CHAPTER I
THE PICKWICKIANS
The first ray of light which illumines the gloom, and converts into adazzling brilliancy that obscurity in which the earlier history of thepublic career of the immortal Pickwick would appear to be involved, isderived from the perusal of the following entry in the Transactions ofthe Pickwick Club, which the editor of these papers feels the highestpleasure in laying before his readers, as a proof of the carefulattention, indefatigable assiduity, and nice discrimination, with whichhis search among the multifarious documents confided to him has beenconducted.
"May 12, 1827. Joseph Smiggers, Esq., P.V.P.M.P.C.,[1] presiding. Thefollowing resolutions unanimously agreed to:--
[1] Perpetual Vice-President--Member Pickwick Club.
"That this Association has heard read, with feelings of unmingledsatisfaction, and unqualified approval, the paper communicated bySamuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C.,[2] entitled 'Speculations on theSource of the Hampstead Ponds, with some Observations on the Theory ofTittlebats'; and that this Association does hereby return its warmestthanks to the said Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., for the same.
[2] General Chairman--Member Pickwick Club.
"That while this Association is deeply sensible of the advantageswhich must accrue to the cause of science from the production to whichthey have just adverted,--no less than from the unwearied researchesof Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., in Hornsey, Highgate, Brixton,and Camberwell,--they cannot but entertain a lively sense of theinestimable benefits which must inevitably result from carrying thespeculations of that learned man into a wider field, from extending histravels, and consequently enlarging his sphere of observation, to theadvancement of knowledge, and the diffusion of learning.
"That, with the view just mentioned, this Association has taken intoits serious consideration a proposal, emanating from the aforesaidSamuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., and three other Pickwickianshereinafter named, for forming a new branch of United Pickwickians,under the title of The Corresponding Society of the Pickwick Club.
"That the said proposal has received the sanction and approval of thisAssociation.
"That the Corresponding Society of the Pickwick Club is thereforehereby constituted; and that Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., TracyTupman, Esq., M.P.C., Augustus Snodgrass, Esq., M.P.C., and NathanielWinkle, Esq., M.P.C., are hereby nominated and appointed members ofthe same; and that they be requested to forward, from time to time,authenticated accounts of their journeys and investigations, of theirobservations of character and manners, and of the whole of theiradventures, together with all tales and papers to which local sceneryor associations may give rise, to the Pickwick Club, stationed inLondon.
"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 of theirletters, and the carriage of their parcels, has been deliberated uponby this Association: that this Association considers such proposalworthy of the great minds from which it emanated, and that it herebysignifies its perfect acquiescence therein."
A casual observer, adds the Secretary, to whose notes we are indebtedfor the following account--a casual observer might possibly haveremarked nothing extraordinary in the bald head, and circularspectacles, which were intently turned towards his (the Secretary's)face, during the reading of the above resolutions: to those who knewthat the gigantic brain of Pickwick was working beneath that forehead,and that the beaming eyes of Pickwick were twinkling behind thoseglasses, the sight was indeed an interesting one. There sat the man whohad traced to their source the mighty ponds of Hampstead, and agitatedthe scientific world with his Theory of Tittlebats, as calm and unmovedas the deep waters of the one on a frosty day, or as a solitaryspecimen of the other in the inmost recesses of an earthen jar. Andhow much more interesting did the spectacle become, when, startinginto full life and animation, as a simultaneous call for "Pickwick"burst from his followers, that illustrious man slowly mounted into theWindsor chair, on which he had been previously seated, and addressedthe club himself had founded. What a study for an artist did thatexciting scene present! The eloquent Pickwick, with one hand gracefullyconcealed behind his coat tails, and the other waving in air, to assisthis glowing declamation; his elevated position revealing those tightsand gaiters, which, had they clothed an ordinary man, might have passedwithout observation, but which, when Pickwick clothed them--if we mayuse the expression--inspired involuntary awe and respect; surroundedby the men who had volunteered to share the perils of his travels, andwho were destined to participate in the glories of his discoveries. Onhis right hand sat Mr. Tracy Tupman--the too susceptible Tupman, who tothe wisdom and experience of maturer years superadded the enthusiasmand ardour of a boy, in the most interesting and pardonable of humanweaknesses--love. Time and feeding had expanded that once romanticform; the black silk waistcoat had become more and more developed; inchby inch had the gold watch-chain beneath it disappeared from withinthe range of Tupman's vision; and gradually had the capacious chinencroached upon the borders of the white cravat: but the soul of Tupmanhad known no change--admiration of the fair sex was still its rulingpassion. On the left of his great leader sat the poetic Snodgrass, andnear him again the sporting Winkle, the former poetically envelopedin a mysterious blue cloak with a canine-skin collar, and the lattercommunicating additional lustre to a new green shooting coat, plaidneckerchief, and closely-fitted drabs.
Mr. Pickwick's oration upon this occasion, together with the debatethereon, is entered on the Transactions of the Club. Both bear a strongaffinity to the discussions of other celebrated bodies; and, as it isalways interesting to trace a resemblance between the proceedings ofgreat men, we transfer the entry to these pages.
"Mr. Pickwick observed (says the Secretary) that fame was dear to theheart of every man. Poetic fame was dear to the heart of his friendSnodgrass; the fame of conquest was equally dear to his friend Tupman;and the desire of earning fame in the sports of the field, the air,and the water, was uppermost in the breast of his friend Winkle. He(Mr. Pickwick) would not deny that he was influenced by human passions,and human feelings (cheers)--possibly by human weaknesses--(loudcries of 'No'); but this he would say, that if ever the fire ofself-importance broke out in his bosom, the desire to benefit the humanrace in preference effectually quenched it. The praise of mankindwas his Swing; philanthropy was his insurance office. (Vehementcheering.) He had felt some pride--he acknowledged it freely, andlet his enemies make the most of it--he had felt some pride when hepresented his Tittlebatian Theory to the world; it might be celebratedor it might not. (A cry of 'It is,' and great cheering.) He wouldtake the assertion of that honourable Pickwickian whose voice he hadjust heard--it was celebrated; but if the fame of that treatise wereto extend to the furthest confines of the known world, the pride withwhich he should reflect on the authorship of that production would beas nothing compared with the pride with which he looked around him,on this, the proudest moment of his existence. (Cheers.) He was ahumble individual. ('No, no.') Still he could not but feel that theyhad selected him for a service of great honour, and of some danger.Travelling was in a troubled state, and the minds of coachmen wereunsettled. Let them look abroad, and contemplate the scenes which wereenacting around them. Stage coaches were upsetting in all directions,horses were bolting, boats were overturning, and boilers were bursting.(Cheers--a voice 'No.') No! (Cheers.) Let that honourable Pickwickianwho cried 'No' so loudly come forward and deny it, if he could.(Cheers.) Who was it that cried 'No'? (Enthusiastic cheering.) Was itsome vain and disappointed man--he would not say haberdasher--(loudcheers)--who, jealous of the praise which had been--perhapsundeservedly--bestowed on his (Mr. Pickwick's) researches, and smartingunder
the censure which had been heaped upon his own feeble attempts atrivalry, now took 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,' 'Goon,' 'Leave off,' &c.)
"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.'sfalse and scurrilous accusation, with profound contempt. (Greatcheering.) The hon. gent. was a humbug. (Immense confusion, and loudcries of 'Chair' and 'Order.')
"Mr. +A. Snodgrass+ rose to order. He threw himself upon the chair.(Hear.) He wished to know whether this disgraceful contest between twomembers of that club should be allowed to continue. (Hear, hear.)
"The +Chairman+ was quite sure the hon. Pickwickian would withdraw theexpression he had just made use of.
"Mr. +Blotton+, with all possible respect for the chair, was quite surehe would not.
"The +Chairman+ felt it his imperative duty to demand of the honourablegentleman, whether he had used the expression which had just escapedhim in a common sense.
"Mr. +Blotton+ had no hesitation in saying that he had not--he hadused the word in its Pickwickian sense. (Hear, hear.) He was bound toacknowledge that, personally, he entertained the highest regard andesteem for the honourable gentleman; he had merely considered him ahumbug 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 intended to beara Pickwickian construction. (Cheers.)"
Here the entry terminates, as we have no doubt the debate did also,after arriving at such a highly satisfactory and intelligible point.We have no official statement of the facts which the reader will findrecorded in the next chapter, but they have been carefully collatedfrom letters and other MS. authorities, so unquestionably genuine as tojustify their narration in a connected form.