speeches-literary & social-第15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！



other　side　of　the　great　hill　overhanging　the　city；　as　if　there　were

no　great　clouds　rushing　over　it；　as　if　there　were　no　life；　and

movement；　and　vigour　anywhere　in　the　world　…　nothing　but　stoppage

and　decay。　　There　he　lay　looking　at　us；　saying；　in　his　silence；

more　pathetically　than　I　have　ever　heard　anything　said　by　any

orator　in　my　life；　〃Will　you　please　to　tell　me　what　this　means；

strange　man？　and　if　you　can　give　me　any　good　reason　why　I　should　be

so　soon；　so　far　advanced　on　my　way　to　Him　who　said　that　children

were　to　come　into　His　presence　and　were　not　to　be　forbidden；　but

who　scarcely　meant；　I　think；　that　they　should　come　by　this　hard

road　by　which　I　am　travelling；　pray　give　that　reason　to　me；　for　I

seek　it　very　earnestly　and　wonder　about　it　very　much；〃　and　to　my

mind　he　has　been　wondering　about　it　ever　since。　　Many　a　poor　child；

sick　and　neglected；　I　have　seen　since　that　time　in　this　London；

many　a　poor　sick　child　I　have　seen　most　affectionately　and　kindly

tended　by　poor　people；　in　an　unwholesome　house　and　under　untoward

circumstances；　wherein　its　recovery　was　quite　impossible；　but　at

all　such　times　I　have　seen　my　poor　little　drooping　friend　in　his

egg…box；　and　he　has　always　addressed　his　dumb　speech　to　me；　and　I

have　always　found　him　wondering　what　it　meant；　and　why；　in　the　name

of　a　gracious　God；　such　things　should　be！



Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　such　things　need　not　be；　and　will　not

be；　if　this　company；　which　is　a　drop　of　the　life…blood　of　the　great

compassionate　public　heart；　will　only　accept　the　means　of　rescue

and　prevention　which　it　is　mine　to　offer。　　Within　a　quarter　of　a

mile　of　this　place　where　I　speak；　stands　a　courtly　old　house；　where

once；　no　doubt；　blooming　children　were　born；　and　grew　up　to　be　men

and　women；　and　married；　and　brought　their　own　blooming　children

back　to　patter　up　the　old　oak　staircase　which　stood　but　the　other

day；　and　to　wonder　at　the　old　oak　carvings　on　the　chimney…pieces。

In　the　airy　wards　into　which　the　old　state　drawing…rooms　and　family

bedchambers　of　that　house　are　now　converted　are　such　little

patients　that　the　attendant　nurses　look　like　reclaimed　giantesses；

and　the　kind　medical　practitioner　like　an　amiable　Christian　ogre。

Grouped　about　the　little　low　tables　in　the　centre　of　the　rooms　are

such　tiny　convalescents　that　they　seem　to　be　playing　at　having　been

ill。　　On　the　doll's　beds　are　such　diminutive　creatures　that　each

poor　sufferer　is　supplied　with　its　tray　of　toys；　and；　looking

round；　you　may　see　how　the　little　tired；　flushed　cheek　has　toppled

over　half　the　brute　creation　on　its　way　into　the　ark；　or　how　one

little　dimpled　arm　has　mowed　down　（as　I　saw　myself）　the　whole　tin

soldiery　of　Europe。　　On　the　walls　of　these　rooms　are　graceful；

pleasant；　bright；　childish　pictures。　　At　the　bed's　heads；　are

pictures　of　the　figure　which　is　the　universal　embodiment　of　all

mercy　and　compassion；　the　figure　of　Him　who　was　once　a　child

himself；　and　a　poor　one。　　Besides　these　little　creatures　on　the

beds；　you　may　learn　in　that　place　that　the　number　of　small　Out…

patients　brought　to　that　house　for　relief　is　no　fewer　than　ten

thousand　in　the　compass　of　one　single　year。　　In　the　room　in　which

these　are　received；　you　may　see　against　the　wall　a　box；　on　which　it

is　written；　that　it　has　been　calculated；　that　if　every　grateful

mother　who　brings　a　child　there　will　drop　a　penny　into　it；　the

Hospital　funds　may　possibly　be　increased　in　a　year　by　so　large　a

sum　as　forty　pounds。　　And　you　may　read　in　the　Hospital　Report；　with

a　glow　of　pleasure；　that　these　poor　women　are　so　respondent　as　to

have　made；　even　in　a　toiling　year　of　difficulty　and　high　prices；

this　estimated　forty；　fifty　pounds。　　In　the　printed　papers　of　this

same　Hospital；　you　may　read　with　what　a　generous　earnestness　the

highest　and　wisest　members　of　the　medical　profession　testify　to　the

great　need　of　it；　to　the　immense　difficulty　of　treating　children　in

the　same　hospitals　with　grown…up　people；　by　reason　of　their

different　ailments　and　requirements；　to　the　vast　amount　of　pain

that　will　be　assuaged；　and　of　life　that　will　be　saved；　through　this

Hospital；　not　only　among　the　poor；　observe；　but　among　the

prosperous　too；　by　reason　of　the　increased　knowledge　of　children's

illnesses；　which　cannot　fail　to　arise　from　a　more　systematic　mode

of　studying　them。　　Lastly；　gentlemen；　and　I　am　sorry　to　say；　worst

of　all　…　（for　I　must　present　no　rose…coloured　picture　of　this　place

to　you　…　I　must　not　deceive　you；）　lastly；　the　visitor　to　this

Children's　Hospital；　reckoning　up　the　number　of　its　beds；　will　find

himself　perforce　obliged　to　stop　at　very　little　over　thirty；　and

will　learn；　with　sorrow　and　surprise；　that　even　that　small　number；

so　forlornly；　so　miserably　diminutive；　compared　with　this　vast

London；　cannot　possibly　be　maintained；　unless　the　Hospital　be　made

better　known；　I　limit　myself　to　saying　better　known；　because　I　will

not　believe　that　in　a　Christian　community　of　fathers　and　mothers；

and　brothers　and　sisters；　it　can　fail；　being　better　known；　to　be

well　and　richly　endowed。



Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　this；　without　a　word　of　adornment　…

which　I　resolved　when　I　got　up　not　to　allow　myself　…　this　is　the

simple　case。　　This　is　the　pathetic　case　which　I　have　to　put　to　you；

not　only　on　behalf　of　the　thousands　of　children　who　annually　die　in

this　great　city；　but　also　on　behalf　of　the　thousands　of　children

who　live　half　developed；　racked　with　preventible　pain；　shorn　of

their　natural　capacity　for　health　and　enjoyment。　　If　these　innocent

creatures　cannot　move　you　for　themselves；　how　can　I　possibly　hope

to　move　you　in　their　name？　　The　most　delightful　paper；　the　most

charming　essay；　which　the　tender　imagination　of　Charles　Lamb

conceived；　represents　him　as　sitting　by　his　fireside　on　a　winter

night　telling　stories　to　his　own　dear　children；　and　delighting　in

their　society；　until　he　suddenly　comes　to　his　old；　solitary；

bachelor　self；　and　finds　that　they　were　but　dream…children　who

might　have　been；　but　never　were。　　〃We　are　nothing；〃　they　say　to

him；　〃less　than　nothing；　and　dreams。　　We　are　only　what　might　have

been；　and　we　must　wait　upon　the　tedious　shore　of　Lethe；　millions　of

ages；　before　we　have　existence　and　a　name。〃　　〃And　immediately

awaking；〃　he　says；　〃I　found　myself　in　my　arm　chair。〃　　The　dream…

children　whom　I　would　now　raise；　if　I　could；　before　every　one　of

you；　according　to　your　various　circumstances；　should　be　the　dear

child　you　love；　the　dearer　child　you　have　lost；　the　child　you　might

have　had；　the　child　you　certainly　have　been。　　Each　of　these　dream…

children　should　hold　in　its　powerful　hand　one　of　the　little

children　now　lying　in　the　Child's　Hospital；　or　now　shut　out　of　it

to　perish。　　Each　of　these　dream…children　should　say　to　you；　〃O；

help　this　little　suppliant　in　my　name；　O；　help　it　for　my　sake！〃

Well！　…　And　immediately　awaking；　you　should　find　yourselves　in　the

Freemasons'　Hall；　happily　arrived　at　the　end　of　a　rather　long

speech；　drinking　〃Prosperity　to　the　Hospital　for　Sick　Children；〃

and　thoroughly　resolved　that　it　shall　flourish。







SPEECH：　　EDINBURGH；　MARCH；　26；　1858。







＇On　the　above　date　Mr。　Dickens　gave　a　reading　of　his　Christmas

Carol　in　the　Music　Hall；　before　the　members　and　subscribers　of　the

Philosophical　Institution。　　At　the　conclusion　of　the　reading　the

Lord　Provost　of　Edinburgh　presented　him　with　a　massive　silver

wassail　cup。　　Mr。　Dickens　acknowledged　the　tribute　as　follows：＇



MY　LORD　PROVOST；　ladies；　and　gentlemen；　I　beg　to　assure　you　I　am

deeply　sensible　of　your　kind　welcome；　and　of　this　beautiful　and

great　surprise；　and　that　I　thank　you　cordially　with　all　my　heart。

I　never　have　forgotten；　and　I　never　can　forget；　that　I　have　the

honour　to　be　a　burgess　and　guild…brother　of　the　Corporation　of

Edinburgh。　　As　long　as　sixteen　or　seventeen　years　ago；　the　first

great　public　recognition　and　encouragement　I　ever　received　was

bestowed　on　me　in　this　generous　and　magnificent　city　…　in　this　city

so　distinguished　in　literature　and　so　distinguished　in　the　arts。

You　will　readily　believe　that　I　have　carried　into　the　various

countries　I　have　since　traversed；　and　through　all　my　subsequent

career；　the　proud　and　affectionate　remembrance　of　that　eventful

epoch　in　my　life；　and　that　coming　back　to　Edinburgh　is　to　me　like

coming　home。



Ladies　and　gentlemen；　you　have　heard　so　much　of　my　voice　to…night；

that　I　will　not　inflict　on　you　the　additional　task　of　hearing　any

more。　　I　am　better　reconciled　to　limiting　myself　to　these　very　few

words；　because　I　know　and　feel　full　well　that　no　amount　of　speech

to　which　I　could　give　utterance　could　possibly　express　my　sense　of

the　honour　and　distinction　you　have　conferred　on　me；　or　the

heartfelt　gratification　I　derive　from　this　reception。







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　MARCH　29；　1858。







＇At　the　thirteenth　anniversary　festival　of　the　General　Theatrical

Fund；　held　at　the　Freemasons'　Tavern；　at　which　Thackeray　presided；

Mr。　Dickens　made　the　following　speech：＇



IN　our　theatrical　experience　as　playgoers　we　are　all　equally

accustomed　to　predict　by　certain　little　signs　and　portents　on　the

stage　what　is　going　to　happen　there。　　When　the　young　lady；　an

admiral's　daughter；　is　left　alone　to　indulge　in　a　short　soliloquy；

and　certain　smart　spirit…rappings　are　heard　to　proceed　immediately

from　beneath　her　feet；　we　foretell　that　a　song　is　impending。　　When

two　gentlemen　enter；　for　whom；　by　a　happy　coincidence；　two　chairs；

and　no　more；　are　in　waiting；　we　augur　a　conversation；　and　that　it

will　assume　a　retrospective　biographical　character。　　When　any　of

the　performers　who　belong　to　the　sea…faring　or　marauding

professions　are　observed　to　arm　themselves　with　very　small　swords

to　which　are　attached　very　large　hilts；　we　predict　that　the　affair

will　end　in　a　combat。　　Carrying　out　the　association　of　ideas；　it

may　have　occurred　to　some　that　when　I　asked　my　old　friend　in　the

chair　to　allow　me　to　propose　a　toast　I　had　him　in　my　eye；　and　I

have　him　now　on　my　lips。



The　duties　of　a　trustee　of　the　Theatrical　Fund；　an　office　which　I

hold；　are　not　so　frequent　or　so　great　as　its　privileges。　　He　is　in

fact　a　mere　walking　gentleman；　with　the　melancholy　difference　that

he　has　no　one　to　love。　　If　this　advantage　could　be　added　to　his

character　it　would　be　one　of　a　more　agreeable　nature　than　it　is；

and　his　forlorn　position　would　be　greatly　improved。　　His　duty　is　to

call　every　half　year　at　the　bankers'；　when　he　signs　his　name　in　a

large　greasy　inconvenient　book；　to　certain　documents　of　which　he

knows　nothing；　and　then　he　delivers　it　to　the　property　man　and

exits　anywhere。



He；　however；　has　many　privileges。　　It　is　one　of　his　privileges　to

watch　the　steady　growth　of　an　institution　in　which　he　takes　great

interest；　it　is　one　of　his　privileges　to　bear　his　testimony　to　the

prudence；　the　goodness；　the　self…denial；　and　the　excellence　of　a

class　of　persons　wh