speeches-literary & social-第39章

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backed　by　the　recommendation　of　three　hundred　artists　in　favour　of

the　Benevolent　Fund；　I　beg　to　propose　its　prosperity　as　a　toast　for

your　adoption。







SPEECH：　　THE　FAREWELL　READING。　　ST。　JAMES'S　HALL；　MARCH　15；　1870。







＇With　the　〃Christmas　Carol〃　and　〃The　Trial　from　Pickwick；〃　Mr。

Charles　Dickens　brought　to　a　brilliant　close　the　memorable　series

of　public　readings　which　have　for　sixteen　years　proved　to　audiences

unexampled　in　numbers；　the　source　of　the　highest　intellectual

enjoyment。　　Every　portion　of　available　space　in　the　building　was；

of　course；　last　night　occupied　some　time　before　the　appointed　hour；

but　could　the　St。　James's　Hall　have　been　specially　enlarged　for　the

occasion　to　the　dimensions　of　Salisbury　Plain；　it　is　doubtful

whether　sufficient　room　would　even　then　have　been　provided　for　all

anxious　to　seize　the　last　chance　of　hearing　the　distinguished

novelist　give　his　own　interpretation　of　the　characters　called　into

existence　by　his　own　creative　pen。　　As　if　determined　to　convince

his　auditors　that；　whatever　reason　had　influenced　his

determination；　physical　exhaustion　was　not　amongst　them；　Mr。

Dickens　never　read　with　greater　spirit　and　energy。　　His　voice　to

the　last　retained　its　distinctive　clearness；　and　the　transitions　of

tone；　as　each　personage　in　the　story；　conjured　up　by　a　word；　rose

vividly　before　the　eye；　seemed　to　be　more　marvellous　than　ever。

The　vast　assemblage；　hushed　into　breathless　attention；　suffered　not

a　syllable　to　escape　the　ear；　and　the　rich　humour　and　deep　pathos

of　one　of　the　most　delightful　books　ever　written　found　once　again

the　fullest　appreciation。　　The　usual　burst　of　merriment　responsive

to　the　blithe　description　of　Bob　Cratchit's　Christmas　day；　and　the

wonted　sympathy　with　the　crippled　child　〃Tiny　Tim；〃　found　prompt

expression；　and　the　general　delight　at　hearing　of　Ebenezer

Scrooge's　reformation　was　only　checked　by　the　saddening　remembrance

that　with　it　the　last　strain　of　the　〃carol〃　was　dying　away。　　After

the　〃Trial　from　Pickwick；〃　in　which　the　speeches　of　the　opposing

counsel；　and　the　owlish　gravity　of　the　judge；　seemed　to　be

delivered　and　depicted　with　greater　dramatic　power　than　ever；　the

applause　of　the　audience　rang　for　several　minutes　through　the　hall；

and　when　it　had　subsided；　Mr。　Dickens；　with　evidently　strong

emotion；　but　in　his　usual　distinct　and　expressive　manner；　spoke　as

follows：…＇



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　It　would　be　worse　than　idle　…　for　it　would

be　hypocritical　and　unfeeling　…　if　I　were　to　disguise　that　I　close

this　episode　in　my　life　with　feelings　of　very　considerable　pain。

For　some　fifteen　years；　in　this　hall　and　in　many　kindred　places；　I

have　had　the　honour　of　presenting　my　own　cherished　ideas　before　you

for　your　recognition；　and；　in　closely　observing　your　reception　of

them；　have　enjoyed　an　amount　of　artistic　delight　and　instruction

which；　perhaps；　is　given　to　few　men　to　know。　　In　this　task；　and　in

every　other　I　have　ever　undertaken；　as　a　faithful　servant　of　the

public；　always　imbued　with　a　sense　of　duty　to　them；　and　always

striving　to　do　his　best；　I　have　been　uniformly　cheered　by　the

readiest　response；　the　most　generous　sympathy；　and　the　most

stimulating　support。　　Nevertheless；　I　have　thought　it　well；　at　the

full　flood…tide　of　your　favour；　to　retire　upon　those　older

associations　between　us；　which　date　from　much　further　back　than

these；　and　henceforth　to　devote　myself　exclusively　to　the　art　that

first　brought　us　together。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　in　but　two　short

weeks　from　this　time　I　hope　that　you　may　enter；　in　your　own　homes；

on　a　new　series　of　readings；　at　which　my　assistance　will　be

indispensable；　but　from　these　garish　lights　I　vanish　now　for

evermore；　with　a　heartfelt；　grateful；　respectful；　and　affectionate

farewell。



＇Amidst　repeated　acclamations　of　the　most　enthusiastic　description；

whilst　hats　and　handkerchiefs　were　waving　in　every　part　of　the

hall；　Mr。　Charles　Dickens　retired；　withdrawing　with　him　one　of　the

greatest　intellectual　treats　the　public　ever　enjoyed。＇







SPEECH：　　THE　NEWSVENDORS'　INSTITUTION；　LONDON；　APRIL　5；　1870。







＇The　annual　dinner　in　aid　of　the　funds　of　the　Newsvendors'

Benevolent　and　Provident　Institution　was　held　on　the　above　evening；

at　the　Freemason's　Tavern。　　Mr。　Charles　Dickens　presided；　and　was

supported　by　the　Sheriffs　of　the　City　of　London　and　Middlesex。



After　the　usual　toasts　had　been　given　and　responded　to；



The　Chairman　said　that　if　the　approved　order　of　their　proceedings

had　been　observed；　the　Corporation　of　the　City　of　London　would　no

doubt　have　considered　themselves　snubbed　if　they　were　not　toasted

by　themselves。　　He　was　sure　that　a　distinguished　member　of　the

Corporation　who　was　present　would　tell　the　company　what　the

Corporation　were　going　to　do；　and　he　had　not　the　slightest　doubt

they　were　going　to　do　something　highly　creditable　to　themselves；

and　something　highly　serviceable　to　the　whole　metropolis；　and　if

the　secret　were　not　at　present　locked　up　in　the　blue　chamber；　they

would　be　all　deeply　obliged　to　the　gentleman　who　would　immediately

follow　him；　if　he　let　them　into　it　in　the　same　confidence　as　he　had

observed　with　respect　to　the　Corporation　of　the　City　of　London

being　snubbed。　　He　begged　to　give　the　toast　of　〃The　Corporation　of

the　City　of　London。〃



Mr。　Alderman　Cotton；　in　replying　to　the　toast；　said　for　once；　and

once　only；　had　their　chairman　said　an　unkind　word　about　the

Corporation　of　London。　　He　had　always　reckoned　Mr。　Dickens　to　be

one　of　the　warmest　friends　of　the　Corporation；　and　remembering　that

he　（Mr。　　Dickens）　did　really　go　through　a　Lord　Mayor's　Show　in　a

Lord　Mayor's　carriage；　if　he　had　not　felt　himself　quite　a　Lord

Mayor；　he　must　have　at　least　considered　himself　next　to　one。



In　proposing　the　toast　of　the　evening　Mr；　Dickens　said：…＇



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　You　receive　me　with　so　much　cordiality　that

I　fear　you　believe　that　I　really　did　once　sit　in　a　Lord　Mayor's

state　coach。　　Permit　me　to　assure　you；　in　spite　of　the　information

received　from　Mr。　Alderman　Cotton；　that　I　never　had　that　honour。

Furthermore；　I　beg　to　assure　you　that　I　never　witnessed　a　Lord

Mayor's　show　except　from　the　point　of　view　obtained　by　the　other

vagabonds　upon　the　pavement。　　Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　in　spite

of　this　great　cordiality　of　yours；　I　doubt　if　you　fully　know　yet

what　a　blessing　it　is　to　you　that　I　occupy　this　chair　to…night；

because；　having　filled　it　on　several　previous　occasions　for　the

society　on　whose　behalf　we　are　assembled；　and　having　said

everything　that　I　could　think　of　to　say　about　it；　and　being；

moreover；　the　president　of　the　institution　itself；　I　am　placed　to…

night　in　the　modest　position　of　a　host　who　is　not　so　much　to

display　himself　as　to　call　out　his　guests　…　perhaps　even　to　try　to

induce　some　among　them　to　occupy　his　place　on　another　occasion。

And；　therefore；　you　may　be　safely　sure　that；　like　Falstaff；　but

with　a　modification　almost　as　large　as　himself；　I　shall　try　rather

to　be　the　cause　of　speaking　in　others　than　to　speak　myself　to…

night。　　Much　in　this　manner　they　exhibit　at　the　door　of　a　snuff

shop　the　effigy　of　a　Highlander　with　an　empty　mull　in　his　hand；

who；　having　apparently　taken　all　the　snuff　he　can　carry；　and

discharged　all　the　sneezes　of　which　he　is　capable；　politely　invites

his　friends　and　patrons　to　step　in　and　try　what　they　can　do　in　the

same　line。



It　is　an　appropriate　instance　of　the　universality　of　the　newsman's

calling　that　no　toast　we　have　drunk　to…night　…　and　no　toast　we

shall　drink　to…night　…　and　no　toast　we　might；　could；　should；　or

would　drink　to…night；　is　separable　for　a　moment　from　that　great

inclusion　of　all　possible　subjects　of　human　interest　which　he

delivers　at　our　doors　every　day。　　Further；　it　may　be　worthy　the

consideration　of　everybody　here　who　has　talked　cheerfully　to　his　or

her　neighbour　since　we　have　sat　down　at　the　table；　what　in　the　name

of　Heaven　should　we　have　talked　about；　and　how　on　earth　could　we

have　possibly　got　on；　if　our　newsman　had　only　for　one　single　day

forgotten　us。　　Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　as　our　newsman　is　not　by

any　means　in　the　habit　of　forgetting　us；　let　us　try　to　form　a

little　habit　of　not　forgetting　our　newsman。　　Let　us　remember　that

his　work　is　very　arduous；　that　it　occupies　him　early　and　late；　that

the　profits　he　derives　from　us　are　at　the　best　very　small；　that　the

services　he　renders　to　us　are　very　great；　that　if　he　be　a　master；

his　little　capital　is　exposed　to　all　sorts　of　mischances；

anxieties；　and　hazards；　and　if　he　be　a　journeyman；　he　himself　is

exposed　to　all　manner　of　weathers；　of　tempers；　and　of　difficult　and

unreasonable　requirements。



Let　me　illustrate　this。　　I　was　once　present　at　a　social　discussion；

which　originated　by　chance。　　The　subject　was；　What　was　the　most

absorbing　and　longest…lived　passion　in　the　human　breast？　　What　was

the　passion　so　powerful　that　it　would　almost　induce　the　generous　to

be　mean；　the　careless　to　be　cautious；　the　guileless　to　be　deeply

designing；　and　the　dove　to　emulate　the　serpent？　　A　daily　editor　of

vast　experience　and　great　acuteness；　who　was　one　of　the　company；

considerably　surprised　us　by　saying　with　the　greatest　confidence

that　the　passion　in　question　was　the　passion　of　getting　orders　for

the　play。



There　had　recently　been　a　terrible　shipwreck；　and　very　few　of　the

surviving　sailors　had　escaped　in　an　open　boat。　　One　of　these　on

making　land　came　straight　to　London；　and　straight　to　the　newspaper

office；　with　his　story　of　how　he　had　seen　the　ship　go　down　before

his　eyes。　　That　young　man　had　witnessed　the　most　terrible

contention　between　the　powers　of　fire　and　water　for　the　destruction

of　that　ship　and　of　every　one　on　board。　　He　had　rowed　away　among

the　floating；　dying；　and　the　sinking　dead。　　He　had　floated　by　day；

and　he　had　frozen　by　night；　with　no　shelter　and　no　food；　and；　as　he

told　his　dismal　tale；　he　rolled　his　haggard　eyes　about　the　room。

When　he　had　finished；　and　the　tale　had　been　noted　down　from　his

lips；　he　was　cheered　and　refreshed；　and　soothed；　and　asked　if

anything　could　be　done　for　him。　　Even　within　him　that　master

passion　was　so　strong　that　he　immediately　replied　he　should　like　an

order　for　the　play。　　My　friend　the　editor　certainly　thought　that

was　rather　a　strong　case；　but　he　said　that　during　his　many　years　of

experience　he　had　witnessed　an　incurable　amount　of　self…prostration

and　abasement　having　no　outer　object；　and　that　almost　invariably　on

the　part　of　people　who　could　well　afford　to　pay。



This　made　a　great　impression　on　my　mind；　and　I　really　lived　in　this

faith　until　some　years　ago　it　happened　upon　a　stormy　night　I　was

kindly　escorted　from　a　bleak　railway　station　to　the　little　out…of…

the…way　town　it　represented　by　a　sprightly　and　vivacious　newsman；

to　whom　I　propounded；　as　we　went　along　under　my　umbrella　…　he　being

most　excellent　company　…　t