speeches-literary & social-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



will　readily　and　cheerfully　pay　for　the　advantages　which　it

confers；　that　he　will　prepare　himself　in　individual　cases　where　he

feels　that　the　adverse　circumstances　around　him　have　rendered　it

necessary；　in　a　word；　that　he　will　feel　his　responsibility　like　an

honest　man；　and　will　most　honestly　and　manfully　discharge　it。　　I

now　proceed　to　the　pleasant　task　to　which　I　assure　you　I　have

looked　forward　for　a　long　time。





＇At　the　close　of　the　reading　Mr。　Dickens　received　a　vote　of　thanks；

and　〃three　cheers；　with　three　times　three。〃　　As　soon　as　the

enthusiasm　of　the　audience　would　allow　him　to　speak；　Mr。　Dickens

said：…＇





You　have　heard　so　much　of　my　voice　since　we　met　tonight；　that　I

will　only　say；　in　acknowledgment　of　this　affecting　mark　of　your

regard；　that　I　am　truly　and　sincerely　interested　in　you；　that　any

little　service　I　have　rendered　to　you　I　have　freely　rendered　from

my　heart；　that　I　hope　to　become　an　honorary　member　of　your　great

Institution；　and　will　meet　you　often　there　when　it　becomes

practically　useful；　that　I　thank　you　most　affectionately　for　this

new　mark　of　your　sympathy　and　approval；　and　that　I　wish　you　many

happy　returns　of　this　great　birthday…time；　and　many　prosperous

years。







SPEECH：　　COMMERCIAL　TRAVELLERS。　　LONDON；　DECEMBER　30；　1854。







＇The　following　speech　was　made　by　Mr。　Dickens　at　the　Anniversary

Dinner　in　commemoration　of　the　foundation　of　the　Commercial

Travellers'　Schools；　held　at　the　London　Tavern　on　the　above　date。

Mr。　Dickens　presided　on　this　occasion；　and　proposed　the　toasts。＇



I　THINK　it　may　be　assumed　that　most　of　us　here　present　know

something　about　travelling。　　I　do　not　mean　in　distant　regions　or

foreign　countries；　although　I　dare　say　some　of　us　have　had

experience　in　that　way；　but　at　home；　and　within　the　limits　of　the

United　Kingdom。　　I　dare　say　most　of　us　have　had　experience　of　the

extinct　〃fast　coaches；〃　the　〃Wonders；〃　〃Taglionis；〃　and　〃Tallyhos；〃

of　other　days。　　I　daresay　most　of　us　remember　certain　modest

postchaises；　dragging　us　down　interminable　roads；　through　slush　and

mud；　to　little　country　towns　with　no　visible　population；　except

half…a…dozen　men　in　smock…frocks；　half…a…dozen　women　with　umbrellas

and　pattens；　and　a　washed…out　dog　or　so　shivering　under　the　gables；

to　complete　the　desolate　picture。　　We　can　all　discourse；　I　dare

say；　if　so　minded；　about　our　recollections　of　the　〃Talbot；〃　the

〃Queen's　Head；〃　or　the　〃Lion〃　of　those　days。　　We　have　all　been　to

that　room　on　the　ground　floor　on　one　side　of　the　old　inn　yard；　not

quite　free　from　a　certain　fragrant　smell　of　tobacco；　where　the

cruets　on　the　sideboard　were　usually　absorbed　by　the　skirts　of　the

box…coats　that　hung　from　the　wall；　where　awkward　servants　waylaid

us　at　every　turn；　like　so　many　human　man…traps；　where　county

members；　framed　and　glazed；　were　eternally　presenting　that　petition

which；　somehow　or　other；　had　made　their　glory　in　the　county；

although　nothing　else　had　ever　come　of　it。　　Where　the　books　in　the

windows　always　wanted　the　first；　last；　and　middle　leaves；　and　where

the　one　man　was　always　arriving　at　some　unusual　hour　in　the　night；

and　requiring　his　breakfast　at　a　similarly　singular　period　of　the

day。　　I　have　no　doubt　we　could　all　be　very　eloquent　on　the　comforts

of　our　favourite　hotel；　wherever　it　was　…　its　beds；　its　stables；

its　vast　amount　of　posting；　its　excellent　cheese；　its　head　waiter；

its　capital　dishes；　its　pigeon…pies；　or　its　1820　port。　　Or　possibly

we　could　recal　our　chaste　and　innocent　admiration　of　its　landlady；

or　our　fraternal　regard　for　its　handsome　chambermaid。　　A　celebrated

domestic　critic　once　writing　of　a　famous　actress；　renowned　for　her

virtue　and　beauty；　gave　her　the　character　of　being　an　〃eminently

gatherable…to…one's…arms　sort　of　person。〃　　Perhaps　some　one　amongst

us　has　borne　a　somewhat　similar　tribute　to　the　mental　charms　of　the

fair　deities　who　presided　at　our　hotels。



With　the　travelling　characteristics　of　later　times；　we　are　all；　no

doubt；　equally　familiar。　　We　know　all　about　that　station　to　which

we　must　take　our　ticket；　although　we　never　get　there；　and　the　other

one　at　which　we　arrive　after　dark；　certain　to　find　it　half　a　mile

from　the　town；　where　the　old　road　is　sure　to　have　been　abolished；

and　the　new　road　is　going　to　be　made　…　where　the　old　neighbourhood

has　been　tumbled　down；　and　the　new　one　is　not　half　built　up。　　We

know　all　about　that　party　on　the　platform　who；　with　the　best

intentions；　can　do　nothing　for　our　luggage　except　pitch　it　into　all

sorts　of　unattainable　places。　　We　know　all　about　that　short

omnibus；　in　which　one　is　to　be　doubled　up；　to　the　imminent　danger

of　the　crown　of　one's　hat；　and　about　that　fly；　whose　leading

peculiarity　is　never　to　be　there　when　it　is　wanted。　　We　know；　too；

how　instantaneously　the　lights　of　the　station　disappear　when　the

train　starts；　and　about　that　grope　to　the　new　Railway　Hotel；　which

will　be　an　excellent　house　when　the　customers　come；　but　which　at

present　has　nothing　to　offer　but　a　liberal　allowance　of　damp　mortar

and　new　lime。



I　record　these　little　incidents　of　home　travel　mainly　with　the

object　of　increasing　your　interest　in　the　purpose　of　this　night's

assemblage。　　Every　traveller　has　a　home　of　his　own；　and　he　learns

to　appreciate　it　the　more　from　his　wandering。　　If　he　has　no　home；

he　learns　the　same　lesson　unselfishly　by　turning　to　the　homes　of

other　men。　　He　may　have　his　experiences　of　cheerful　and　exciting

pleasures　abroad；　but　home　is　the　best；　after　all；　and　its

pleasures　are　the　most　heartily　and　enduringly　prized。　　Therefore；

ladies　and　gentlemen；　every　one　must　be　prepared　to　learn　that

commercial　travellers；　as　a　body；　know　how　to　prize　those　domestic

relations　from　which　their　pursuits　so　frequently　sever　them；　for

no　one　could　possibly　invent　a　more　delightful　or　more　convincing

testimony　to　the　fact　than　they　themselves　have　offered　in　founding

and　maintaining　a　school　for　the　children　of　deceased　or

unfortunate　members　of　their　own　body；　those　children　who　now

appeal　to　you　in　mute　but　eloquent　terms　from　the　gallery。



It　is　to　support　that　school；　founded　with　such　high　and　friendly

objects；　so　very　honourable　to　your　calling；　and　so　useful　in　its

solid　and　practical　results；　that　we　are　here　to…night。　　It　is　to

roof　that　building　which　is　to　shelter　the　children　of　your

deceased　friends　with　one　crowning　ornament；　the　best　that　any

building　can　have；　namely；　a　receipt　stamp　for　the　full　amount　of

the　cost。　　It　is　for　this　that　your　active　sympathy　is　appealed　to；

for　the　completion　of　your　own　good　work。　　You　know　how　to　put　your

hands　to　the　plough　in　earnest　as　well　as　any　men　in　existence；　for

this　little　book　informs　me　that　you　raised　last　year　no　less　a　sum

than　8000　pounds；　and　while　fully　half　of　that　sum　consisted　of　new

donations　to　the　building　fund；　I　find　that　the　regular　revenue　of

the　charity　has　only　suffered　to　the　extent　of　30　pounds。　　After

this；　I　most　earnestly　and　sincerely　say　that　were　we　all　authors

together；　I　might　boast；　if　in　my　profession　were　exhibited　the

same　unity　and　steadfastness　I　find　in　yours。



I　will　not　urge　on　you　the　casualties　of　a　life　of　travel；　or　the

vicissitudes　of　business；　or　the　claims　fostered　by　that　bond　of

brotherhood　which　ought　always　to　exist　amongst　men　who　are　united

in　a　common　pursuit。　　You　have　already　recognized　those　claims　so

nobly；　that　I　will　not　presume　to　lay　them　before　you　in　any

further　detail。　　Suffice　it　to　say　that　I　do　not　think　it　is　in

your　nature　to　do　things　by　halves。　　I　do　not　think　you　could　do　so

if　you　tried；　and　I　have　a　moral　certainty　that　you　never　will　try。

To　those　gentlemen　present　who　are　not　members　of　the　travellers'

body；　I　will　say　in　the　words　of　the　French　proverb；　〃Heaven　helps

those　who　help　themselves。〃　　The　Commercial　Travellers　having

helped　themselves　so　gallantly；　it　is　clear　that　the　visitors　who

come　as　a　sort　of　celestial　representatives　ought　to　bring　that　aid

in　their　pockets　which　the　precept　teaches　us　to　expect　from　them。

With　these　few　remarks；　I　beg　to　give　you　as　a　toast；　〃Success　to

the　Commercial　Travellers'　School。〃



＇In　proposing　the　health　of　the　Army　in　the　Crimea；　Mr。　Dickens

said：…＇



IT　does　not　require　any　extraordinary　sagacity　in　a　commercial

assembly　to　appreciate　the　dire　evils　of　war。　　The　great　interests

of　trade　enfeebled　by　it；　the　enterprise　of　better　times　paralysed

by　it；　all　the　peaceful　arts　bent　down　before　it；　too　palpably

indicate　its　character　and　results；　so　that　far　less　practical

intelligence　than　that　by　which　I　am　surrounded　would　be　sufficient

to　appreciate　the　horrors　of　war。　　But　there　are　seasons　when　the

evils　of　peace；　though　not　so　acutely　felt；　are　immeasurably

greater；　and　when　a　powerful　nation；　by　admitting　the　right　of　any

autocrat　to　do　wrong；　sows　by　such　complicity　the　seeds　of　its　own

ruin；　and　overshadows　itself　in　time　to　come　with　that　fatal

influence　which　great　and　ambitious　powers　are　sure　to　exercise

over　their　weaker　neighbours。



Therefore　it　is；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　that　the　tree　has　not　its

root　in　English　ground　from　which　the　yard　wand　can　be　made　that

will　measure　…　the　mine　has　not　its　place　in　English　soil　that　will

supply　the　material　of　a　pair　of　scales　to　weigh　the　influence　that

may　be　at　stake　in　the　war　in　which　we　are　now　straining　all　our

energies。　　That　war　is；　at　any　time　and　in　any　shape；　a　most

dreadful　and　deplorable　calamity；　we　need　no　proverb　to　tell　us；

but　it　is　just　because　it　is　such　a　calamity；　and　because　that

calamity　must　not　for　ever　be　impending　over　us　at　the　fancy　of　one

man　against　all　mankind；　that　we　must　not　allow　that　man　to　darken

from　our　view　the　figures　of　peace　and　justice　between　whom　and　us

he　now　interposes。



Ladies　and　gentlemen；　if　ever　there　were　a　time　when　the　true

spirits　of　two　countries　were　really　fighting　in　the　cause　of　human

advancement　and　freedom　…　no　matter　what　diplomatic　notes　or　other

nameless　botherations；　from　number　one　to　one　hundred　thousand　and

one；　may　have　preceded　their　taking　the　field　…　if　ever　there　were

a　time　when　noble　hearts　were　deserving　well　of　mankind　by　exposing

themselves　to　the　obedient　bayonets　of　a　rash　and　barbarian　tyrant；

it　is　now；　when　the　faithful　children　of　England　and　France　are

fighting　so　bravely　in　the　Crimea。　　Those　faithful　children　are　the

admiration　and　wonder　of　the　world；　so　gallantly　are　they

discharging　their　duty；　and　therefore　I　propose　to　an　assembly；

emphatically　representing　the　interests　and　arts　of　peace；　to　drink

the　health　of　the　Allied　Armies　of　England　and　France；　with　all

possible　honours。





＇In　proposing　the　health　of　the　Treasurer；　Mr。　Dickens　said：…＇





If　the　President　of　this　Institution　had　been　here；　I　should

possibly　have　made　one　of　the　best　speeches　you　ever　heard；　but　as

he