Pickwick Papers

She first ray of light which illumines the gloom, andconverts into a dazzling brilliancy that obscurity in whichthe earlier history of the public career of the immortalPickwick would appear to be involved, is derived from the perusalof the following entry in the Transactions of the Pickwick Club,which the editor of these papers feels the highest pleasure inlaying before his readers, as a proof of the careful attention,indefatigable assiduity, and nice discrimination, with which hissearch among the multifarious documents confided to him hasbeen conducted.

　　'May 12, 1827. Joseph Smiggers, Esq., P.V.P.M.P.C. [PerpetualVice-President―Member Pickwick Club], presiding. The followingresolutions unanimously agreed to:―'That this Association has heard read, with feelings ofunmingled satisfaction, and unqualified approval, the papercommunicated by Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C. [GeneralChairman―Member Pickwick Club], entitled "Speculations on theSource of the Hampstead Ponds, with some Observations on theTheory of Tittlebats;" and that this Association does hereby returnits warmest thanks to the said Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C.,for the same.

　　'That while this Association is deeply sensible of the advantageswhich must accrue to the cause of science, from the production towhich they have just adverted―no less than from the unweariedresearches of Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., in Hornsey,Highgate, Brixton, and Camberwell―they cannot but entertain alively sense of the inestimable benefits which must inevitablyresult from carrying the speculations of that learned man into awider field, from extending his travels, and, consequently,enlarging his sphere of observation, to the advancement ofknowledge, and the diffusion of learning.

　　'That, with the view just mentioned, this Association has takeninto its serious consideration a proposal, emanating from theaforesaid, Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., and three otherPickwickians hereinafter named, for forming a new branch ofUnited Pickwickians, under the title of The Corresponding Societyof the Pickwick Club.

　　'That the said proposal has received the sanction and approvalof this Association. 'That the Corresponding Society of thePickwick Club is therefore hereby constituted; and that SamuelPickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., Tracy Tupman, Esq., M.P.C.,Augustus Snodgrass, Esq., M.P.C., and Nathaniel Winkle, Esq.,M.P.C., are hereby nominated and appointed members of thesame; and that they be requested to forward, from time to time,authenticated accounts of their journeys and investigations, oftheir observations of character and manners, and of the whole oftheir adventures, together with all tales and papers to which localscenery or associations may give rise, to the Pickwick Club,stationed in London.

　　'That this Association cordially recognises the principle of everymember of the Corresponding Society defraying his own travellingexpenses; and that it sees no objection whatever to the members ofthe said society pursuing their inquiries for any length of time theyplease, upon the same terms.

　　'That the members of the aforesaid Corresponding Society be,and are hereby informed, that their proposal to pay the postage oftheir letters, and the carriage of their parcels, has been deliberatedupon by this Association: that this Association considers suchproposal worthy of the great minds from which it emanated, andthat it hereby signifies its perfect acquiescence therein.'

　　A casual observer, adds the secretary, to whose notes we areindebted for the following account―a casual observer mightpossibly have remarked nothing extraordinary in the bald head,and circular spectacles, which were intently turned towards his(the secretary's) face, during the reading of the above resolutions:

　　to those who knew that the gigantic brain of Pickwick wasworking beneath that forehead, and that the beaming eyes ofPickwick were twinkling behind those glasses, the sight wasindeed an interesting one. There sat the man who had traced totheir source the mighty ponds of Hampstead, and agitated thescientific world with his Theory of Tittlebats, as calm andunmoved as the deep waters of the one on a frosty day, or as asolitary specimen of the other in the inmost recesses of an earthenjar. And how much more interesting did the spectacle become,when, starting into full life and animation, as a simultaneous callfor 'Pickwick' burst from his followers, that illustrious man slowlymounted into the Windsor chair, on which he had been previouslyseated, and addressed the club himself had founded. What a studyfor an artist did that exciting scene present! The eloquentPickwick, with one hand gracefully concealed behind his coat tails,and the other waving in air to assist his glowing declamation; hiselevated position revealing those tights and gaiters, which, hadthey clothed an ordinary man, might have passed withoutobservation, but which, when Pickwick clothed them―if we mayuse the expression―inspired involuntary awe and respect;surrounded by the men who had volunteered to share the perils ofhis travels, and who were destined to participate in the glories ofhis discoveries. On his right sat Mr. Tracy Tupman―the toosusceptible Tupman, who to the wisdom and experience ofmaturer years superadded the enthusiasm and ardour of a boy inthe most interesting and pardonable of human weaknesses―love.

　　Time and feeding had expanded that once romantic form; theblack silk waistcoat had become more and more developed; inchby inch had the gold watch-chain beneath it disappeared fromwithin the range of Tupman's vision; and gradually had thecapacious chin encroached upon the borders of the white cravat:

　　but the soul of Tupman had known no change―admiration of thefair sex was still its ruling passion. On the left of his great leadersat the poetic Snodgrass, and near him again the sporting Winkle;the former poetically enveloped in a mysterious blue cloak with acanine-skin collar, and the latter communicating additional lustreto a new green shooting-coat, plaid neckerchief, and closely-fitteddrabs.

　　Mr. Pickwick's oration upon this occasion, together with thedebate thereon, is entered on the Transactions of the Club. Bothbear a strong affinity to the discussions of other celebrated bodies;and, as it is always interesting to trace a resemblance between theproceedings of great men, we transfer the entry to these pages.

　　'Mr. Pickwick observed (says the secretary) that fame was dearto the heart of every man. Poetic fame was dear to the heart of hisfriend Snodgrass; the fame of conquest was equally dear to hisfriend Tupman; and the desire of earning fame in the sports of thefield, the air, and the water was uppermost in the breast of hisfriend Winkle. He (Mr. Pickwick) would not deny that he wasinfluenced by human passions and human feelings (cheers)―possibly by human weaknesses (loud cries of "No"); but this hewould say, that if ever the fire of self-importance broke out in hisbosom, the desire to benefit the human race in preferenceeffectually quenched it. The praise of mankind was his swing;philanthropy was his insurance office. (Vehement cheering.) Hehad felt some pride―he acknowledged it freely, and let hisenemies make the most of it―he had felt some pride when hepresented his Tittlebatian Theory to the world; it might becelebrated or it might not. (A cry of "It is," and great cheering.) Hewould take the assertion of that honourable Pickwickian whosevoice he had just heard―it was celebrated; but if the fame of thattreatise were to extend to the farthest confines of the knownworld, the pride with which he should reflect on the authorship ofthat production would be as nothing compared with the pride withwhich he looked around him, on this, the proudest moment of hisexistence. (Cheers.) He was a humble individual. ("No, no.") Stillhe could not but feel that they had selected him for a service ofgreat honour, and of some danger. Travelling was in a troubledstate, and the minds of coachmen were unsettled. Let them lookabroad and contemplate the scenes which were enacting aroundthem. Stage-coaches were upsetting in all directions, horses werebolting, boats were overturning, and boilers were bursting.

　　(Cheers―a voice "No.") No! (Cheers.) Let that honourablePickwickian who cried "No" so loudly come forward and deny it, ifhe could. (Cheers.) Who was it that cried "No"? (Enthusiasticcheering.) Was it some vain and disappointed man―he would notsay haberdasher (loud cheers)―who, jealous of the praise whichhad been―perhaps undeservedly―bestowed on his (Mr.

　　Pickwick's) researches, and smarting under the censure whichhad been heaped upon his own feeble attempts at rivalry, nowtook this vile and calumnious mode of―-'Mr. BLOTTON (of Aldgate) rose to order. Did the honourablePickwickian allude to him? (Cries of "Order," "Chair," "Yes,"

　　"No," "Go on," "Leave off," etc.)'Mr. PICKWICK would not put up to be put down by clamour.

　　He had alluded to the honourable gentleman. (Great excitement.)'Mr. BLOTTON would only say then, that he repelled the hon.

　　gent.'s false and scurrilous accusation, with profound contempt.

　　(Great cheering.) The hon. gent. was a humbug. (Immenseconfusion, and loud cries of "Chair," and "Order.")'Mr. A. SNODGRASS rose to order. He threw himself upon thechair. (Hear.) He wished to know whether this disgraceful contestbetween two members of that club should be allowed to continue.

　　(Hear, hear.)'The CHAIRMAN was quite sure the hon. Pickwickian wouldwithdraw the expression he had just made use of.

　　'Mr. BLOTTON, with all possible respect for the chair, wasquite sure he would not.

　　'The CHAIRMAN felt it his imperative duty to demand of thehonourable gentleman, whether he had used the expression whichhad just escaped him in a common sense.

　　'Mr. BLOTTON had no hesitation in saying that he had not―hehad used the word in its Pickwickian sense. (Hear, hear.) He wasbound to acknowledge that, personally, he entertained the highestregard and esteem for the honourable gentleman; he had merelyconsidered him a humbug in a Pickwickian point of view. (Hear,hear.)'Mr. PICKWICK felt much gratified by the fair, candid, and fullexplanation of his honourable friend. He begged it to be at onceunderstood, that his own observations had been merely intendedto bear a Pickwickian construction. (Cheers.)'

　　Here the entry terminates, as we have no doubt the debate didalso, after arriving at such a highly satisfactory and intelligiblepoint. We have no official statement of the facts which the readerwill find recorded in the next chapter, but they have been carefullycollated from letters and other MS. authorities, so unquestionablygenuine as to justify their narration in a connected form.