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95 96 97 98 99<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" /> 100 101<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" /> 102 103</head> 104 105<body class="dickens"> 106 107<a name="top"></a> 108 109<img src="images/site-header950.jpg" alt="David Perdue's Charles Dickens Page" width="950" height="25" border="0" usemap="#Map" /> 110 <map name="Map" id="Map"> 111 <area shape="rect" coords="0,4,235,20" href="index.html" title="Go to The Charles Dickens Page home page" alt="Home Page" /> 112 <area shape="rect" coords="795,3,839,19" href="index.html" title="Go to The Charles Dickens Page home page" alt="Go to the Home Page" /> 113 <area shape="rect" coords="841,2,888,19" href="dickens-search.html" title="Search The Charles Dickens Page" alt="Search this site" /> 114 <area shape="rect" coords="894,2,947,19" href="dickens-site-map.html" title="Go to the Charles Dickens Page sitemap" alt="Site Map" /> 115 </map> 116 117<div id="container"> 118 119<!--begin left column --> 120 121<div id="leftCol"> 122 123<a href="index.html"><img src="images/dickens-sm-logo.jpg" alt="The Charles Dickens Page" width="150" height="78" /></a> 124 125<div id="navigation"> 126<h3 class="maroon"><strong>Learn more about Charles Dickens:</strong></h3> 127<ul itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/SiteNavigationElement"> 128<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-fast-facts.html" title="Fast facts about Charles Dickens' life">Dickens Fast Facts</a></li> 129<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-biography.html" title="Charles Dickens Life">Dickens Biography</a></li> 130<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-works.html" title="Go to the Novels page with links to pages on each of Charles Dickens novels">Dickens' Novels</a> 131<ul><li>Curiosity Shop</li></ul></li> 132<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-characters.html" title="Cross-referenced list of over 2,000 Charles Dickens characters">Dickens' Characters</a></li> 133<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-illustrations.html" title="Information on the illustrators of Charles Dickens' novels">Illustrating Dickens</a></li> 134<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-london.html" title="Information about 19th century London">Dickens' London</a></li> 135<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-maps.html" title="Exploring the World of Charles Dickens with Maps">Mapping Dickens</a></li> 136<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-christmas.html" title="Information on Charles Dickens influence on the celebration of Christmas">Dickens & Christmas</a></li> 137<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-family-friends.html" title="Information on Charles Dickens' family and friends">Family and Friends</a></li> 138<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-in-america.html" title="Information on Charles Dickens' trips to America">Dickens in America</a></li> 139<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-journalism.html" title="Charles Dickens the journalist">Dickens' Journalism</a></li> 140<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-on-stage.html" title="Charles Dickens' amateur acting and public readings">Dickens on Stage</a></li> 141<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-on-film.html" title="Videos of Charles Dickens' Works">Dickens on Film</a></li> 142<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="reading-charles-dickens.html" title="Tips on getting the most out of reading Charles Dickens">Reading Dickens</a></li> 143<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-glossary.html" title="Definitions for words foun
143d in Charles Dickens work">Dickens Glossary</a></li> 144<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-quotes.html" title="Some of my favorite Charles Dickens quotes">Dickens Quotes</a></li> 145<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-fun-games.html" title="Charles Dickens themed puzzles and games">Fun and Games</a> </li> 146<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="bibliography.html" title="Sources of information used on this site">Bibliography</a></li> 147<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="https://www.zazzle.com/huckleberryandhodge/gifts?cg=196773022319716599" title="Charles Dickens merchandise for sale">Dickens Collection</a></li> 148<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="about.html" title="About The Charles Dickens Page">About this Site</a></li> 149</ul> 150 151</div> 152 153<br /> 154 155<!--Journey's End --> 156 157<h3 id="journeys-end"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tong,_Shropshire" target="_blank">Journey's End</a></h3> 158 159<p>In describing the journey Nell and her grandfather take through the English countryside Dickens creates a dream landscape in which no place names are used. The village where Nell dies is thought to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tong,_Shropshire" target="_blank">Tong, Shropshire</a>, a place Dickens had visited. A wreath is still placed every year outside St. Bartholomew's church at the supposed grave of Little Nell.</p> 160 161<p>BBC - <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/shropshire/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8468000/8468580.stm" target="_blank">Verger in Tong faked grave of Dickens' Little Nell</a></p> 162 163<br /> 164 165<p><!-- Google Adsense RightSidebar added 10/18/15 -->
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174 175 176<noscript>Your browser does not support JavaScript!</noscript></p> 177 178<br /> 179 180<!--Astley's --> 181 182<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astley%27s_Amphitheatre" target="_blank"><h3 id="astleys">Astley's Theatre</h3></a> 183 184<a href="images/astleys-poster-large.jpg"><img src="images/astleys-poster-small.jpg" width="150" height="217" alt="Astley's Theatre"/></a> 185 186<p>Kit takes his mother to <a href="charles-dickens-london-map.html#astleys">Astley's theatre</a> on the Surry side of the Thames on Westminster Bridge Road. Astley's mixed theatre with circus including equestrian performances. Philip Astley, who opened the amphitheatre in 1794 after his original tent structure of 1769 burned down, is considered a pioneer of the modern circus. After being rebuilt several times the structure was demolished in 1893 <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#london-encyclopaedia">Weinreb et al, 2008, p. 30</a>)</span>.</p> 187 188<br /> 189 190 191<!--Description of the Curiosity Shop --> 192 193<h3 id="the-curiosity-shop">The Curiosity Shop-Dickens' Description</h3> 194 195<p><em>One of those receptacles for old and curious things which seem to crouch in odd corners of this town and to hide their musty treasures from the public eye in jealousy and distrust. There were suits of mail standing like ghosts in armour here and there, fantastic carvings brought from monkish cloisters, rusty weapons of various kinds, distorted figures in china and wood and iron and ivory: tapestry and strange furniture that might have been designed in dreams</em> <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#oxford-ocs"><em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em>, p. 4-5</a>)</span>.</p> 196 197<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PU8MZO/ref=as-li-tl?ie=UTF8&tag=davidperdue04-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B001PU8MZO&linkId=41237d376f0601ec5c34ab22d7bb45a4"><img src="images/the-old-curiosity-shop2007.jpg" alt="The Old Curiosity Shop" width="120" height="169" border="0" /><br /><strong>The Old Curiosity Shop</strong></a> (2007) 198Sophie Vavasseur, Derek Jacobi 199 200<img src="images/spacer.jpg" width="50" height="910" alt="formatting graphic" /> 201<!-- end left column --></div> 202 203<!--right column --> 204 205<div id="rightCol"> 206 207<!--Punch and Judy --> 208 209<h3 id="punch-and-judy">Punch and Judy</h3> 210 211<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_and_judy" target="_blank"><img src="images/punch-and-judy-cruikshank-sm.jpg" alt="Punch and Judy" width="220" height="220" border="0" /></a><br /> 212 213Charles Dickens' fascination with the theatre, and his firm belief that the lower classes must have their amusements, lead to a love of <a href="http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/traditions/punch.dickens.html" target="_blank">Punch and Judy shows</a>. This familiar street entertainment finds it way into 214<em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em> by way of <a href="dickens-characters-c-d.html#codlinandshort">Codlin and Short</a>, a traveling Punch show that Nell and her grandfather meet on their travels. 215 216<p><a href="images/children-watch-punch-and-judy-cutout-large.jpg"><img src="images/children-watch-punch-and-judy-cutout-small.jpg" width="220" height="284" alt="Children watching Punch and Judy show" border="1" /></a></p> 217 218<p>Herb Moskovitz's excellent article <a href="punch-and-dickens.html"><em>Punch and Dickens</em></a>.</p> 219 220<!--Mr Slum--> 221 222<h3 id="mr-slum">The Advertising Jingles of Mr Slum</h3> 223 224<p><div class="boxImage100Right"><a href="images/mr-slum-kyd-large.jpg"><img src="images/mr-slum-kyd-small-cutout.jpg" width="100" height="192" alt="My Slum by Kyd"/></a>Mr Slum by Kyd</div>When <a href="charles-dickens-family-friends.html#John-Dickens">John Dickens</a> was imprisoned for debt in the <a href="charles-dickens-little-dorrit.html#marshalsea">Marshalsea debtors' prison</a> his 11-year-old son Charles was sent to work at <a href="charles-dickens-london-map.html#warrens">Warren's Blacking Factory</a> at Hungerford Stairs, washing and glueing labels on pots of boot blacking, to help support the family. Dickens never mentioned this traumatic period of his childhood to anyone during his lifetime except for his friend, and future biographer, <a href="charles-dickens-family-friends.html#forster">John Forster</a> who revealed it after Dickens' death <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#forster-life">Forster, 1899, v. 1, p. 22-39</a>)</span>. Dickens, however, did manage to weave the blacking experience into his fiction, and Warren's Blacking is mentioned, and alluded to, multiple times in his works.</p> 225 226<p>Robert Warren, owner of one branch of the business, was famous for placing rather bad verse in the advertisements for his product. According to Forster Dickens based the character of <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#slum">Mr Slum</a>, the advertisement jingle writer for <a href="dickens-characters-h-k.html#jarley">Mrs Jarley's</a> Waxwork in <em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em>, on the writer of such jingles for Robert Warren <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#forster-life">Forster, 1899, v. 1, p. 39</a>)</span>. It is even supposed that Dickens himself, when he was a young journalist, wrote some of the advertisement poems for Warren's Blacking <sp
226an id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#slater-charles-dickens">Slater, 2009, p. 36</a>)</span>.</p> 227 228<a href="images/warrens-blacking-ad-large.jpg"><img src="images/warrens-blacking-ad-small.jpg" width="220" height="212" alt="Warren's Blacking Ad 1832"/></a> 229 230 231<br /><br /> 232 233<!-- Google Adsense RightSidebar added 10/18/15 -->
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242 243 244<noscript>Your browser does not support JavaScript!</noscript> 245 246<br /><br /> 247 248<!--Dickens life --> 249 250<div class="box01" id="life"> 251 <span class="smallheader">Charles Dickens' life during the serialization of <em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em></span><br />Apr 1840 - Feb 1841 252 <hr /> 253 254 <p>Dickens' age: 28-29</p> 255 256 <p><strong>April 1840</strong></p> 257 258 <p><strong>July 1840</strong></p> 259 260 <p>Travels by train to Devon to visit his parents in the house he bought for them principally to get <a href="charles-dickens-family-friends.html#John_Dickens">his father</a> out of London, where his constant borrowing was an embarrassment to Dickens <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#slater-charles-dickens">Slater, 2009, p. 155</a>)</span>.</p> 261 262 <p><strong>August 1840</strong></p> 263 264 <p>Visits Bevis Marks, in the city, to look for a house for <a href="dickens-characters-a-b.html#brass-sampson">Sampson Brass</a>, a character in <em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em> <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#pilgrim2">Letters, 1969, v. 2, p. 118</a>)</span>.</p> 265 266 <p><strong>January 1841</strong></p> 267 268 <p>Begins again writing <a href="charles-dickens-barnaby-rudge.html"><em>Barnaby Rudge</em></a>, which he started and then gave up, in January 1839 <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#schlicke-companion">Schlicke, 1999, p. 29</a>)</span>.</p> 269 270 <p><strong>February 1841</strong></p> 271 272 <p>Son <a href="charles-dickens-family-friends.html#walter-dickens">Walter Savage Landor Dickens</a> born <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#slater-charles-dickens">Slater, 2009, p. 162</a>)</span>.</p> 273 274</div> 275 276<br /><br /> 277 278<!--My Mother --> 279 280<h3 id="my-mother">My Mother</h3> 281 282<p><img src="images/ann-taylor.jpg" width="100" height="155" alt="Ann Taylor" class="fltlft" />One of the quotations used by the loquacious Dick Swiveller, in this case referring to Kit's mother, is "<em>Who ran to catch me when I fell, and kissed the place to make it well? My Mother</em>" <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#oxford-ocs"><em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em>, p. 289</a>)</span>.</p> 283 284<p>This is from the popular poem <em>My Mother</em> by Ann Taylor (1782-1866). Ann's sister Jane (1783-1824) wrote <em>Twinkle Twinkle Little Star</em>.</p> 285 286<h3>My Mother</h3> 287 288<p class="caption2"> 289Who fed me from her gentle breast,<br /> 290And hushed me in her arms to rest,<br /> 291And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?<br /> 292My Mother.<br /><br /> 293 294When pain and sickness made me cry,<br /> 295Who gazed upon my heavy eye,<br /> 296And wept, for fear that I should die?<br /> 297My Mother.<br /><br /> 298 299Who dressed my doll in clothes so gay,<br /> 300And fondly taught me how to play,<br /> 301And minded all I had to say?<br /> 302My Mother.<br /><br /> 303 304Who ran to help me when I fell,<br /> 305And would some pretty story tell,<br /> 306Or kiss the place to make it well?<br /> 307My Mother.<br /><br /> 308 309And can I ever cease to be<br /> 310Affectionate and kind to thee,<br /> 311Who was so very kind to me?<br /> 312My Mother.<br /><br /> 313 314- Ann Taylor</p> 315 316<br /><br /> 317 318<img src="images/spacer.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt="formatting graphic" /> 319<!-- end right column --></div> 320 321 322 323<!-- Begin#mainContent --> 324 325<div id="mainContent"> 326 327<div class="boxLevel2Background"> 328 329<h1 id="page-title">Charles Dickens'<br /><br />The Old Curiosity Shop</h1> 330</div> 331 332<h2 id="page-tagline" style="line-height: 1.2;">The Old Curiosity Shop - A Tale</h2> 333 334<p><strong>The Old Curiosity Shop</a></strong> - Published in weekly parts Apr 1840 - Feb 1841</p> 335 336<!-- anchorList Navigation --> 337 338<p><div id="anchorList"> 339<ul itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/SiteNavigationElement"> 340 341<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="illustrations-curiosity-shop.html">Illustrations</a></li> | 342<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="locations-by-novel.html#loc-curiosityshop">Locations</a></li> | 343<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="#char" target="_self">Characters</a></li> 344<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="https://amzn.to/37wOVi7">Shop for the Book</a></li> | 345<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="https://amzn.to/2XDdaGQ">Shop for the Video</a></li> 346</ul> 347</div></p> 348 349<p><div class="boxImage175Left"><a href="images/nell-and-grandfather-copping-lg.jpg"><img src="images/nell-and-grandfather-copping.jpg" width="175" height="207" border="0" alt="Nell and her Grandfather by Harold Copping" /></a><br />Nell and her grandfather by Harold Copping</div>Charles Dickens' fourth novel was illustrated by <a href="charles-dickens-illustrations.html#cattermole">George Cattermole</a> and <a href="charles-dickens-family-friends.html#phiz" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' illustrator Hablot K Browne (Phiz)">Phiz</a>, with a single illustration each from <a href="charles-dickens-illustrations.html#williams">Samuel Williams</a> and <a href="charles-dickens-illustrations.html#maclise">Daniel Maclise</a>.</p> 350 351<p>This installment novel, published in <a href="charles-dickens-journalism.html#clock"><em>Master Humphrey's Clock</em></a>
351, was so popular that its weekly sales rose to a hundred thousand <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#patten-publishers">Patten, 1978, p. 110</a>)</span>. It tells the story of <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#trent-nell">Nell Trent</a> and <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#nells-grandfather">her grandfather</a> as they wander the English countryside, northwest of London, trying to evade <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#quilp">Daniel Quilp</a>, probably Dickens' most evil villain. Nell's grandfather has borrowed money from Quilp to support a gambling habit and has lost everything, including the curiosity shop.</p> 352 353<p>The tale is richly populated with the interesting and bizarre cast of characters Nell and her grandfather meet along their journey.</p> 354 355<!--Google Ad--> 356<div class="adFloat"> 357
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365 366 </div> 367<!--Close Google Ad--> 368 369<p>As the conclusion of the story neared Nell is exhausted from the travel and lack of food. Dickens was inundated with letters begging him to spare Nell's life <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#slater-charles-dickens">Slater, 2009, p. 158</a>)</span>. Dickens confided to <a href="charles-dickens-illustrations.html#cattermole">George Cattermole</a>, one of the illustrators of the book, that "<em>I am breaking my heart over this story</em>" <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#ackroyd-dickens">Ackroyd, 1990, p. 318</a>)</span>.</p> 370 371<p>With the final installment arriving by ship, crowds in New York shouted from the pier "<em>Is Little Nell dead?</em>" <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#ackroyd-dickens">Ackroyd, 1990, p. 319</a>)</span></p> 372 373<br /><br /> 374 375<!--Master Humphrey's Clock--> 376 377<h3 id="master-humphreys-clock">Master Humphrey's Clock</h3> 378 379<p><img src="images/master-humphreys-clock-small.jpg" width="144" height="222" alt="Master Humphrey's Clock" class="fltlft" />Dickens began the serialization of <em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em> in his weekly miscellany <a href="charles-dickens-journalism.html#clock"><em>Master Humphrey's Clock</em></a>, the plan being to continue the tale from time to time amidst other articles as the mood took him. The story, however, captured the imagination of both Dickens and his readers and soon took over the entire publication. Dickens, feeling rather cramped within the confines of the <em>Clock</em>, allowed the story to burst out beginning with chapter four <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#slater-charles-dickens">Slater, 2009, p. 152</a>)</span>. Thus, at the end of chapter three, he has Master Humphrey, heretofore acting as narrator, inform the readers:</p> 380 381<p><em>And now that I have carried this history so far in my own character and introduced these personages to the reader, I shall for the convenience of the narrative detach myself from its further course, and leave those who have prominent and necessary parts in it to speak and act for themselves</em> <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#oxford-ocs"><em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em>, p. 28</a>)</span>.</p> 382 383<p>In the original serialization of the novel the grandfather's brother, the <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#simmons-henrietta">single gentleman</a>, turns out to be none other than Master Humphrey himself.</p> 384 385 386 <h3 id="char">Complete List of Characters:</h3> 387 <span class="caution">Character descriptions contain spoilers</span><br /> 388 389<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="0" width="525"> 390 <tr> 391 <td width="140" valign="top"> 392 393 <a href="dickens-characters-a-b.html#bachelor">Bachelor, The</a><br /> 394 <a href="dickens-characters-a-b.html#barbara">Barbara</a><br /> 395 <a href="dickens-characters-a-b.html#bobby">Bobby, Lord</a><br /> 396 <a href="dickens-characters-a-b.html#brass-sally">Brass, Sally</a><br /> 397 <a href="dickens-characters-a-b.html#brass-sampson">Brass, Sampson</a><br /> 398 <a href="dickens-characters-a-b.html#brown5">Brown, Mr</a><br /> 399 <a href="dickens-characters-c-d.html#cheggs-alick">Cheggs, Alick</a><br /> 400 <a href="dickens-characters-c-d.html#cheggs-miss">Cheggs, Miss</a><br /> 401 <a href="dickens-characters-c-d.html#chuckster">Chuckster, Mr</a><br /> 402 <a href="dickens-characters-c-d.html#codlin">Codlin, Tommy</a><br /> 403 <a href="dickens-characters-c-d.html#david2">David</a><br /> 404 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#edwards-miss">Edwards, Miss</a><br /> 405 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#evans-richard">Evans, Richard</a><br /> 406 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#foxey">Foxey, Old</a><br /> 407 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#garland-abel">Garland, Abel</a><br /> 408 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#garland-mr">Garland, Mr</a><br /> 409 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#garland-mrs">Garland, Mrs</a><br /> 410 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#george6">George</a><br /> 411 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#george-mrs">George, Mrs</a><br /> 412 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#green-mrs">Green, Mrs</a><br /> 413 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#grinder">
413Grinder, Mr</a><br /> 414 415 </td><td width="185" valign="top"> 416 417 <a href="dickens-characters-e-g.html#groves"> Groves, James (Jem)</a><br /> 418 <a href="dickens-characters-h-k.html#harry3">Harry</a><br /> 419 <a href="dickens-characters-h-k.html#jarley">Jarley, Mrs</a><br /> 420 <a href="dickens-characters-h-k.html#jerry">Jerry</a><br /> 421 <a href="dickens-characters-h-k.html#jiniwin">Jiniwin, Mrs</a><br /> 422 <a href="dickens-characters-h-k.html#jowl">Jowl, Joe</a><br /> 423 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#list">List, Isaac</a><br /> 424 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#marchioness">Marchioness, The</a><br /> 425 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#marton">Marton, Mr</a><br /> 426 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#mat">Mat</a><br /> 427 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#maunders">Maunders</a><br /> 428 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#mizzler">Mizzler, Marquis of</a><br /> 429 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#monflathers">Monflathers, Miss</a><br /> 430 <a href="dickens-characters-l-m.html#morgan">Morgan, Becky</a><br /> 431 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#nells-grandfather">Nell's Grandfather</a><br /> 432 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#nubbles">Nubbles, Christopher (Kit)</a><br /> 433 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#nubbles-jacob">Nubbles, Jacob</a><br /> 434 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#nubbles-mrs">Nubbles, Mrs</a><br /> 435 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#owen">Owen, John</a><br /> 436 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#packlemerton">Packlemerton, Jasper</a><br /> 437 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#quilp-betsy">Quilp, Betsy</a><br /> 438 <a href="dickens-characters-n-q.html#quilp">Quilp, Daniel</a><br /> 439 440 </td><td width="200" valign="top"> 441 442 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#scott-tom">Scott, Tom</a><br /> 443 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#short">Short (Short Trotter, Harris)</a><br /> 444 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#short">Simmons, Henrietta</a><br /> 445 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#simmons-henrietta">Single Gentleman, The</a><br /> 446 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#slum">Slum, Mr</a><br /> 447 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#stetta">Stetta, Violetta</a><br /> 448 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#swiveller-rebecca">Swiveller, Rebecca</a><br /> 449 <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#swiveller">Swiveller, Richard (Dick)</a><br /> 450 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#thigsberry">Thigsberry, Duke of</a><br /> 451 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#tomkinley">Tomkinley, Mr</a><br /> 452 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#trent-fred">Trent, Frederick</a><br /> 453 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#trent-nell">Trent, Nell</a><br /> 454 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#vuffin">Vuffin, Mr</a><br /> 455 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#wackles-jane">Wackles, Jane</a><br /> 456 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#wackles-melissa">Wackles, Melissa</a><br /> 457 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#wackles-mrs">Wackles, Mrs</a><br /> 458 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#wackles">Wackles, Sophy</a><br /> 459 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#west">West, Dame</a><br /> 460 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#william-sweet">William, Sweet</a><br /> 461 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#witherden">Witherden, Mr</a><br /> 462 <a href="dickens-characters-t-z.html#withers-old-luke">Withers, Old Luke</a><br /> 463 464 </td></tr></table> 465 466<h3>Old Curiosity Shop Links:</h3> 467 468<a href="http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/curiosityshopov.html" target="_blank">The Victorian Web</a><br /> 469<a href="http://www.bartleby.com/223/1006.html" target="_blank">Bartleby.com</a><br /> 470<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Curiosity_Shop" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a><br /> 471Herb Moskovitz's excellent article <a href="punch-and-dickens.html"><em>Punch and Dickens</em></a><br /> 472 473<!--Back to top--> 474<p align="right"><a href="#top">Back to Top <img src="images/up-arrow.gif" width="17" height="9" border="0" alt="Up Arrow" /></a></p><br /> 475 476<!--The Old Curiosity Shop on Portsmouth Street--> 477 478<div class="box05a"> 479 480<h3>The Old Curiosity Shop-Holborn</h3> 481 482<p><img src="images/curiosity-shop-london-sm.jpg" alt="Curiosity Shop" width="200" height="150" border="0" class="fltlft" /></p> 483 484<p>The Old Curiosity Shop on Portsmouth Street in Holborn, dating from 1567 and said to be constructed from salvaged ship wood, survived both the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the Blitz during World War II. It is erroneously thought to be the inspiration for the shop in the novel although evidence seems to show that the name was changed after the book was published <span id="citation">(<a href="https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/charles-dickens-museum/the-old-curiosity-shop-a-genuine-fake-by-lee-jackson" target="_blank">
484Charles Dickens Museum</a>)</span>.</p> 485 486</div> 487 488<!--Mapping Little Nell's Journey--> 489 490<h3 id="map-nells-journey">Mapping Little Nell's Journey</h3> 491 492<a href="nells-journey.html"><img src="images/mapping-the-route.jpg" width="500" height="122" alt="Mapping Little Nell's Journey"/></a> 493 494<p class="caption"><a href="nells-journey.html">Explore a map</a> of the probable route along with some evidence to support it.</p> 495 496<br /> 497 498<!--Pain No Longer--> 499 500<h3 id="pain">Pain no longer?</h3> 501 502<p>The inspiration for Nell is believed to be Charles Dickens' sister-in-law, Mary Hogarth. Dickens was devoted to his wife's younger sister and when she died suddenly in 1837 at the age of 17 he was devastated. He took a ring from Mary's finger and wore it the rest of his life, he also said that he wanted to be buried in the same grave as Mary.</p> 503 504<p>However, several passages in <em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em> perhaps reveal a coming-to-terms with the loss of Mary three years earlier. In chapter 17 the old woman visiting the grave of her husband who died a young man tells Nell that early in her grief she came there to cry and mourn and hoped to die too but that now it is "pain no longer, but a solemn pleasure" to visit the grave.</p> 505 506<p><a href="illustrations-web/The-Old-Curiosity-Shop/The-Old-Curiosity-Shop-54.jpg"><img src="images/nell-pain-no-longer.jpg" alt="Nell and her grandfather among the graves" width="224" height="148" hspace="10" border="0" class="fltrt" /></a> 507In chapter 26, as Nell is visiting the graves of children in the churchyard, the narrator says that she did not sufficiently consider to what a bright and happy existence those who die young are borne, and how in death they lose the pain of seeing others die around them.</p> 508 509<p>In chapter 54, as Nell laments the uncared-for graves in the churchyard, the sexton tells her that at first the graves are tended every day by "tender, loving friends" but later the tending falls to once a week, then once a month, and later not at all. As Nell says she grieves to hear it, the old man says that on the contrary, he takes it as a good sign for the happiness of the living.</p> 510 511<p>Later in chapter 54 Nell is speaking with the schoolmaster in the neglected churchyard and says she "grieves to think that those who die about us are so soon forgotten" he tells her that the unvisited graves are the inspiration of good actions and good thoughts of those who remember the dead and have chosen to go on living.</p> 512 513<p align="center">
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521</p> 522 523<!--Back to top--> 524<p align="right"><a href="#top">Back to Top <img src="images/up-arrow.gif" width="17" height="9" border="0" alt="Up Arrow" /></a></p> 525 526<!--Deathbed of Little Nell--> 527 528<h3>Deathbed of Little Nell</h3> 529 530<p>Charles Dickens' instructions to George Cattermole for the illustration <em>The Death-Bed of Little Nell</em>:</p> 531 532<p><div class="boxImage300Left"><a href="illustrations-web/The-Old-Curiosity-Shop/The-Old-Curiosity-Shop-71.jpg"><img src="images/Cattermole-death-bed-of-little-nell.jpg" alt="Cattermole - The Deathbed of Little Nell" border="0" /></a><br />The Deathbed of Little Nell by George Cattermole</div> "<em>The child lying dead in the little sleeping room, which is behind the open screen. It is winter-time, so there are no flowers; but upon her breast and pillow, and about her bed, there may be strips of holly and berries, and such free green things. Window overgrown with ivy. The little boy who had that talk with her about angels may be by the bedside, if you like it so; but I think it will be quieter and more peaceful if she is alone. I want it to express the most beautiful repose and tranquility, and to have something of a happy look, if death can...I am breaking my heart over this story, and cannot bear to finish it</em>" <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#pilgrim2">Letters, 1969, v. 2, p. 171-172</a>)</span>.</p> 533 534 535 536<!--Thomas Moore--> 537 538<h3 id="thomas-moore">Thomas Moore</h3> 539 540<p><div class="boxImage100Left"><img src="images/thomas-moore.jpg" width="100" height="159" alt="Thomas Moore" class="fltlft" />Thomas Moore</div> Charles Dickens loved to quote or allude to popular songs and poems in his work. These are easy to miss today but would have been easily spotted by Victorian readers. In an article entitled <em>Charles Dickens and Thomas Moore</em> by Donal O'Sullivan (1948) O'Sullivan counts five such poems or songs from Robert Burns alluded to or quoted in Dickens, five from John Gay, and several poets responsible for one or two. But far and away the poet that Dickens quoted the most, with more than thirty, was Irish poet Thomas Moore (1779-1852). Among Dickens' characters who quote Moore none are more prolific than <a href="dickens-characters-r-s.html#swiveller">Richard Swiveller</a> from <em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em>.</p> 541 542<p>O'Sullivan gives the following example of Swiveller quoting from Moore's <strong><em>Holy Be the Pilgrim's Sleep:</em></strong></p> 543 544<p>In chapter 65 Dick Swiveller, recovering from brain fever, is being tenderly nursed by the faithful little Marchioness, who has run away from Sampson Brass's: <em>Having eaten and drunk to Mr. Swiveller's extreme contentment, given him his drink, and put everything in neat order, she wrapped herself in an old coverlet and lay down upon the rug before the fire. Mr. Swiveller was by that time murmuring in his sleep, <strong>'Strew then, oh strew a bed of rushes. Here will we stay, till morning blushes.</strong> Good night, Marchioness!'</em> <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#oxford-ocs"><em>The Old Curiosity Shop</em>, p. 488</a>)</span></p> 545 546<p>As a testament to Dickens' love of Thomas Moore, Peter Ackroyd reports in his biography, <em>Dickens</em>, that in order to protect his voice during the 1858 reading tour, Dickens "<em>dosed himself regularly with barley water and mustard poultices</em>" and sang Moore's <em>Irish Melodies</em> as he walked along <span id="citation">(<a href="bibliography.html#ackroyd-dickens">Ackroyd, 1990, p. 836</a>)</span>.</p> 547 548 549<!--Back to top--> 550<p align="right"><a href="#top">Back to Top <img src="images/up-arrow.gif" width="17" height="9" border="0" alt="Up Arrow" /></a></p> 551 552<!-- text navigator --> 553 554<hr /> 555 556<div align="center"> 557<div id="anchorList"> 558<ul itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/SiteNavigationElement"> 559<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-sketches-by-boz.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' book Sketches by Boz">Sketches by Boz</a></li> | 560<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-pickwick-papers.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel The Pickwick Papers">Pickwick</a></li> | 561<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-oliver-twist.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist">Oliver Twist</a></li> | 562<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-nicholas-nickleby.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Nicholas Nickleby">Nickleby</a></li> | 563<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-old-curiosity-shop.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel The Old Curiosity Shop">Old Curiosity Shop</a></li> | 564<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-barnaby-rudge.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Barnaby Rudge">Barnaby Rudge</a></li> | 565<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-martin-chuzzlewit.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Martin Chuzzlewit">Chuzzlewit</a></li> | 566<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-a-christmas-carol.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' Christmas book A Christmas Carol">Christmas Carol</a></li> | 567<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-christmas-books.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' Christmas Books">Christmas Books</a></li> | 568<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-american-notes.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' travel book American Notes">American Notes</a></li> | 569<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-pictures-from-italy.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' travel book Pictures from Italy">Pictures from Italy</a></li> | 570<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-dombey-and-son.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Dombey and Son">Dombey and Son</a></li> | 571<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-david-copperfield.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel David Copperfield">Copperfield</a></li> | 572<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-bleak-house.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Bleak House">
572Bleak House</a></li> | 573<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-hard-times.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times">Hard Times</a></li> | 574<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-little-dorrit.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Little Dorrit">Little Dorrit</a></li> | 575<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-a-tale-of-two-cities.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities">Tale of Two Cities</a></li> | 576<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-great-expectations.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations">Great Expectations</a></li> | 577<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-our-mutual-friend.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel Our Mutual Friend">Our Mutual Friend</a></li> | 578<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-the-mystery-of-edwin-drood.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood">Edwin Drood</a></li> | 579<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-minor-works.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' minor works">Minor Works</a></li> | 580<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-the-uncommercial-traveller.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' book The Uncommercial Traveller">The Uncommercial Traveller</a></li> | 581<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-reprinted-pieces.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' Reprinted Pieces">Reprinted Pieces</a></li> | 582<li itemprop="name"><a itemprop="url" href="charles-dickens-short-stories.html" title="Learn about Charles Dickens' Short Stories">Short Stories</a></li><br /> 583</ul> 584</div> 585</div> 586 587<!-- end #mainContent --></div> 588 589<!-- This clearing element should immediately follow the #mainContent div in order to force the #container div to contain all child floats --><br class="clearfloat" /> 590 <hr width="97%" size="1" /> 591 592<div class="box15"> 593<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><strong>Affiliate Links Disclosure</strong><br /> 594 595The Charles Dickens Page is a member of affiliate programs at Amazon and Zazzle. This means that there are links that take users to sites where products that we recommend are offered for sale. If purchases are made on these sites The Charles Dickens Page receives a small commission.</p> 596</div> 597 598<hr width="97%" size="1" /> 599 600<!--footer --> 601 602<div class="footer"> 603<img src="images/dap-designs-small.jpg" alt="dap designs copyright © David A. Perdue" width="146" height="75" class="fltrt" /> 604 605<p>Copyright © 1997-
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