At last they made a halt at the opening of a lonely, desolate space, and, pointing to a black object at some distance, asked Will if he saw that, yonder. — Chap. iii, "Mr. Pickwick's Tale," for Dickens's Master Humphrey's Clock in the Household Edition, Vol. XX, facing p. 281, by Fred Barnard. 1872. Woodblock Engraving by Dalziels. Descriptive Headline: "On The Lookout for Witches" (281). Full-page illustration: 12.5 x 17.6 cm (4 ⅞ by 6 ⅜ inches), framed. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Passage Illustrated: Marks and His New-Found Kingston Acquaintances Approach the Gibbet
Harry Furniss's full-page lithograph focuses on the arrival of the tale-teller rather than on his story: Mr. Pickwick Examining the Clock. (1910).
The night was by this time dark and threatening. There was a rumbling of distant thunder, and a low sighing of wind among the trees, which was very dismal. The potentates of the town kept so uncommonly close to Will that they trod upon his toes, or stumbled against his ankles, or nearly tripped up his heels at every step he took, and, besides these annoyances, their teeth chattered so with fear, that he seemed to be accompanied by a dirge of castanets.
At last they made a halt at the opening of a lonely, desolate space, and, pointing to a black object at some distance, asked Will if he saw that, yonder. [Conclusion of Chapter One of "Mr. Pickwick's Tale," 281]
Commentary: An Atmospheric Scene at the Kingston-upon-Thames Gibbet
In contradiction to the humorous tone of the tale's genial narrator, Mr. Pickwick (who in the tale he has left Master Humphrey cannot help poking fun at the antics of the unsophisticated townsfolk), Barnard treats the scene as one of high drama (or melodrama) and suspense. The superstitious denizens of Kingston-upon-Thames have accompanied Will to the gibbet outside of town to resolve the mysterious sounds that have been emanating from the desolate spot recently. The people of the Thames-side town suspect witchcraft is the root cause of this nocturnal disturbance at the site of a public hanging. Will Marks's skepticism about witches and witchcraft is obvious. The pose and facial expression of the youth (centre right) suggest that he is the only member of the cowardly throng who is maintaining his equilibrium rather than giving himself over to witchcraft hysteria. Barnard has included a significant detail in his depiction of the gibbet, for, although the chains are hanging, no body depends from them — and yet the throng do not notice that the body has disappeared.
Relevant Illustrations from Other Editions for "Mr. Pickwick's Tale" (1840-1910)
Left: George Cattermole and Hablot Knight Browne offer three significant illustrations for "Mr. Pickwick's Tale" in Master Humphrey's Clock (1840). Centre: Harry Furniss focuses on Dickens's introduction of Mr. Pickwick to Master Humphrey's circle in Mr. Pickwick Examining the Clock (1910). Right: Cattermole's Will Marks reading the News concerning Witches (Ch. 1).
Left: W. H. C. Groome illustrates a dramatic moment in the tale as Will goes to London: Will seized a woman by the wrist (1907). Centre: Phiz's Will Marks takes up his position for the night (End of Ch. 1). Right: W. H. C. Groome illustrates a second dramatic moment in the London phase of the tale: They placed the coffin in the vault (1907).
Other Illustrated Editions of Master Humphrey's Clock
- George Cattermole's Original Serial Illustrations for Master Humphrey's Clock (April 1840)
- W. H. C. Groome's Illustrations for Master Humphrey's Clock (1907)
- Harry Furniss's Six Illustrations for Master Humphrey's Clock (1910)
Related Materials
- Dickens's The Old Curiosity Shop (homepage)
- The Old Curiosity Shop Illustrated: A Team Effort by "The Clock Works"
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. [Click on images to enlarge them.]
Bibliography
Barnard, Fred, et al. Scenes and Characters from the Works of Charles Dickens; being eight hundred and sixty-six drawings by Fred Barnard, Hablot K. Browne (Phiz), J. Mahoney [and others] printed from the original woodblocks engraved for "The Household Edition." London: Chapman & Hall, 1908.
Bentley, Nicolas, Michael Slater, and Nina Burgis. The Dickens Index. New York and Oxford: Oxford U. P., 1990.
Davis, Paul. "Master Humphrey's Clock." Charles Dickens A to Z: The Essential Reference to his Life and Work. New York: Facts On File, 1998. P. 238.
Dickens, Charles. Master Humphrey's Clock. Illustrated by George Cattermole and Hablot Knight Browne ('Phiz'). London: Chapman and Hall, 1840-41.
_______. Master Humphrey's Clock. The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Reprinted Pieces, and Other Stories. With thirty illustrations by L. Fildes, E. G. Dalziel, and F. Barnard. The Household Edition. London: Chapman and Hall, 1872. Vol. XX. Pp. 253-306.
_______. Master Humphrey's Clock and Pictures from Italy. Collins Pocket Editions. Illustrated by W. H. C. Groome. London and Glasgow: Collins Clear-type Press, 1907. Pp. 1-168.
_______. Barnaby Rudge and Master Humphrey's Clock. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. Charles Dickens Library Edition. Volume VI. London: Educational Book, 1910.
________. The Dickens Souvenir Book. London: Chapman & Hall, 1912.
Hammerton, J. A. The Dickens Picture Book: A Record of the Dickens Illustrators. "Ch. XIV. Master Humphrey's Clock." The Charles Dickens Library. London: Educational Book Co., 1910. Pp. 259-265.
Master Hum-
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