,and tapping the crown of his head with the wooden spoon trestore him. "Here,you Smike: take away now. Look sharp!"
7.Smike shuffled out with the basin,and Mrs. Squeers hurried out after him inta species of washhouse,where there was a small fire,and a large kettle,together with a number of little wooden bowls which were arranged upon a board. Intthese bowls Mrs. Squeers,assisted by the hungry servant,poured a brown composition which looked like diluted2 pincushions without the covers,and was called porridge. A minute wedge of brown bread was inserted in each bowl,and when they had eaten their porridge by means of the bread,the boys ate the bread itself,and had finished their breakfast,whereupon Mr. Squeers went away this own.
8.After some half-hour‘s delay Mr. Squeers reappeared,and the boys took their places and their books,of which latter commodity3 the average might be about one teight learners. A few minutes having elapsed,during which Mr. Squeers looked very profound4,as if he had a perfect apprehension5 of what was inside all the books,and could say every word of their contents by heart,if he only chose ttake the trouble,that gentleman called up the first class.
9.Obedient tothissummonsthererangedthemselvesinfront of the schoolmaster’s desk,half a dozen scarecrows,out at knees and elbows,one of whom placed a torn and filthy book beneath his learned eye."This is the first class in English spelling and philosophy,Nickleby," said Squeers,beckoning Nicholas tstand beside him.1 Physicking,doctoring,treating with medicine. 2 Diluted,weakened by the addition of water.3Commodity,article,wares.4Profound,intellectually deep,wise.5Apprehension,comprehension,knowledge."We‘ll get up a Latin one,and hand that over tyou. Now,then,where’s the first boy?"
10."Please,sir,he‘s cleaning the back parlor window," said the temporary1 head of the philosophical class.
"She is,tbe sure," rejoined Squeers. "We gupon the practical mode of teaching,Nickleby;the regular education system. C-l-e- a-n,clean,verb active,tmake bright,tscour. W-i-n,win,d-e-r,der,winder,a casement. When the boy knows this out of book,he goes and does it. It’s just the same principle as the use of the globes. Where‘s the second boy?"1Temporary,for the time being.
11."Please,sir,he is weeding the garden," replied a small voice.
"Tbe sure," said Squeers,by nmeans disconcerted1,"she is. B-o-t,bot,t-i-n,tin,n-e-y,ney,bottinney,noun substantive,a knowledge of plants. When he has learned that bottinney means a knowledge of plants,he goes and knows ’em. That‘s our system,Nickleby: what dyou think of it?"
"It’s a very useful one,at any rate," answered Nicholas,significantly2.
12."I believe you," rejoined Squeers,not remarking the emphasis of his usher. "Third boy,what‘s a horse?"
"A beast,sir," replied the boy.
"Sit is," said Squeers. "Ain’t it,Nickleby?"
"I believe there is ndoubt of that,sir," answered Nicholas.
"Of course there is n‘t," said Squeers. "A horse is a quadruped,and quadruped’s Latin for beast,as everybody that‘s gone through the grammar knows,or else where’s the use of having grammars at all?"
"Where,indeed!" said Nicholas,abstractedly3.
13."As you‘re perfect in that," resumed Squeers,turning tthe boy,"gand look after my horse,and rub him down well,or I’ll rub you down. The rest of the class gand draw water up till somebody tells you tleave off,for it‘s washing day to-morrow,and they want the coppers filled."
1 Disconcerted,confused,abashed. 2Significantly,with meaning.
3Abstractedly,in an absent-minded way.