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Mr. Pancks as a Fortune-Teller
Harry Furniss
1910
13 x 9 cm vignetted
Dickens's Little Dorrit, in The Charles Dickens Library Edition, Book the First, "Poverty," Chapter 24, "Fortune-Telling," facing XII, 288.
[Click on the images to enlarge them.]
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
Little Dorrit looked at him doubtfully, and not without alarm. "I wish you'd show me the palm of your hand," said Pancks. "I should like to have a look at it. Don't let me be troublesome."
He was so far troublesome that he was not at all wanted there, but she laid her work in her lap for a moment, and held out her left hand with her thimble on it.
"Years of toil, eh?" said Pancks, softly, touching it with his blunt forefinger. "But what else are we made for? Nothing. Hallo!" looking into the lines. "What's this with bars? It's a College! And what's this with a grey gown and a black velvet cap? it's a father! And what's this with a clarionet? It's an uncle! And what's this in dancing-shoes? It's a sister! And what's this straggling about in an idle sort of a way? It's a brother! And what's this thinking for 'em all? Why, this is you, Miss Dorrit!" [Book the First, "Poverty," Chapter 24, "Fortune-Telling," 299-300]
Furniss, perhaps at J. A. Hammerton's suggestion, has provided the following detailed subtitle or caption for this lithograph from pen-and-ink: "Years of toil, eh?" said Pancks, touching the palm of Little Dorrit's hand. What's this with a grey gown and a black velvet cap? it's a father! And what's this with a clarionet? It's an uncle! And what's this in dancing-shoes? It's a sister! And what's this straggling about in an idle sort of a way? It's a brother!" — Dorrit, p. 300.
Furniss does not, like previous illustrators, caricature Casby's rent-collector, but conveys much about his character through his delicate touch and semi-serious banter. In fact, Furniss's assessment of Pancks's astuteness as well as his playfulness with Little Dorrit through this scene causes the reader of the 1910 volume to regard Pancks in a new light. Apparently, a supporting player, Pancks's connects various subplots by interacting with key characters, as, for example, investing with Merdle, exposing Casby, and discovering the Dorrit inheritance. Although he successfully underscores Pancks's importance through this illustration of his sensitive side, Furniss fails to convey Little Dorrit's sense of wonder at Panks's incisive assessment of herself and her immediate family.
Left: Phiz's scene involving Casby and Pancks in a social rather than a business setting, Mr. F.'s Aunt is conducted into Retirement (Book I, Chapter 13; Part 4, March 1856). Right: James Mahoney's dual study of the rent-collector and Mr. Baptist,"Now, old chap," said Mr. Pancks, "Pay up!" (HouseholdEdition, Book I, Chap. 25, "Conspirators and Others," 156).
Left: Eytinge, Junior's dual study of the hard-headed Victorian businessmen Casby and Pancks (1867), the slum landlord and his shrewd rent-collector. Right: Mahoney's dual study of the rent-collector and Mr. Baptist, Mr. Pancks and the Patriarch were instantly the centre of a press, all eyes and ears; windows were thrown open, and doorsteps were thronged (Household Edition, Book II, Chap. 32, "Conspirators and Others," 156).
Dickens, Charles. Little Dorrit. Illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). The Authentic Edition. London: Chapman and Hall, 1901 [rpt. 30 May 1857 volume].
_______. Little Dorrit. Frontispieces by Felix Octavius Carr Darley and Sir John Gilbert. The Household Edition. 55 vols. New York: Sheldon & Co., 1863. Vols. I-IV.
_______. Little Dorrit. Illustrated by Sol Eytinge, Jr. The Diamond Edition. 14 vols. Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1867.
_______. Little Dorrit. Illustrated by James Mahoney. The Household Edition. 22 vols. London: Chapman and Hall, 1873. Vol. V.
_______. Little Dorrit. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. The Charles Dickens Library Edition. 18 vols. London: Educational Book, 1910. Vol. XII.
Hammerton, J. A. "Chapter 19: Little Dorrit." The Dickens Picture-Book. The Charles Dickens Library Edition. Illustrated by Harry Furniss. 18 vols. London: Educational Book Co., 1910. Vol. XVII, 398-427.
Created 10 February 2020
Last modified 18 November 2020