Page 7 - PBCOctober2012

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine. Volume 9 No.3 October 2012 7

From Your American Correspondent.
In the last “FYAC”, I reported on Dickens’ brief sojourn in the Cincinnati area.
One month prior, he was in the North East, and making the journey from
Philadelphia to Washington. Now, in 2012 this is a brief (but for the
horrendous traffic) drive on the freeway system. Not so for “Boz” however,
since at that time there was no rail transport available in the first part of the
journey, so it was a case of “Steamboatin’” down the Delaware River to
Wilmington, then a train to the Susquehanna River where a boat ferry was
required to cross the water to Havre de Grace, Maryland. There the journey
resumed by rail. A stop was made for dinner at Baltimore; and it was there ,
a Mr. Putnam, recounted the following incident:
“On reaching Baltimore the carriages stopped while in the market place. In a
couple of minutes word had passed that ‘Dickens was aboard the train’.
Instantly the windows were darkened with faces, and all sorts of comments –
but mostly kind and respectful – were made upon his looks and general
appearance.
“A market woman nearby, seeing the crowd, came up close to the windows,
but she could not make out what all the excitement was about , and calling to
a friend who was standing by, she loudly asked, ‘What’s the matter? What is
this all about? Say, John, what is it?’ ‘Why,’ answered the man, looking over
his shoulder, ‘they’ve got Boz here!’ ‘Got Boz,’ said she ‘What’s Boz? What
do you mean?’ ‘Why,’ said the man, ‘it’s Dickens. They’ve got him here!
‘‘Well, what has he been doing?’ said she. ‘He ain’t been doing nothin’”
answered the man; ‘he writes books.’ Oh!’ said the woman indignantly, ‘is
that all? Why they should make such a row about that for, I should like to
know?’”
Cincinnati Public Landing – circa 1842 Cincinnati Public Landing – July 7th,
2012
That lady’s ignorance certainly doesn’t fit in with how several American
literary historians described Dickens; as a “Victorian –era rock star”! indeed,
there have been (and continue to be ) various celebrations this year –
though strangely, few, if any , at the various’ Portsmouths’ in the States –
believe it or not some States can have two!. Normally an event such as this
would warrant at least a Dickens Cook Out, but perhaps the occasion of his
birth is better known than the place.
The Dickens Society of America holds its annual symposium the weekend of
13th – 15th July, and a few of the cities that he really enjoyed (and enjoyed
him) such as Boston are going to town in the suburb of Lowell. There, the
University of Mass Lowell and its partners are throwing a seven month bash
which started on March 30th and includes performances, speakers, family
programmes and an exhibition exploring Dickens’ life, work and travels in
America.

Staple. Held over from July issue.