speeches-literary & social-第10章

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degenerate　into　machines　themselves；　but；　on　the　contrary；　they

should　assert　their　common　origin　from　their　Creator；　at　the　hands

of　those　who　are　responsible　and　thinking　men。　　There　is；　indeed；

no　difference　in　the　main　with　respect　to　the　dangers　of　ignorance

and　the　advantages　of　knowledge　between　those　who　hold　different

opinions　…　for　it　is　to　be　observed；　that　those　who　are　most

distrustful　of　the　advantages　of　education；　are　always　the　first　to

exclaim　against　the　results　of　ignorance。　　This　fact　was　pleasantly

illustrated　on　the　railway；　as　I　came　here。　　In　the　same　carriage

with　me　there　sat　an　ancient　gentleman　（I　feel　no　delicacy　in

alluding　to　him；　for　I　know　that　he　is　not　in　the　room；　having　got

out　far　short　of　Birmingham）；　who　expressed　himself　most　mournfully

as　to　the　ruinous　effects　and　rapid　spread　of　railways；　and　was

most　pathetic　upon　the　virtues　of　the　slow…going　old　stage　coaches。

Now　I；　entertaining　some　little　lingering　kindness　for　the　road；

made　shift　to　express　my　concurrence　with　the　old　gentleman's

opinion；　without　any　great　compromise　of　principle。　　Well；　we　got

on　tolerably　comfortably　together；　and　when　the　engine；　with　a

frightful　screech；　dived　into　some　dark　abyss；　like　some　strange

aquatic　monster；　the　old　gentleman　said　it　would　never　do；　and　I

agreed　with　him。　　When　it　parted　from　each　successive　station；　with

a　shock　and　a　shriek　as　if　it　had　had　a　double…tooth　drawn；　the　old

gentleman　shook　his　head；　and　I　shook　mine。　　When　he　burst　forth

against　such　new…fangled　notions；　and　said　no　good　could　come　of

them；　I　did　not　contest　the　point。　　But　I　found　that　when　the　speed

of　the　engine　was　abated；　or　there　was　a　prolonged　stay　at　any

station；　up　the　old　gentleman　was　at　arms；　and　his　watch　was

instantly　out　of　his　pocket；　denouncing　the　slowness　of　our

progress。　　Now　I　could　not　help　comparing　this　old　gentleman　to

that　ingenious　class　of　persons　who　are　in　the　constant　habit　of

declaiming　against　the　vices　and　crimes　of　society；　and　at　the　same

time　are　the　first　and　foremost　to　assert　that　vice　and　crime　have

not　their　common　origin　in　ignorance　and　discontent。



The　good　work；　however；　in　spite　of　all　political　and　party

differences；　has　been　well　begun；　we　are　all　interested　in　it；　it

is　advancing；　and　cannot　be　stopped　by　any　opposition；　although　it

may　be　retarded　in　this　place　or　in　that；　by　the　indifference　of

the　middle　classes；　with　whom　its　successful　progress　chiefly

rests。　　Of　this　success　I　cannot　entertain　a　doubt；　for　whenever

the　working　classes　have　enjoyed　an　opportunity　of　effectually

rebutting　accusations　which　falsehood　or　thoughtlessness　have

brought　against　them；　they　always　avail　themselves　of　it；　and　show

themselves　in　their　true　characters；　and　it　was　this　which　made　the

damage　done　to　a　single　picture　in　the　National　Gallery　of　London；

by　some　poor　lunatic　or　cripple；　a　mere　matter　of　newspaper

notoriety　and　wonder　for　some　few　days。　　This；　then；　establishes　a

fact　evident　to　the　meanest　comprehension　…　that　any　given　number

of　thousands　of　individuals；　in　the　humblest　walks　of　life　in　this

country；　can　pass　through　the　national　galleries　or　museums　in

seasons　of　holiday…making；　without　damaging；　in　the　slightest

degree；　those　choice　and　valuable　collections。　　I　do　not　myself

believe　that　the　working　classes　ever　were　the　wanton　or

mischievous　persons　they　were　so　often　and　so　long　represented　to

be；　but　I　rather　incline　to　the　opinion　that　some　men　take　it　into

their　heads　to　lay　it　down　as　a　matter　of　fact；　without　being

particular　about　the　premises；　and　that　the　idle　and　the

prejudiced；　not　wishing　to　have　the　trouble　of　forming　opinions　for

themselves；　take　it　for　granted　…　until　the　people　have　an

opportunity　of　disproving　the　stigma　and　vindicating　themselves

before　the　world。



Now　this　assertion　is　well　illustrated　by　what　occurred　respecting

an　equestrian　statue　in　the　metropolis；　with　respect　to　which　a

legend　existed　that　the　sculptor　hanged　himself；　because　he　had

neglected　to　put　a　girth　to　the　horse。　　This　story　was　currently

believed　for　many　years；　until　it　was　inspected　for　altogether　a

different　purpose；　and　it　was　found　to　have　had　a　girth　all　the

time。



But　surely　if；　as　is　stated；　the　people　are　ill…disposed　and

mischievous；　that　is　the　best　reason　that　can　be　offered　for

teaching　them　better；　and　if　they　are　not；　surely　that　is　a　reason

for　giving　them　every　opportunity　of　vindicating　their　injured

reputation；　and　no　better　opportunity　could　possibly　be　afforded

than　that　of　associating　together　voluntarily　for　such　high

purposes　as　it　is　proposed　to　carry　out　by　the　establishment　of　the

Birmingham　Polytechnic　Institution。　　In　any　case　…　nay；　in　every

case　…　if　we　would　reward　honesty；　if　we　would　hold　out

encouragement　to　good；　if　we　would　eradicate　that　which　is　evil　or

correct　that　which　is　bad；　education　…　comprehensive；　liberal

education　…　is　the　one　thing　needful；　and　the　only　effective　end。

If　I　might　apply　to　my　purpose；　and　turn　into　plain　prose　some

words　of　Hamlet　…　not　with　reference　to　any　government　or　party

（for　party　being；　for　the　most　part；　an　irrational　sort　of　thing；

has　no　connexion　with　the　object　we　have　in　view）　…　if　I　might

apply　those　words　to　education　as　Hamlet　applied　them　to　the　skull

of　Yorick；　I　would　say　…　〃Now　hie　thee　to　the　council…chamber；　and

tell　them；　though　they　lay　it　on　in　sounding　thoughts　and　learned

words　an　inch　thick；　to　this　complexion　they　must　come　at　last。〃





In　answer　to　a　vote　of　thanks；　Mr。　Dickens　said；　at　the　close　of

the　meeting　…



〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　we　are　now　quite　even　…　for　every　effect

which　I　may　have　made　upon　you；　the　compliment　has　been　amply

returned　to　me；　but　at　the　same　time　I　am　as　little　disposed　to　say

to　you；　'go　and　sin　no　more；'　as　I　am　to　promise　for　myself　that　'I

will　never　do　so　again。'　　So　long　as　I　can　make　you　laugh　and　cry；

I　will；　and　you　will　readily　believe　me；　when　I　tell　you；　you

cannot　do　too　much　on　your　parts　to　show　that　we　are　still　cordial

and　loving　friends。　　To　you；　ladies　of　the　Institution；　I　am　deeply

and　especially　indebted。　　I　sometimes　＇POINTING　TO　THE　WORD　'BOZ'

IN　FRONT　OF　THE　GREAT　GALLERY＇　think　there　is　some　small　quantity

of　magic　in　that　very　short　name；　and　that　it　must　consist　in　its

containing　as　many　letters　as　the　three　graces；　and　they；　every　one

of　them；　being　of　your　fair　sisterhood。



A　story　is　told　of　an　eastern　potentate　of　modern　times；　who；　for

an　eastern　potentate；　was　a　tolerably　good　man；　sometimes

bowstringing　his　dependants　indiscriminately　in　his　moments　of

anger；　but　burying　them　in　great　splendour　in　his　moments　of

penitence；　that　whenever　intelligence　was　brought　him　of　a　new　plot

or　turbulent　conspiracy；　his　first　inquiry　was；　'Who　is　she？'

meaning　that　a　woman　was　at　the　bottom。　　Now；　in　my　small　way；　I

differ　from　that　potentate；　for　when　there　is　any　good　to　be

attained；　the　services　of　any　ministering　angel　required；　my　first

inquiry　is；　'Where　is　she？'　and　the　answer　invariably　is；　'Here。'

Proud　and　happy　am　I　indeed　to　thank　you　for　your　generosity　…



'A　thousand　times；　good　night；

A　thousand　times　the　worse　to　want　your　light。'







SPEECH：　　GARDENERS　AND　GARDENING。　　LONDON；　JUNE　14；　1852。







＇The　Ninth　Anniversary　Dinner　of　the　Gardeners'　Benevolent

Institution　was　held　on　the　above　date　at　the　London　Tavern。　　The

company　numbered　more　than　150。　　The　dessert　was　worthy　of　the

occasion；　and　an　admirable　effect　was　produced　by　a　profuse　display

of　natural　flowers　upon　the　tables　and　in　the　decoration　of　the

room。　　The　chair　was　taken　by　Mr。　Charles　Dickens；　who；　in

proposing　the　toast　of　the　evening；　spoke　as　follows：…＇



FOR　three　times　three　years　the　Gardeners'　Benevolent　Institution

has　been　stimulated　and　encouraged　by　meetings　such　as　this；　and　by

three　times　three　cheers　we　will　urge　it　o