speeches-literary & social-第38章

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who　are　engaged　in　the　wholesale　houses　will　long　neglect　this

obvious；　this　easy　duty。　　If　they　suppose　that　the　objects　of　their

love；　born　or　unborn；　will　never　want　the　benefits　of　the　charity；

that　may　be　a　fatal　and　blind　mistake　…　it　can　never　be　an　excuse；

for；　supposing　them　to　be　right　in　their　anticipation；　they　should

do　what　is　asked　for　the　sake　of　their　friends　and　comrades　around

them；　assured　that　they　will　be　the　happier　and　the　better　for　the

deed。



Ladies　and　gentlemen；　this　little　〃labour　of　love〃　of　mine　is　now

done。　　I　most　heartily　wish　that　I　could　charm　you　now　not　to　see

me；　not　to　think　of　me；　not　to　hear　me　…　I　most　heartily　wish　that

I　could　make　you　see　in　my　stead　the　multitude　of　innocent　and

bereaved　children　who　are　looking　towards　these　schools；　and

entreating　with　uplifted　hands　to　be　let　in。　　A　very　famous

advocate　once　said；　in　speaking　of　his　fears　of　failure　when　he　had

first　to　speak　in　court；　being　very　poor；　that　he　felt　his　little

children　tugging　at　his　skirts；　and　that　recovered　him。　　Will　you

think　of　the　number　of　little　children　who　are　tugging　at　my

skirts；　when　I　ask　you；　in　their　names；　on　their　behalf；　and　in

their　little　persons；　and　in　no　strength　of　my　own；　to　encourage

and　assist　this　work？





At　a　later　period　of　the　evening　Mr。　Dickens　proposed　the　health　of

the　President　of　the　Institution；　Lord　John　Russell。　　He　said　he

should　do　nothing　so　superfluous　and　so　unnecessary　as　to　descant

upon　his　lordship's　many　faithful；　long；　and　great　public　services；

upon　the　honour　and　integrity　with　which　he　had　pursued　his

straightforward　public　course　through　every　difficulty；　or　upon　the

manly；　gallant；　and　courageous　character；　which　rendered　him

certain；　in　the　eyes　alike　of　friends　and　opponents；　to　rise　with

every　rising　occasion；　and　which；　like　the　seal　of　Solomon；　in　the

old　Arabian　story；　enclosed　in　a　not　very　large　casket　the　soul　of

a　giant。　　In　answer　to　loud　cheers；　he　said　he　had　felt　perfectly

certain；　that　that　would　be　the　response　for　in　no　English　assembly

that　he　had　ever　seen　was　it　necessary　to　do　more　than　mention　the

name　of　Lord　John　Russell　to　ensure　a　manifestation　of　personal

respect　and　grateful　remembrance。







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　MAY　8；　1858。







＇The　forty…eighth　Anniversary　of　the　establishment　of　the　Artists'

Benevolent　Fund　took　place　on　the　above　date　at　the　Freemasons'

Tavern。　　The　chair　was　taken　by　Mr。　Charles　Dickens；　who；　after

having　disposed　of　the　preliminary　toasts　with　his　usual　felicity；

proceeded　to　advocate　the　claims　of　the　Institution　in　whose

interest　the　company　had　assembled；　in　the　following　terms：…＇



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　There　is　an　absurd　theatrical　story　which

was　once　told　to　me　by　a　dear　and　valued　friend；　who　has　now　passed

from　this　sublunary　stage；　and　which　is　not　without　its　moral　as

applied　to　myself；　in　my　present　presidential　position。　　In　a

certain　theatrical　company　was　included　a　man；　who　on　occasions　of

emergency　was　capable　of　taking　part　in　the　whole　round　of　the

British　drama；　provided　he　was　allowed　to　use　his　own　language　in

getting　through　the　dialogue。　　It　happened　one　night　that　Reginald；

in　the　CASTLE　SPECTRE；　was　taken　ill；　and　this　veteran　of　a　hundred

characters　was；　of　course；　called　up　for　the　vacant　part。　　He

responded　with　his　usual　promptitude；　although　knowing　nothing

whatever　of　the　character；　but　while　they　were　getting　him　into　the

dress；　he　expressed　a　not　unreasonable　wish　to　know　in　some　vague

way　what　the　part　was　about。　　He　was　not　particular　as　to　details；

but　in　order　that　he　might　properly　pourtray　his　sufferings；　he

thought　he　should　have　some　slight　inkling　as　to　what　really　had

happened　to　him。　　As；　for　example；　what　murders　he　had　committed；

whose　father　he　was；　of　what　misfortunes　he　was　the　victim；　…　in

short；　in　a　general　way　to　know　why　he　was　in　that　place　at　all。

They　said　to　him；　〃Here　you　are；　chained　in　a　dungeon；　an　unhappy

father；　you　have　been　here　for　seventeen　years；　during　which　time

you　have　never　seen　your　daughter；　you　have　lived　upon　bread　and

water；　and；　in　consequence；　are　extremely　weak；　and　suffer　from

occasional　lowness　of　spirits。〃　…　〃All　right；〃　said　the　actor　of

universal　capabilities；　〃ring　up。〃　　When　he　was　discovered　to　the

audience；　he　presented　an　extremely　miserable　appearance；　was　very

favourably　received；　and　gave　every　sign　of　going　on　well；　until；

through　some　mental　confusion　as　to　his　instructions；　he　opened　the

business　of　the　act　by　stating　in　pathetic　terms；　that　he　had　been

confined　in　that　dungeon　seventeen　years；　during　which　time　he　had

not　tasted　a　morsel　of　food；　to　which　circumstance　he　was　inclined

to　attribute　the　fact　of　his　being　at　that　moment　very　much　out　of

condition。　　The　audience；　thinking　this　statement　exceedingly

improbable；　declined　to　receive　it；　and　the　weight　of　that　speech

hung　round　him　until　the　end　of　his　performance。



Now　I；　too；　have　received　instructions　for　the　part　I　have　the

honour　of　performing　before　you；　and　it　behoves　both　you　and　me　to

profit　by　the　terrible　warning　I　have　detailed；　while　I　endeavour

to　make　the　part　I　have　undertaken　as　plain　and　intelligible　as　I

possibly　can。



As　I　am　going　to　propose　to　you　that　we　should　now　begin　to　connect

the　business　with　the　pleasure　of　the　evening；　by　drinking

prosperity　to　the　Artists'　Benevolent　Fund；　it　becomes　important

that　we　should　know　what　that　fund　is。　　It　is　an　Association

supported　by　the　voluntary　gifts　of　those　who　entertain　a　critical

and　admiring　estimation　of　art；　and　has　for　its　object　the　granting

of　annuities　to　the　widows　and　children　of　deceased　artists　…　of

artists　who　have　been　unable　in　their　lives　to　make　any　provision

for　those　dear　objects　of　their　love　surviving　themselves。　　Now　it

is　extremely　important　to　observe　that　this　institution　of　an

Artists'　Benevolent　Fund；　which　I　now　call　on　you　to　pledge；　has

connected　with　it；　and　has　arisen　out　of　another　artists'

association；　which　does　not　ask　you　for　a　health；　which　never　did；

and　never　will　ask　you　for　a　health；　which　is　self…supporting；　and

which　is　entirely　maintained　by　the　prudence　and　providence　of　its

three　hundred　artist　members。　　That　fund；　which　is　called　the

Artists'　Annuity　Fund；　is；　so　to　speak；　a　joint　and　mutual

Assurance　Company　against　infirmity；　sickness；　and　age。　　To　the

benefits　it　affords　every　one　of　its　members　has　an　absolute　right；

a　right；　be　it　remembered；　produced　by　timely　thrift　and　self…

denial；　and　not　assisted　by　appeals　to　the　charity　or　compassion　of

any　human　being。　　On　that　fund　there　are；　if　I　remember　a　right；

some　seventeen　annuitants　who　are　in　the　receipt　of　eleven　hundred

a…year；　the　proceeds　of　their　own　self…supporting　Institution。　　In

recommending　to　you　this　benevolent　fund；　which　is　not　self…

supporting；　they　address　you；　in　effect；　in　these　words：…　〃We　ask

you　to　help　these　widows　and　orphans；　because　we　show　you　we　have

first　helped　ourselves。　　These　widows　and　orphans　may　be　ours　or

they　may　not　be　ours；　but　in　any　case　we　will　prove　to　you　to　a

certainty　that　we　are　not　so　many　wagoners　calling　upon　Jupiter　to

do　our　work；　because　we　do　our　own　work；　each　has　his　shoulder　to

the　wheel；　each；　from　year　to　year；　has　had　his　shoulder　set　to　the

wheel；　and　the　prayer　we　make　to　Jupiter　and　all　the　gods　is　simply

this　…　that　this　fact　may　be　remembered　when　the　wagon　has　stopped

for　ever；　and　the　spent　and　worn…out　wagoner　lies　lifeless　by　the

roadside。



〃Ladies　and　Gentlemen；　I　most　particularly　wish　to　impress　on　you

the　strength　of　this　appeal。　　I　am　a　painter；　a　sculptor；　or　an

engraver；　of　average　success。　　I　study　and　work　here　for　no　immense

return；　while　life　and　health；　while　hand　and　eye　are　mine。　　I

prudently　belong　to　the　Annuity　Fund；　which　in　sickness；　old　age；

and　infirmity；　preserves　me　from　want。　　I　do　my　duty　to　those　who

are　depending　on　me　while　life　remains；　but　when　the　grass　grows

above　my　grave　there　is　no　provision　for　them　any　longer。〃



This　is　the　case　with　the　Artists'　Benevolent　Fund；　and　in　stating

this　I　am　only　the　mouthpiece　of　three　hundred　of　the　trade；　who　in

truth　stands　as　independent　before　you　as　if　they　were　three

hundred　Cockers　all　regulated　by　the　Gospel　according　to

themselves。　　There　are　in　existence　three　artists'　funds；　which

ought　never　to　be　mentioned　without　respect。　　I　am　an　officer　of

one　of　them；　and　can　speak　from　knowledge；　but　on　this　occasion　I

address　myself　to　a　case　for　which　there　is　no　provision。　　I

address　you　on　behalf　of　those　professors　of　the　fine　arts　who　have

made　provision　during　life；　and　in　submitting　to　you　their　claims　I

am　only　advocating　principles　which　I　myself　have　always

maintained。



When　I　add　that　this　Benevolent　Fund　makes　no　pretensions　to

gentility；　squanders　no　treasure　in　keeping　up　appearances；　that　it

considers　that　the　money　given　for　the　widow　and　the　orphan；　should

really　be　held　for　the　widow　and　the　orphan；　I　think　I　have

exhausted　the　case；　which　I　desire　most　strenuously　to　commend　to

you。



Perhaps　you　will　allow　me　to　say　one　last　word。　　I　will　not　consent

to　present　to　you　the　professors　of　Art　as　a　set　of　helpless

babies；　who　are　to　be　held　up　by　the　chin；　I　present　them　as　an

energetic　and　persevering　class　of　men；　whose　incomes　depend　on

their　own　faculties　and　personal　exertions；　and　I　also　make　so　bold

as　to　present　them　as　men　who　in　their　vocation　render　good　service

to　the　community。　　I　am　strongly　disposed　to　believe　there　are　very

few　debates　in　Parliament　so　important　to　the　public　welfare　as　a

really　good　picture。　　I　have　also　a　notion　that　any　number　of

bundles　of　the　driest　legal　chaff　that　ever　was　chopped　would　be

cheaply　expended　for　one　really　meritorious　engraving。　　At　a　highly

interesting　annual　festival　at　which　I　have　the　honour　to　assist；

and　which　takes　place　behind　two　fountains；　I　sometimes　observe

that　great　ministers　of　state　and　other　such　exalted　characters

have　a　strange　delight　in　rather　ostentatiously　declaring　that　they

have　no　knowledge　whatever　of　art；　and　particularly　of　impressing

on　the　company　that　they　have　passed　their　lives　in　severe　studies。

It　strikes　me　when　I　hear　these　things　as　if　these　great　men　looked

upon　the　arts　as　a　sort　of　dancing　dogs；　or　Punch's　show；　to　be

turned　to　for　amusement　when　one　has　nothing　else　to　do。　　Now　I

always　take　the　opportunity　on　these　occasions　of　entertaining　my

humble　opinion　that　all　this　is　complete　〃bosh；〃　and　of　asserting

to　myself　my　strong　belief　that　the　neighbourhoods　of　Trafalgar

Square；　or　Suffolk　Street；　rightly　understood；　are　quite　as

important　to　the　welfare　of　the　empire　as　those　of　Downing　Street；

or　Westminster　Hall。　　Ladies　and　Gentlemen；　on　these　grounds；　and

backed　by　the　recommendation　of　three　h