"His conductor advanced, and exchanged a warm greeting with another old gentleman, the very type and model of himself " — Chapter 35. C. S. Reinhart's thirty-sixth illustration for Dickens's "Nicholas Nickleby" (1875)

His conductor advanced, and exchanged a warm greeting with another old gentleman, the very type and model of himself [Page 193] by Charles Stanley Reinhart (1875), in Charles Dickens's The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Harper & Bros. New York Household Edition, for Chapter XXXV. 10.7 x 13.4 cm (4 ¾ by 5 ¼ inches), framed. Running head: "Tim Linkinwater" (193). [Click on the images to enlarge them.]

Passage Illustrated: The Cheerybles find a Solution to the Linkwinwater Problem

"My brother Ned is a good fellow, and you’re a good fellow too, Trimmers," said the old man, shaking him by both hands with trembling eagerness. "Put me down for another twenty — or — stop a minute, stop a minute. We mustn’t look ostentatious; put me down ten pound, and Tim Linkinwater ten pound. A cheque for twenty pound for Mr. Trimmers, Tim. God bless you, Trimmers — and come and dine with us some day this week; you’ll always find a knife and fork, and we shall be delighted. Now, my dear sir — cheque from Mr. Linkinwater, Tim. Smashed by a cask of sugar, and six poor children — oh dear, dear, dear!"

Talking on in this strain, as fast as he could, to prevent any friendly remonstrances from the collector of the subscription on the large amount of his donation, Mr. Cheeryble led Nicholas, equally astonished and affected by what he had seen and heard in this short space, to the half-opened door of another room.

"Brother Ned,’ said Mr. Cheeryble, tapping with his knuckles, and stooping to listen, ‘are you busy, my dear brother, or can you spare time for a word or two with me?"

"Brother Charles, my dear fellow," replied a voice from the inside, so like in its tones to that which had just spoken, that Nicholas started, and almost thought it was the same, ‘don’t ask me such a question, but come in directly."

They went in, without further parley. What was the amazement of Nicholas when his conductor advanced, and exchanged a warm greeting with another old gentleman, the very type and model of himself — the same face, the same figure, the same coat, waistcoat, and neckcloth, the same breeches and gaiters — nay, there was the very same white hat hanging against the wall!

As they shook each other by the hand: the face of each lighted up by beaming looks of affection, which would have been most delightful to behold in infants, and which, in men so old, was inexpressibly touching: Nicholas could observe that the last old gentleman was something stouter than his brother; this, and a slight additional shade of clumsiness in his gait and stature, formed the only perceptible difference between them. Nobody could have doubted their being twin brothers. [Chapter XXXV, "Smike becomes known to Mrs. Nickleby and Kate. Nicholas also meets with new Acquaintances. Brighter Days seem to dawn upon the Family," 192]

Commentary: Nicholas Meets the Cheeryble Twins, Ned and Charles

Independent of Fred Barnard in the British Household Edition, but following the precedent set by Phiz in the original monthly serial illustrations, Reinhart realizes the moment Nicholas first sees the Cheeryble twins, Ned (seated) and Charles (crossing to his brother) together. Here, he is about to receive an offer he cannot refuse: acting as the deputy for head clerk Tim Linkinwater. Through introducing these benevolent businessman at this late stage of the narrative Dickens tidily resolves Nicholas's fate after his failures as a schoolmaster, actor, and playwright. With the security of a business income and enlightened employers Nicholas will be able to look after his mother and sister. Nicholas, back in London once again, is prosecuting a job search at the Register Office, which in turn leads him to an entirely new field of employment that makes good use of his formal education.

While perusing the advertisements for vacancies at the Register Office, Nicholas exchanges glances with a jolly-looking, older gentleman who has been clearly studying him as he prosecutes his job search. As the pair strike up a conversation, Nicholas reveals that his father has recently died and that he as the only son must look after his mother and sister. He reveals Kate's recent difficulties in London while he has been out of town. The fellow offers to take Nicholas to a situation at a warehouse bearing the signage "“The Cheeryble Brothers.” It soon becomes apparent that the twins, Charles and Edwin, are trying to entice Linkinwater into gradual retirement after forty-four years of faithful service. The logical solution is to hire Nicholas to become his assistant so that he can eventually take over his responsibilities entirely. Thus, Chales Cheeryble combines benevolence (offering remunerative employment to an educated young man who has recently lost his father) and good business, taking the workload off the shoulders of the elderly clerk, whom they plan to make a partner in their business.

Reinhart places Nicholas, the objective observer, well to the back in order to direct the reader's attention to the kind-hearted twins who regularly subscribe to worthy causes, such as the family of a worker killed in an industrial accident. They will constitute, as Reinhart implies, twin fairy-godfathers for Nicholas and his family.

Other Editions' Versions of the Benevolent Brothers (1839-1910)

Left: Phiz brings in the fairy-godfather businessmen to resolve the Nicklebys' problems: Mr. Linkinwater Intimates His Approval of Nicholas (March 1839). Right: Fred Barnard's 1875 woodblock engraving of the Cheerybles, their clerk, and Nicholas in the same scene, "I'm not coming an hour later in the morning, you know," said Tim, breaking out all at once, and looking very resolute. "I'm not going to sleep in the fresh air — no, nor I'm not going into the country either.", in the British Household Edition.

Left: Sol Eytinge, Jr.'s Diamond Edition study of the benevolent businessmen and their elderly clerk: Cheeryble Brothers and Tim Linkinwater (1867). Right: Harry Furniss's version of the benevolent twins in the Charles Dickens Library Edition: Nicholas in the Counting House (1910).

Related material by other illustrators (1838 through 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-nine illustrations. The Works of Charles Dickens: The Household Edition. 22 vols. London: Chapman and Hall, 1875. Volume 15. Rpt. 1890.

Dickens, Charles. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. With fifty-two illustrations by C. S. Reinhart. The Household Edition. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1875.

__________. "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.

Schweitzer, Maria. "Jean Margaret Davenport." Ambassadors of Empire: Child Performers and Anglo-American Audiences, 1800s-1880s. Accessed 19 April 2021. Posted 7 January 2015. .

Created 27 April 2021