Poz, Bos, and the Phenomenon of Plagiarising Plagiarists

.3 Scholars who bypass Patten and consult The Oxford Handbook of Charles Dickens learn little about plagiarists and nothing about Poz in the entries under adapting Dickens.4 Scholars who consult 'Plagiarisms of Dickens' in the Oxford Reader's Companion to Dickens fare better by learni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dickensian 2020-12, Vol.116 (512), p.252-240
Main Author: Hanna, Robert C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advertisements
British & Irish literature
Dickens, Charles (1812-1870)
English literature
Fiction
Illustrations
Learning
Novels
Plagiarism
Prest, Thomas Peckett
Readers
Reading
Remakes & sequels
Sales
Social criticism & satire
Writers
Writing
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Summary:.3 Scholars who bypass Patten and consult The Oxford Handbook of Charles Dickens learn little about plagiarists and nothing about Poz in the entries under adapting Dickens.4 Scholars who consult 'Plagiarisms of Dickens' in the Oxford Reader's Companion to Dickens fare better by learning that 'Poz' edited Posthumous Papers of the Wonderful Discovery Club and Oliver Twiss.6 Louis James, author of the plagiarism entry in the Oxford Reader's Companion to Dickens, is also the author of Fiction for the Working Man.6 He provides useful summaries of The Wonderful Discovery Club and Oliver Twiss,7 thereby disproving that Poz was a misprint for Boz, as the error would have to have been unnoticed throughout all numbers of both serialisations. Given that Lloyd advertised his company's publications regularly and prominently, it seems reasonable to presume that Lloyd directed Prest to compose an actual ending to Nickelas Nickelbery, in order to avoid complaints and possible negative publicity from those customers who were still purchasing and reading NickelasNickelbery, in whatever sales figures. A careful reading of the last two numbers reveals that Prest had no advance knowledge of the serial's cessation, as the penultimate number contains no indication whatsoever that the plagiarism would terminate with the following issue. [...]it appears that Lloyd directed Prest to conclude the publication, giving Prest his usual weekly deadline, a rather tall order, even for a hack writer.
ISSN:0012-2440