But Tim Linkinwater, without looking around, impatiently waved his hand as a caution that profund silence must be observed [Page 200] by Charles Stanley Reinhart (1875), in Charles Dickens's The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Harper & Bros. New York Household Edition, for Chapter XXXVII. 8.9 x 13.7 cm (3 ⅝ by 5 ⅜ inches), framed. Running head: "In the Good Books of the Cheeryble Brothers" (201). [Click on the images to enlarge them.]
Passage Illustrated: Nicholas initiated into the arcana of Tim's books
It was a sight to behold Tim Linkinwater slowly bring out a massive ledger and day-book, and, after turning them over and over, and affectionately dusting their backs and sides, open the leaves hereand there, and cast his eyes, half mournfully, half proudly, upon the fair and unblotted entries.
”Four-and-forty year, next May!” said Tim. “Many new ledgers since then. Four-and-forty year!”
Tim closed the book again.
”Come, come,” said Nicholas, “I am all impatience to begin.”
Tim Linkinwater shook his head with an air of mild reproof. Mr. Nickleby was not sufficiently impressed with the deep and awful nature of his undertaking. Suppose there should be any mistake — any scratching out!
Young men are adventurous. It is extraordinary what they will rush upon, sometimes. Without even taking the precaution of sitting himself down upon his stool, but standing leisurely at the desk, and with a smile upon his face — actually a smile — there was no mistake about it; Mr. Linkinwater often mentioned it afterwards — Nicholas dipped his pen into the inkstand before him, and plunged into the books of Cheeryble Brothers!
Tim Linkinwater turned pale, and tilting up his stool on the two legs nearest Nicholas, looked over his shoulder in breathless anxiety. Brother Charles and brother Ned entered the counting-house together; but Tim Linkinwater, without looking round, impatiently waved his hand as a caution, and followed the nib of the inexperienced pen with strained and eager eyes. [Chapter XXXVII, “Nicholas finds further Favor in the Eyes of the brothers Cheeryble and Mr. Timothy Linkinwater. The brothers give a Banquet on a great Annual Occasion. Nicholas, on returning Home from it, receives a mysterious and important Disclosure from the Lips of Mrs. Nickleby,” 200]
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). Centre: Sol Eytinge, Jr.'s Diamond Edition study of the jolly businessmen and their affable clerk: Cheeryble Brothers and Tim Linkinwater (1867). Right: Harry Furniss's Charles Dickens Library Edition study of Nicholas and the affable clerk: Nicholas in the Counting House (1910).
Related material by other illustrators (1838 through 1910)
- 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)
- Fred Barnard's 59 Illustrations for the British 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-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 August 2021