"Ah! I don't mind 'your' pinching," grinned Jonas, "A bit." (1872). — Twenty-sixth illustration by Fred Barnard for Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit (Chapter XX), page 169. [Jonas, courting both the Pecksniff girls at once, plays off Mercy against Charity, utilising sibling rivalry advance his marital prospects and financial interests, for he has already elicited Pecksniff's promise of a dowry of four thousand pounds.] 9.4 cm x 13.8 cm, or 3 ¾ high by 5 ½ inches, framed, engraved by the Dalziels. Running head: "Mr. Jonas Becomes Boyant," 169. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Passage Illustrated: After Anthony Chuzzlewit's Funeral
"Upon my word, Merry," urged that young lady, "I wonder at you! There are bounds even to absurdity, my dear."
"Thank you, my sweet," said Merry, pursing up her rosy Lips. "Much obliged to it for its advice. Oh! do leave me alone, you monster, do!" This entreaty was wrung from her by a new proceeding on the part of Mr Jonas, who pulled her down, all breathless as she was, into a seat beside him on the sofa, having at the same time Miss Cherry upon the other side.
"Now," said Jonas, clasping the waist of each; "I have got both arms full, haven’t I?"
"One of them will be black and blue to-morrow, if you don’t let me go," cried the playful Merry.
"Ah! I don’t mind your pinching," grinned Jonas, "a bit."
"Pinch him for me, Cherry, pray," said Mercy. "I never did hate anybody so much as I hate this creature, I declare!"
"No, no, don’t say that," urged Jonas, "and don’t pinch either, because I want to be serious. I say — Cousin Charity —"
"Well! what?" she answered sharply.
"I want to have some sober talk," said Jonas; "I want to prevent any mistakes, you know, and to put everything upon a pleasant understanding. That’s desirable and proper, ain’t it?" [Chapter XX, "Is a Chapter of Love," pp. 171-172. Running head: "The Other One — and the Other One," 171]
Commentary
After the funeral of his parsimonious father, Anthony, the villainous Jonas Chuzzlewit is a wealthy bachelor. Part of the attraction of the Pecksniff sisters is that, on his way down to Wiltshire, Jonas has extracted a promise from their father of a dowry of four thousand pounds. Choosing the more difficult daughter, the headstrong Merry (Mercy) after this courting scene in which Barnard makes Jonas look like a taller version of the hideous dwarf Dan'l Quilp in The Old Curiosity Shop, Jonas demands an extra thousand pounds from Pecksniff in Chapter XX, "Is a Chapter of Love." In the Barnard illustration, neither Pecksniff sister (whom Barnard distinguishes by the comeliness of the one to the right and the plainness of the one to the left) seems inclined to accept Jonas's advances.
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Bentley, Nicolas, Michael Slater, and Nina Burgis. The Dickens Index. New York and Oxford: Oxford U. P., 1990.
Dickens, Charles. The Dickens Souvenir Book. Household Edition. London: Chapman and Hall, 1871-1880. The copy of The Dickens Souvenir Book from which these pictures were scanned is in the collection of the Main Library of The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C.
Dickens, Charles. The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit. Illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne. London: Chapman and Hall, 1844.
_____. Martin Chuzzlewit. Works of Charles Dickens. Household Edition. 55 vols. Illustrated by F. O. C. Darley and John Gilbert. New York: Sheldon and Co., 1863. Vol. 2 of 4.
_____. Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit. Illustrated by Fred Barnard. Household Edition. 22 vols. London: Chapman and Hall, 1872. Vol. 2.
_____. Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit. Illustrated Sterling Edition. Illustrated by Hablot K. Browne and Frederick Barnard. Boston: Dana Estes, n. d. [1890s]
_____. Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. The Charles Dickens Library Edition. 18 vols. London: Educational Book, 1910. Vol. 7.
Steig, Michael. "From Caricature to Progress: Master Humphrey's Clock and Martin Chuzzlewit." Ch. 3, Dickens and Phiz. Bloomington & London: Indiana U.P., 1978. Pp. 51-85. [See e-text in Victorian Web.]
Steig, Michael. "Martin Chuzzlewit's Progress by Dickens and Phiz." Dickens Studies Annual 2 (1972): 119-149.
31 January 2008
Last modified 21 November 2024