Charles Dickens and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term "Dickensian" is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters. Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on 7 February 1812, at 1 Mile End Terrace (now 393 Commercial Road), Landport in Portsea Island (Portsmouth), the second of eight children of Elizabeth Dickens (née Barrow; 1789–1863) and John Dickens (1785–1851). His father was a clerk in the
HMS Childers (1812) HMS Childers (1812) HMS "Childers" was a Royal Navy 18-gun , built by Nicholas Diddams at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1812. She was broken up in 1822. "Childers" was commissioned in July 1812 under Commander Buckland Bluett. When news of the outbreak of the War of 1812 reached Britain, the Royal Navy seized all American vessels then in British ports. "Childers" was among the 42 Royal Navy vessels then lying at Spithead or Portsmouth and so entitled to share in the grant for the American ships "Belleville", "Janus", "Aeos", "Ganges" and "Leonidas" seized there on 31 July 1812. Commander