A Week's Tramp in Dickens-Land Part 11

TO CONNECT HIS MEMORY WITH THE SCENES IN WHICH HIS EARLIEST AND HIS LATEST YEARS WERE Pa.s.sED AND WITH THE a.s.sOCIATIONS OF ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD WHICH EXTENDED OVER ALL HIS LIFE

THIS TABLET WITH THE SANCTION OF THE DEAN AND CHAPTER IS PLACED BY HIS EXECUTORS]

The unfinished novel of _Edwin Drood_, which, as we have seen, is so inseparably connected with Rochester Cathedral, has been _finished_ by at least half a dozen authors, probably to their own satisfaction; but it is a hard matter to the reader to struggle through any one of them.

However, there is a little _brochure_ in this direction which we feel may here be appropriately noticed. It is called, _Watched by the Dead: A Loving Study of Charles d.i.c.kens's half-told Tale_, 1887, and was written by R. A. Proctor, F.R.A.S., the Astronomer, whose untimely death from fever in America was announced after our return from our week's tramp.

The author had evidently studied the matter both lovingly and attentively, and starts with the a.s.sumption that it is an example of what he calls "d.i.c.kens's favourite theme," which more than any other had a fascination for him, and was apparently regarded by him as likely to be most potent in its influence on others. It was that of "a wrong-doer watched at every turn by one of whom he has no suspicion, for whom he even entertains a feeling of contempt," and Mr. Proctor has certainly evolved a very suggestive and not improbable conclusion to the story.

Instances of d.i.c.kens's favourite theme are adduced from _Barnaby Rudge_, where Haredale, unsuspected, steadily waits and watches for Rudge, till, after more than twenty years, "At last! at last!" he cries, as he captures his brother's murderer on the very spot where the murder had been committed; from _The Old Curiosity Shop_, where Sampson and Sally Bra.s.s are watched by the Marchioness--their powerless victim as they supposed, and by whom their detection is brought about; from _Nicholas Nickleby_, where Ralph Nickleby is watched by Brooker; and from _Dombey and Son_, where Dombey is watched by Carker, and he in turn is watched by good Mrs. Brown and her unhappy daughter. Instances of this kind also appear in _David Copperfield_, _Bleak House_, and _Little Dorrit_.

Reasoning from similar data, Mr. Proctor concludes that Jasper was watched by Edwin Drood in the person of Datchery, and thus he was to have been tracked remorselessly "to his death by the man whom he supposed he had slain." The _denouement_ as regards the other characters seems also not improbable. Rosa Bud was to have married Lieutenant Tartar, and Crisparkle, Helena Landless. Neville was to have died, but not before he had learned to understand the change which Edwin's character had undergone. As to Edwin Drood himself, "purified by trial, strengthened though saddened by his love for Rosa," Edwin would have been one of those characters d.i.c.kens loved to draw--a character entirely changed from a once careless, almost trivial self, to depth and earnestness. "All were to join in changing the ways of dear old Grewgious from the sadness and loneliness of the earlier scenes" in the story, "to the warmth and light of that kindly domestic life for which, angular though he thought himself, his true and genial nature fitted him so thoroughly." This attempt to solve _The Mystery of Edwin Drood_ will amply repay perusal. It was probably one of the last works of this very able and versatile author.

It is right to state that Mr. Luke Fildes, R.A., the ill.u.s.trator of _The Mystery of Edwin Drood_, with whom we have had the pleasure of an interview, entirely rejects this theory. He does not favour the idea that Datchery is Edwin Drood; his opinion is that the ingenuous and kind-hearted Edwin, had he been living, would never have allowed his friend Neville to continue so long under the grave suspicion of murder.

Nay more: he is convinced that d.i.c.kens intended that Edwin Drood should be killed by his uncle; and this opinion is supported by the fact of the introduction of a "large black scarf of strong close-woven silk," which Jasper wears for the first time in the fourteenth chapter of the story, and which was likely to have been the means of death, _i. e._ by strangulation. Mr. Fildes said that d.i.c.kens seemed much surprised when he called his attention to this change of dress--very noticeable and embarra.s.sing to an artist who had studied the character--and appeared as though he had unintentionally disclosed the secret. He further stated that it was d.i.c.kens's intention to take him to a condemned cell in Maidstone or some other gaol, in order "that he might make a drawing,"

"and," said d.i.c.kens, "do something better than Cruikshank;" in allusion, of course, to the famous drawing of "f.a.gin in the condemned cell."

"Surely this," remarked our informant, "points to our witnessing the condemned culprit Jasper in his cell before he met his fate."[10]

Mr. Fildes spoke with enthusiasm of the very great kindness and consideration which he received from d.i.c.kens, and the pains he took to introduce his young friend to the visitors at Gad's Hill, and in London at Hyde Park Place, who were his seniors. He was under an engagement to visit d.i.c.kens,--had his portmanteau packed in fact, almost ready to start on his journey--when he saw to his amazement the announcement of his death in the newspapers--and it was a very great shock to him. Not long afterwards, Mr. Fildes said, the family, with much kind thoughtfulness, renewed the invitation to him to stay a few days at Gad's Hill Place, and during that time he made the imperishable drawing of "The Empty Chair."

Bearing in mind the above circ.u.mstances coming from so high an authority, a missing link has been supplied, but--_The Mystery of Edwin Drood_ is still unsolved!

FOOTNOTES:

[8] It is interesting to record that the foundations of this Church were met with for the first time, in restoring the west front of the Cathedral, in 1889.

[9] This was written in 1888; on a subsequent visit to Rochester we were sorry to find that the frost had made sad havoc with this beautiful tree.

[10] Mr. Charles d.i.c.kens informs me that Mr. Fildes is right, and that Edwin Drood was dead. His (Mr. d.i.c.kens's) father told him so himself.

CHAPTER VI.

RICHARD WATTS'S CHARITY, ROCHESTER.

"Strictly speaking, there were only _six_ Poor Travellers; but being a Traveller myself, though an idle one, and being withal as poor as I hope to be, I brought the number up to seven. . . . I, for one, am so divided this night between fact and fiction, that I scarce know which is which."--_The Seven Poor Travellers._

THE most unique Charity ever described in fiction, or founded on fact, well deserves a few pages to be devoted to a record of its interesting history and present position. We therefore occupy a short time in examining it on Thursday morning, before our visit to the Marshes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The "Six Poor Travellers"]

Except for _The Seven Poor Travellers_, which was the t.i.tle of the Christmas Number of _Household Words_ issued in 1854, it is possible that few beyond "the ancient city" would ever have heard, or indeed have cared to hear, anything about the Wors.h.i.+pful Master Richard Watts or his famous Charity; now, as all the world knows, it is a veritable "household word" to readers and admirers of d.i.c.kens. In the narrative, he, as the first Traveller, is supposed to have visited Rochester, and pa.s.sed the evening with the six Poor Travellers, and thus to have made the seventh. After hearing the story of the Charity "from the decent body of a wholesome matronly presence" (this was Mrs. Cackett, a former matron, who is said to have been very much astonished at her appearance in the drama of _The Seven Poor Travellers_, which she subsequently witnessed at the Rochester Theatre), he obtains permission to treat the Travellers to a hot supper. The inn at which the first Traveller stayed was doubtless our old acquaintance, the Bull, "where the window of his adjoining bedroom looked down into the Inn yard, just where the lights of the kitchen redden a ma.s.sive fragment of the Castle wall." Here was brewed the "wa.s.sail" contained in the "brown beauty," the "turkey" and "beef" roasted, and the "plum-pudding" boiled. As Mr. Robert Langton says, "the account of the treat to the poor Travellers is of course wholly fict.i.tious, although it is accepted as sober truth by many people, both in Rochester and elsewhere."

It is not our purpose to criticize the seven pretty stories which make up this Christmas Number, part of the first of which only relates to Watts's Charity; but we will venture to affirm that the concluding portion of that story, referring to "Richard Doubled.i.c.k," "who was a Poor Traveller with not a farthing in his pocket, and who came limping down on foot to this town of Chatham," is one of the most touching instances of Christian forgiveness ever recorded, and hardened indeed must he be who reads it with dry eyes.

To what extent d.i.c.kens himself was affected by this beautiful tale, is shown by the following extract from a letter addressed by him, on 22nd December, 1854, to the late Mr. Arthur Ryland, formerly Mayor of Birmingham, now treasured by his widow, Mrs. Arthur Ryland, who kindly allowed a copy to be taken:--

"What you write with so much heartiness of my first Poor Traveller is quite delightful to me. The idea of that little story obtained such strong possession of me when it came into my head, that it cost me more time and tears than most people would consider likely. The response it meets with is payment for anything."

It is also interesting to record that many years afterwards Mr. Ryland read this story at one of the Christmas gatherings of the Birmingham and Midland Inst.i.tute, and subsequently received from an unknown correspondent--Sergeant A----, of the 106th Light Infantry, then stationed at Umballa, East Indies, who had noticed an account of the reading in a newspaper--a letter under date of 15th July, 1870, asking to be favoured with a copy of the story; "for," said the writer, "we have just started a Penny Reading Society (if I may call it so), and I'm sure that story would be the means of reclaiming many men from their vices--I mean drinking and low company." The story was of course sent, and Mr. Ryland subsequently communicated the circ.u.mstances to the present Mr. Charles d.i.c.kens, who replied--"I wish my dear father could have seen the sergeant's letter; it would have pleased him, I am sure."

As we proceed along the High Street, on the north side towards Chatham, a walk of only a few yards from the Bull brings us to a curious Tudor stone-built house of two stories, with latticed windows and three-pointed gables. Under a lamp in the centre, which is over the "quaint old door"--the door-sill itself being (as is usual with some old houses) a little below the street, so that we drop by a step or two into the entrance-hall--is a tablet containing the following inscription:--

(CENTRE.) RICHARD WATTS, ESQUIRE, by his Will dated 22nd August, 1579, founded this Charity for Six Poor Travellers, who, not being Rogues or Proctors, May receive gratis for one Night Lodging, Entertainment, and Fourpence each.

"In testimony of his munificence, in honour of his memory, and inducement to his example, the Charitable Trustees of this City and Borough have caused this stone to be renewed and inscribed, A.D. 1865."

And on the left and right-hand sides respectively of the preceding appear smaller tablets, with the following inscriptions:--

(LEFT.) The Charitable Trustees of this City and Borough appointed by the Lord High Chancellor, 16 December, 1836, are to see this Charity executed.

(RIGHT.) Pagitt _Arms._[Ill.u.s.tration] Somers Thomas Pagitt, second husband of Mary, Daughter of Thomas Somers of Halstow, Widow of Richard Watts, Deceased A.D. 1599.

We enter the old-fas.h.i.+oned little parlour, or office, on the left-hand side, "warm in winter and cool in summer. It has a look of homely welcome and soothing rest. It has a remarkably cosy fireside, the very blink of which, gleaming out into the street upon a winter's night, is enough to warm all Rochester's heart." The matron receives us politely, and shows us two large books of foolscap size with ruled columns, one of these containing a record of the visitors to the Charity, and the other a list of the recipients thereof. A little pleasantry is caused by one of us entering his name in the wrong book, but this mistake is promptly rectified by the matron, who informs us that we are scarcely objects for relief as "Poor Travellers." She then kindly repeats to us the two legends respecting the origin of the Charity, the first of which is tolerably well known, but the other is less familiar. Before recording these, it may be well to give an extract from the will of Master Richard Watts (a very curious and lengthy doc.u.ment), which was industriously hunted up by the late Mr. Charles Bullard, author of the _Romance of Rochester_, and by him contributed to the _Rochester and Chatham Journal_, of which it fills a whole column.

The will (dated, as previously stated, August 22nd, 1579) directs, _inter alia_, that "First the Alms-house already erected and standing beside the Markett Crosse, within the Citty of Rochester aforesaid, which Almshouses my Will Purpose and Desire is that there be reedified added and provided with such Roomes as be there already provided Six Severall Roomes with Chimneys for the Comfort placeing and abideing of the Poore within the said Citty, and alsoe to be made apt and convenient places therein for Six good Matrices or Flock Bedds and other good and sufficient Furniture to harbour or lodge in poore Travellers or Wayfareing Men being noe Common Rogues nor Proctors, and they the said Wayfareing Men to harbour and lodge therein noe longer than one Night unlesse Sickness be the farther Cause thereof and those poore Folkes there dwelling shall keepe the House sweete make the Bedds see to the Furniture keepe the same sweete and courteously intreate the said poore Travellers and to every of the said poore Travellers att their first comeing in to have fourpence and they shall warme them at the Fire of the Residents within the said House if Need be."

The reason for the exception in the testator's will as regards rogues is sufficiently obvious, and therefore all the point of this singular bequest lies in the word "Proctors." Who were they? One of the legends has it that the obsolete word "Proctors" referred to certain st.u.r.dy mendicants who swarmed in the south of England, and went about extracting money from the charitable public under the pretence of collecting "Peter's Pence" for the Pope; or, as the compiler of Murray's _Handbook to the County of Kent_ suggests, "were probably the bearers of licences to collect alms for hospitals," etc. Possibly the worthy Master Richard Watts objected to the levying of this blackmail; or he may in his walks have been subjected to the proctors' importunities, and consequently in his will rigorously debarred them in all futurity from any share in his Charity.

The other legend is that Master Watts, being grievously sick and sore to die, sent for his lawyer, who in those days acted as proctor as well,--Steerforth in _David Copperfield_ calls the proctor "a monkish kind of attorney,"--and bade him prepare his will according to certain instructions. The will was made, but not in the manner directed, and subsequently, on the testator regaining his health, he discovered the fraud which the crafty lawyer or proctor had tried to perpetrate--which was, in fact, to make himself the sole legatee. In his just indignation he made another will, and in it for ever excluded the fraternity of proctors from benefiting thereby. The reader is at liberty to accept whichever of the two legends he chooses. It is right to say that Mr.

Roach Smith utterly rejects the second story. He says proctors were simply rogues, although some of them may have been licensed.

The following is a foot-note to Fisher's _History and Antiquities of Rochester and its Environs_, MDCCLXXII.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Watts' Almshouses: Rochester]

"It is generally thought that the reason of Mr. Watts's excluding proctors from the benefit of the Charity, was that a proctor had been employed to make his will, whereby he had given all the estates to himself; but I am inclined to believe that the word proctor is derived from procurator, who was an itinerant priest, and had dispensations from the Pope to absolve the subjects of this realm from the oath of allegiance to Queen Elizabeth, in whose reign there were many such priests."

When the ident.i.ty of Miss Adelaide Anne Procter, the gifted author of the pure and pathetic _Legends and Lyrics_ (who had been an anonymous contributor to _Household Words_ for some time under the _nom de plume_ of "Mary Berwick"), became known to Charles d.i.c.kens, he sent her a charming and kindly letter of congratulation and appreciation, dated 17th December, 1854 (just at the time that the Christmas stories of the _Seven Poor Travellers_ were published), which thus concludes:--

"You have given me so much pleasure, and have made me shed so many tears, that I can only think of you now in a.s.sociation with the sentiment and grace of your verses. Pray accept the blessing and forgiveness of Richard Watts, _though I am afraid you come under both his conditions of exclusion_."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Signatures: Charles d.i.c.kens

Mark Lemon]

We are informed that the original bequest of the testator was only 36 16_s._ 8_d._ per annum, being the rent of land; but now, owing to the improved letting of the land, for building and other purposes, the Revenues of the Charity are upwards of 4,000 per annum. The "fourpence"

of the foundation would be equal to some three s.h.i.+llings and fourpence of our money. The trustees, about sixteen in number,--one of whom has filled the office for fifty years--have very wisely and prudently obtained an extension of their powers; and the Court of Chancery have twice (in 1855 and 1886) sanctioned schemes for the administration of the funds, which have largely benefited Rochester in many ways. As witness of this, there are a series of excellent almshouses on the Maidstone Road (which cost about 6,000), with appropriate entrance-gates and gardens, endowed for the support and maintenance of townsmen and townswomen. We subsequently go into several of the rooms, all beautifully clean, and in most cases tastefully decorated by the inmates with a few pictures, prints, and flowers, and find that the present occupants are ten almsmen and six women. We have a chat with one of the almsmen,--a hearty old man, once the beadle of St. Margaret's Church,--who rejoices in the name of Peter Weller, and whom we find to be well up in his _Pickwick_. There are a resident head-nurse and three other resident nurses in the establishment, who occasionally go out to nurse the sick in the city. In addition to these almshouses, a handsome new hospital has been erected in the New Road, and partly endowed (1,000 a year) out of the funds. Contributions are also made annually from the same source towards the support of the Public Baths, and for apprenticing deserving lads. Such is the development of this remarkable Charity.

The matron calls our attention to many interesting names in the Visitors' book. Under date of the 11th May, 1854, are the signatures, in good bold writing, of Charles d.i.c.kens and Mark Lemon; and in subsequent entries, extending over many years, appear the names of Wilkie Collins, W. H. Wills, W. G. Wills, Walter Besant, Thomas Adolphus Trollope, J.

Henry Shorthouse, Augustus J. C. Hare, and other well-known _litterateurs_. As usual, there are also numerous names of Americans, including those of Miss Mary Anderson and party.

There are many curious remarks recorded in this book, such as an entry dated 26th June, 1857, which says:--"Tossed by, and out of the Bull with a crumpled horn, as no one would lend me five s.h.i.+llings, therefore obliged to solicit the benefit of this excellent charity." There is an admirable testimony in Latin, by the late Bishop of Lincoln, Dr.

Wordsworth, to the usefulness of the inst.i.tution, which, dated 23rd August, 1883, is as follows:--"_Esto perpetua obstantibus Caritatis Commissionariis._" His Lords.h.i.+p's remark was probably in allusion to the fact that the Charity Commissioners were (as we were afterwards informed) inclined, some time ago, to abolish the Charity, but this proceeding was stoutly and successfully resisted by the trustees. But the most gratifying records which we see in the book consist of several entries by recipients of the Charity themselves, who have subsequently come again after prosperous times in the capacity of visitors, and thus testified to the benefits received. Here is one:--"Having once enjoyed the Charity, I wish it a long life."

[Ill.u.s.tration: The "Six Poor Travellers" from the Rear]