Augustus Snodgrass
Augustus Snodgrass
I was brought up as a ward of Mr Pickwick and I am one of the founder members of The Pickwick Club. I am reputed to be a poet but my only recollection of writing is in my notebook which records the various activities of the Club. The notebook could have provided most useful and valuable information on the Club’s activities had not, on occasions, the burning eloquence of the words or the feverish influence of the wine consumed made my hand so unsteady as to render my writing completely unintelligible.
During the Club’s first outing to Rochester, Nat Winkle was challenged to a duel by Dr Slammer for allegedly insulting Dr. Slammer and his lady companions at a charity ball taking place at the hotel. I had not witnessed the incident as the wine I had consumed rendered me somnolent but, although totally ignorant in the matter of weapons, I agreed to act as Winkle’s second. However, on arrival at Fort Pitt, the venue selected for the duel, Dr Slammer did not recognise Winkle as the offender and, much to my relief, withdrew his challenge. It transpired that Alfred Jingle whom we had met on the coach to Rochester, had, with Tracy Tupman’s connivance, borrowed Winkle’s dress coat in order to gain admission to the ball in the company of Tracy Tupman and it was Jingle, under extreme intoxication, who had committed the alleged offence.
I accompanied Mr. Pickwick on all the Club’s travels and, during our first visit to Dingly Dell, I was very much taken with the beauty and charm of Jem Wardle’s daughter, Emily. Tracy Tupman also took a shine to Emily and it took me some time to convince the lady and her father that I was the more respectable suitor. Emily and I were eventually married and settled at Dingly Dell. My marriage together with the marriages of Nat Winkle and Sam Weller caused Mr Pickwick to consider his future and that of the Club. Mr Pickwick decided to retire to a house in Dulwich and the Pickwick Club was disbanded.