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It may be briefly said that exaggeration takes for granted some degree of
imbecility in the reader, whereas caricature takes for granted a high
degree of intelligence. Dickens appeals to our intelligence in all his
caricature, whether heavenly, as in Joe Gargery, or impish, as in Mrs.
Micawber. The word "caricature" that is used a thousand times to
reproach him is the word that does him singular honour.
If I may define my own devotion to Dickens, it may be stated as chiefly,
though not wholly, admiration of his humour, his dramatic tragedy, and
his watchfulness over inanimate things and landscape. Passages of his
books that are ranged otherwise than under those characters often leave
me out of the range of their appeal or else definitely offend me. And
this is not for the customary reason--that Dickens could not draw a
gentleman, that Dickens could not draw a lady. It matters little whether
he could or not. But as a fact he did draw a gentleman, and drew him
excellently well, in Cousin Feenix, as Mr. Chesterton has decided. The
question of the lady we may waive; if it is difficult to prove a
negative, it is difficult also to present one; and to the making, or
producing, or liberating, or detaching, or exalting, of the character of
a lady there enter many negatives; and Dickens was an obvious and a
positive man. Esther Summerson is a lady, but she is so much besides
that her ladyhood does not detach itself from her sainthood and her
angelhood, so as to be conspicuous--if, indeed, conspicuousness may be
properly predicated of the quality of a lady.
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