speeches-literary & social-第26章

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because　every　one　of　them　is　equally　wet？〃　　Then　said　my　friend　the

captain；　acting　upon　a　sudden　inspiration；　〃Take　the　dry　one。〃　　I

am　sorry　to　say　that　she　did　so；　and　they　lived　happy　ever

afterwards。



Now；　gentleman；　in　my　application　of　this　story；　I　exactly　reverse

my　friend　the　captain's　anecdote；　and　I　entreat　the　public　in

looking　about　to　consider　who　are　fit　subjects　for　their　bounty；　to

give　each　his　hand　with　something　in　it；　and　not　award　a　dry　hand

to　the　industrious　railway　servant　who　is　always　at　his　back。　　And

I　would　ask　any　one　with　a　doubt　upon　this　subject　to　consider　what

his　experience　of　the　railway　servant　is　from　the　time　of　his

departure　to　his　arrival　at　his　destination。　　I　know　what　mine　is。

Here　he　is；　in　velveteen　or　in　a　policeman's　dress；　scaling　cabs；

storming　carriages；　finding　lost　articles　by　a　sort　of　instinct；

binding　up　lost　umbrellas　and　walking　sticks；　wheeling　trucks；

counselling　old　ladies；　with　a　wonderful　interest　in　their　affairs

…　mostly　very　complicated　…　and　sticking　labels　upon　all　sorts　of

articles。　　I　look　around　…　there　he　is；　in　a　station…master's

uniform；　directing　and　overseeing；　with　the　head　of　a　general；　and

with　the　courteous　manners　of　a　gentleman；　and　then　there　is　the

handsome　figure　of　the　guard；　who　inspires　confidence　in　timid

passengers。　　I　glide　out　of　the　station；　and　there　he　is　again　with

his　flags　in　his　hand　at　his　post　in　the　open　country；　at　the　level

crossing；　at　the　cutting；　at　the　tunnel　mouth；　and　at　every　station

on　the　road　until　our　destination　is　reached。　　In　regard；

therefore；　to　the　railway　servants　with　whom　we　do　come　into

contact；　we　may　surely　have　some　natural　sympathy；　and　it　is　on

their　behalf　that　I　this　night　appeal　to　you。　　I　beg　now　to　propose

〃Success　to　the　Railway　Benevolent　Society。〃







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　SEPTEMBER　17；　1867。







＇On　presiding　at　a　public　Meeting　of　the　Printers'　Readers；　held　at

the　Salisbury　Hotel；　on　the　above　date；　Mr。　Dickens　said：…＇



THAT　as　the　meeting　was　convened；　not　to　hear　him；　but　to　hear　a

statement　of　facts　and　figures　very　nearly　affecting　the　personal

interests　of　the　great　majority　of　those　present；　his　preface　to

the　proceedings　need　be　very　brief。　　Of　the　details　of　the　question

he　knew；　of　his　own　knowledge；　absolutely　nothing；　but　he　had

consented　to　occupy　the　chair　on　that　occasion　at　the　request　of

the　London　Association　of　Correctors　of　the　Press　for　two　reasons　…

first；　because　he　thought　that　openness　and　publicity　in　such　cases

were　a　very　wholesome　example　very　much　needed　at　this　time；　and

were　highly　becoming　to　a　body　of　men　associated　with　that　great

public　safeguard　…　the　Press；　secondly；　because　he　knew　from　some

slight　practical　experience；　what　the　duties　of　correctors　of　the

press　were；　and　how　their　duties　were　usually　discharged；　and　he

could　testify；　and　did　testify；　that　they　were　not　mechanical；　that

they　were　not　mere　matters　of　manipulation　and　routine；　but　that

they　required　from　those　who　performed　them　much　natural

intelligence；　much　super…added　cultivation；　readiness　of　reference；

quickness　of　resource；　an　excellent　memory；　and　a　clear

understanding。　　He　most　gratefully　acknowledged　that　he　had　never

gone　through　the　sheets　of　any　book　that　he　had　written；　without

having　presented　to　him　by　the　correctors　of　the　press　something

that　he　had　overlooked；　some　slight　inconsistency　into　which　he　had

fallen；　some　little　lapse　he　had　made　…　in　short；　without　having

set　down　in　black　and　white　some　unquestionable　indication　that　he

had　been　closely　followed　through　the　work　by　a　patient　and　trained

mind；　and　not　merely　by　a　skilful　eye。　　And　in　this　declaration　he

had　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　the　great　body　of　his　brother　and

sister　writers　would；　as　a　plain　act　of　justice；　readily　concur。

For　these　plain　reasons　he　was　there；　and　being　there　he　begged　to

assure　them　that　every　one　present　…　that　every　speaker　…　would

have　a　patient　hearing；　whatever　his　opinions　might　be。



＇The　proceedings　concluded　with　a　very　cordial　and　hearty　vote　of

thanks　to　Mr。　Dickens　for　taking　the　chair　on　the　occasion。＇



Mr。　Dickens　briefly　returned　thanks；　and　expressed　the　belief　that

their　very　calm　and　temperate　proceedings　would　finally　result　in

the　establishment　of　relations　of　perfect　amity　between　the

employers　and　the　employed；　and　consequently　conduce　to　the　general

welfare　of　both。







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　NOVEMBER　2；　1867。







＇On　Saturday　evening；　November　2；　1867；　a　grand　complimentary

farewell　dinner　was　given　to　Mr。　Dickens　at　the　Freemasons'　Tavern

on　the　occasion　of　his　revisiting　the　United　States　of　America。

Lord　Lytton　officiated　as　chairman；　and　proposed　as　a　toast　…　〃A

Prosperous　Voyage；　Health；　and　Long　Life　to　our　Illustrious　Guest

and　Countryman；　Charles　Dickens〃。　　The　toast　was　drunk　with　all　the

honours；　and　one　cheer　more。　　Mr。　Dickens　then　rose；　and　spoke　as

follows：＇



NO　thanks　that　I　can　offer　you　can　express　my　sense　of　my　reception

by　this　great　assemblage；　or　can　in　the　least　suggest　to　you　how

deep　the　glowing　words　of　my　friend　the　chairman；　and　your

acceptance　of　them；　have　sunk　into　my　heart。　　But　both　combined

have　so　greatly　shaken　the　composure　which　I　am　used　to　command

before　an　audience；　that　I　hope　you　may　observe　in　me　some　traces

of　an　eloquence　more　expressive　than　the　richest　words。　　To　say

that　I　am　fervently　grateful　to　you　is　to　say　nothing；　to　say　that

I　can　never　forget　this　beautiful　sight；　is　to　say　nothing；　to　say

that　it　brings　upon　me　a　rush　of　emotion　not　only　in　the　present；

but　in　the　thought　of　its　remembrance　in　the　future　by　those　who

are　dearest　to　me；　is　to　say　nothing；　but　to　feel　all　this　for　the

moment；　even　almost　to　pain；　is　very　much　indeed。　　Mercutio　says　of

the　wound　in　his　breast；　dealt　him　by　the　hand　of　a　foe；　that　…

〃'Tis　not　so　deep　as　a　well；　nor　so　wide　as　a　church　door；　but　'tis

enough；　'twill　serve。〃　　I　may　say　of　the　wound　in　my　breast；　newly

dealt　to　me　by　the　hands　of　my　friends；　that　it　is　deeper　than　the

soundless　sea；　and　wider　than　the　whole　Catholic　Church。　　I　may

safely　add　that　it　has　for　the　moment　almost　stricken　me　dumb。　　I

should　be　more　than　human；　and　I　assure　you　I　am　very　human　indeed；

if　I　could　look　around　upon　this　brilliant　representative　company

and　not　feel　greatly　thrilled　and　stirred　by　the　presence　of　so

many　brother　artists；　not　only　in　literature；　but　also　in　the

sister　arts；　especially　painting；　among　whose　professors　living　and

unhappily　dead；　are　many　of　my　oldest　and　best　friends。　　I　hope

that　I　may；　without　presumption；　regard　this　thronging　of　my

brothers　around　me　as　a　testimony　on　their　part　that　they　believe

that　the　cause　of　art　generally　has　been　safe　in　my　keeping；　and

that　it　has　never　been　falsely　dealt　with　by　me。　　Your　resounding

cheers　just　now　would　have　been　but　so　many　cruel　reproaches　to　me

if　I　could　not　here　declare　that；　from　the　earliest　days　of　my

career　down　to　this　proud　night；　I　have　always　tried　to　be　true　to

my　calling。　　Never　unduly　to　assert　it；　on　the　one　hand；　and　never；

on　any　pretence　or　consideration；　to　permit　it　to　be　patronized　in

my　person；　has　been　the　steady　endeavour　of　my　life；　and　I　have

occasionally　been　vain　enough　to　hope　that　I　may　leave　its　social

position　in　England　better　than　I　found　it。　　Similarly；　and　equally

I　hope　without　presumption；　I　trust　that　I　may　take　this　general

representation　of　the　public　here；　through　so　many　orders；

pursuits；　and　degrees；　as　a　token　that　the　public　believe　that；

with　a　host　of　imperfections　and　shortcomings　on　my　head；　I　have　as

a　writer；　in　my　soul　and　conscience；　tried　to　be　as　true　to　them　as

they　have　ever　been　true　to　me。　　And　here；　in　reference　to　the

inner　circle　of　the　arts　and　the　outer　circle　of　the　public；　I　feel

it　a　duty　to…night　to　offer　two　remarks。　　I　have　in　my　duty　at　odd

times　heard　a　great　deal　about　literary　sets　and　cliques；　and

coteries　and　barriers；　about　keeping　this　man　up；　and　keeping　that

man　down；　about　sworn　disciples　and　sworn　unbelievers；　and　mutual

admiration　societies；　and　I　know　not　what　other　dragons　in　the

upward　path。　　I　began　to　tread　it　when　I　was　very　young；　without

influence；　without　money；　without　companion；　introducer；　or

adviser；　and　I　am　bound　to　put　in　evidence　in　this　place　that　I

never　lighted　on　these　dragons　yet。　　So　have　I　heard　in　my　day；　at

divers　other　odd　times；　much　generally　to　the　effect　that　the

English　people　have　little　or　no　love　of　art　for　its　own　sake；　and

that　they　do　not　greatly　care　to　acknowledge　or　do　honour　to　the

artist。　　My　own　experience　has　uniformly　been　exactly　the　reverse。

I　can　say　that　of　my　countrymen；　though　I　cannot　say　that　of　my

country。



And　now　passing　to　the　immediate　occasion　of　your　doing　me　this

great　honour；　the　story　of　my　going　again　to　America　is　very　easily

and　briefly　told。　　Since　I　was　there　before　a　vast　and　entirely　new

generation　has　arisen　in　the　United　States。　　Since　I　was　there

before　most　of　the　best　known　of　my　books　have　been　written　and

published；　the　new　generation　and　the　books　have　come　together　and

have　kept　together；　until　at　length　numbers　of　those　who　have　so

widely　and　constantly　read　me；　naturally　desiring　a　little　variety

in　the　relationship　between　us；　have　expressed　a　strong　wish　that　I

should　read　myself。　　This　wish；　at　first　conveyed　to　me　through

public　channels　and　business　channels；　has　gradually　become

enforced　by　an　immense　accumulation　of　letters　from　individuals　and

associations　of　individuals；　all　expressing　in　the　same　hearty；

homely；　cordial　unaffected　way；　a　kind　of　personal　interest　in　me　…

I　had　almost　said　a　kind　of　personal　affection　for　me；　which　I　am

sure　you　would　agree　with　me　it　would　be　dull　insensibility　on　my

part　not　to　prize。　　Little　by　little　this　pressure　has　become　so

great　that；　although；　as　Charles　Lamb　says；　my　household　gods

strike　a　terribly　deep　root；　I　have　torn　them　from　their　places；

and　this　day　week；　at　this　hour；　shall　be　upon　the　sea。　　You　will

readily　conceive　that　I　am　inspired　besides　by　a　natural　desire　to

see　for　myself　the　astonishing　change　and　progress　of　a　quarter　of

a　century　over　there；　to　grasp　the　hands　of　many　faithful　friends

whom　I　left　there；　to　see　the　faces　of　the　multitude　of　new　friends

upon　whom　I　have　never　looked；　and　last；　not　least；　to　use　my　best

endeavour　to　lay　down　a　third　cable　of　intercommunication　and

alliance　between　the　old　world　and　the　new。　　Twelve　years　ago；　when

Heaven　knows　I　little　thought　I　should　ever　be　bound　upon　the

voyage　which　now　lies　before　me；　I　wrote　in　that　form　of　my

writings　which　obtains　by　far　the　most　extensive　circulation；　these

words　of　the　American　nation：…　〃I　know　full　well；　whatever　little

motes　my　beamy　eyes　may　have　descried　in　theirs；　th