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The Life and Adventures of Nicho

las Nickleby.

THIS story was begun within a few months after the completion of the "Pick wick Papers" (September, 1837); "Oliver Twist," which followed that work having been commenced in February, 1837, and carried on simultaneously with it for several months. "Nicholas Nickleby" was issued in monthly shilling num bers, and was illustrated by "Phiz" (Hablot K. Browne). On its completion, in 1839, it was brought out in volume form, with a prefixed portrait of Dickens, engraved by Finden from a painting by Maclise, representing him as a remark. ably spruce young man, with a smooth face, and long wavy hair. It was dedicated to W. C. Macready.

The main object of the work was to expose "the monstrous neglect of education in England, and the disregard of it by the State, as a means of forming good or bad citizens, and miserable or happy men," by showing up, as a notable example, the cheap Yorkshire schools, which were in existence at that time. The author's purpose was answered. In the Preface to a later edition of "Nicholas Nickleby," he was able to speak of the race of Yorkshire schoolmasters "in the past tense," and to say, "Though it has not yet disappeared, it is dwindling daily."

CHARACTERS INTRODUCED.

Adams, Captain. One of the seconds in the duel between Sir Mulberry Hawk and Lord Verisopht. (Ch. 1.)

African Knife-Swallower, The. A member of Mr. Crummles's theatrical company. (Ch. xlviii.)

Alice. See York, The Five SISTERS OF.

Alphonse. Mrs. Wititterly's page; so diminutive," that his body would not hold, in ordinary array, the number of small buttons

which are indispensable to a page's costume; and they were con sequently obliged to be stuck on four abreast." (Ch. xxi, xxviii, xxxii.)

Belling, Master. One of Mr. Squeers's pupils at Dotheboys Hall. (Ch. iv.)

Belvawney, Miss. A lady in Mr. Vincent Crummles's theatrical company. (Ch. xxiii-xxv, xxix.)

Blockson, Mrs. A char-woman employed by Miss Knag. (Ch xviii.)

Bobster, Mr. A ferocious old fellow into whose house Nicholas Nickleby is introduced one evening by Newman Noggs, whom he has commissioned to find out where Madeline Bray lives, and who makes the ludicrous mistake of discovering the wrong party. (Ch. xl.) Bobster, Miss Cecilia. His daughter; mistaken by Newman Noggs for Miss Madeline Bray, and persuaded by him to see Nicholas, and to hear him speak for himself. (Ch. xl.)

Bolder. A pupil at Mr. Squeers's educational establishment, called Dotheboys Hall. (Ch. viii.)

Bonney, Mr.

A friend of Ralph Nickleby's, and the prime organizer of the "United Metropolitan Improved Hot Muffin and Crumpet Baking and Punctual Delivery Company." (Ch. ii.) Borum, Mr. A gentleman at whose house Nicholas Nickleby and Miss Snevellicci call (accompanied by Miss Ninetta Crummles, the "Infant Phenomenon ") to induce him to put his name to Miss Snevellicci's" bespeak." (Ch. xxiv.)

Borum, Mrs. His wife; mother of six interesting children. (Ch xxiv.)

Borum, Augustus. Their son; a young gentleman who pinches the "Phenomenon " behind, to ascertain whether she is real. (Ch. xxiv.)

Borum, Charlotte.

One of their daughters, who filches the

"Phenomenon's" parasol, and carries it off. (Ch. xxiv.) Borum, Emma. Another daughter. (Ch. xxiv.)

Bravassa, Miss.

One of the members of Mr. Crummles's theatrical company. (Ch. xxiii-xxv, xxix.) Bray, Madeline. Daughter of a gentleman who married a very particular friend of the Cheeryble Brothers. Her mother dies while she is a mere child; and her selfish and profligate father, at a somewhat later date, is reduced, between sickness and poverty, te

the verge of death. Although she braves prvation, degradation, and affliction, for the sake of supporting him, he is on the point of forcing her to marry a rich old miser named Gride, when death suddenly carries off the unnatural parent, and Madeline is removed to Mrs. Nickleby's house. She afterwards marries Nicholas. (Ch. xvi, xl, xlvi, xlvii, li, lii, liv-lvi, lxiii, lxv.)

Bray, Mr. Walter. Father to Madeline, a broken-down, irritable, and selfish debauchee. (Ch. xlvi, xlvii, lii-liv.)

Brooker. A felon and an outcast; a former clerk to Ralph Nickleby. Being ill-treated by his master, and hating him, he takes advantage of favoring circumstances to make him think his only son has died and been buried during his temporary absence from home; though, in reality, the boy has been left at a Yorkshire school, with the design of one day making the secret a means of getting money from the father. But the plan fails; and Mr. Nickleby, in the hot pursuit of bad ends, persecutes and hunts down his own child to death. (Ch. xliv, lx, lxv.) See SMIKE, SQUEERS. Browdie, John. A stout, kind-hearted Yorkshire man, drawn from life. He is betrothed to Miss Matilda Price, whom he afterwards marries. At his first meeting with Nicholas Nickleby, he becomes furiously jealous of him. Finding, however, that Nicholas has no intention of making trouble between him and his intended, he conceives a more favorable opinion of the young gentleman, and they become good friends. (Ch. ix, xiii, xxxix, xlii, xliii, xlv, lxiv.)

Bulph, Mr. A pilot, who keeps a lodging-house at which Mr. Crummles lives. (Ch. xxiii.)

Cheeryble Brothers, The (Charles and Edwin). Twinbrothers, partners in business, and the benefactors and employers of Nicholas Nickleby. Mr. Dickens says of them in his Preface, that they are "drawn from life;" and that "their liberal charity, their singleness of heart, their noble nature, and their unbounded benevo lence, are no creations of the author's brain, but are prompting every day (and oftenest by stealth) some munificent and generous deed in that town of which they are the pride and honor." The originals of these characters were William Grant and Brothers (Daniel, John, and Charles), cotton-spinners and calico-printers, near Manchester. Mr. Dickens, however, never saw these gentlemen, or interchanged any communication with them during his life. Having been encouraged to tell his story to one of the brothers,

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