Mr. Snevellicci repeated the wink, and, drinking to Mrs. Lillyvick in dumb-show, actually blew her a kiss — Chap. XXX, p. 192, from the Household Edition of Charles Dickens's The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, illustrated by Fred Barnard with fifty-nine composite woodblock engravings (1875). 10.8 cm high by 13.8 cm wide (4 ¼ by 6 ½ inches), framed. Running head: "Self-sacrifice of Mr. Lenville" (193). [Click on the images to enlarge them.]
Passage Illustrated: Another Farcical Confrontation within the Company
Nicholas Hints at the Probability of His Leaving the Company (December 1838).
Thus Mr. Snevellicci had no sooner swallowed another glassful than he smiled upon all present in happy forgetfulness of having exhibited symptoms of pugnacity, and proposed "The ladies! Bless their hearts!" in a most vivacious manner.
"I love ‘em," said Mr. Snevellicci, looking round the table, "I love ‘em, every one."
"Not every one," reasoned Mr. Lillyvick, mildly.
"Yes, every one," repeated Mr. Snevellicci.
"That would include the married ladies, you know," said Mr. Lillyvick.
"I love them, too, sir," said Mr. Snevellicci.
"The collector looked into the surrounding faces with an aspect of grave astonishment, seeming to say, "This is a nice man!" and appeared a little surprised that Mrs. Lillyvick’s manner yielded no evidences of horror and indignation.
"One good turn deserves another," said Mr. Snevellicci. "I love them and they love me." And as if this avowal were not made in sufficient disregard and defiance of all moral obligations, what did Mr. Snevellicci do? He winked — winked openly and undisguisedly; winked with his right eye—upon Henrietta Lillyvick!
The collector fell back in his chair in the intensity of his astonishment. If anybody had winked at her as Henrietta Petowker, it would have been indecorous in the last degree; but as Mrs. Lillyvick! While he thought of it in a cold perspiration, and wondered whether it was possible that he could be dreaming, Mr. Snevellicci repeated the wink, and drinking to Mrs. Lillyvick in dumb show, actually blew her a kiss! Mr. Lillyvick left his chair, walked straight up to the other end of the table, and fell upon him — literally fell upon him — instantaneously. Mr. Lillyvick was no light weight, and consequently when he fell upon Mr. Snevellicci, Mr. Snevellicci fell under the table. Mr. Lillyvick followed him, and the ladies screamed. [Chapter XXX, "Festivities are held in honour of Nicholas, who suddenly withdraws himself from the Society of Mr. Vincent Crummles and his Theatrical Companions," 192]
Commentary: Lillyvick as a new husband upset by Snevellicci's advances
Theatrical Emotion of Mr. Vincent Crummles (Chapter 30: January 1839).
As a new husband, albeit a middle-aged bridegroom, Mr. Lillyvick is distressed by what he misinterprets as Snevellicci's romantic interest in his bride, the former Miss Petowker of Drury Lane. The veteran character actor and enactor of tertiary roles from childhood, having consumed rather too much alcohol (as is his wont) proposes a fulsome toast "to the ladies," which includes the recently married Mrs. Lillyvick. In fact, his toast is mere posturing, but he cannot resist the opportunity to upset the non-theatrical guest. Barnard enjoys the comic moment, depicting the ebullient actor making his winking toast and the uncomfortable husband seated. The scene is about to erupt in farcical violence, as the illustrator suggests by the indignant look the corpulent husband at the other end of the table casts upon the proposer of the toast. As in the text, Barnard's jealous husband "is no light weight." The detached observer of the scene, Nicholas Nickleby, has his back to the viewer: Barnard leaves the construction of the protagonist's expression up to the reader. Snevellicci's daughter, seated beside him, looks directly at the reader, so that her bemused expression may suggest her resignation when it comes to having to put up with her father's embarrassing behaviour when in his cups.
The scene that Phiz had chosen four decades earlier for this chapter marks Nicholas's departure from the company, and Crummles's hyperbolic farewell to the youth who has proven a favourite with local audiences, but who now feels he should check on the welfare of his mother and sister back in london. A secondary motivation for his leaving the acting company is the animosity of the tragedian and the pantomimist, who feel that the youth is stealing their "receptions," that is, their usual rounds of applause at the end of a play.
Related material, including front matter and sketches, by other illustrators
- Nicholas Nickleby (homepage)
- Phiz's 38 monthly illustrations for the novel, April 1838-October 1839.
- Cover for monthly parts
- Charles Dickens by Daniel Maclise, engraved by Finden
- "Hush!" said Nicholas, laying his hand upon his shoulder. (Vol. 1, 1861)
- The Rehearsal (Vol. 2, 1861)
- "My son, sir, little Wackford. What do you think of him, sir?" (Vol. 3, 1861)
- Newman had caught up by the nozzle an old pair of bellows . . . (Vol. 4, 1861).
- Sol Eytinge, Jr.'s 18 Illustrations for the Diamond Edition (1867)
- C. S. Reinhart's 52 Illustrations for the American Household Edition (1875)
- Harry Furniss's 29 illustrations for Nicholas Nickleby in the Charles Dickens Library Edition (1910)
- Kyd's four Player's Cigarette Cards (1910).
Scanned image, colour correction, sizing, caption, and commentary 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
Barnard, J. "Fred" (il.). Charles Dickens's Nicholas Nickleby, with fifty-eight illustrations. The Works of Charles Dickens: The Household Edition. 22 vols. London: Chapman and Hall, 1875. Volume 15. Rpt. 1890.
Bentley, Nicolas, Michael Slater, and Nina Burgis. The Dickens Index. Oxford and New York: Oxford U. P., 1988.
Davis, Paul. Charles Dickens A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Work. New York: Facts On File, 1998.
Dickens, Charles. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. With fifty-two illustrations by C. S. Reinhart. The Household Edition. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1872. I.
__________. Nicholas Nickleby. With 39 illustrations by Hablot K. Browne ("Phiz"). London: Chapman & Hall, 1839.
__________. Nicholas Nickleby. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. The Charles Dickens Library Edition. 18 vols. London: Educational Book, 1910. Vol. 4.
__________. "Nicholas Nickleby." Scenes and Characters from the Works of Charles Dickens, being eight hundred and sixty-six drawings by Fred Barnard et al.. Household Edition. London: Chapman and Hall, 1908.
Created 13 August 2021