Charles Dickens and Music Part 13

d.i.c.kens was very familiar with Dibdin's songs, while the eighteenth-century ones referred to he probably never heard of, as they are very rarely found.

The worthy Captain enjoys a good rollicking song, preferably of a patriotic turn, but is very unreliable as to the sources of his ditties.

'Wal'r, my boy,' replied the Captain, 'in the Proverbs of Solomon you will find the following words, "May we never want a friend in need, nor a bottle to give him!" When found, made a note of.'

This is taken from a song by J. Davy, known as 'Since the first dawn of reason,' and was sung by Incledon.

Since the first dawn of reason that beam'd on my mind, And taught me how favoured by fortune my lot, To share that good fortune I still am inclined, And impart to who wanted what I wanted not.

It's a maxim ent.i.tled to every one's praise, When a man feels distress, like a man to relieve him; And my motto, though simple, means more than it says, 'May we ne'er want a friend or a bottle to give him.'

He is equally unreliable as to the source of a still more famous song. When Florence Dombey goes to see him the Captain intimates his intention of standing by old Sol Gills,

'and not desert until death do us part, and when the stormy winds do blow, do blow, do blow--overhaul the Catechism,' said the Captain parenthetically, 'and there you'll find these expressions.'

I have not heard of any church that has found it necessary to include this old refrain in its Catechism, nor even to mix it up with the Wedding Service.

A further mixture of quotations occurs when he is talking of Florence on another occasion. Speaking of the supposed death of Walter he says,

Though lost to sight, to memory dear, and England, home, and beauty.

The first part--which is one of Cuttle's favourite quotations--is the first line of a song by G. Linley.

He composed a large number of operas and songs, many of which were very popular. The second part of the quotation is from Braham's 'Death of Nelson' (see p. 116).

In conversation with his friend Bunsby, Cuttle says--

Give me the lad with the tarry trousers as shines to me like di'monds bright, for which you'll overhaul the 'Stanfell's Budget,' and when found make a note.

Elsewhere he mentions Fairburn's 'Comic Songster' and the 'Little Warbler' as his song authorities.

The song referred to here is cla.s.sed by Dr. Vaughan Williams amongst Ess.e.x folk-songs, but it is by no means confined to that county. It tells of a mother who wants her daughter to marry a tailor, and not wait for her sailor bold.

My mother wants me to wed with a tailor And not give me my heart's delight; But give me the man with the tarry trousers, That shines to me like diamonds bright.

After the firm of Dombey has decided to send Walter to Barbados, the boy discusses his prospects with his friend the Captain, and finally bursts into song--

How does that tune go that the sailors sing?

For the port of Barbados, Boys!

Cheerily!

Leaving old England behind us, boys!

Cheerily!

Here the Captain roared in chorus,

Oh cheerily, cheerily!

Oh cheer-i-ly!

All efforts to trace this song have failed, and for various reasons I am inclined to think that d.i.c.kens made up the lines to fit the occasion; while the words 'Oh cheerily, cheerily'

are a variant of a refrain common in sea songs, and the Captain teaches Rob the Grinder to sing it at a later period of the story. The arguments against the existence of such a song are: first, that the Dombey firm have already decided to send the boy to Barbados, and as there is no song suitable, the novelist invents one; and in the second place there has never been a time in the history of Barbados to give rise to such a song as this, and no naval expedition of any consequence has ever been sent there. It is perhaps unnecessary to urge that there is no such place as the 'Port of Barbados.'

_d.i.c.k Swiveller_

None of d.i.c.kens' characters has such a wealth of poetical ill.u.s.tration at command as Mr. Richard Swiveller. He lights up the Bra.s.s office 'with sc.r.a.ps of song and merriment,' and when he is taking Kit's mother home in a depressed state after the trial he does his best to entertain her with 'astonishing absurdities in the way of quotation from song and poem.' From the time of his introduction, when he 'obliged the company with a few bars of an intensely dismal air,' to when he expresses his grat.i.tude to the Marchioness--

And she shall walk in silk attire, And siller have to spare--

there is scarcely a scene in which he is present when he does not illumine his remarks by quotations of some kind or other, though there are certainly a few occasions when his listeners are not always able to appreciate their aptness. For instance in the scene between Swiveller and the single gentleman, after the latter has been aroused from his slumbers, and has intimated he is not to be disturbed again.

'I beg your pardon,' said d.i.c.k, halting in his pa.s.sage to the door, which the lodger prepared to open, 'when he who adores thee has left but the name--'

'What do you mean?'

'But the name,' said d.i.c.k, 'has left but the name--in case of letters or parcels--'

'I never have any,' said the lodger.

'Or in case anybody should call.'

'n.o.body ever calls on me.'

'If any mistake should arise from not having the name, don't say it was my fault, sir,' added d.i.c.k, still lingering; 'oh, blame not the bard--'

'I'll blame n.o.body,' said the lodger.

But that Mr. Swiveller's knowledge of songs should be both 'extensive and peculiar' is only to be expected from one who held the distinguished office of 'Perpetual Grand Master of the Glorious Apollers,' although he seems to have been more in the habit of quoting extracts from them than of giving vocal ill.u.s.trations. On one occasion, however, we find him a.s.sociated with Mr. Chuckster 'in a fragment of the popular duet of "All's Well" with a long shake at the end.'

The following extract ill.u.s.trates the 'shake':

ALL'S WELL (DUET).

_Sung by Mr. Braham and Mr. Charles Braham._

_Music by Mr. Braham._ [Figure 8]

All's well, All's well; Above, below, All, all's well.

Although most of Swiveller's quotations are from songs, he does not always confine himself to them, as for instance, when he sticks his fork into a large carbuncular potato and reflects that 'Man wants but little here below,' which seems to show that in his quieter moments he had studied Goldsmith's _Hermit_.

Mr. Swiveller's quotations are largely connected with his love-pa.s.sages with Sophy Wackles, and they are so carefully and delicately graded that they practically cover the whole ground in the rise and decline of his affections. He begins by suggesting that 'she's all my fancy painted her.'

From this he pa.s.ses to

She's like the red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June.

She's also like a melody, That's sweetly played in tune.

then

When the heart of a man is depressed with fears, The mist is dispelled when Miss Wackles appears,