speeches-literary & social-第25章

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the　laudable　pursuit　of　the　facts　that　surround　us；　neglect　the

fancy　and　the　imagination　which　equally　surround　us　as　a　part　of

the　great　scheme。　　Let　the　child　have　its　fables；　let　the　man　or

woman　into　which　it　changes；　always　remember　those　fables　tenderly。

Let　numerous　graces　and　ornaments　that　cannot　be　weighed　and

measured；　and　that　seem　at　first　sight　idle　enough；　continue　to

have　their　places　about　us；　be　we　never　so　wise。　　The　hardest　head

may　co…exist　with　the　softest　heart。　　The　union　and　just　balance　of

those　two　is　always　a　blessing　to　the　possessor；　and　always　a

blessing　to　mankind。　　The　Divine　Teacher　was　as　gentle　and

considerate　as　He　was　powerful　and　wise。　　You　all　know　how　He　could

still　the　raging　of　the　sea；　and　could　hush　a　little　child。　　As　the

utmost　results　of　the　wisdom　of　men　can　only　be　at　last　to　help　to

raise　this　earth　to　that　condition　to　which　His　doctrine；　untainted

by　the　blindnesses　and　passions　of　men；　would　have　exalted　it　long

ago；　so　let　us　always　remember　that　He　set　us　the　example　of

blending　the　understanding　and　the　imagination；　and　that；　following

it　ourselves；　we　tread　in　His　steps；　and　help　our　race　on　to　its

better　and　best　days。　　Knowledge；　as　all　followers　of　it　must　know；

has　a　very　limited　power　indeed；　when　it　informs　the　head　alone；

but　when　it　informs　the　head　and　the　heart　too；　it　has　a　power　over

life　and　death；　the　body　and　the　soul；　and　dominates　the　universe。







SPEECH：　　COVENTRY；　DECEMBER　4；　1858。







＇On　the　above　evening；　a　public　dinner　was　held　at　the　Castle

Hotel；　on　the　occasion　of　the　presentation　to　Mr。　Charles　Dickens

of　a　gold　watch；　as　a　mark　of　gratitude　for　the　reading　of　his

Christmas　Carol；　given　in　December　of　the　previous　year；　in　aid　of

the　funds　of　the　Coventry　Institute。　　The　chair　was　taken　by　C。　W。

Hoskyns；　Esq。　　Mr。　Dickens　ackowledged　the　testimonial　in　the

following　words：＇



MR。　CHAIRMAN；　Mr。　Vice…chairman；　and　Gentlemen；　…　I　hope　your　minds

will　be　greatly　relieved　by　my　assuring　you　that　it　is　one　of　the

rules　of　my　life　never　to　make　a　speech　about　myself。　　If　I

knowingly　did　so；　under　any　circumstances；　it　would　be　least　of　all

under　such　circumstances　as　these；　when　its　effect　on　my

acknowledgment　of　your　kind　regard；　and　this　pleasant　proof　of　it；

would　be　to　give　me　a　certain　constrained　air；　which　I　fear　would

contrast　badly　with　your　greeting；　so　cordial；　so　unaffected；　so

earnest；　and　so　true。　　Furthermore；　your　Chairman　has　decorated　the

occasion　with　a　little　garland　of　good　sense；　good　feeling；　and

good　taste；　so　that　I　am　sure　that　any　attempt　at　additional

ornament　would　be　almost　an　impertinence。



Therefore　I　will　at　once　say　how　earnestly；　how　fervently；　and　how

deeply　I　feel　your　kindness。　　This　watch；　with　which　you　have

presented　me；　shall　be　my　companion　in　my　hours　of　sedentary

working　at　home；　and　in　my　wanderings　abroad。　　It　shall　never　be

absent　from　my　side；　and　it　shall　reckon　off　the　labours　of　my

future　days；　and　I　can　assure　you　that　after　this　night　the　object

of　those　labours　will　not　less　than　before　be　to　uphold　the　right

and　to　do　good。　　And　when　I　have　done　with　time　and　its

measurement；　this　watch　shall　belong　to　my　children；　and　as　I　have

seven　boys；　and　as　they　have　all　begun　to　serve　their　country　in

various　ways；　or　to　elect　into　what　distant　regions　they　shall

roam；　it　is　not　only　possible；　but　probable；　that　this　little　voice

will　be　heard　scores　of　years　hence；　who　knows？　in　some　yet

unfounded　city　in　the　wilds　of　Australia；　or　communicating

Greenwich　time　to　Coventry　Street；　Japan。



Once　again；　and　finally；　I　thank　you；　and　from　my　heart　of　hearts；

I　can　assure　you　that　the　memory　of　to…night；　and　of　your

picturesque　and　interesting　city；　will　never　be　absent　from　my

mind；　and　I　can　never　more　hear　the　lightest　mention　of　the　name　of

Coventry　without　having　inspired　in　my　breast　sentiments　of　unusual

emotion　and　unusual　attachment。





＇Later　in　the　evening；　in　proposing　the　health　of　the　Chairman；　Mr。

Dickens　said：＇





THERE　may　be　a　great　variety　of　conflicting　opinions　with　regard　to

farming；　and　especially　with　reference　to　the　management　of　a　clay

farm；　but；　however　various　opinions　as　to　the　merits　of　a　clay　farm

may　be；　there　can　be　but　one　opinion　as　to　the　merits　of　a　clay

farmer；　…　and　it　is　the　health　of　that　distinguished　agriculturist

which　I　have　to　propose。



In　my　ignorance　of　the　subject；　I　am　bound　to　say　that　it　may　be；

for　anything　I　know；　indeed　I　am　ready　to　admit　that　it　IS；

exceedingly　important　that　a　clay　farm　should　go　for　a　number　of

years　to　waste；　but　I　claim　some　knowledge　as　to　the　management　of

a　clay　farmer；　and　I　positively　object　to　his　ever　lying　fallow。

In　the　hope　that　this　very　rich　and　teeming　individual　may　speedily

be　ploughed　up；　and　that；　we　shall　gather　into　our　barns　and　store…

houses　the　admirable　crop　of　wisdom；　which　must　spring　up　when　ever

he　is　sown；　I　take　leave　to　propose　his　health；　begging　to　assure

him　that　the　kind　manner　in　which　he　offered　to　me　your　very

valuable　present；　I　can　never　forget。







SPEECH：　　LONDON；　MARCH　29；　1862。







＇At　a　Dinner　of　the　Artists'　General　Benevolent　Institution；　the

following　Address　was　delivered　by　Mr。　Charles　Dickens　from　the

chair。…＇



SEVEN　or　eight　years　ago；　without　the　smallest　expectation　of　ever

being　called　upon　to　fill　the　chair　at　an　anniversary　festival　of

the　Artists'　General　Benevolent　Institution；　and　without　the

remotest　reference　to　such　an　occasion；　I　selected　the

administration　of　that　Charity　as　the　model　on　which　I　desired　that

another　should　be　reformed；　both　as　regarded　the　mode　in　which　the

relief　was　afforded；　and　the　singular　economy　with　which　its　funds

were　administered。　　As　a　proof　of　the　latter　quality　during　the

past　year；　the　cost　of　distributing　1；126　pounds　among　the

recipients　of　the　bounty　of　the　Charity　amounted　to　little　more

than　100　pounds；　inclusive　of　all　office　charges　and　expenses。　　The

experience　and　knowledge　of　those　entrusted　with　the　management　of

the　funds　are　a　guarantee　that　the　last　available　farthing　of　the

funds　will　be　distributed　among　proper　and　deserving　recipients。

Claiming；　on　my　part；　to　be　related　in　some　degree　to　the

profession　of　an　artist；　I　disdain　to　stoop　to　ask　for　charity；　in

the　ordinary　acceptation　of　the　term；　on　behalf　of　the　Artists。　　In

its　broader　and　higher　signification　of　generous　confidence；

lasting　trustfulness；　love　and　confiding　belief；　I　very　readily

associate　that　cardinal　virtue　with　art。　　I　decline　to　present　the

artist　to　the　notice　of　the　public　as　a　grown…up　child；　or　as　a

strange；　unaccountable；　moon…stricken　person；　waiting　helplessly　in

the　street　of　life　to　be　helped　over　the　road　by　the　crossing…

sweeper；　on　the　contrary；　I　present　the　artist　as　a　reasonable

creature；　a　sensible　gentleman；　and　as　one　well　acquainted　with　the

value　of　his　time；　and　that　of　other　people；　as　if　he　were　in　the

habit　of　going　on　high　'Change　every　day。　　The　Artist　whom　I　wish

to　present　to　the　notice　of　the　Meeting　is　one　to　whom　the　perfect

enjoyment　of　the　five　senses　is　essential　to　every　achievement　of

his　life。　　He　can　gain　no　wealth　nor　fame　by　buying　something　which

he　never　touched；　and　selling　it　to　another　who　would　also　never

touch　or　see　it；　but　was　compelled　to　strike　out　for　himself　every

spark　of　fire　which　lighted；　burned；　and　perhaps　consumed　him。　　He

must　win　the　battle　of　life　with　his　own　hand；　and　with　his　own

eyes；　and　was　obliged　to　act　as　general；　captain；　ensign；　non…

commissioned　officer；　private；　drummer；　great　arms；　small　arms；

infantry；　cavalry；　all　in　his　own　unaided　self。　　When；　therefore；　I

ask　help　for　the　artist；　I　do　not　make　my　appeal　for　one　who　was　a

cripple　from　his　birth；　but　I　ask　it　as　part　payment　of　a　great

debt　which　all　sensible　and　civilised　creatures　owe　to　art；　as　a