speeches-literary & social-第18章

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who　is　worthily　the　president　of　his　own　local　Literary

Institution；　and　who　was　at　his　work　this　time　last　night　as

foreman　in　a　mill。



So　stimulating　has　been　the　influence　of　these　bright　examples；　and

many　more；　that　I　notice　among　the　applications　from　Blackburn　for

preliminary　test　examination　papers；　one　from　an　applicant　who

gravely　fills　up　the　printed　form　by　describing　himself　as　ten

years　of　age；　and　who；　with　equal　gravity；　describes　his　occupation

as　〃nursing　a　little　child。〃　　Nor　are　these　things　confined　to　the

men。　　The　women　employed　in　factories；　milliners'　work；　and

domestic　service；　have　begun　to　show；　as　it　is　fitting　they　should；

a　most　decided　determination　not　to　be　outdone　by　the　men；　and　the

women　of　Preston　in　particular；　have　so　honourably　distinguished

themselves；　and　shown　in　their　examination　papers　such　an　admirable

knowledge　of　the　science　of　household　management　and　household

economy；　that　if　I　were　a　working　bachelor　of　Lancashire　or

Cheshire；　and　if　I　had　not　cast　my　eye　or　set　my　heart　upon　any

lass　in　particular；　I　should　positively　get　up　at　four　o'clock　in


the　morning　with　the　determination　of　the　iron…moulder　himself；　and

should　go　to　Preston　in　search　of　a　wife。



Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　these　instances；　and　many　more；　daily

occurring；　always　accumulating；　are　surely　better　testimony　to　the

working　of　this　Association；　than　any　number　of　speakers　could

possibly　present　to　you。　　Surely　the　presence　among　us　of　these

indefatigable　people　is　the　Association's　best　and　most　effective

triumph　in　the　present　and　the　past；　and　is　its　noblest　stimulus　to

effort　in　the　future。　　As　its　temporary　mouth…piece；　I　would　beg　to

say　to　that　portion　of　the　company　who　attend　to　receive　the

prizes；　that　the　institution　can　never　hold　itself　apart　from　them；

…　can　never　set　itself　above　them；　that　their　distinction　and

success　must　be　its　distinction　and　success；　and　that　there　can　be

but　one　heart　beating　between　them　and　it。　　In　particular；　I　would

most　especially　entreat　them　to　observe　that　nothing　will　ever　be

further　from　this　Association's　mind　than　the　impertinence　of

patronage。　　The　prizes　that　it　gives；　and　the　certificates　that　it

gives；　are　mere　admiring　assurances　of　sympathy　with　so　many

striving　brothers　and　sisters；　and　are　only　valuable　for　the　spirit

in　which　they　are　given；　and　in　which　they　are　received。　　The

prizes　are　money　prizes；　simply　because　the　Institution　does　not

presume　to　doubt　that　persons　who　have　so　well　governed　themselves；

know　best　how　to　make　a　little　money　serviceable　…　because　it　would

be　a　shame　to　treat　them　like　grown…up　babies　by　laying　it　out　for

them；　and　because　it　knows　it　is　given；　and　knows　it　is　taken；　in

perfect　clearness　of　purpose；　perfect　trustfulness；　and；　above　all；

perfect　independence。



Ladies　and　Gentlemen；　reverting　once　more　to　the　whole　collective

audience　before　me；　I　will；　in　another　two　minutes；　release　the

hold　which　your　favour　has　given　me　on　your　attention。　　Of　the

advantages　of　knowledge　I　have　said；　and　I　shall　say；　nothing。　　Of

the　certainty　with　which　the　man　who　grasps　it　under　difficulties

rises　in　his　own　respect　and　in　usefulness　to　the　community；　I　have

said；　and　I　shall　say；　nothing。　　In　the　city　of　Manchester；　in　the

county　of　Lancaster；　both　of　them　remarkable　for　self…taught　men；

that　were　superfluous　indeed。　　For　the　same　reason　I　rigidly

abstain　from　putting　together　any　of　the　shattered　fragments　of

that　poor　clay　image　of　a　parrot；　which　was　once　always　saying；

without　knowing　why；　or　what　it　meant；　that　knowledge　was　a

dangerous　thing。　　I　should　as　soon　think　of　piecing　together　the

mutilated　remains　of　any　wretched　Hindoo　who　has　been　blown　from　an

English　gun。　　Both；　creatures　of　the　past；　have　been　…　as　my　friend

Mr。　Carlyle　vigorously　has　it　…　〃blasted　into　space；〃　and　there；　as

to　this　world；　is　an　end　of　them。



So　I　desire；　in　conclusion；　only　to　sound　two　strings。　　In　the

first　place；　let　me　congratulate　you　upon　the　progress　which　real

mutual　improvement　societies　are　making　at　this　time　in　your

neighbourhood；　through　the　noble　agency　of　individual　employers　and

their　families；　whom　you　can　never　too　much　delight　to　honour。

Elsewhere；　through　the　agency　of　the　great　railway　companies；　some

of　which　are　bestirring　themselves　in　this　matter　with　a　gallantry

and　generosity　deserving　of　all　praise。　　Secondly　and　lastly；　let

me　say　one　word　out　of　my　own　personal　heart；　which　is　always　very

near　to　it　in　this　connexion。　　Do　not　let　us；　in　the　midst　of　the

visible　objects　of　nature；　whose　workings　we　can　tell　of　in

figures；　surrounded　by　machines　that　can　be　made　to　the　thousandth

part　of　an　inch；　acquiring　every　day　knowledge　which　can　be　proved

upon　a　slate　or　demonstrated　by　a　microscope　…　do　not　let　us；　in

the　laudable　pursuit　of　the　facts　that　surround　us；　neglect　the

fancy　and　the　imagination　which　equally　surround　us　as　a　part　of

the　great　scheme。　　Let　the　child　have　its　fables；　let　the　man　or

woman　into　which　it　changes；　always　remember　those　fables　tenderly。

Let　numerous　graces　and　ornaments　that　cannot　be　weighed　and

measured；　and　that　seem　at　first　sight　idle　enough；　continue　to

have　their　places　about　us；　be　we　never　so　wise。　　The　hardest　head

may　co…exist　with　the　softest　heart。　　The　union　and　just　balance　of

those　two　is　always　a　blessing　to　the　possessor；　and　always　a

blessing　to　mankind。　　The　Divine　Teacher　was　as　gentle　and

considerate　as　He　was　powerful　and　wise。　　You　all　know　how　He　could

still　the　raging　of　the　sea；　and　could　hush　a　little　child。　　As　the

utmost　results　of　the　wisdom　of　men　can　only　be　at　last　to　help　to

raise　this　earth　to　that　condition　to　which　His　doctrine；　untainted

by　the　blindnesses　and　passions　of　men；　would　have　exalted　it　long

ago；　so　let　us　always　remember　that　He　set　us　the　example　of

blending　the　understanding　and　the　imagination；　and　that；　following

it　ourselves；　we　tread　in　His　steps；　and　help　our　race　on　to　its

better　and　best　days。　　Knowledge；　as　all　followers　of　it　must　know；

has　a　very　limited　power　indeed；　when　it　informs　the　head　alone；

but　when　it　informs　the　head　and　the　heart　too；　it　has　a　power　over

life　and　death；　the　body　and　the　soul；　and　dominates　the　universe。







SPEECH：　　COVENTRY；　DECEMBER　4；　1858。







＇On　the　above　evening；　a　public　dinner　was　held　at　the　Castle

Hotel；　on　the　occasion　of　the　presentation　to　Mr。　Charles　Dickens

of　a　gold　watch；　as　a　mark　of　gratitude　for　the　reading　of　his

Christmas　Carol；　given　in　December　of　the　previous　year；　in　aid　of

the　funds　of　the　Coventry　Institute。　　The　chair　was　taken　by　C。　W。

Hoskyns；　Esq。　　Mr。　Dickens　ackowledged　the　testimonial　in　the

following　words：＇



MR。　CHAIRMAN；　Mr。　Vice…chairman；　and　Gentlemen；　…　I　hope　your　minds

will　be　greatly　relieved　by　my　assuring　you　that　it　is　one　of　the

rules　of　my　life　never　to　make　a　speech　about　myself。　　If　I

knowingly　did　so；　under　any　circumstances；　it　would　be　least　of　all

under　such　circumstances　as　these；　when　its　effect　on　my

acknowledgment　of　your　kind　regard；　and　this　pleasant　proof　of　it；

would　be　to　give　me　a　certain　constrained　air；　which　I　fear　would

contrast　badly　with　your　greeting；　so　cordial；　so　unaffected；　so

earnest；　and　so　true。　　Furthermore；　your　Chairman　has　decorated　the

occasion　with　a　little　garland　of　good　sense；　good　feeling；　and

good　taste；　so　that　I　am　sure　that　any　attempt　at　additional

ornament　would　be　almost　an　impertinence。



Therefore　I　will　at　once　say　how　earnestly；　how　fervently；　and　how

deeply　I　feel　your　kindness。　　This　watch；　with　which　you　have

presented　me；　shall　be　my　companion　in　my　hours　of　sedentary

working　at　home；　and　in　my　wanderings　abroad。　　It　shall　never　be

absent　from　my　side；　and　it　shall　reckon　off　the　labours　of　my

future　days；　and　I　can　assure　you　that　after　this　night　the　object

of　those　labours　will　not　less　than　before　be　to　uphold　the　right

and　to　do　good。　　And　when　I　have　done　with　time　and　its

measurement；　this　watch　shall　belong　to　my　children；　and　as　I　have

seven　boys；　and　as　they　have　all　begun　to　serve　their　country　in

various　ways；　or　to　elect　into　what　distant　regions　they　shall

roam；　it　is　not　only　possible；　but　probable；　that　this　little　voice

will　be　heard　scores　of　years　hence；　who　knows？　in　some　yet

unfounded　city　in　the　wilds　of　Australia；　or　communicating

Greenwich　time　to　Coventry　Street；　Japan。



Once　again；　and　finally；　I　thank　you；　and　from　my　heart　of　hearts；

I　can　assure　you　that　the　memory　of　to…night；　and　of　your

picturesque　and　interesting　city；　will　never　be　absent　from　my

mind；　and　I　can　never　more　hear　the　lightest　mention　of　the　name　of

Coventry　without　having　inspired　in　my　breast　sentiments　of　unusual

emotion　and　unusual　attachment。





＇Later　in　the　evening；　in　proposing　the　health　of　the　Chairman；　Mr。

Dickens　said：＇





THERE　may　be　a　great　variety　of　conflicting　opinions　with　regard　to

farming；　and　especially　with　reference　to　the　management　of　a　clay

farm；　but；　however　various　opinions　as　to　the　merits　of　a　clay　farm

may　be；　there　can　be　but　one　opinion　as　to　the　merits　of　a　clay

farmer；　…　and　it　is　the　health　of　that　distinguished　agriculturist

which　I　have　to　propose。



In　my　ignorance　of　the　subject；　I　am　bound　to　say　that　it　may　be；

for　anything　I　know；　indeed　I　am　ready　to　admit　that　it　IS；

exceedingly　important　that　a　clay　farm　should　go　for　a　number　of

years　to　waste；　but　I　claim　some　knowledge　as　to　the　management　of

a　clay　farmer；　and　I　positively　object　to　his　ever　lying　fallow。

In　the　hope　that　this　very　rich　and　teeming　individual　may　speedily

be　ploughed　up；　and　that；　we　shall　gather　into　our　barns　and　store…

houses　the　admirable　crop　of　wisdom；　which　must　spring　up　when　ever

he　is　sown；　I　take　leave　to　propose　his　health；　begging　to　assure

him　that　the　kind　manner　in　which　he　offered　to　me　your　very

valuable　present；　I　can　never　forget。







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　MARCH　29；　1862。







＇At　a　Dinner　of　the　Artists'　General　Benevolent　Institution；　the

following　Address　was　delivered　by　Mr。　Charles　Dickens　from　the

chair。…＇



SEVEN　or　eight　years　ago；　without　the　smallest　expectation　of　ever

being　called　upon　to　fill　the　chair　at　an　anniversary　festival　of

the　Artists'　General　Benevolent　Institution；　and　without　the

remotest　reference　to　such　an　occasion；　I　selected　the

administration　of　that　Charity　as　the　model　on　which　I　desired　that

another　should　be　reformed；　both　as　regarded　the　mode　in　which　the

relief　was　afforded；　and　the　singular　economy　with　which　its　funds

were　administered。　　As　a　proof　of　the　latter　quality　during　the

past　year；　the　cost　of　distributing　1；126　pounds　among　the

recipients　of　the　bounty　of　the　Charity　amounted　to　little　more

than　100　pounds；　inclusive　of　all　office　charges　and　expenses。　　Th