speeches-literary & social-第53章

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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　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　May