LETTER CXIV. To a Person of Note, in Acknowledgment of great Benefits received.
"Honoured Sir,
PERMIT me to approach you with the thankful Acknowledgments of a grateful Heart, on the Favour and Benefit your Goodness has conferred upon me. It shall be the Business of my whole Life, to the utmost of my Power, to deserve it; and my whole Family, which you have made happy by your Bounty, will every Day join with me in Prayers to God, to bless you with the Continuance of your valuable Health, a long Life, and all worldly Honour; for so it will become us to do, for the unmerited Favours conferr'd upon, honoured Sir,
Your most dutiful Servant."
This sampling from Richardson’s Familiar letters on the most important occasions will serve me most pleasingly. It might do well in my continued correspondence with young Copperfield. I simply must alter some words and adjust it to taste. (That closing, for instance, must be done away with! Our friendship trails these many years, and I have known the young Copperfield ever since he was but a boy!)
Editor’s Note: Mr. Micawber's writings are, first and foremost, of a common epistolary style of the era; they are "not simple comic exaggeration[s]." Indeed, "they are variations on ones many British correspondents would have written in the 1800s, for they are similar to those found in the most conventional, moralistic venues of the day: the British letter-writing manuals,” (Rotunno).
It is evident that Mr. Micawber would have read a large number of these, for his writing (almost perfectly) mirrors some of the styles and language suggestions found within the British letter-writing manuals. He would have had great desire to read them as well, for letters surrounded "high" culture, and Mr. Micawber would surely want to know how to properly address his superiors.
Rotunno adds, "by the mid-nineteenth century when David Copperfield was published, they [letter-writers] had already enjoyed a long history in Britain. Exemplifying their popularity in the eighteenth century was the still most famous and most imitated letter-writing manual: Samuel Richardson's 1741 Familiar Letters on Important Occasions." A portion of this text is sampled above by Micawber.
Such manuals covered what to say for any occasion, from death to debt (yes—even debt!).
The manuals targeted a specific target audience, too: "people attempting to enter higher social circles." Many manuals covered the complexity of addressing persons of rank, royalty, certain professions, etc. Indeed, with this knowledge, writers could cross social boundaries. This certainly would excite the hard-working Mr. Micawber, who is constantly determined to climb the rungs of the social ladder.
Letter manuals were also believed to solidify good morals in the earnest letter-writer. Thus, it is interesting to note that Mr. Micawber would have been seen as a good man in light of his letters. Indeed, he followed the manual's instruction to preach honesty in the face of destitution. Rotunno writes, "[a]nd even though Micawber does not pay his debts, cannot hold a job, and just barely provides for his family, in some ways [his letters] he assumes a respectable aura."
All in all, Mr. Micawber would certainly have had a few British writing manuals around. Given his inability to go beyond very common phrasing, it would not be too bold to conjecture that Mr. Micawber wrote down some of his favorite (and situationally acceptable) lines and employed them with frequency.
Rotunno, Laura. "The Long History of 'In Short': Mr. Micawber, Letter-Writers, and Literary Men." Victorian Literature and Culture 33.2 (2005): 415-33. JSTOR. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Samuel, Richardson. Familiar letters on the most important occasions. London: n.p. 1741. University of Oxford Text Archive. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
-- Ben Cepican
"Honoured Sir,
PERMIT me to approach you with the thankful Acknowledgments of a grateful Heart, on the Favour and Benefit your Goodness has conferred upon me. It shall be the Business of my whole Life, to the utmost of my Power, to deserve it; and my whole Family, which you have made happy by your Bounty, will every Day join with me in Prayers to God, to bless you with the Continuance of your valuable Health, a long Life, and all worldly Honour; for so it will become us to do, for the unmerited Favours conferr'd upon, honoured Sir,
Your most dutiful Servant."
This sampling from Richardson’s Familiar letters on the most important occasions will serve me most pleasingly. It might do well in my continued correspondence with young Copperfield. I simply must alter some words and adjust it to taste. (That closing, for instance, must be done away with! Our friendship trails these many years, and I have known the young Copperfield ever since he was but a boy!)
Editor’s Note: Mr. Micawber's writings are, first and foremost, of a common epistolary style of the era; they are "not simple comic exaggeration[s]." Indeed, "they are variations on ones many British correspondents would have written in the 1800s, for they are similar to those found in the most conventional, moralistic venues of the day: the British letter-writing manuals,” (Rotunno).
It is evident that Mr. Micawber would have read a large number of these, for his writing (almost perfectly) mirrors some of the styles and language suggestions found within the British letter-writing manuals. He would have had great desire to read them as well, for letters surrounded "high" culture, and Mr. Micawber would surely want to know how to properly address his superiors.
Rotunno adds, "by the mid-nineteenth century when David Copperfield was published, they [letter-writers] had already enjoyed a long history in Britain. Exemplifying their popularity in the eighteenth century was the still most famous and most imitated letter-writing manual: Samuel Richardson's 1741 Familiar Letters on Important Occasions." A portion of this text is sampled above by Micawber.
Such manuals covered what to say for any occasion, from death to debt (yes—even debt!).
The manuals targeted a specific target audience, too: "people attempting to enter higher social circles." Many manuals covered the complexity of addressing persons of rank, royalty, certain professions, etc. Indeed, with this knowledge, writers could cross social boundaries. This certainly would excite the hard-working Mr. Micawber, who is constantly determined to climb the rungs of the social ladder.
Letter manuals were also believed to solidify good morals in the earnest letter-writer. Thus, it is interesting to note that Mr. Micawber would have been seen as a good man in light of his letters. Indeed, he followed the manual's instruction to preach honesty in the face of destitution. Rotunno writes, "[a]nd even though Micawber does not pay his debts, cannot hold a job, and just barely provides for his family, in some ways [his letters] he assumes a respectable aura."
All in all, Mr. Micawber would certainly have had a few British writing manuals around. Given his inability to go beyond very common phrasing, it would not be too bold to conjecture that Mr. Micawber wrote down some of his favorite (and situationally acceptable) lines and employed them with frequency.
Rotunno, Laura. "The Long History of 'In Short': Mr. Micawber, Letter-Writers, and Literary Men." Victorian Literature and Culture 33.2 (2005): 415-33. JSTOR. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Samuel, Richardson. Familiar letters on the most important occasions. London: n.p. 1741. University of Oxford Text Archive. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
-- Ben Cepican
TRY AGAIN by Eliza Cook
King Bruce of Scotland flung himself down
In a lonely mood to think;
‘Tis true he was monarch, and wore a crown,
But his heart was beginning to sink.
For he had been trying to do a great deed,
To make his people glad;
He had tried and tried, but couldn't succeed;
And so he became quite sad.
He flung himself down in low despair,
As grieved as man could be;
And after a while as he pondered there,
“I'll give it all up,” said he.
Now just at the moment, a spider dropped,
With its silken, filmy clue,
And the King, in the midst of his thinking, stopped
To see what the spider would do.
‘Twas a long way up to the ceiling dome
And it hung by a rope so fine;
That how it would get to its cobweb home
King Bruce could not divine.
It soon began to cling and crawl
Straight up with strong endeavour;
But down it came with a slippery sprawl,
As near to the ground as ever.
Up, up it ran, not a second to stay,
To utter the least complaint;
Till it fell still lower, and there it lay,
A little dizzy and faint.
Its head grew steady—again it went,
And travelled a half yard higher;
‘Twas a delicate thread it had to tread,
And a road where its feet would tire.
Again it fell and swung below,
But again it quickly mounted;
Till up and down, now fast, now slow,
Nine brave attempts were counted.
“Sure,” cried the King, “that foolish thing
Will strive no more to climb;
When it toils so hard to reach and cling,
And tumbles every time.”
But up the insect went once more.
Ah me ! ‘tis an anxious minute;
He’s only a foot from his cobweb door,
Oh, say will he lose or win it?
Steadily, steadily, inch by inch,
Higher and higher he got;
And a bold, little run at the very last pinch
Put him into his native cot.
“Bravo, bravo!” the King cried out,
“All honour to those who try;
The spider up there, defied despair;
He conquered, and why shouldn't I?”
And Bruce of Scotland braced his mind,
And gossips tell the tale,
That he tried once more as he tried before,
And that time did not fail.
Pay goodly heed, all ye who read,
And beware of saying “I can’t;”
‘Tis a cowardly word, and apt to lead
To Idleness, Folly, and Want.
Whenever you find your heart despair
Of doing some goodly thing;
Con over this strain, try bravely again,
And remember the Spider and King!
A writing after my own heart, a thing to be held most dearly, a moving piece of literature—in short, this poem reminds me of my former days (as my youthful companion might say!) traversing through the forest of difficulty. I recall my words that I said in that paradoxical joy and woe, after the ousting of that notorious HEEP (as I wrote them down, marking their lyrical nature): “Mutual confidence, so long preserved between us once, is restored, to know no farther interruption. Now welcome poverty! Welcome misery, welcome houselessness, welcome hunger, rags, tempest, and beggary! Mutual confidence will sustain us to the end!” How I did prophesy! For mutual confidence did sustain the Micawbers! That most agreeable Aunt of Copperfield’s (God bless her!) held us in her mutual confidence! And, so too did the Peggotys. In the unknown expanse of Australia, these mutual confidences led me to my position as Magistrate of Port Middlebay! One must never give into the dark and gloomy corner of life called despair! One must not be thrown over to the voracious beast called strife! One must never—in short, forget the Spider and the King!
(Note: Publish poem in the Times. Produce a copy for Mrs. Micawber & children &c.)
Editorial Note: This piece of poetry would have been around much later in the life of the characters of David Copperfield; however, it is not out of the realm of possibility that this one could have been read (even if it had not been read, it is very possible for something similar to have been produced prior to “Try Again”). This poem was mainly pulled as a creative means to establish Mr. Micawber’s optimistic way of life. Additionally, it captures his image of perseverance in all adversity. Time and time again, Mr. Micawber is seen working new jobs and running off to new places; this poem paints the spirit of Mr. Micawber. Indeed, it reflects the following quote from James Grant: “We live in a changeable world; and I admire the philosophy of the man who can adapt himself to circumstances which he can no longer control.” Though this quote refers to a different context, the spirit of the idea is fitting, and it reflects the ideas of an ideal man.
Grant, James. Sketches in London. London: Bradbury and Evans Printers, 1838. Print.
Cook, Eliza. “Try Again.” The Poetical Works of Eliza Cook. London: Frederick Warne, 1870. Google Books. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. Oxford: Oxford UP. 2008. Print. p. 742.
-- Ben Cepican
King Bruce of Scotland flung himself down
In a lonely mood to think;
‘Tis true he was monarch, and wore a crown,
But his heart was beginning to sink.
For he had been trying to do a great deed,
To make his people glad;
He had tried and tried, but couldn't succeed;
And so he became quite sad.
He flung himself down in low despair,
As grieved as man could be;
And after a while as he pondered there,
“I'll give it all up,” said he.
Now just at the moment, a spider dropped,
With its silken, filmy clue,
And the King, in the midst of his thinking, stopped
To see what the spider would do.
‘Twas a long way up to the ceiling dome
And it hung by a rope so fine;
That how it would get to its cobweb home
King Bruce could not divine.
It soon began to cling and crawl
Straight up with strong endeavour;
But down it came with a slippery sprawl,
As near to the ground as ever.
Up, up it ran, not a second to stay,
To utter the least complaint;
Till it fell still lower, and there it lay,
A little dizzy and faint.
Its head grew steady—again it went,
And travelled a half yard higher;
‘Twas a delicate thread it had to tread,
And a road where its feet would tire.
Again it fell and swung below,
But again it quickly mounted;
Till up and down, now fast, now slow,
Nine brave attempts were counted.
“Sure,” cried the King, “that foolish thing
Will strive no more to climb;
When it toils so hard to reach and cling,
And tumbles every time.”
But up the insect went once more.
Ah me ! ‘tis an anxious minute;
He’s only a foot from his cobweb door,
Oh, say will he lose or win it?
Steadily, steadily, inch by inch,
Higher and higher he got;
And a bold, little run at the very last pinch
Put him into his native cot.
“Bravo, bravo!” the King cried out,
“All honour to those who try;
The spider up there, defied despair;
He conquered, and why shouldn't I?”
And Bruce of Scotland braced his mind,
And gossips tell the tale,
That he tried once more as he tried before,
And that time did not fail.
Pay goodly heed, all ye who read,
And beware of saying “I can’t;”
‘Tis a cowardly word, and apt to lead
To Idleness, Folly, and Want.
Whenever you find your heart despair
Of doing some goodly thing;
Con over this strain, try bravely again,
And remember the Spider and King!
A writing after my own heart, a thing to be held most dearly, a moving piece of literature—in short, this poem reminds me of my former days (as my youthful companion might say!) traversing through the forest of difficulty. I recall my words that I said in that paradoxical joy and woe, after the ousting of that notorious HEEP (as I wrote them down, marking their lyrical nature): “Mutual confidence, so long preserved between us once, is restored, to know no farther interruption. Now welcome poverty! Welcome misery, welcome houselessness, welcome hunger, rags, tempest, and beggary! Mutual confidence will sustain us to the end!” How I did prophesy! For mutual confidence did sustain the Micawbers! That most agreeable Aunt of Copperfield’s (God bless her!) held us in her mutual confidence! And, so too did the Peggotys. In the unknown expanse of Australia, these mutual confidences led me to my position as Magistrate of Port Middlebay! One must never give into the dark and gloomy corner of life called despair! One must not be thrown over to the voracious beast called strife! One must never—in short, forget the Spider and the King!
(Note: Publish poem in the Times. Produce a copy for Mrs. Micawber & children &c.)
Editorial Note: This piece of poetry would have been around much later in the life of the characters of David Copperfield; however, it is not out of the realm of possibility that this one could have been read (even if it had not been read, it is very possible for something similar to have been produced prior to “Try Again”). This poem was mainly pulled as a creative means to establish Mr. Micawber’s optimistic way of life. Additionally, it captures his image of perseverance in all adversity. Time and time again, Mr. Micawber is seen working new jobs and running off to new places; this poem paints the spirit of Mr. Micawber. Indeed, it reflects the following quote from James Grant: “We live in a changeable world; and I admire the philosophy of the man who can adapt himself to circumstances which he can no longer control.” Though this quote refers to a different context, the spirit of the idea is fitting, and it reflects the ideas of an ideal man.
Grant, James. Sketches in London. London: Bradbury and Evans Printers, 1838. Print.
Cook, Eliza. “Try Again.” The Poetical Works of Eliza Cook. London: Frederick Warne, 1870. Google Books. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. Oxford: Oxford UP. 2008. Print. p. 742.
-- Ben Cepican
I chance to remember the time when I first refreshed my acquaintance with the friend of my youth. I praised my dear Copperfield on his commendable features and his current success. I made every effort to welcome him and to applaud his fine choice in companionship—in short, I thanked him for dear Mr. Traddles, a mutual friend who shines like a mighty flame amidst a deluge of darkness (namely, our poor society).
“My dear Copperfield,” said I (in a most charming way), “I need hardly tell you that to have beneath our roof, under existing circumstances, a mind like that which gleams—if I may be allowed the expression—which gleams—in your friend Traddles, is an unspeakable comfort. With a washerwoman, who exposes hard-bake for sale in her parlour-window, dwelling next door, and a Bow-street officer residing over the way, you may imagine that his society is a source of consolation to myself and to Mrs. Micawber.”
It could not be any truer! Mr. Traddles has come to prove his worth, in his delightful familiarity but also in taking down that HEEP of infamy!
Editor’s Notes: Here Micawber makes quick allusion to class distinctions. He puts down the working class, but he also praises Traddles. This praise reveals Micawber’s (and Victorian society’s) social tastes: it is evidently high-class! Though Traddles is not high-class by any means, his work and status are markers of gentlemanly air. This is so in his education. Traddles works his way up in the business of law. Education during this era saw its rise in import; it became a stronger marker of class where land holdings once held most sway. As a result of industrialization and urbanization, England became a schooled society for the first time. Indeed, "[t]he sense that Britain in the course of industrialization and urbanization had become divided into three broad layers--the landed, middle, and working classes--and that these classes competed over the distribution of wealth and power, significantly shaped politics, identity, and social relations" (Tucker 194). Mr. Micawber, by his brief aside on social classes, reveals his part in the race to climb the social ladder. Association with Traddles not only gives a literary moment to reveal this fact but also allows Micawber to hide under the shade of another’s success in education; in other words, Mr. Micawber maintains the appearance of a high-mid to upper-class gentleman simply by association with those of the marks higher society.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. Oxford: Oxford UP. 2008. Print. p. 398.
Tucker, Herbert F., ed. A Companion to Victorian Literature & Culture. Malden: Blackwell. 1999. Print.
Stray, Christopher A. "Culture and Discipline: Classics and Society in Victorian England." International Journal of Classical Tradition 3.1 (1996): 77-85. JSTOR. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
-- Ben Cepican
“My dear Copperfield,” said I (in a most charming way), “I need hardly tell you that to have beneath our roof, under existing circumstances, a mind like that which gleams—if I may be allowed the expression—which gleams—in your friend Traddles, is an unspeakable comfort. With a washerwoman, who exposes hard-bake for sale in her parlour-window, dwelling next door, and a Bow-street officer residing over the way, you may imagine that his society is a source of consolation to myself and to Mrs. Micawber.”
It could not be any truer! Mr. Traddles has come to prove his worth, in his delightful familiarity but also in taking down that HEEP of infamy!
Editor’s Notes: Here Micawber makes quick allusion to class distinctions. He puts down the working class, but he also praises Traddles. This praise reveals Micawber’s (and Victorian society’s) social tastes: it is evidently high-class! Though Traddles is not high-class by any means, his work and status are markers of gentlemanly air. This is so in his education. Traddles works his way up in the business of law. Education during this era saw its rise in import; it became a stronger marker of class where land holdings once held most sway. As a result of industrialization and urbanization, England became a schooled society for the first time. Indeed, "[t]he sense that Britain in the course of industrialization and urbanization had become divided into three broad layers--the landed, middle, and working classes--and that these classes competed over the distribution of wealth and power, significantly shaped politics, identity, and social relations" (Tucker 194). Mr. Micawber, by his brief aside on social classes, reveals his part in the race to climb the social ladder. Association with Traddles not only gives a literary moment to reveal this fact but also allows Micawber to hide under the shade of another’s success in education; in other words, Mr. Micawber maintains the appearance of a high-mid to upper-class gentleman simply by association with those of the marks higher society.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. Oxford: Oxford UP. 2008. Print. p. 398.
Tucker, Herbert F., ed. A Companion to Victorian Literature & Culture. Malden: Blackwell. 1999. Print.
Stray, Christopher A. "Culture and Discipline: Classics and Society in Victorian England." International Journal of Classical Tradition 3.1 (1996): 77-85. JSTOR. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
-- Ben Cepican
“When the snares of the world were around him, he has thought of the humble monitress who sat alone, guarding the fireside comforts of his distant home; and the remembrance of her character, clothed in moral beauty, has scattered the clouds before his mental vision, and sent him back to that beloved home, a wiser and better man.” – Sarah Stickney Ellis, The Women of England
Indeed, this passage captures exactly how I feel about my dear beloved Mrs. Micawber. She is truly, in short, my guiding compass of beauty and truth, and I know that she will never desert me. We have struggled, but as much as it seems that the world is against me, I think of her and how she manages the children with her strong will, and I know that we will endure. Her family may have their doubts about me, but my dear Emma is the one who matters. Even with that miserable, dreadful excuse of a man – HEEP! – always lording over me, I know that beautiful Emma’s care for me is enough to keep going.
Editor’s Note: Victorian women were held to the idea of being morally righteous and a strong model of behavior for their husbands. A wife is expected to be the Angel of the House, but as M. Jeanne Peterson points out, “The angel’s stereotypical social role varied, of course, according to her age and status” (678). Mrs. Micawber may have been the moral guiding figure in Mr. Micawber’s life, but, because of their financial burdens, she was not able to be the high-class lady stereotypically expected of Victorian women. It is very likely that Mr. Micawber would see Mrs. Micawber as his guiding angel because she consistently refuses to leave her husband and worries for him. This quote is perfect for sharing how Mr. Micawber loved, appreciated, and needed Mrs. Micawber to keep them strong during their unfortunate circumstances.
Ellis, Sarah Stickney. “The Women of England: Their Social Duties and Domestic Habits.” 1839. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol. 2B. 4th Ed. Ed. David Damrosch. New York: Longman, 2009. 1525-26. Print.
Peterson, M Jeanne. “No Angels in the House: The Victorian Myth and the Paget Women.” The American Historical Review 89.3 (1984): 677-708. Print.
-- Kristal All
Indeed, this passage captures exactly how I feel about my dear beloved Mrs. Micawber. She is truly, in short, my guiding compass of beauty and truth, and I know that she will never desert me. We have struggled, but as much as it seems that the world is against me, I think of her and how she manages the children with her strong will, and I know that we will endure. Her family may have their doubts about me, but my dear Emma is the one who matters. Even with that miserable, dreadful excuse of a man – HEEP! – always lording over me, I know that beautiful Emma’s care for me is enough to keep going.
Editor’s Note: Victorian women were held to the idea of being morally righteous and a strong model of behavior for their husbands. A wife is expected to be the Angel of the House, but as M. Jeanne Peterson points out, “The angel’s stereotypical social role varied, of course, according to her age and status” (678). Mrs. Micawber may have been the moral guiding figure in Mr. Micawber’s life, but, because of their financial burdens, she was not able to be the high-class lady stereotypically expected of Victorian women. It is very likely that Mr. Micawber would see Mrs. Micawber as his guiding angel because she consistently refuses to leave her husband and worries for him. This quote is perfect for sharing how Mr. Micawber loved, appreciated, and needed Mrs. Micawber to keep them strong during their unfortunate circumstances.
Ellis, Sarah Stickney. “The Women of England: Their Social Duties and Domestic Habits.” 1839. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol. 2B. 4th Ed. Ed. David Damrosch. New York: Longman, 2009. 1525-26. Print.
Peterson, M Jeanne. “No Angels in the House: The Victorian Myth and the Paget Women.” The American Historical Review 89.3 (1984): 677-708. Print.
-- Kristal All
“I was now relieved of much of the weight of Mr. and Mrs. Micawber’s cares; for some relatives or friends had engaged to help them at their present pass, and they lived more comfortably in the prison than they had lived for a long while out of it.” (Ch. 11, pg. 162)
Ah, if my young friend Copperfield knew anything about what it was like on the inside, he would have still worried about me. We Micawbers are strong and driven people, so we managed, and although the time just before our sentence was rough and, in short, less than desirable, I could not wait to be rid of that place. It is not noble to be in the prisons, no matter the crime. Poor Emma and the young children, suffering from the lack of total freedom while kept within those walls. I would not want young Copperfield to worry, but I believe that he and others should know how preposterous it is that we are confined here at all. The petition to improve the conditions of this place and free we innocent victims will be more than useful for serving that purpose. With my words I shall tell of the humiliation involved in staying in such a low and confined place.
Editor’s Note: Each debtors’ prison in London was different, and the living conditions depended upon the funding for the prison, the status of the inmates, and the level of debt a prisoner owed. Although we do not know which prison the Micawber family was sent to live in, it can be assumed by the very nature of their imprisonment that they were not guaranteed total freedom. According to Philip Woodfine, some prisons that allowed prisoners a limited range of travel were petitioned to redraw boundaries. Most prisoners wanted the freedom to travel to local food establishments, churches, and hospitals. There was a wide range of experiences within the prison systems, from downright cruelty to carefree temporary confinement. So although David Copperfield noticed some of the luxuries available to the Micawbers, it is entirely plausible that their living conditions were less than desirable, leading to Mr. Micawber drafting a petition for freedom. They may have been concerned about “financial hardships, unfair and arbitrary treatment, overcrowding, and the fear of infectious disease” (7), which David did not realize. The Micawbers tended to keep a positive attitude under their difficult circumstances, which would be easy to misinterpret as their being happy in prison.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981. 162. Print.
Woodfine, Philip. “Debtors, Prisons, and Petitions in Eighteenth-Century England.” Eighteenth-Century Life 30.2 (2006): 1-31. Print.
-- Kristal All
Ah, if my young friend Copperfield knew anything about what it was like on the inside, he would have still worried about me. We Micawbers are strong and driven people, so we managed, and although the time just before our sentence was rough and, in short, less than desirable, I could not wait to be rid of that place. It is not noble to be in the prisons, no matter the crime. Poor Emma and the young children, suffering from the lack of total freedom while kept within those walls. I would not want young Copperfield to worry, but I believe that he and others should know how preposterous it is that we are confined here at all. The petition to improve the conditions of this place and free we innocent victims will be more than useful for serving that purpose. With my words I shall tell of the humiliation involved in staying in such a low and confined place.
Editor’s Note: Each debtors’ prison in London was different, and the living conditions depended upon the funding for the prison, the status of the inmates, and the level of debt a prisoner owed. Although we do not know which prison the Micawber family was sent to live in, it can be assumed by the very nature of their imprisonment that they were not guaranteed total freedom. According to Philip Woodfine, some prisons that allowed prisoners a limited range of travel were petitioned to redraw boundaries. Most prisoners wanted the freedom to travel to local food establishments, churches, and hospitals. There was a wide range of experiences within the prison systems, from downright cruelty to carefree temporary confinement. So although David Copperfield noticed some of the luxuries available to the Micawbers, it is entirely plausible that their living conditions were less than desirable, leading to Mr. Micawber drafting a petition for freedom. They may have been concerned about “financial hardships, unfair and arbitrary treatment, overcrowding, and the fear of infectious disease” (7), which David did not realize. The Micawbers tended to keep a positive attitude under their difficult circumstances, which would be easy to misinterpret as their being happy in prison.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981. 162. Print.
Woodfine, Philip. “Debtors, Prisons, and Petitions in Eighteenth-Century England.” Eighteenth-Century Life 30.2 (2006): 1-31. Print.
-- Kristal All
“If, most gracious Sovereign, it is shown that your crown has been put into danger by the violation of the Great Charter, and that through that violation fifteen thousand of your subjects are kept in prisons, without having been brought before a tribunal of their country, without being convicted of crime, without which no punishment can be awarded; that by far the greater number are in poverty and destitution, being unable to ‘cultivate the ground or maintain their families,’ which the humane enactments of Magna Charta justly declare necessary, and therefore, that no man should be imprisoned for debt, - which, unless fraudulent, is not crime, - your Majesty will see and feel the necessity of commanding your ministers to take immediate steps to restore the Great Charter to its purity, and remove the tyranny and unlawful oppression from fifteen thousand of your people.” (Secundus, pp. 5)
I could not have said this better myself, and I commend this chap for such a well-written letter. As a connoisseur of letter-writing myself, I must point out how many people live in the horrid debtors’ prisons as well. I am among many marvelous businessmen, each respectable in their own nature, and I am baffled why such a marvelous country as this needs facilities to contain hardworking people who suffer from, in short, a strong case of financial bad luck. My poor Emma is fretful that we may never leave this place, but I keep assuring her that my petition will be just what we need to escape. This gentleman wrote to her majesty years ago, and I shall further the cause by getting the local authorities to see reason among such a mad system.
Editor’s Note: In his article about debtors’ prison reform and abolishment, Gustav Peebles explored the idea that many debtors were unfortunate and did not deserve to be punished so severely or suffer so much for their financial mishaps. There was an attitude shift toward pitying debtors instead of imprisoning them for unnecessarily long amounts of time. Religious drive during the Victorian Era led the people to end the barbaric imprisonment and treatment of debtors: “The rhetoric and action that led to the demise of the debtors’ prison turns upon the three emergent trends discussed here: A categorizing spirit, a disciplining of the body, and an expanded surveillance over the circulation of people and things” (706). It did not seem fair that debtors were locked up for years , and it was difficult to leave these prisons once you were in. The court system was slow; appeals were difficult and often decided in favor of the creditors. Prison reform began to take hold, and eventually the laws for bankruptcy were changed. Secundus’s letter was a pivotal part in changing the view of debtors’ prisons, and Micawber would likely have wanted to continue that changing mindset to let the world know the truth about debtor’s prisons.
Peebles, Gustav. “Washing Away the Sins of Debt: The Nineteenth-Century Eradication of the Debtors’ Prison.” Comparative Studies in Society and History 55.3 (2013): 701-724. Print.
Secundus, Runneymede. The Prison-House Unmasked: In a Letter to Her Most Gracious Majesty, Shewing That Arrest and Imprisonment for Debt are Violations of Magna Charta, and Therefore Illegal; And Also the Cruelty and Inutility of the Present System. London: J. Hatchard & Son, Piccadilly, 1837.
-- Kristal All
I could not have said this better myself, and I commend this chap for such a well-written letter. As a connoisseur of letter-writing myself, I must point out how many people live in the horrid debtors’ prisons as well. I am among many marvelous businessmen, each respectable in their own nature, and I am baffled why such a marvelous country as this needs facilities to contain hardworking people who suffer from, in short, a strong case of financial bad luck. My poor Emma is fretful that we may never leave this place, but I keep assuring her that my petition will be just what we need to escape. This gentleman wrote to her majesty years ago, and I shall further the cause by getting the local authorities to see reason among such a mad system.
Editor’s Note: In his article about debtors’ prison reform and abolishment, Gustav Peebles explored the idea that many debtors were unfortunate and did not deserve to be punished so severely or suffer so much for their financial mishaps. There was an attitude shift toward pitying debtors instead of imprisoning them for unnecessarily long amounts of time. Religious drive during the Victorian Era led the people to end the barbaric imprisonment and treatment of debtors: “The rhetoric and action that led to the demise of the debtors’ prison turns upon the three emergent trends discussed here: A categorizing spirit, a disciplining of the body, and an expanded surveillance over the circulation of people and things” (706). It did not seem fair that debtors were locked up for years , and it was difficult to leave these prisons once you were in. The court system was slow; appeals were difficult and often decided in favor of the creditors. Prison reform began to take hold, and eventually the laws for bankruptcy were changed. Secundus’s letter was a pivotal part in changing the view of debtors’ prisons, and Micawber would likely have wanted to continue that changing mindset to let the world know the truth about debtor’s prisons.
Peebles, Gustav. “Washing Away the Sins of Debt: The Nineteenth-Century Eradication of the Debtors’ Prison.” Comparative Studies in Society and History 55.3 (2013): 701-724. Print.
Secundus, Runneymede. The Prison-House Unmasked: In a Letter to Her Most Gracious Majesty, Shewing That Arrest and Imprisonment for Debt are Violations of Magna Charta, and Therefore Illegal; And Also the Cruelty and Inutility of the Present System. London: J. Hatchard & Son, Piccadilly, 1837.
-- Kristal All
"Father said last night it was both a shame and a disgrace for girls to work as we do, but there was nought else for us to do. I have tried to get winding to do, but could not. I began to hurry when I was seven and I have been hurrying ever since. I have been 11 years in the pit. The girls are always tired. I was poorly twice this winter; it was with headache."
Disgraceful indeed! Children so young should never be subjected to such harsh working conditions. No doubt the girl’s father failed to find adequate employment to support his family. Perhaps he found himself in debt? Regardless, turning to women of any age to make up the difference…how could anyone live under such conditions? I suppose one does what one must, but how I do pity them! I hate to think about my dear Emma being forced to find employment of any kind! Surely even debtor’s jail would be a better alternative. Fortunately my own family needn’t worry about the shame of being brought down into the lower class. I’m certain some form of decent employment will turn up soon.
Editorial Note: Ann Eggley’s testimony before Parliament in 1842 demonstrates how difficult life often was in the workplace in Victorian times. Micawber’s views on the working class are made clear several times during Dickens’ novel, especially when he despairs over the fact that his neighbors are employed in retail rather than management. This attitude was quite common in the middle and upper classes. As Johnson states in an 1933 article on class law, there was “…deeply entrenched middle-class mid-Victorian prejudice against the character and behavior of manual workers as a class, a prejudice which was embodied in the civil law and which has exerted a powerful long-term influence on class relationships and self-perceptions”(51). There was a constant struggle for Micawber as he tried to both stay out of the working class and evade debtor’s prison. The idea of a woman, even an adult such as Mrs. Micawber, working dangerous jobs and performing hard labor like the young girl in this piece would have been out of the question for families in the middle and upper classes. Altick sheds more light on this belief, as he reminds readers that in Victorian times, “all women outside of the working class (should) abstain from gainful employment” (51).
Altick, Richard. Victorian People and Ideas. 1st ed. New York: Norton and Company, 1973. Print
Johnson, Paul. "Class Law in Victorian England." Past & Present 141 (1933): 147 69. Print.
“Testimony of Ann Eggley.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature. 4th ed. Ed. David Damrosch and Kevin J.H. Dettmar. Boston: Pearson. 1842. Print.
-- Brittany Robertson
Disgraceful indeed! Children so young should never be subjected to such harsh working conditions. No doubt the girl’s father failed to find adequate employment to support his family. Perhaps he found himself in debt? Regardless, turning to women of any age to make up the difference…how could anyone live under such conditions? I suppose one does what one must, but how I do pity them! I hate to think about my dear Emma being forced to find employment of any kind! Surely even debtor’s jail would be a better alternative. Fortunately my own family needn’t worry about the shame of being brought down into the lower class. I’m certain some form of decent employment will turn up soon.
Editorial Note: Ann Eggley’s testimony before Parliament in 1842 demonstrates how difficult life often was in the workplace in Victorian times. Micawber’s views on the working class are made clear several times during Dickens’ novel, especially when he despairs over the fact that his neighbors are employed in retail rather than management. This attitude was quite common in the middle and upper classes. As Johnson states in an 1933 article on class law, there was “…deeply entrenched middle-class mid-Victorian prejudice against the character and behavior of manual workers as a class, a prejudice which was embodied in the civil law and which has exerted a powerful long-term influence on class relationships and self-perceptions”(51). There was a constant struggle for Micawber as he tried to both stay out of the working class and evade debtor’s prison. The idea of a woman, even an adult such as Mrs. Micawber, working dangerous jobs and performing hard labor like the young girl in this piece would have been out of the question for families in the middle and upper classes. Altick sheds more light on this belief, as he reminds readers that in Victorian times, “all women outside of the working class (should) abstain from gainful employment” (51).
Altick, Richard. Victorian People and Ideas. 1st ed. New York: Norton and Company, 1973. Print
Johnson, Paul. "Class Law in Victorian England." Past & Present 141 (1933): 147 69. Print.
“Testimony of Ann Eggley.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature. 4th ed. Ed. David Damrosch and Kevin J.H. Dettmar. Boston: Pearson. 1842. Print.
-- Brittany Robertson
"I have known [Mr. Micawber] to come home to supper with a flood of tears, and a declaration that nothing was now left but a jail; and go to bed making a calculation of the expense of putting bow-windows to the house, 'in case anything turned up', which was his favorite expression." (Ch. 11, pg 158)
Ahh, perhaps I should not carry on so in front of dear Copperfield. Mrs. Micawber has shared my troubles for quite some time now, but I fear it was rather ungentlemanly of me to express those worries to my friend. Sometimes I forget just how young Copperfield is! He cannot possibly understand certain aspects of life just yet. Of course I must strive to improve our home at every possible opportunity, though finances do often make it difficult to do so. How blessed I am that my wife is so patient in these matters! I shall simply have to look into other possible areas of employment. The house simply must have those windows, as I’m sure anyone with an eye for such things would agree…
Editorial Note: It was quite common for families to end up in debtor’s prison for these exact reasons, and the Micawbers were no exception. Mr. Micawber struggled to maintain his place in a higher class, as there were many requirements for remaining in the middle and upper classes, such as having the appropriate possessions. This was put at risk due to his debts, especially since his wife was forced to sell their belongings in an effort to keep the family out of jail. One section from Richard Altick’s book explains the dilemma rather well: “Though it was difficult for scholars of the time to distinguish between some of the levels of society, since the distinctions varied between regions, there were a few things that one could attain in order to be considered one of the gentry. Regardless of what level a person was in, owning possessions was a sign of wealth through physical comfort” (28). This seems to speak true, as Micawber did fair much better after he left for Australia and escaped the social restrictions set in his local area.
Altick, Richard. Victorian People and Ideas. 1st ed. New York: Norton and Company, 1973. Print
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
-- Brittany Robertson
Ahh, perhaps I should not carry on so in front of dear Copperfield. Mrs. Micawber has shared my troubles for quite some time now, but I fear it was rather ungentlemanly of me to express those worries to my friend. Sometimes I forget just how young Copperfield is! He cannot possibly understand certain aspects of life just yet. Of course I must strive to improve our home at every possible opportunity, though finances do often make it difficult to do so. How blessed I am that my wife is so patient in these matters! I shall simply have to look into other possible areas of employment. The house simply must have those windows, as I’m sure anyone with an eye for such things would agree…
Editorial Note: It was quite common for families to end up in debtor’s prison for these exact reasons, and the Micawbers were no exception. Mr. Micawber struggled to maintain his place in a higher class, as there were many requirements for remaining in the middle and upper classes, such as having the appropriate possessions. This was put at risk due to his debts, especially since his wife was forced to sell their belongings in an effort to keep the family out of jail. One section from Richard Altick’s book explains the dilemma rather well: “Though it was difficult for scholars of the time to distinguish between some of the levels of society, since the distinctions varied between regions, there were a few things that one could attain in order to be considered one of the gentry. Regardless of what level a person was in, owning possessions was a sign of wealth through physical comfort” (28). This seems to speak true, as Micawber did fair much better after he left for Australia and escaped the social restrictions set in his local area.
Altick, Richard. Victorian People and Ideas. 1st ed. New York: Norton and Company, 1973. Print
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
-- Brittany Robertson
“Management is the one thing needful in the household. No matter what the amount of income may be, everything depends upon the careful laying out of the money. In one house the owner always seems to get full value for his outlay; in another it is difficult to imagine where the money expended goes, the apparent return is so inadequate. And this difference does not always and of necessity spring from recklessness, or even from carelessness in management; far more frequently it is owing to the want of an intelligent appreciation of the way in which the available resources can be best turned to account.”
This is precisely the sort of advice I gave young Copperfield when I said “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” Indeed there are days I find myself wondering where our money does go, though I suppose it doesn’t help that my debts often act as a leech on our expenses. But there are certain things in life that are necessary if one wishes to retain an ounce of respectability in the community! I wonder if this guide accounts for such things. I must investigate this further!
Editorial Note: Though this text was published much later than would be preferable (sometime in the 1880s), this is definitely a series Micawber would have been interested in, considering his delicate financial state, and other household guides like it would have no doubt been available during Micawber’s lifetime. The section here discusses how to properly keep a record of expenses in order to avoid spending too much money in one area. Whether Micawber would have taken such advice is uncertain. He is already aware that he spends more than he earns, yet rather than getting a constant job, he is far more concerned with maintaining the upper-middle-class lifestyle. This and other reasons often led to a family being carted off to debtor’s prison, which would certainly prove a problem since Micawber would not want his family to find work that would lower their social status. Mitchell explains this issue quite well, saying that “If investments failed or the inheritance did not come through, and the bills could not be paid, a man was declared bankrupt. Everything he owned was sold so that creditors could get at least part of the money owed to them” (110).
Cassell's Household Guide. New and Revised ed. Vol. 4. London, 1880. 1. Dictionary of Victorian London. Web. 2 Mar. 2015. <http://www.victorianlondon.org/cassells/cassells-1.htm>.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
Mitchell, Sally. “Debt and Debtor’s Prisons.” Daily Life in Victorian England. 2nd ed. 2009. Print.
-- Brittany Robertson
This is precisely the sort of advice I gave young Copperfield when I said “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” Indeed there are days I find myself wondering where our money does go, though I suppose it doesn’t help that my debts often act as a leech on our expenses. But there are certain things in life that are necessary if one wishes to retain an ounce of respectability in the community! I wonder if this guide accounts for such things. I must investigate this further!
Editorial Note: Though this text was published much later than would be preferable (sometime in the 1880s), this is definitely a series Micawber would have been interested in, considering his delicate financial state, and other household guides like it would have no doubt been available during Micawber’s lifetime. The section here discusses how to properly keep a record of expenses in order to avoid spending too much money in one area. Whether Micawber would have taken such advice is uncertain. He is already aware that he spends more than he earns, yet rather than getting a constant job, he is far more concerned with maintaining the upper-middle-class lifestyle. This and other reasons often led to a family being carted off to debtor’s prison, which would certainly prove a problem since Micawber would not want his family to find work that would lower their social status. Mitchell explains this issue quite well, saying that “If investments failed or the inheritance did not come through, and the bills could not be paid, a man was declared bankrupt. Everything he owned was sold so that creditors could get at least part of the money owed to them” (110).
Cassell's Household Guide. New and Revised ed. Vol. 4. London, 1880. 1. Dictionary of Victorian London. Web. 2 Mar. 2015. <http://www.victorianlondon.org/cassells/cassells-1.htm>.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
Mitchell, Sally. “Debt and Debtor’s Prisons.” Daily Life in Victorian England. 2nd ed. 2009. Print.
-- Brittany Robertson
"It is only later that the traveller appreciates the human suffering which has made all this possible. He can only realize the price that has been paid for all this magnificence after he has tramped the pavements of the main streets of London for some days and has tired himself out by jostling his way through the crowds and by dodging the endless stream of coaches and carts which fills the streets. It is only when he has visited the slums of this great city that it dawns upon him that the inhabitants of modern London have had to sacrifice so much that is best in human nature in order to create those wonders of civilization with which their city teems. The vast majority of Londoners have had to let so many of their potential creative faculties lie dormant, stunted and unused in order that a small, closely-knit group of their fellow citizens could develop to the full the qualities with which nature has endowed them."
It is texts like this that make me grateful for my family’s social standing. I shall never allow us to lose our footing, and I would die before seeing my family in a slum! And alas, I am a man of great talent, and shall never let my creative faculties lie dormant!
Editor’s Note: This is a quote from “The Conditions of the Working Class in England in 1844” by Friedrich Engels. Mr. Micawber would find this interesting because he is a part of the "small, closely-knit group" as Engels puts it, and when reading about how bad things are in the working class in England, it would inspire him to do absolutely anything for he and Mrs. Micawber to stay in their current position. When discussing the architecture of England, Engels writes, “The working people's quarters are sharply separated from the sections of the cities reserved for the middle-class” (1106). Though I am sure Mr. Micawber would have been aware of some of the struggles of the working class, he may never have seen a slum, and may be unaware of how truly bad the working and living conditions were. This would have led him to possibly consider suicide as an escape when things got bad for he and his family. After reading “The Conditions of the Working Class in England in 1844,” Mr. Micawber may have been under the impression that he would rather die than allow he and his family to lower themselves to the middle class. We have discussed in class this semester that Victorians would do anything to keep their social status. So then, Mr. Micawber going at himself with a razor blade, as described in David Copperfield, could certainly be attributed to his over-dramatic personality, but it also could also have been a more viable option for him than losing his social standing.
Engels, Frederick. “The Conditions of the Working Class in England in 1844.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature. 4th ed. Vol. 2B. Pearson. 1101-08. Print.
-- Luke Bell
It is texts like this that make me grateful for my family’s social standing. I shall never allow us to lose our footing, and I would die before seeing my family in a slum! And alas, I am a man of great talent, and shall never let my creative faculties lie dormant!
Editor’s Note: This is a quote from “The Conditions of the Working Class in England in 1844” by Friedrich Engels. Mr. Micawber would find this interesting because he is a part of the "small, closely-knit group" as Engels puts it, and when reading about how bad things are in the working class in England, it would inspire him to do absolutely anything for he and Mrs. Micawber to stay in their current position. When discussing the architecture of England, Engels writes, “The working people's quarters are sharply separated from the sections of the cities reserved for the middle-class” (1106). Though I am sure Mr. Micawber would have been aware of some of the struggles of the working class, he may never have seen a slum, and may be unaware of how truly bad the working and living conditions were. This would have led him to possibly consider suicide as an escape when things got bad for he and his family. After reading “The Conditions of the Working Class in England in 1844,” Mr. Micawber may have been under the impression that he would rather die than allow he and his family to lower themselves to the middle class. We have discussed in class this semester that Victorians would do anything to keep their social status. So then, Mr. Micawber going at himself with a razor blade, as described in David Copperfield, could certainly be attributed to his over-dramatic personality, but it also could also have been a more viable option for him than losing his social standing.
Engels, Frederick. “The Conditions of the Working Class in England in 1844.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature. 4th ed. Vol. 2B. Pearson. 1101-08. Print.
-- Luke Bell
“At these times, Mr. Micawber would be transported with grief and mortification, even to the length (as I was once made aware by a scream from his wife) of making motions at himself with a razor; but within half an hour afterwards, he would polish up his shoes with extraordinary pains, and go out, humming a tune with a greater air of gentility than ever.”
I am ashamed at young Copperfield’s awareness of my moments of weakness during this desperate period in my life. Some people don’t understand how difficult life can become for a man! I am not proud of the extremes that I resorted to during these times, but I am proud of myself for never going through with it, and for staying determined. Alas, look at how my situation has improved!
Editor’s note: This comes from chapter eleven of David Copperfield. The quote is from David when he is speaking of the extremes that he has witnessed Mr. Micawber go to, or consider, as an escape from his mounting financial pressures. The quote makes clear that Mr. Micawber has attempted suicide, or at the very least has considered it, and begs the question: how common was suicide in Victorian England? It is obviously frowned upon religiously, but Micawber’s quote comes during a period of religious restlessness when the ideas of Darwin and others were coming about. In Victorian Suicide: Mad Crimes and Sad Histories, Barbara Gates says that before the Victorian era, “the English have been accused by foreigners of being the beau-ideal of a suicidal people.” She goes on to say, “by 1800, England had become known as the European center for suicide.” This makes it clear that suicide was more common in England than I had expected, and it makes it that much more evident that Mr. Micawber may have viewed this as a possible way out of his financial difficulties, especially when no other opportunities were coming about.
Gates, Barbara T. "Willing To Be." Victorian Suicide: Mad Crimes and Sad Histories. Princeton UP, 1988. 23-25. Web.
-- Luke Bell
I am ashamed at young Copperfield’s awareness of my moments of weakness during this desperate period in my life. Some people don’t understand how difficult life can become for a man! I am not proud of the extremes that I resorted to during these times, but I am proud of myself for never going through with it, and for staying determined. Alas, look at how my situation has improved!
Editor’s note: This comes from chapter eleven of David Copperfield. The quote is from David when he is speaking of the extremes that he has witnessed Mr. Micawber go to, or consider, as an escape from his mounting financial pressures. The quote makes clear that Mr. Micawber has attempted suicide, or at the very least has considered it, and begs the question: how common was suicide in Victorian England? It is obviously frowned upon religiously, but Micawber’s quote comes during a period of religious restlessness when the ideas of Darwin and others were coming about. In Victorian Suicide: Mad Crimes and Sad Histories, Barbara Gates says that before the Victorian era, “the English have been accused by foreigners of being the beau-ideal of a suicidal people.” She goes on to say, “by 1800, England had become known as the European center for suicide.” This makes it clear that suicide was more common in England than I had expected, and it makes it that much more evident that Mr. Micawber may have viewed this as a possible way out of his financial difficulties, especially when no other opportunities were coming about.
Gates, Barbara T. "Willing To Be." Victorian Suicide: Mad Crimes and Sad Histories. Princeton UP, 1988. 23-25. Web.
-- Luke Bell
“There is perhaps even a worse blood-sucker than the financier just described. I allude to the money-lender who finds his victims in the middle and poorer classes. As a rule he opens, in some busy part of the town, an establishment on which he causes to be inscribed, in large gilt letters: ‘The Bank of Deposit.’ On a brass-plate or board appears the following announcement: ‘Money lent on bills of sale, notes of hand, etc., on the easiest terms. Enquire within.’
Those members of the British public who act upon the invitation conveyed in the last two words of the above announcement, are furnished with a book of rules, questioned as to the nature of the securities they have to offer, requested to pay a small sum to cover the cost of preliminary enquiries, and finally informed that their business will be promptly attended to. On subsequently reading the book of rules they will learn that the money can be advanced on a bill of sale on all their worldly goods, the loan being repayable by monthly installments of principal and interest; and if they will make a little independent calculation for themselves, they will find that the latter comes out at something over one hundred per cent. The rules also set forth the fines that will be imposed if the installments are not paid on the day they fall due.
On the premises are needy solicitors, or parties practicing as solicitors, who, in most cases, are paid by salary. When the bill of sale is put in force, and the wretched debtors are deprived of all their goods, the worthy banker receives, not only the amount of his loan, but also a considerable sum for costs, which are charged on the most exorbitant scale. As a rule, too, a broker is attached to the offices, and a similarly heavy charge is made for his services.”
I praise this work for exposing money lenders as they are—blood-suckers! This article has affected me deeply and I shall reassess all borrowing I do from this day forward. If I had known then what I know now, I never would have borrowed from these leeches in the first place!
Editor’s Note: This quote comes from Social Investigation/Journalism Round London by Montagu Williams. Although it was published in 1894, Mr. Micawber would benefit from a text of its nature because he was troubled by debt and probably had experience with moneylenders. Reading an article like this could be useful to Mr. Micawber because he has financial troubles and we learn that he borrows a lot of money. An article such as this, which exposes the money-lending business as it is, would make Mr. Micawber aware of what exactly he was getting into when he borrowed money, as well as just how costly it could turn out to be for him. If Mr. Micawber had read a text like this previous to his borrowing, maybe he wouldn’t have done so, and would have borrowed from friends or found other means instead. Thusly, it could be speculated that this could have possibly alleviated some of the financial pressures that he faced from collectors. If Mr. Micawber hadn’t gotten into trouble with collectors, he may not have gone to the extremes that he did to rid himself of his debt, such as changing his name and attempting suicide. In her article, "Did Suicide Increase with Industrialization in Victorian England?” Olive Anderson writes that industrial workers in Victorian England typically didn’t have suicide rates above the national average, but professional men did. I think this can be accounted to individuals of the middle class who were in Mr. Micawber’s position. Harassing debt collectors, in combination with the overwhelming pressure to keep their social class, drove the professional men of the time to elevated suicide rates.
Anderson, Olive. "Did Suicide Increase with Industrialization in Victorian England?" Past & Present 86.86 (1980): 149-73. Print.
Williams Q.C., Montagu. “Up West.” Social Investigation/Journalism Round London. Victorianlondon.org. 209-19. Web.
-- Luke Bell
Those members of the British public who act upon the invitation conveyed in the last two words of the above announcement, are furnished with a book of rules, questioned as to the nature of the securities they have to offer, requested to pay a small sum to cover the cost of preliminary enquiries, and finally informed that their business will be promptly attended to. On subsequently reading the book of rules they will learn that the money can be advanced on a bill of sale on all their worldly goods, the loan being repayable by monthly installments of principal and interest; and if they will make a little independent calculation for themselves, they will find that the latter comes out at something over one hundred per cent. The rules also set forth the fines that will be imposed if the installments are not paid on the day they fall due.
On the premises are needy solicitors, or parties practicing as solicitors, who, in most cases, are paid by salary. When the bill of sale is put in force, and the wretched debtors are deprived of all their goods, the worthy banker receives, not only the amount of his loan, but also a considerable sum for costs, which are charged on the most exorbitant scale. As a rule, too, a broker is attached to the offices, and a similarly heavy charge is made for his services.”
I praise this work for exposing money lenders as they are—blood-suckers! This article has affected me deeply and I shall reassess all borrowing I do from this day forward. If I had known then what I know now, I never would have borrowed from these leeches in the first place!
Editor’s Note: This quote comes from Social Investigation/Journalism Round London by Montagu Williams. Although it was published in 1894, Mr. Micawber would benefit from a text of its nature because he was troubled by debt and probably had experience with moneylenders. Reading an article like this could be useful to Mr. Micawber because he has financial troubles and we learn that he borrows a lot of money. An article such as this, which exposes the money-lending business as it is, would make Mr. Micawber aware of what exactly he was getting into when he borrowed money, as well as just how costly it could turn out to be for him. If Mr. Micawber had read a text like this previous to his borrowing, maybe he wouldn’t have done so, and would have borrowed from friends or found other means instead. Thusly, it could be speculated that this could have possibly alleviated some of the financial pressures that he faced from collectors. If Mr. Micawber hadn’t gotten into trouble with collectors, he may not have gone to the extremes that he did to rid himself of his debt, such as changing his name and attempting suicide. In her article, "Did Suicide Increase with Industrialization in Victorian England?” Olive Anderson writes that industrial workers in Victorian England typically didn’t have suicide rates above the national average, but professional men did. I think this can be accounted to individuals of the middle class who were in Mr. Micawber’s position. Harassing debt collectors, in combination with the overwhelming pressure to keep their social class, drove the professional men of the time to elevated suicide rates.
Anderson, Olive. "Did Suicide Increase with Industrialization in Victorian England?" Past & Present 86.86 (1980): 149-73. Print.
Williams Q.C., Montagu. “Up West.” Social Investigation/Journalism Round London. Victorianlondon.org. 209-19. Web.
-- Luke Bell