1903 The Flowing Bowl by Edward Spencer

THE DRINKS OF DICKENS 21^ than his fair share of the wines. Mr. Wickfield —silly old dotard to be deceived by such a shallow, transparent rufhan as Uriah Heep drank assorted wines to drown his cares ; whilst one of the servants engaged by Dora, during her brief experience of matrimonial joys, used to chalk up an account, in her mistress' name, at the public house, the items appearing as " half-quartern gin and cloves (Mrs. C.);" " glass rum and peppermint (Mrs. C.)"—the parenthesis always referring to Dora, who was supposed to have consumed the whole of these refreshments. There is a fair amount of assorted drinking in Martin Chuzzlewit. Revelry at Pecksniff Hall took, we learn, the form of red and white currant. wine, of acid characteristics, the remains of the two bottles being subsequently blended, for the special malefit of Tom Pinch and young Martin. But the artful Pecksniff himself did not stir without the brandy bottle when going on a journey, and the family seem to have done them selves particularly well at "Todgers's." When ever I feel more than ordinarily depressed in spirits, I overhaul my Martin Chuzzlewit and read, once again, the report of the dinner at Todgers's, which led to Mr. Pecksniffs fall into the fireplace. John Westlock—about the most admirable young man in all Dickens s novels did not forget to do his friends well at Salisbury. " As to wines," we are told, " the man who can dream such iced champagne, such claret, port, or sherry, had better go to bed and stop there. The blackmailing of the captain of the Screw by the proprietor ofthe New York Rowdy Journal

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