Dickens' Englishness is the topic of chapters six and seven of Chesterton's eulogy. When Dickens travels to America, his English sensibilities are tried by American manners. He is repelled by the comfortable patriotism he witnesses everywhere. His impressions can be read both in his 'American notes' and in 'Martin Chuzzlewit'.
In Italy, too, Dickens remains an Englishman: while residing in the South, he wrote his tales about Christmas in England, full of fog and turkey and pudding. He describes 'the holy day which is really a holiday', 'the old European festival, Pagan and Christian', with 'that trinity of eating, drinking and praying which to moderns appears irreverent'.
Hi Elsbeth--I'm reading along--I'm glad you are still at it. I particularly like Chesterton's form of criticism. Partially because it is a style you cannot found today and partially because his reading of other authors tell me so much about HIM. :)
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