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Mon 15 Dec, 2003 05:56 pm
They were portly gentlemen, pleasant to behold, and now stood, with their hats off, in Scrooge's office. They had books and papers in their hands, and bowed to him.
"Scrooge and Marley's, I believe,'' said one of the gentlemen, referring to his list. "Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr Scrooge, or Mr Marley?''
"Mr Marley has been dead these seven years,'' Scrooge replied. "He died seven years ago, this very night.''
"We have no doubt his liberality is well represented by his surviving partner,'' said the gentleman, presenting his credentials.
It certainly was; for they had been two kindred spirits. At the ominous word "liberality'', Scrooge frowned, and shook his head, and handed the credentials back.
"At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,'' said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.''
"Are there no prisons?'' asked Scrooge.
"Plenty of prisons,'' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.
"And the Union workhouses?'' demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?''
"They are. Still,'' returned the gentleman, "I wish I could say they were not.''
"The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?'' said Scrooge.
"Both very busy, sir.''
"Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,'' said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to hear it.''
"Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,'' returned the gentleman, "a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?''
"Nothing!'' Scrooge replied.
"You wish to be anonymous?''
"I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. "Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.''
"Many can't go there; and many would rather die.''
"If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides -- excuse me -- I don't know that.''
"But you might know it,'' observed the gentleman.
"It's not my business,'' Scrooge returned. "It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!''
Ahhh...compassionate conservatism!
What Dickens is describing was the prevalent attitude toward Christmas among dissenters(Congregationalist, Independents and the like). The Puritan movement in England in the 17th century regarded Christmas as a papist pagan celebration and out lawed it. For example Christmas was not widely celebrated in New England until the 1840's (mostly due to German and Irish immigrants) and was not a legal holiday until much later. Dickens uses this as a straw man to set up his pean to the holiday and its celebration, as well as to attack the capitalist class as he had experienced them as a boy.
In fact, Acq, in contrast to the image one could reasonably form of the Religious Right today, the "Puritans" were quite well educated in Hebrew, Latin and Greek, and were quite well informed about the pre-christian mythology and festival practices. They did not eschew knowledge and learning. After the execution of Charles, the Rump Parliament worked on Christmas day, but, significantly, saw fit to comment upon it, noting that they had no interest in observing a pagan holiday, that it was just another day to them. The comment, to my mind, shows that they must have been aware of some popularity of the observance, and felt a need to lay out their position to the public.
The holiday corresponds to many pagan feasts--it has a seasonal power which no amount of dogma or doctrine will ever overcome . . .
. . . wassail, y'all . . .
Strangly enough, my recreational reading this week is
Theology in America: Christian Thought from the Age of the Puritans to the Civil War Yale, 2003, by Holifield.
And I thought Dickens was describing a mean old man, silly me!!
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