Mr. Pickwick Slides

Phiz (Hablot K. Browne)

February 1837

Steel Engraving

Dickens's Pickwick Papers

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See below for passage illustrated

Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.

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The genial character comedy of Dickens's first novel is nowhere better exhibited than in "Mr. Pickwick Slides" by Phiz, accompanying chapter 30 and complementing the textual physical comedy of "Mr. Winkle on Skates." The passage realised is this:

Mr. Pickwick paused, considered, pulled off his gloves and put them in his hat: took two or three short runs, baulked himself as often, and at last took another run, and went slowly and gravely down the slide, with his feet about a yard and a quarter apart, amidst the gratified shouts of all the spectators. [p. 256 in the Ticknor & Fields edition, chapter 30]

This illustration first appeared in monthly part 11 (February 1837).

References

Cohen, Jane Rabb. Charles Dickens and His Original Illustrators. Columbus: Ohio State U. P., 1980.

Hammerton, J. A. The Dickens Picture-Book. London: Educational Book Co.,1910.

Steig, Michael. Dickens and Phiz. Bloomington & London: Indiana U.P., 1978. Pp. 51-85.

Dickens, Charles. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (1836-37). Il. Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1867.

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Last modified 26 November 2011