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EndElectoral

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19. Benevolence toward the downtrodden

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:48 AM

Dec 2014

Was at the Edgar Allan Poe gravesite in Baltimore yesterday. Poe had met Dickens on occasion, and of course died quite young in 1849. Dickens had read that his mother-in-law (Mrs. Clemm) was destitute later in life and two years before Dickens died he sent her $1000 (amount to $16,667 dollars today even though he hardly knew the lady).

"A note from the Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC), states: “DICKENS, it is reported, has sent $1,000 to Mrs. Clemm, the mother-in-law of Edgar A. Poe, who is an inmate of a charitable institution in Baltimore, and has been for years in extremely indigent circumstances.” (Tuesday, February 4, 1868). "

While Dickens had his flaws, he did contribute to improving the condition of the poor such as the Field Lane Ragged School which provided evening classes for the poor, and Urania Cottage, a home for fallen and homeless women as well as many other causes.

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else." - Dickens

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Why the World Still Loves Charles Dickens [View all] JI7 Dec 2014 OP

I adore Dickens malaise Dec 2014 #1

Mine too. PassingFair Dec 2014 #15

You might be interested in this, then. dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #20

Thanks for that link sis malaise Dec 2014 #31

You are most welcome.... dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #33

Since we seem bent on repeating the conditions he suffered... Wounded Bear Dec 2014 #2

He was dang good writer Arcadiasix Dec 2014 #3

Over my desk... moondust Dec 2014 #4

Awesome. I didn't realize you could visit his home. R B Garr Dec 2014 #7

It's also a museum now. moondust Dec 2014 #9

I'm impressed! I learned something great today. n/t R B Garr Dec 2014 #21

That's a wonderful print, good you've kept it. appalachiablue Dec 2014 #10

HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!! WillyT Dec 2014 #5

Love this! A Christmas Carol is our all-time favorite. R B Garr Dec 2014 #6

MIne, too. Reading it aloud was in December was a classic in my family. freshwest Dec 2014 #17

That is such a special memory. My mom bought me the book R B Garr Dec 2014 #23

Christmas Carol Octafish Dec 2014 #8

Very nice piece, thank you. Happy Holidays. appalachiablue Dec 2014 #11

Republicans must hate Dickens. tclambert Dec 2014 #12

I just watched the 1999 version with Patrick Stewart Ilsa Dec 2014 #13

Dickens documented a two class society, the aristocracy, and the working class poor. world wide wally Dec 2014 #14

A Tale of Two Cities! elias49 Dec 2014 #16

Next up for you should be 'Great Expectations,' Dickens' masterful takedown KingCharlemagne Dec 2014 #26

Dickens wrote about the damp English cold, how it went through one's clothes in several books. freshwest Dec 2014 #27

Dickens would have plenty to say about our gross hypocrisy and empty cant, were KingCharlemagne Dec 2014 #28

"It is a far, far better thing that I do ..." JustABozoOnThisBus Dec 2014 #30

Dickens' Great Great Grandson tours reading Dickens' works. PADemD Dec 2014 #18

Benevolence toward the downtrodden EndElectoral Dec 2014 #19

So enjoyed this. Thanks. lexington filly Dec 2014 #22

Good post, thank you. Dickens was a great writer. I wonder if he ever thought how sabrina 1 Dec 2014 #24

you might be interested in this movie about Dickens ... Tuesday Afternoon Dec 2014 #25

I can't read the book or see the movie Freddie Dec 2014 #29

so christmas could have been like our memorial day, independence da, new years eve JI7 Dec 2014 #37

"A Christmas Carol" is a perfect piece of writing, betsuni Dec 2014 #32

Here's a book rec for a book about the writing of "A Christmas Carol" FSogol Dec 2014 #34

du rec. xchrom Dec 2014 #35

K&R JEB Dec 2014 #36