speeches-literary & social-第32章

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touching　the　bands　of　the　successful　competitors　in　your　lists；　I

will　not　cast　upon　that　anticipated　meeting　the　terrible

foreshadowing　of　dread　which　must　inevitably　result　from　a　second

speech。　　I　thank　you　most　heartily；　and　I　most　sincerely　and

fervently　say　to　you；　〃Good　night；　and　God　bless　you。〃　　In

reference　to　the　appropriate　and　excellent　remarks　of　Mr。　Dixon；　I

will　now　discharge　my　conscience　of　my　political　creed；　which　is

contained　in　two　articles；　and　has　no　reference　to　any　party　or

persons。　　My　faith　in　the　people　governing　is；　on　the　whole；

infinitesimal；　my　faith　in　the　People　governed　is；　on　the　whole；

illimitable。







SPEECH：　　BIRMINGHAM；　JANUARY　6；　1870。







＇On　the　evening　of　the　above　date；　Mr。　Dickens；　as　President　of　the

Birmingham　and　Midland　Institute；　distributed　the　prizes　and

certificates　awarded　to　the　most　successful　students　in　the　first

year。　　The　proceedings　took　place　in　the　Town　Hall：　　Mr。　Dickens

entered　at　eight　o'clock；　accompanied　by　the　officers　of　the

Institute；　and　was　received　with　loud　applause。　　After　the　lapse　of

a　minute　or　two；　he　rose　and　said：…＇



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　When　I　last　had　the　honour　to　preside　over

a　meeting　of　the　Institution　which　again　brings　us　together；　I　took

occasion　to　remark　upon　a　certain　superabundance　of　public　speaking

which　seems　to　me　to　distinguish　the　present　time。　　It　will　require

very　little　self…denial　on　my　part　to　practise　now　what　I　preached

then；　firstly；　because　I　said　my　little　say　that　night；　and

secondly；　because　we　have　definite　and　highly　interesting　action

before　us　to…night。　　We　have　now　to　bestow　the　rewards　which　have

been　brilliantly　won　by　the　most　successful　competitors　in　the

society's　lists。　　I　say　the　most　successful；　because　to…night　we

should　particularly　observe；　I　think；　that　there　is　success　in　all

honest　endeavour；　and　that　there　is　some　victory　gained　in　every

gallant　struggle　that　is　made。　　To　strive　at　all　involves　a　victory

achieved　over　sloth；　inertness；　and　indifference；　and　competition

for　these　prizes　involves；　besides；　in　the　vast　majority　of　cases；

competition　with　and　mastery　asserted　over　circumstances　adverse　to

the　effort　made。　　Therefore；　every　losing　competitor　among　my

hearers　may　be　certain　that　he　has　still　won　much　…　very　much　…　and

that　he　can　well　afford　to　swell　the　triumph　of　his　rivals　who　have

passed　him　in　the　race。



I　have　applied　the　word　〃rewards〃　to　these　prizes；　and　I　do　so；　not

because　they　represent　any　great　intrinsic　worth　in　silver　or　gold；

but　precisely　because　they　do　not。　　They　represent　what　is　above

all　price　…　what　can　be　stated　in　no　arithmetical　figures；　and　what

is　one　of　the　great　needs　of　the　human　soul　…　encouraging　sympathy。

They　are　an　assurance　to　every　student　present　or　to　come　in　your

institution；　that　he　does　not　work　either　neglected　or　unfriended；

and　that　he　is　watched；　felt　for；　stimulated；　and　appreciated。

Such　an　assurance；　conveyed　in　the　presence　of　this　large　assembly；

and　striking　to　the　breasts　of　the　recipients　that　thrill　which　is

inseparable　from　any　great　united　utterance　of　feeling；　is　a

reward；　to　my　thinking；　as　purely　worthy　of　the　labour　as　the

labour　itself　is　worthy　of　the　reward；　and　by　a　sensitive　spirit

can　never　be　forgotten。



＇One　of　the　prize…takers　was　a　Miss　Winkle；　a　name　suggestive　of

〃Pickwick；〃　which　was　received　with　laugher。　　Mr。　Dickens　made　some

remarks　to　the　lady　in　an　undertone；　and　then　observed　to　the

audience；　〃I　have　recommended　Miss　Winkle　to　change　her　name。〃　　The

prizes　having　been　distributed；　Mr。　Dickens　made　a　second　brief

speech。　　He　said：…＇



The　prizes　are　now　all　distributed；　and　I　have　discharged　myself　of

the　delightful　task　you　have　entrusted　to　me；　and　if　the　recipients

of　these　prizes　and　certificates　who　have　come　upon　this　platform

have　had　the　genuine　pleasure　in　receiving　their　acknowledgments

from　my　hands　that　I　have　had　in　placing　them　in　theirs；　they　are

in　a　true　Christian　temper　to…night。　　I　have　the　painful　sense　upon

me；　that　it　is　reserved　for　some　one　else　to　enjoy　this　great

satisfaction　of　mind　next　time。　　It　would　be　useless　for　the　few

short　moments　longer　to　disguise　the　fact　that　I　happen　to　have

drawn　King　this　Twelfth　Night；　but　that　another　Sovereign　will　very

soon　sit　upon　my　inconstant　throne。　　To…night　I　abdicate；　or；　what

is　much　the　same　thing　in　the　modern　annals　of　Royalty　…　I　am

politely　dethroned。　　This　melancholy　reflection；　ladies　and

gentlemen；　brings　me　to　a　very　small　point；　personal　to　myself；

upon　which　I　will　beg　your　permission　to　say　a　closing　word。



When　I　was　here　last　autumn　I　made；　in　reference　to　some　remarks　of

your　respected　member；　Mr。　Dixon；　a　short　confession　of　my

political　faith　…　or　perhaps　I　should　better　say　want　of　faith。　　It

imported　that　I　have　very　little　confidence　in　the　people　who

govern　us　…　please　to　observe　〃people〃　there　will　be　with　a　small

〃p；〃　…　but　that　I　have　great　confidence　in　the　People　whom　they

govern；　please　to　observe　〃people〃　there　with　a　large　〃P。〃　　This

was　shortly　and　elliptically　stated；　and　was　with　no　evil

intention；　I　am　absolutely　sure；　in　some　quarters　inversely

explained。　　Perhaps　as　the　inventor　of　a　certain　extravagant

fiction；　but　one　which　I　do　see　rather　frequently　quoted　as　if

there　were　grains　of　truth　at　the　bottom　of　it　…　a　fiction　called

the　〃Circumlocution　Office；〃　…　and　perhaps　also　as　the　writer　of　an

idle　book　or　two；　whose　public　opinions　are　not　obscurely　stated　…

perhaps　in　these　respects　I　do　not　sufficiently　bear　in　mind

Hamlet's　caution　to　speak　by　the　card　lest　equivocation　should　undo

me。



Now　I　complain　of　nobody；　but　simply　in　order　that　there　may　be　no

mistake　as　to　what　I　did　mean；　and　as　to　what　I　do　mean；　I　will　re…

state　my　meaning；　and　I　will　do　so　in　the　words　of　a　great　thinker；

a　great　writer；　and　a　great　scholar；　whose　death；　unfortunately　for

mankind；　cut　short　his　〃History　of　Civilization　in　England：〃　…

〃They　may　talk　as　they　will　about　reforms　which　Government　has

introduced　and　improvements　to　be　expected　from　legislation；　but

whoever　will　take　a　wider　and　more　commanding　view　of　human

affairs；　will　soon　discover　that　such　hopes　are　chimerical。　　They

will　learn　that　lawgivers　are　nearly　always　the　obstructors　of

society　instead　of　its　helpers；　and　that　in　the　extremely　few　cases

where　their　measures　have　turned　out　well　their　success　has　been

owing　to　the　fact　that；　contrary　to　their　usual　custom；　they　have

implicitly　obeyed　the　spirit　of　their　time；　and　have　been　…　as　they

always　should　be　…　the　mere　servants　of　the　people；　to　whose　wishes

they　are　bound　to　give　a　public　and　legal　sanction。〃







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　APRIL　6；　1846。　（1）







＇The　first　anniversary　festival　of　the　General　Theatrical　Fund

Association　was　held　on　the　evening　of　the　above　date　at　the　London

Tavern。　　The　chair　was　taken　by　Mr。　Dickens；　who　thus　proposed　the

principal　toast：＇



GENTLEMEN；　…　In　offering　to　you　a　toast　which　has　not　as　yet　been

publicly　drunk　in　any　company；　it　becomes　incumbent　on　me　to　offer

a　few　words　in　explanation：　　in　the　first　place；　premising　that　the

toast　will　be　〃The　General　Theatrical　Fund。〃



The　Association；　whose　anniversary　we　celebrate　to…night；　was

founded　seven　years　ago；　for　the　purpose　of　granting　permanent

pensions　to　such　of　the　CORPS　DRAMATIQUE　as　had　retired　from　the

stage；　either　from　a　decline　in　their　years　or　a　decay　of　their

powers。　　Collected　within　the　scope　of　its　benevolence　are　all

actors　and　actresses；　singers；　or　dancers；　of　five　years'　standing

in　the　profession。　　To　relieve　their　necessities　and　to　protect

them　from　want　is　the　great　end　of　the　Society；　and　it　is　good　to

know　that　for　seven　years　the　members　of　it　have　steadily；

patiently；　quietly；　and　perseveringly　pursued　this　end；　advancing

by　regular　contribution；　moneys　which　many　of　them　could　ill

afford；　and　cheered　by　no　external　help　or　assistance　of　any　kind

whatsoever。　　It　has　thus　served　a　regular　apprenticeship；　but　I

trust　that　we　shall　establish　to…night　that　its　time　is　out；　and

that　henceforth　the　Fund　will　enter　upon　a　flourishing　and

brilliant　career。



I　have　no　doubt　that　you　are　all　aware　that　there　are；　and　were

when　this　institution　was　founded；　two　other　institutions　existing

of　a　similar　nature　…　Covent　Garden　and　Drury　Lane　…　both　of　long

standing；　both　richly　endowed。　　It　cannot；　however；　be　too

distinctly　understood；　that　the　present　Institution　is　not　in　any

way　adverse　to　those。　　How　can　it　be　when　it　is　only　a　wide　and

broad　extension　of　all　that　is　most　excellent　in　the　principles　on

which　they　are　founded？　　That　such　an　extension　was　absolutely

necessary　was　sufficiently　proved　by　the　fact　that　the　great　body

of　the　dramatic　corps　were　excluded　from　the　benefits　conferred　by

a　membership　of　either　of　these　institutions；　for　it　was　essential；

in　order　to　become　a　member　of　the　Drury　Lane　Society；　that　the

applicant；　either　he　or　she；　should　have　been　engaged　for　three

consecutive　seasons　as　a　performer。　　This　was　afterwards　reduced；

in　the　case　of　Covent　Garden；　to　a　period　of　two　years；　but　it

really　is　as　exclusive　one　way　as　the　other；　for　I　need　not　tell

you　that　Covent　Garden　is　now　but　a　vision　of　the　past。　　You　might

play　the　bottle　conjuror　with　its　dramatic　company　and　put　them　all

into　a　pint　bottle。　　The　human　voice　is　rarely　heard　within　its

walls　save　in　connexion　with　corn；　or　the　ambidextrous

prestidigitation　of　the　Wizard　of　the　North。　　In　like　manner；　Drury

Lane　is　conducted　now　with　almost　a　sole　view　to　the　opera　and

ballet；　insomuch　that　the　statue　of　Shakespeare　over　the　door

serves　as　emphatically　to　point　out　his　grave　as　his　bust　did　in

the　church　of　Stratford…upon…Avon。　　How　can　the　profession

generally　hope　to　qualify　for　the　Drury　Lane　or　Covent　Garden

institution；　when　the　oldest　and　most　distinguished　members　have

been　driven　from　the　boards　on　which　they　have　earned　their

reputations；　to　delight　the　town　in　theatres　to　which　the　General

Theatrical　Fund　alone　extended？



I　will　again　repeat　that　I　attach　no　reproach　to　those　other　Funds；

with　which　I　have　had　the　honour　of　being　connected　at　different

periods　of　my　life。　　At　the　time　those　Associations　were

established；　an　engagement　at　one　of　those　theatres　was　almost　a

matter　of　course；　and　a　successful　engagement　would　last　a　whole

life；　but　an　engagement　of　two　months'　duration　at　Covent　Garden

would　be　a　perfect　Old　Parr　of　an　engagement　just　now。　　It　should

never　be　forgotten　that　when　those　two　funds　were　established；　the

two　great　theatres　were　protected　by　patent；　and　that　at　that　time

the　minor　theatres　were　condemned　by　law　to　the　representation　of

the　most　preposterous　nonsense；　and　some　gentlemen　whom　I　see

around　me　could　no　mo