Charles Dickens and Music Part 8

early riser, musical, cla.s.sical, cheerful, kind, good-natured, social, contented, and boy-like.

What a contrast to the Stiggins and Chadband type! He is a member of the 'Alternate Musical Wednesdays' Society, and amongst his lesser duties is that of corrector-in-chief of the un-Dean-like English of the cathedral verger.

It is Mr. Crisparkle's custom to sit up last of the early household, very softly touching his piano and practising his parts in concerted vocal music.

Over a closet in his dining-room, where occasional refreshments were kept,

a portrait of Handel in a flowing wig beamed down at the spectator, with a knowing air of being up to the contents of the closet, and a musical air of intending to combine all its harmonies in one delicious fugue.

The Minor Canon is a warm admirer of Jasper's musical talents, and on one occasion in particular is much impressed with his singing.

I must thank you, Jasper, for the pleasure with which I have heard you to-day. Beautiful! Delightful!

And thus we are introduced to the other musician, whose position at Cloisterham Cathedral is almost as much a mystery as that of Edwin Drood himself. He was the lay precentor or lay clerk, and he was also a good choirmaster. It is unnecessary to criticize or examine too closely the exact position that Jasper held. In answer to a question on this subject, Mr. B. Luard-Selby, the present organist of Rochester Cathedral, writes thus:

We have never had in the choir of Rochester Cathedral such a musical functionary as d.i.c.kens describes in _The Mystery of Edwin Drood_. The only person approaching Jasper in the choir is one of the lay clerks who looks after the music, but who of course has nothing to do with _setting_ the music for the month. I don't think d.i.c.kens had much idea of church order or of cathedral wors.h.i.+p, though he may have gone over the cathedral with a verger on occasions. The music of a cathedral is always in the hands of the precentor, a.s.sisted by the organist.

It is Edwin Drood himself who says that Jasper was lay precentor or lay clerk at the cathedral. He had a great reputation as a choir-trainer and teacher of music, but he is already weary of his position and takes little notice of words of eulogy. He was well acquainted with the old melodies, and on one occasion we find him sitting at the piano singing brave songs to Mr. Sapsea.

No kickshaw ditties, favourites with national enemies, but ... genuine George the Third home brewed, exhorting him (as 'my brave boys') to reduce to a smashed condition all other islands but this island, and all continents, peninsulas, isthmuses, promontories, and other geographical forms of land soever, besides sweeping the sea in all directions. In short he rendered it pretty clear that Providence made a distinct mistake in originating so small a nation of hearts of oak, and so many other verminous peoples.

We have a different picture of him on another occasion, as he sits 'chanting choir music in a low and beautiful voice, for two or three hours'--a somewhat unusual exercise even for the most enthusiastic choirmaster. But this was before the strange journey with Durdles, and we can only guess at the weird thoughts which were pa.s.sing through the musician's mind as he sat in his lonely room.

We have only a brief reference to the choir of Cloisterham Cathedral. Towards the end we read of them 'struggling into their nightgowns' before the service, while they subsequently are 'as much in a hurry to get their bedgowns off as they were but now to get them on'--and these were almost the last words that came from the Master's pen.

_Anthems_

There is an interesting reference to anthems in connexion with the Foundling Hospital,[15] an inst.i.tution which d.i.c.kens mentions several times. Mr. Wilding (_N.T._), after he had been pumped on by his lawyer in order to clear his head, names the composers of the anthems he had been accustomed to sing at the Foundling.

Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Kent, Purcell, Doctor Arne, Greene, Mendelssohn. I know the choruses to those anthems by heart. Foundling Chapel collection.

Mr. Wilding had a scheme of forming his household retainers and dependents into a singing-cla.s.s in the warehouse, and a choir in the neighbouring church. Only one member, Joey Ladle, refused to join, for fear he should 'muddle the 'armony,'

and his remark that

Handel must have been down in some of them foreign cellars pretty much for to go and say the same thing so many times over

is certainly not lacking in originality.

_Hymns and Hymn-Tunes_

There are many purists in church music who object to adaptations of any kind, and we do not know what their feelings are on reading the account of the meeting of the Brick Lane Branch of the United Grand Junction Ebenezer Temperance a.s.sociation. In order to vary the proceedings Mr. Anthony Humm announced that

Brother Mordlin had adapted the beautiful words of 'Who hasn't heard of a Jolly Young Waterman' to the tune of the Old Hundredth, which he would request them to join in singing. (Great applause.) And so the song commenced, the chairman giving out two lines at a time, in proper orthodox fas.h.i.+on.

It was this air that Mr. Jerry's dog, as already related, ground out of the barrel-organ, but, besides this particular melody, we do not find that d.i.c.kens mentions any other hymn-tune. The hymns referred to are rather more in number. In _The Wreck of the Golden Mary_ Mrs. Atherfield sang Little Lucy to sleep with the Evening Hymn. There is a veiled reference to Ken's Morning Hymn in _O.C.S._, where Sampson Bra.s.s says:

'Here we are, Mr. Richard, rising with the sun to run our little course--our course of duty, sir.'

Dr. Watts makes several appearances, d.i.c.kens made the acquaintance of this noted hymnist in early youth (see p. 7), and makes good use of his knowledge. In _The Cricket on the Hearth_ Mrs. Peerybingle asks John if he ever learnt 'How doth the little' when he went to school. 'Not to quite know it,' John returned. 'I was very near it once.' Another of the Doctor's hymns is suggested by the behaviour of the Young Tetterbys (_H.M._).

The contentions between the Tetterbys' children for the milk and water jug, common to all, which stood upon the table, presented so lamentable an instance of angry pa.s.sions risen very high indeed, that it was an outrage on the memory of Dr. Watts.

The pages of history abound with instances of misguided amateurs who have amended the hymns (and tunes) of others in order to bring them into their way of thinking, and a prominent place in their ranks must be a.s.signed to Miss Monflathers (_O.C.S._), who managed to parody the good Doctor's meaning to an alarming extent and to insist that

In books, or work or healthful play[16]

is only applicable to _genteel_ children, while all poor people's children, such as Little Nell, should spend their time.

In work, work, work. In work alway, Let my first years be pa.s.sed, That I may give for ev'ry day Some good account at last,

which is far from the good Doctor's meaning.

Dr. Strong, David Copperfield's second schoolmaster, was fond of quoting this great authority on mischief, but Mr. Wickfield suggests that Dr. Watts, had he known mankind well, would also have written 'Satan finds some mischief still for busy hands to do.'

Some years ago a question was raised in _Notes and Queries_ as to the ident.i.ty of the 'No. 4 Collection' of hymns which appeared to afford consolation to Job Trotter. No answer was vouchsafed, the fact being that the t.i.tle is a pure invention, and no such collection has ever existed. It is scarcely necessary to add that history is silent as to the ident.i.ty of the hymn-book which Uriah Heep was reading when David Copperfield and others visited him in prison.

We are indebted to d.i.c.kens for the introduction to the literary world of Adelaide Procter, many of whose sacred verses have found their way into our hymnals. The novelist wrote an introduction to her _Legends and Lyrics_, in which he tells the story of how, as editor of _Household Words_, he accepted verses sent him from time to time by a Miss Mary Berwick, and only discovered, some months later, that his contributor was the daughter of his friend Procter, who was known under the _nom de plume_ of Barry Cornwall.

There seems to be some difficulty in regard to the authors.h.i.+p of the hymn

Hear my prayer, O Heavenly Father, Ere I lay me down to sleep; Bid Thy angels, pure and holy, Round my bed their vigil keep.

It has already been pointed out (see _Choir_, February, 1912) that this hymn appeared in the Christmas number of _Household Words_ for 1856, in a story ent.i.tled _The Wreck of the Golden Mary_. The chief authorities on the works of d.i.c.kens claim it as his composition, and include it in his collected works. On the other hand, Miller, in his _Our Hymns_ (1866), states that Miss Harriet Parr informed him that the hymn, and the story of _Poor d.i.c.k_, in which it occurs, were both her own. We may add that when Dr. Allon applied for permission to include it in his new hymn-book d.i.c.kens referred him to the auth.o.r.ess.

Dr. Julian takes this as authoritative, and has no hesitation in ascribing the hymn to Miss Parr. On the other hand, Forster records in his _Life of d.i.c.kens_ that a clergyman, the Rev.

R.H. Davies, had been struck by this hymn when it appeared in _Household Words_, and wrote to thank him for it. 'I beg to thank you,' d.i.c.kens answered (Christmas Eve, 1856), 'for your very acceptable letter, not the less because I am myself the writer you refer to.' Here d.i.c.kens seems to claim the authors.h.i.+p, but it is possible he was referring to something else in the magazine when he wrote these words, and not to the hymn.

[14] d.i.c.kens frequently uses the word in this sense.

Tom Pinch says, 'I shall punish the Boar's Head tremendously.' It is also interesting to note that d.i.c.kens uses the phrase 'I don't think' in its modern slang meaning on at least two occasions. Tom Pinch remarks 'I'm a nice man, I don't think, as John used to say' (_M.C._ 6), and Sam Weller (_P.P._ 38) says to Mr. Winkle 'you're a amiably-disposed young man, sir, I don't think.' Mark Tapley uses the expression 'a pious fraud' (_M.C._ 13).

[15] 'Pet' (_L.D._ 2) was a frequent visitor to the Hospital.

[16] From the poem on _Industry_.

CHAPTER VI

SONGS AND SOME SINGERS

The numerous songs and vocal works referred to by d.i.c.kens in his novels and other writings furnish perhaps the most interesting, certainly the most instructive, branch of this subject. His knowledge of song and ballad literature was extraordinary, and he did not fail to make good use of it. Not only are the quotations always well chosen and to the point, but the use of them has greatly added to the interest of such characters as Swiveller, Micawber, Cuttle, and many others, all of whom are of a very musical turn of mind. These songs may be conveniently divided into three cla.s.ses, the first containing the national and popular airs of the eighteenth century, of which 'Rule Britannia' and 'Sally in our Alley'

are notable examples. Many of these are referred to in the following pages, while a full list will be found on pp. 135-163.