speeches-literary & social-第16章

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

class　of　persons　who　have　been　too　long　depreciated；　and　whose

virtues　are　too　much　denied；　out　of　the　depths　of　an　ignorant　and

stupid　superstition。　　And　lastly；　it　is　one　of　his　privileges

sometimes　to　be　called　on　to　propose　the　health　of　the　chairman　at

the　annual　dinners　of　the　institution；　when　that　chairman　is　one

for　whose　genius　he　entertains　the　warmest　admiration；　and　whom　he

respects　as　a　friend；　and　as　one　who　does　honour　to　literature；　and

in　whom　literature　is　honoured。　　I　say　when　that　is　the　case；　he

feels　that　this　last　privilege　is　a　great　and　high　one。　　From　the

earliest　days　of　this　institution　I　have　ventured　to　impress　on　its

managers；　that　they　would　consult　its　credit　and　success　by

choosing　its　chairmen　as　often　as　possible　within　the　circle　of

literature　and　the　arts；　and　I　will　venture　to　say　that　no　similar

institution　has　been　presided　over　by　so　many　remarkable　and

distinguished　men。　　I　am　sure；　however；　that　it　never　has　had；　and

that　it　never　will　have；　simply　because　it　cannot　have；　a　greater

lustre　cast　upon　it　than　by　the　presence　of　the　noble　English

writer　who　fills　the　chair　to…night。



It　is　not　for　me　at　this　time；　and　in　this　place；　to　take　on　myself

to　flutter　before　you　the　well…thumbed　pages　of　Mr。　Thackeray's

books；　and　to　tell　you　to　observe　how　full　they　are　of　wit　and

wisdom；　how　out…speaking；　and　how　devoid　of　fear　or　favour；　but　I

will　take　leave　to　remark；　in　paying　my　due　homage　and　respect　to

them；　that　it　is　fitting　that　such　a　writer　and　such　an　institution

should　be　brought　together。　　Every　writer　of　fiction；　although　he

may　not　adopt　the　dramatic　form；　writes　in　effect　for　the　stage。

He　may　never　write　plays；　but　the　truth　and　passion　which　are　in

him　must　be　more　or　less　reflected　in　the　great　mirror　which　he

holds　up　to　nature。　　Actors；　managers；　and　authors　are　all

represented　in　this　company；　and　it　maybe　supposed　that　they　all

have　studied　the　deep　wants　of　the　human　heart　in　many　theatres；

but　none　of　them　could　have　studied　its　mysterious　workings　in　any

theatre　to　greater　advantage　than　in　the　bright　and　airy　pages　of

VANITY　FAIR。　　To　this　skilful　showman；　who　has　so　often　delighted

us；　and　who　has　charmed　us　again　to…night；　we　have　now　to　wish　God

speed；　and　that　he　may　continue　for　many　years　to　exercise　his

potent　art。　　To　him　fill　a　bumper　toast；　and　fervently　utter；　God

bless　him！







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　APRIL　29；　1858。







＇The　reader　will　already　have　observed　that　in　the　Christmas　week

of　1853；　and　on　several　subsequent　occasions；　Mr。　Dickens　had　read

the　CHRISTMAS　CAROL　and　the　CHIMES　before　public　audiences；　but

always　in　aid　of　the　funds　of　some　institution；　or　for　other

benevolent　purposes。　　The　first　reading　he　ever　gave　for　his　own

benefit　took　place　on　the　above　date；　in　St。　Martin's　Hall；　（now

converted　into　the　Queen's　Theatre）。　　This　reading　Mr。　Dickens

prefaced　with　the　following　speech：…＇



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　It　may　perhaps　be　in　known　to　you　that；　for

a　few　years　past；　I　have　been　accustomed　occasionally　to　read　some

of　my　shorter　books；　to　various　audiences；　in　aid　of　a　variety　of

good　objects；　and　at　some　charge　to　myself；　both　in　time　and　money。

It　having　at　length　become　impossible　in　any　reason　to　comply　with

these　always　accumulating　demands；　I　have　had　definitively　to

choose　between　now　and　then　reading　on　my　own　account；　as　one　of　my

recognised　occupations；　or　not　reading　at　all。　　I　have　had　little

or　no　difficulty　in　deciding　on　the　former　course。　　The　reasons

that　have　led　me　to　it　…　besides　the　consideration　that　it

necessitates　no　departure　whatever　from　the　chosen　pursuits　of　my

life　…　are　threefold：　　firstly；　I　have　satisfied　myself　that　it　can

involve　no　possible　compromise　of　the　credit　and　independence　of

literature；　secondly；　I　have　long　held　the　opinion；　and　have　long

acted　on　the　opinion；　that　in　these　times　whatever　brings　a　public

man　and　his　public　face　to　face；　on　terms　of　mutual　confidence　and

respect；　is　a　good　thing；　thirdly；　I　have　had　a　pretty　large

experience　of　the　interest　my　hearers　are　so　generous　as　to　take　in

these　occasions；　and　of　the　delight　they　give　to　me；　as　a　tried

means　of　strengthening　those　relations　…　I　may　almost　say　of

personal　friendship　…　which　it　is　my　great　privilege　and　pride；　as

it　is　my　great　responsibility；　to　hold　with　a　multitude　of　persons

who　will　never　hear　my　voice　nor　see　my　face。　　Thus　it　is　that　I

come；　quite　naturally；　to　be　here　among　you　at　this　time；　and　thus

it　is　that　I　proceed　to　read　this　little　book；　quite　as　composedly

as　I　might　proceed　to　write　it；　or　to　publish　it　in　any　other　way。







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　MAY　1；　1858。







＇The　following　short　speech　was　made　at　the　Banquet　of　the　Royal

Academy；　after　the　health　of　Mr。　Dickens　and　Mr。　Thackeray　had　been

proposed　by　the　President；　Sir　Charles　Eastlake：…＇



FOLLOWING　the　order　of　your　toast；　I　have　to　take　the　first　part　in

the　duet　to　be　performed　in　acknowledgment　of　the　compliment　you

have　paid　to　literature。　　In　this　home　of　art　I　feel　it　to　be　too

much　an　interchange　of　compliments；　as　it　were；　between　near

relations；　to　enter　into　any　lengthened　expression　of　our　thanks

for　the　honour　you　have　done　us。　　I　feel　that　it　would　be　changing

this　splendid　assembly　into　a　sort　of　family　party。　　I　may；

however；　take　leave　to　say　that　your　sister；　whom　I　represent；　is

strong　and　healthy；　that　she　has　a　very　great　affection　for；　and　an

undying　interest　in　you；　and　that　it　is　always　a　very　great

gratification　to　her　to　see　herself　so　well　remembered　within　these

walls；　and　to　know　that　she　is　an　honoured　guest　at　your　hospitable

board。







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　JULY　21；　1858。







＇On　the　above　date；　a　public　meeting　was　held　at　the　Princess's

Theatre；　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　the　now　famous　Royal

Dramatic　College。　　Mr。　Charles　Kean　was　the　chairman；　and　Mr。

Dickens　delivered　the　following　speech：＇



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　I　think　I　may　venture　to　congratulate　you

beforehand　on　the　pleasant　circumstance　that　the　movers　and

seconders　of　the　resolutions　which　will　be　submitted　to　you　will；

probably；　have　very　little　to　say。　　Through　the　Report　which　you

have　heard　read；　and　through　the　comprehensive　address　of　the

chairman；　the　cause　which　brings　us　together　has　been　so　very

clearly　stated　to　you；　that　it　can　stand　in　need　of　very　little；　if

of　any　further　exposition。　　But；　as　I　have　the　honour　to　move　the

first　resolution　which　this　handsome　gift；　and　the　vigorous　action

that　must　be　taken　upon　it；　necessitate；　I　think　I　shall　only　give

expression　to　what　is　uppermost　in　the　general　mind　here；　if　I

venture　to　remark　that；　many　as　the　parts　are　in　which　Mr。　Kean　has

distinguished　himself　on　these　boards；　he　has　never　appeared　in　one

in　which　the　large　spirit　of　an　artist；　the　feeling　of　a　man；　and

the　grace　of　a　gentleman；　have　been　more　admirably　blended　than　in

this　day's　faithful　adherence　to　the　calling　of　which　he　is　a

prosperous　ornament；　and　in　this　day's　manly　advocacy　of　its　cause。



Ladies　and　gentlemen；　the　resolution　entrusted　to　me　is：



〃That　the　Report　of　the　provisional　committee　be　adopted；　and　that

this　meeting　joyfully　accepts；　and　gratefully　acknowledges；　the

gift　of　five　acres　of　land　referred　to　in　the　said　Report。〃



It　is　manifest；　I　take　it；　that　we　are　all　agreed　upon　this

acceptance　and　acknowledgment；　and　that　we　all　know　very　well　that

this　generous　gift　can　inspire　but　one　sentiment　in　the　breast　of

every　lover　of　the　dramatic　art。　　As　it　is　far　too　often　forgotten

by　those　who　are　indebted　to　it　for　many　a　restorative　flight　out

of　this　working…day　world；　that　the　silks；　and　velvets；　and　elegant

costumes　of　its　professors　must　be　every　night　exchanged　for　the

hideous　coats　and　waistcoats　of　the　present　day；　in　which　we　have

now　the　honour　and　the　misfortune　of　appearing　before　you；　so　when

we　do　meet　with　a　nature　so　considerably　generous　as　this　donor's；

and　do　find　an　interest　in　the　real　life　and　struggles　of　the

people　who　have　delighted　it；　so　very　spontaneous　and　so　very

liberal；　we　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　accept　and　to　admire；　we　have

no　duty　left　but　to　〃take　the　goods　the　gods　provide　us；〃　and　to

make　the　best　and　the　most　of　them。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　allow　me

to　remark；　that　in　this　mode　of　turning　a　good　gift　to　the　highest

account；　lies　the　truest　gratitude。



In　reference　to　this；　I　could　not　but　reflect；　whilst　Mr。　Kean　was

speaking；　that　in　an　hour　or　two　from　this　time；　the　spot　upon

which　we　are　now　assembled　will　be　transformed　into　the　scene　of　a

crafty　and　a　cruel　bond。　　I　know　that；　a　few　hours　hence；　the　Grand

Canal　of　Venice　will　flow；　with　picturesque　fidelity；　on　the　very

spot　where　I　now　stand　dryshod；　and　that　〃the　quality　of　mercy〃

will　be　beautifully　stated　to　the　Venetian　Council　by　a　learned

young　doctor　from　Padua；　on　these　very　boards　on　which　we　now

enlarge　upon　the　quality　of　charity　and　sympathy。　　Knowing　this；　it

came　into　my　mind　to　consider　how　different　the　real　bond　of　to…day

from　the　ideal　bond　of　to…night。　　Now；　all　generosity；　all

forbearance；　all　forgetfulness　of　little　jealousies　and　unworthy

divisions；　all　united　action　for　the　general　good。　　Then；　all

selfishness；　all　malignity；　all　cruelty；　all　revenge；　and　all　evil；

…　now　all　good。　　Then；　a　bond　to　be　broken　within　the　compass　of　a

few　…　three　or　four　…　swiftly　passing　hours；　…　now；　a　bond　to　be

valid　and　of　good　effect　generations　hence。



Ladies　and　gentlemen；　of　the　execution　and　delivery　of　this　bond；

between　this　generous　gentleman　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　united

members　of　a　too　often　and　too　long　disunited　art　upon　the　other；

be　you　the　witnesses。　　Do　you　attest　of　everything　that　is　liberal

and　free　in　spirit；　that　is　〃so　nominated　in　the　bond；〃　and　of

everything　that　is　grudging；　self…seeking；　unjust；　or　unfair；　that

it　is　by　no　sophistry　ever　to　be　found　there。　　I　beg　to　move　the

resolution　which　I　have　already　had　the　pleasure　of　reading。







SPEECH：　　MANCHESTER；　DECEMBER　3；　1858。







＇The　following　speech　was　delivered　at　the　annual　meeting　of　the

Institutional　Association　of　Lancashire　and　Cheshire；　held　in　the

Free…trade　Hall　on　the　evening　of　the　above　day；　at　which　Mr。

Dickens　presided。＇



IT　has　of　late　years　become　noticeable　in　England　that　the　autumn

season　produces　an　immense　amount　of　public　speaking。　　I　notice

that　no　sooner　do　the　leaves　begin　to　fall　from　the　trees；　than

pearls　of　great　price　begin　to　fall　from　the　lips　of　the　wise　men

of　the　east；　and　north；　and　west；　and　south；　and　anybody　may　have

them　by　the　bushel；　for　the　picking　up。　　Now；　whether　the　comet　has

this　year　had　a　quickening　influence　on　this　crop；　as　it　is　by　some