speeches-literary & social-第2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！



cups；　you　will　feel　that　the　draught　is　commended　to　your　lips　by

friends　whose　best　wishes　you　have；　and　who　earnestly　and　truly

hope　for　your　success；　happiness；　and　prosperity；　in　all　the

undertakings　of　your　life。







SPEECH：　　FEBRUARY　1842。







＇At　dinner　given　to　Mr。　Dickens　by　the　young　men　of　Boston。　　The

company　consisted　of　about　two　hundred；　among　whom　were　George

Bancroft；　Washington　Allston；　and　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes。　　The　toast

of　〃Health；　happiness；　and　a　hearty　welcome　to　Charles　Dickens；〃

having　been　proposed　by　the　chairman；　Mr。　Quincy；　and　received　with

great　applause；　Mr。　Dickens　responded　with　the　following　address：＇



GENTLEMEN；　…　If　you　had　given　this　splendid　entertainment　to　anyone

else　in　the　whole　wide　world　…　if　I　were　to…night　to　exult　in　the

triumph　of　my　dearest　friend　…　if　I　stood　here　upon　my　defence；　to

repel　any　unjust　attack　…　to　appeal　as　a　stranger　to　your

generosity　and　kindness　as　the　freest　people　on　the　earth　…　I

could；　putting　some　restraint　upon　myself；　stand　among　you　as　self…

possessed　and　unmoved　as　I　should　be　alone　in　my　own　room　in

England。　　But　when　I　have　the　echoes　of　your　cordial　greeting

ringing　in　my　ears；　when　I　see　your　kind　faces　beaming　a　welcome　so

warm　and　earnest　as　never　man　had　…　I　feel；　it　is　my　nature；　so

vanquished　and　subdued；　that　I　have　hardly　fortitude　enough　to

thank　you。　　If　your　President；　instead　of　pouring　forth　that

delightful　mixture　of　humour　and　pathos　which　you　have　just　heard；

had　been　but　a　caustic；　ill…natured　man　…　if　he　had　only　been　a

dull　one　…　if　I　could　only　have　doubted　or　distrusted　him　or　you；　I

should　have　had　my　wits　at　my　fingers'　ends；　and；　using　them；　could

have　held　you　at　arm's…length。　　But　you　have　given　me　no　such

opportunity；　you　take　advantage　of　me　in　the　tenderest　point；　you

give　me　no　chance　of　playing　at　company；　or　holding　you　at　a

distance；　but　flock　about　me　like　a　host　of　brothers；　and　make　this

place　like　home。　　Indeed；　gentlemen；　indeed；　if　it　be　natural　and

allowable　for　each　of　us；　on　his　own　hearth；　to　express　his

thoughts　in　the　most　homely　fashion；　and　to　appear　in　his　plainest

garb；　I　have　a　fair　claim　upon　you　to　let　me　do　so　to…night；　for

you　have　made　my　home　an　Aladdin's　Palace。　　You　fold　so　tenderly

within　your　breasts　that　common　household　lamp　in　which　my　feeble

fire　is　all　enshrined；　and　at　which　my　flickering　torch　is　lighted

up；　that　straight　my　household　gods　take　wing；　and　are　transported

there。　　And　whereas　it　is　written　of　that　fairy　structure　that　it

never　moved　without　two　shocks　…　one　when　it　rose；　and　one　when　it

settled　down　…　I　can　say　of　mine　that；　however　sharp　a　tug　it　took

to　pluck　it　from　its　native　ground；　it　struck　at　once　an　easy；　and

a　deep　and　lasting　root　into　this　soil；　and　loved　it　as　its　own。　　I

can　say　more　of　it；　and　say　with　truth；　that　long　before　it　moved；

or　had　a　chance　of　moving；　its　master　…　perhaps　from　some　secret

sympathy　between　its　timbers；　and　a　certain　stately　tree　that　has

its　being　hereabout；　and　spreads　its　broad　branches　far　and　wide　…

dreamed　by　day　and　night；　for　years；　of　setting　foot　upon　this

shore；　and　breathing　this　pure　air。　　And；　trust　me；　gentlemen；

that；　if　I　had　wandered　here；　unknowing　and　unknown；　I　would　…　if　I

know　my　own　heart　…　have　come　with　all　my　sympathies　clustering　as

richly　about　this　land　and　people　…　with　all　my　sense　of　justice　as

keenly　alive　to　their　high　claims　on　every　man　who　loves　God's

image　…　with　all　my　energies　as　fully　bent　on　judging　for　myself；

and　speaking　out；　and　telling　in　my　sphere　the　truth；　as　I　do　now；

when　you　rain　down　your　welcomes　on　my　head。



Our　President　has　alluded　to　those　writings　which　have　been　my

occupation　for　some　years　past；　and　you　have　received　his　allusions

in　a　manner　which　assures　me　…　if　I　needed　any　such　assurance　…

that　we　are　old　friends　in　the　spirit；　and　have　been　in　close

communion　for　a　long　time。



It　is　not　easy　for　a　man　to　speak　of　his　own　books。　　I　daresay　that

few　persons　have　been　more　interested　in　mine　than　I；　and　if　it　be

a　general　principle　in　nature　that　a　lover's　love　is　blind；　and

that　a　mother's　love　is　blind；　I　believe　it　may　be　said　of　an

author's　attachment　to　the　creatures　of　his　own　imagination；　that

it　is　a　perfect　model　of　constancy　and　devotion；　and　is　the

blindest　of　all。　　But　the　objects　and　purposes　I　have　had　in　view

are　very　plain　and　simple；　and　may　be　easily　told。　　I　have　always

had；　and　always　shall　have；　an　earnest　and　true　desire　to

contribute；　as　far　as　in　me　lies；　to　the　common　stock　of　healthful

cheerfulness　and　enjoyment。　　I　have　always　had；　and　always　shall

have；　an　invincible　repugnance　to　that　mole…eyed　philosophy　which

loves　the　darkness；　and　winks　and　scowls　in　the　light。　　I　believe

that　Virtue　shows　quite　as　well　in　rags　and　patches；　as　she　does　in

purple　and　fine　linen。　　I　believe　that　she　and　every　beautiful

object　in　external　nature；　claims　some　sympathy　in　the　breast　of

the　poorest　man　who　breaks　his　scanty　loaf　of　daily　bread。　　I

believe　that　she　goes　barefoot　as　well　as　shod。　　I　believe　that　she

dwells　rather　oftener　in　alleys　and　by…ways　than　she　does　in　courts

and　palaces；　and　that　it　is　good；　and　pleasant；　and　profitable　to

track　her　out；　and　follow　her。　　I　believe　that　to　lay　one's　hand

upon　some　of　those　rejected　ones　whom　the　world　has　too　long

forgotten；　and　too　often　misused；　and　to　say　to　the　proudest　and

most　thoughtless　…　〃These　creatures　have　the　same　elements　and

capacities　of　goodness　as　yourselves；　they　are　moulded　in　the　same

form；　and　made　of　the　same　clay；　and　though　ten　times　worse　than

you；　may；　in　having　retained　anything　of　their　original　nature

amidst　the　trials　and　distresses　of　their　condition；　be　really　ten

times　better；〃　I　believe　that　to　do　this　is　to　pursue　a　worthy　and

not　useless　vocation。　　Gentlemen；　that　you　think　so　too；　your

fervent　greeting　sufficiently　assures　me。　　That　this　feeling　is

alive　in　the　Old　World　as　well　as　in　the　New；　no　man　should　know

better　than　I　…　I；　who　have　found　such　wide　and　ready　sympathy　in

my　own　dear　land。　　That　in　expressing　it；　we　are　but　treading　in

the　steps　of　those　great　master…spirits　who　have　gone　before；　we

know　by　reference　to　all　the　bright　examples　in　our　literature；

from　Shakespeare　downward。



There　is　one　other　point　connected　with　the　labours　（if　I　may　call

them　so）　that　you　hold　in　such　generous　esteem；　to　which　I　cannot

help　adverting。　　I　cannot　help　expressing　the　delight；　the　more

than　happiness　it　was　to　me　to　find　so　strong　an　interest　awakened

on　this　side　of　the　water；　in　favour　of　that　little　heroine　of

mine；　to　whom　your　president　has　made　allusion；　who　died　in　her

youth。　　I　had　letters　about　that　child；　in　England；　from　the

dwellers　in　log…houses　among　the　morasses；　and　swamps；　and　densest

forests；　and　deep　solitudes　of　the　far　west。　　Many　a　sturdy　hand；

hard　with　the　axe　and　spade；　and　browned　by　the　summer's　sun；　has

taken　up　the　pen；　and　written　to　me　a　little　history　of　domestic

joy　or　sorrow；　always　coupled；　I　am　proud　to　say；　with　something　of

interest　in　that　little　tale；　or　some　comfort　or　happiness　derived

from　it；　and　my　correspondent　has　always　addressed　me；　not　as　a

writer　of　books　for　sale；　resident　some　four　or　five　thousand　miles

away；　but　as　a　friend　to　whom　he　might　freely　impart　the　joys　and

sorrows　of　his　own　fireside。　　Many　a　mother　…　I　could　reckon　them

now　by　dozens；　not　by　units　…　has　done　the　like；　and　has　told　me

how　she　lost　such　a　child　at　such　a　time；　and　where　she　lay　buried；

and　how　good　she　was；　and　how；　in　this　or　that　respect；　she

resembles　Nell。　　I　do　assure　you　that　no　circumstance　of　my　life

has　given　me　one　hundredth　part　of　the　gratification　I　have　derived

from　this　source。　　I　was　wavering　at　the　time　whether　or　not　to

wind　up　my　Clock；　and　come　and　see　this　country；　and　this　decided

me。　　I　felt　as　if　it　were　a　positive　duty；　as　if　I　were　bound　to

pack　up　my　clothes；　and　come　and　see　my　friends；　and　even　now　I

have　such　an　odd　sensation　in　connexion　with　these　things；　that　you

have　no　chance　of　spoiling　me。　　I　feel　as　though　we　were　agreeing　…

as　indeed　we　are；　if　we　substitute　for　fictitious　characters　the

classes　from　which　they　are　drawn　…　about　third　parties；　in　whom　we

had　a　common　interest。　　At　every　new　act　of　kindness　on　your　part；

I　say　to　myself　〃That's　for　Oliver；　I　should　not　wonder　if　that　was

meant　for　Smike；　I　have　no　doubt　that　is　intended　for　Nell；〃　and　so

I　become　a　much　happier；　certainly；　but　a　more　sober　and　retiring

man　than　ever　I　was　before。



Gentlemen；　talking　of　my　friends　in　America；　brings　me　back；

naturally　and　of　course；　to　you。　　Coming　back　to　you；　and　being

thereby　reminded　of　the　pleasure　we　have　in　store　in　hearing　the

gentlemen　who　sit　about　me；　I　arrive　by　the　easiest；　though　not　by

the　shortest　course　in　the　world；　at　the　end　of　what　I　have　to　say。

But　before　I　sit　down；　there　is　one　topic　on　which　I　am　desirous　to

lay　particular　stress。　　It　has；　or　should　have；　a　strong　interest

for　us　all；　since　to　its　literature　every　country　must　look　for　one

great　means　of　refining　and　improving　its　people；　and　one　great

source　of　national　pride　and　honour。　　You　have　in　America　great

writers　…　great　writers　…　who　will　live　in　all　time；　and　are　as

familiar　to　our　lips　as　household　words。　　Deriving　（as　they　all　do

in　a　greater　or　less　degree；　in　their　several　walks）　their

inspiration　from　the　stupendous　country　that　gave　them　birth；　they

diffuse　a　better　knowledge　of　it；　and　a　higher　love　for　it；　all

over　the　civilized　world。　　I　take　leave　to　say；　in　the　presence　of

some　of　those　gentleman；　that　I　hope　the　time　is　not　far　distant

when　they；　in　America；　will　receive　of　right　some　substantial

profit　and　return　in　England　from　their　labours；　and　when　we；　in

England；　shall　receive　some　substantial　profit　and　return　in

America　for　ours。　　Pray　do　not　misunderstand　me。　　Securing　to

myself　from　day　to　day　the　means　of　an　honourable　subsistence；　I

would　rather　have　the　affectionate　regard　of　my　fellow　men；　than　I

would　have　heaps　and　mines　of　gold。　　But　the　two　things　do　not　seem

to　me　incompatible。　　They　cannot　be；　for　nothing　good　is

incompatible　with　justice；　there　must　be　an　international

arrangement　in　this　respect：　　England　has　done　her　part；　and　I　am

confident　that　the　time　is　not　far　distant　when　America　will　do

hers。　　It　becomes　the　character　of　a　great　country；　FIRSTLY；

because　it　is　justice；　SECONDLY；　because　without　it　you　never　can

have；　and　keep；　a　literature　of　your　own。



Gentlemen；　I　thank　you　with　feelings　of　gratitude；　such　as　are　not

often　awakened；　and　can　never　be　expressed。　　As　I　understand　it　to

be　the　pleasant　custom　here　to　finish　with　a　toast；　I　would　beg　to

give　you：　　AMERICA　AND　ENGLAND；　and　may　they　never　have　any

division　but　the　Atlantic　between　them。