speeches-literary & social-第22章

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it　the　metropolis　and　the　provinces　stand　on　perfectly　equal

ground。　　This　appears　to　me　to　be　a　demand　so　very　moderate；　that　I

can　hardly　have　a　doubt　of　a　response　on　the　part　of　the　managers；

or　of　the　beneficial　and　harmonious　results。　　It　only　remains　to

add；　on　this　head　of　desert；　the　agreeable　circumstance　that　out　of

all　the　money　collected　in　aid　of　the　society　during　the　last　year

more　than　one…third　came　exclusively　from　the　press。



Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　in　regard　to　the　last　claim　…　the　last

point　of　desert　…　the　hold　upon　the　public　…　I　think　I　may　say　that

probably　not　one　single　individual　in　this　great　company　has　failed

to…day　to　see　a　newspaper；　or　has　failed　to…day　to　hear　something

derived　from　a　newspaper　which　was　quite　unknown　to　him　or　to　her

yesterday。　　Of　all　those　restless　crowds　that　have　this　day

thronged　the　streets　of　this　enormous　city；　the　same　may　be　said　as

the　general　gigantic　rule。　　It　may　be　said　almost　equally；　of　the

brightest　and　the　dullest；　the　largest　and　the　least　provincial

town　in　the　empire；　and　this；　observe；　not　only　as　to　the　active；

the　industrious；　and　the　healthy　among　the　population；　but　also　to

the　bedridden；　the　idle；　the　blind；　and　the　deaf　and　dumb。　　Now；　if

the　men　who　provide　this　all…pervading　presence；　this　wonderful；

ubiquitous　newspaper；　with　every　description　of　intelligence　on

every　subject　of　human　interest；　collected　with　immense　pains　and

immense　patience；　often　by　the　exercise　of　a　laboriously…acquired

faculty　united　to　a　natural　aptitude；　much　of　the　work　done　in　the

night；　at　the　sacrifice　of　rest　and　sleep；　and　（quite　apart　from

the　mental　strain）　by　the　constant　overtasking　of　the　two　most

delicate　of　the　senses；　sight　and　hearing　…　I　say；　if　the　men　who；

through　the　newspapers；　from　day　to　day；　or　from　night　to　night；　or

from　week　to　week；　furnish　the　public　with　so　much　to　remember；

have　not　a　righteous　claim　to　be　remembered　by　the　public　in

return；　then　I　declare　before　God　I　know　no　working　class　of　the

community　who　have。



It　would　be　absurd；　it　would　be　impertinent；　in　such　an　assembly　as

this；　if　I　were　to　attempt　to　expatiate　upon　the　extraordinary

combination　of　remarkable　qualities　involved　in　the　production　of

any　newspaper。　　But　assuming　the　majority　of　this　associated　body

to　be　composed　of　reporters；　because　reporters；　of　one　kind　or

other；　compose　the　majority　of　the　literary　staff　of　almost　every

newspaper　that　is　not　a　compilation；　I　would　venture　to　remind　you；

if　I　delicately　may；　in　the　august　presence　of　members　of

Parliament；　how　much　we；　the　public；　owe　to　the　reporters　if　it

were　only　for　their　skill　in　the　two　great　sciences　of　condensation

and　rejection。　　Conceive　what　our　sufferings；　under　an　Imperial

Parliament；　however　popularly　constituted；　under　however　glorious　a

constitution；　would　be　if　the　reporters　could　not　skip。　　Dr。

Johnson；　in　one　of　his　violent　assertions；　declared　that　〃the　man

who　was　afraid　of　anything　must　be　a　scoundrel；　sir。〃　　By　no　means

binding　myself　to　this　opinion　…　though　admitting　that　the　man　who

is　afraid　of　a　newspaper　will　generally　be　found　to　be　rather

something　like　it；　I　must　still　freely　own　that　I　should　approach

my　Parliamentary　debate　with　infinite　fear　and　trembling　if　it　were

so　unskilfully　served　up　for　my　breakfast。　　Ever　since　the　time

when　the　old　man　and　his　son　took　their　donkey　home；　which　were　the

old　Greek　days；　I　believe；　and　probably　ever　since　the　time　when

the　donkey　went　into　the　ark　…　perhaps　he　did　not　like　his

accommodation　there　…　but　certainly　from　that　time　downwards；　he

has　objected　to　go　in　any　direction　required　of　him　…　from　the

remotest　periods　it　has　been　found　impossible　to　please　everybody。



I　do　not　for　a　moment　seek　to　conceal　that　I　know　this　Institution

has　been　objected　to。　　As　an　open　fact　challenging　the　freest

discussion　and　inquiry；　and　seeking　no　sort　of　shelter　or　favour

but　what　it　can　win；　it　has　nothing；　I　apprehend；　but　itself；　to

urge　against　objection。　　No　institution　conceived　in　perfect

honesty　and　good　faith　has　a　right　to　object　to　being　questioned　to

any　extent；　and　any　institution　so　based　must　be　in　the　end　the

better　for　it。　　Moreover；　that　this　society　has　been　questioned　in

quarters　deserving　of　the　most　respectful　attention　I　take　to　be　an

indisputable　fact。　　Now；　I　for　one　have　given　that　respectful

attention；　and　I　have　come　out　of　the　discussion　to　where　you　see

me。　　The　whole　circle　of　the　arts　is　pervaded　by　institutions

between　which　and　this　I　can　descry　no　difference。　　The　painters'

art　has　four　or　five　such　institutions。　　The　musicians'　art；　so

generously　and　charmingly　represented　here；　has　likewise　several

such　institutions。　　In　my　own　art　there　is　one；　concerning　the

details　of　which　my　noble　friend　the　president　of　the　society　and

myself　have　torn　each　other's　hair　to　a　considerable　extent；　and

which　I　would；　if　I　could；　assimilate　more　nearly　to　this。　　In　the

dramatic　art　there　are　four；　and　I　never　yet　heard　of　any　objection

to　their　principle；　except；　indeed；　in　the　cases　of　some　famous

actors　of　large　gains；　who　having　through　the　whole　period　of　their

successes　positively　refused　to　establish　a　right　in　them；　became；

in　their　old　age　and　decline；　repentant　suppliants　for　their

bounty。　　Is　it　urged　against　this　particular　Institution　that　it　is

objectionable　because　a　parliamentary　reporter；　for　instance；　might

report　a　subscribing　M。P。　in　large；　and　a　non…subscribing　M。P。　in

little？　　Apart　from　the　sweeping　nature　of　this　charge；　which；　it

is　to　be　observed；　lays　the　unfortunate　member　and　the　unfortunate

reporter　under　pretty　much　the　same　suspicion　…　apart　from　this

consideration；　I　reply　that　it　is　notorious　in　all　newspaper

offices　that　every　such　man　is　reported　according　to　the　position

he　can　gain　in　the　public　eye；　and　according　to　the　force　and

weight　of　what　he　has　to　say。　　And　if　there　were　ever　to　be　among

the　members　of　this　society　one　so　very　foolish　to　his　brethren；

and　so　very　dishonourable　to　himself；　as　venally　to　abuse　his

trust；　I　confidently　ask　those　here；　the　best　acquainted　with

journalism；　whether　they　believe　it　possible　that　any　newspaper　so

ill…conducted　as　to　fail　instantly　to　detect　him　could　possibly

exist　as　a　thriving　enterprise　for　one　single　twelvemonth？　　No；

ladies　and　gentlemen；　the　blundering　stupidity　of　such　an　offence

would　have　no　chance　against　the　acute　sagacity　of　newspaper

editors。　　But　I　will　go　further；　and　submit　to　you　that　its

commission；　if　it　be　to　be　dreaded　at　all；　is　far　more　likely　on

the　part　of　some　recreant　camp…follower　of　a　scattered；　disunited；

and　half…recognized　profession；　than　when　there　is　a　public　opinion

established　in　it；　by　the　union　of　all　classes　of　its　members　for

the　common　good：　　the　tendency　of　which　union　must　in　the　nature　of

things　be　to　raise　the　lower　members　of　the　press　towards　the

higher；　and　never　to　bring　the　higher　members　to　the　lower　level。



I　hope　I　may　be　allowed　in　the　very　few　closing　words　that　I　feel　a

desire　to　say　in　remembrance　of　some　circumstances；　rather　special；

attending　my　present　occupation　of　this　chair；　to　give　those　words

something　of　a　personal　tone。　　I　am　not　here　advocating　the　case　of

a　mere　ordinary　client　of　whom　I　have　little　or　no　knowledge。　　I

hold　a　brief　to…night　for　my　brothers。　　I　went　into　the　gallery　of

the　House　of　Commons　as　a　parliamentary　reporter　when　I　was　a　boy

not　eighteen；　and　I　left　it　…　I　can　hardly　believe　the　inexorable

truth　…　nigh　thirty　years　ago。　　I　have　pursued　the　calling　of　a

reporter　under　circumstances　of　which　many　of　my　brethren　at　home

in　England　here；　many　of　my　modern　successors；　can　form　no　adequate

conception。　　I　have　often　transcribed　for　the　printer；　from　my

shorthand　notes；　important　public　speeches　in　which　the　strictest

accuracy　was　required；　and　a　mistake　in　which　would　have　been　to　a

young　man　severely　compromising；　writing　on　the　palm　of　my　hand；　by

the　light　of　a　dark　lantern；　in　a　post…chaise　and　four；　galloping

through　a　wild　country；　and　through　the　dead　of　the　night；　at　the

then　surprising　rate　of　fifteen　miles　an　hour。　　The　very　last　time

I　was　at　Exeter；　I　strolled　into　the　castle　yard　there　to　identify；

for　the　amusement　of　a　friend；　the　spot　on　which　I　once　〃took；〃　as

we　used　to　call　it；　an　election　speech　of　my　noble　friend　Lord

Russell；　in　the　midst　of　a　lively　fight　maintained　by　all　the

vagabonds　in　that　division　of　the　county；　and　under　such　a　pelting

rain；　that　I　remember　two　goodnatured　colleagues；　who　chanced　to　be

at　leisure；　held　a　pocket…handkerchief　over　my　notebook；　after　the

manner　of　a　state　canopy　in　an　ecclesiastical　procession。　　I　have

worn　my　knees　by　writing　on　them　on　the　old　back　row　of　the　old

gallery　of　the　old　House　of　Commons；　and　I　have　worn　my　feet　by

standing　to　write　in　a　preposterous　pen　in　the　old　House　of　Lords；

where　we　used　to　be　huddled　together　like　so　many　sheep　…　kept　in

waiting；　say；　until　the　woolsack　might　want　re…stuffing。　　Returning

home　from　excited　political　meetings　in　the　country　to　the　waiting

press　in　London；　I　do　verily　believe　I　have　been　upset　in　almost

every　description　of　vehicle　known　in　this　country。　　I　have　been；

in　my　time；　belated　on　miry　by…roads；　towards　the　small　hours；

forty　or　fifty　miles　from　London；　in　a　wheelless　carriage；　with

exhausted　horses　and　drunken　postboys；　and　have　got　back　in　time

for　publication；　to　be　received　with　never…forgotten　compliments　by

the　late　Mr。　Black；　coming　in　the　broadest　of　Scotch　from　the

broadest　of　hearts　I　ever　knew。



Ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　mention　these　trivial　things　as　an

assurance　to　you　that　I　never　have　forgotten　the　fascination　of

that　old　pursuit。　　The　pleasure　that　I　used　to　feel　in　the　rapidity

and　dexterity　of　its　exercise　has　never　faded　out　of　my　breast。

Whatever　little　cunning　of　hand　or　head　I　took　to　it；　or　acquired

in　it；　I　have　so　retained　as　that　I　fully　believe　I　could　resume　it

to…morrow；　very　little　the　worse　from　long　disuse。　　To　this　present

year　of　my　life；　when　I　sit　in　this　hall；　or　where　not；　hearing　a

dull　speech；　the　phenomenon　does　occur　…　I　sometimes　beguile　the

tedium　of　the　moment　by　mentally　following　the　speaker　in　the　old；

old　way；　and　sometimes；　if　you　can　believe　me；　I　even　find　my　hand

going　on　the　table…cloth；　taking　an　imaginary　note　of　it　all。

Accept　these　little　truths　as　a　confirmation　of　what　I　know；　as　a

confirmation　of　my　undying　interest　in　this　old　calling。　　Accept

them　as　a　proof　that　my　feeling　for　the　location　of　my　youth　is　not

a　sentiment　taken　up　to…night　to　be　thrown　away　to…morrow　…　but　is

a　faithful　sympathy　which　is　a　part　of　myself。　　I　verily　believe　…

I　am　sure　…　that　if　I　had　never　quitted　my　old　calling　I　should

have　been　foremost　and　zealous　in　the　interests　of　this

Institution；　belie