"I conjure my friends on no account to make me the subject of any
monument, memorial, or testimonial whatever. I rest my claims
to the remembrance of my country upon my published works..."
So stated Charles Dickens in his will dated 12 May 1869. But with the 200th anniversary of his birth rapidly approaching it would appear that his exhortations will be in vain. Portsmouth, the place of his birth, intends to erect a statue to be inaugurated in April next year.
If Dickens's express wishes are to be ignored, I suggest that a wall of books be erected around the monument. Only those who can demonstrate that they have read at least one of his stories should be allowed to creep between the covers to glimpse the great man of letters, "immovable as a statue" (The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, Macmillan, 1904 ed., p. 278).
This would at least ensure that Dickens's "claims to remembrance" remain based on his "published works".
monument, memorial, or testimonial whatever. I rest my claims
to the remembrance of my country upon my published works..."
So stated Charles Dickens in his will dated 12 May 1869. But with the 200th anniversary of his birth rapidly approaching it would appear that his exhortations will be in vain. Portsmouth, the place of his birth, intends to erect a statue to be inaugurated in April next year.
If Dickens's express wishes are to be ignored, I suggest that a wall of books be erected around the monument. Only those who can demonstrate that they have read at least one of his stories should be allowed to creep between the covers to glimpse the great man of letters, "immovable as a statue" (The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, Macmillan, 1904 ed., p. 278).
This would at least ensure that Dickens's "claims to remembrance" remain based on his "published works".
