The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-04 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, NOV. 4, 1867.

We have certainly been fortunate in having the
dulness of the autumn season enlivened by a suc-
cession of banquets and ceremonies. At Manchester
and at Edinburgh there have been grand doings, and
the public have gladly turned from the harassing
circumstances of social life at home, and the vexa-
tious occurrences abroad to discuss on more pleas-
ing topics. On Saturday last a most interesting
affair took place, and the Freemasons' Tavern pre-
sented a brilliant spectacle on the occasion of the
complimentary dinner given to Mr. CHARLES
DICKENS, previous to his departure for America.
No pains were spared to render the arrangements
of the evening as perfect as possible, and we are
happy to say that all was most successful. The
walls of the room were decorated, and on the
panels were the various works of Mr. DICKENS in
gold letters. Lord LYTTON performed the duties
of chairman, and acquitted himself in the most
felicitous manner. In proposing the toast of the
evening the noble lord made a most interesting
speech, in which be said neither too much nor too
little. He commenced by a most ingenious
comparison between the sovereignty of the State
as represented by constitutional government, and
that other royalty of a very different kind which
does not always meet with due homage. He who
wins and adorns it has often to depart from the
sphere of his triumphs unconscious of the effects he
has produced, and of the empire his thoughts have
bequeathed to his name. " Happy is the man who
makes clear his title-deeds to the royalty of genius,
while he yet lives to enjoy the gratitude and the
reverence of those he has subjected to his sway."
It may be observed en passant that this is more
applicable to the present race of authors, a circum-
stance which redounds greatly to the taste and
credit of the generation in which we live,
and it is no exaggeration to say that no one
living offers a better proof of it than the distin-
guished guest of Saturday. In the course of the
illustrations of his varied and vigorous discourse,
Lord LvrroN said that a Roman poet had declared
that Nature had sought to distinguish man from
the inferior animals, and gave tears and laughter as
the most special and noblest attributes of humanity.
"This humanity itself obeys an irresistible instinct
in rendering homage to all who refines it by tears
that never enfeeble, and gladdens it by a laughter
that never offends."

Mr. DICKENS will visit no strange country in
going to America, for his works are there as fami-
liar and popular as they are here. Whatever irrita-
tion or anger may occasionally exist between our
country and that of America, it is perfectly
true that on both sides of the Atlantic
it is a grand thought that we are related
to each other. No more potent agency brings about
that affinity of feeling than the fact that both na-
tions speak the same language. As the noble
Chairman said, " It is the one mother tongue that
their poets must sing, in which their philosophers
must reason, and their orators argue for truth or
contend for fame." Hence it follows that a writer
who is honoured alike in the Old World and in the
New must be welcome on the shores of the
far West, and his influence may serve to
dispel some of those differences, or to soften
some of those asperities which have arisen of late.
MACAULAY has said that literature has established
a tie stronger than the tie of consanguinity between
us and the commonwealths of the Valley of the
Mississippi, and how true is that forcible declara-
tion of the principles, won by the peaceful and yet
glorious agencies of thought and feeling over the more
barbarous exploits of naval and rAilitary prowess.
Mr. DICKENS was most warmly received on rising
to make his response, and expressed his feelings in
language that was rendered the more effective from
its simplicity, and the more eloquent from its
genuineness and earnestness. He declared, indeed,
that his welcome that night would have been a re-
proach to him had he not thought that from the
earliest days of his career he had always
striven to be true. Respecting the difficulties
that attend the path of the self-made, Mr.
DICKENS said that they had all heard a
good deal lately about the dragons that infested the
way, and of cliques, sets, coteries, and barriers that
kept one man up and held another down, but that
he could speak from experience, and say that ho had
never met with them. He began to tread the pith
when very young, without influence, introducer, or
adviser, and he had never experienced their in-
fluence.

Concerning his visit to America he drew a pleas-
ing picture, and adduced many potent reasons for
his visit there. A new generation has sprung up
in that mighty land since he was last there, and
some of his best-known books have been published
since then. No one canwonder that a great writer
should desire to see those who have expressed so
warm and so deep an interest in him as the Ameri-
cans have done in CHARLES DICKENS and his
works. Ile has accordingly relinquished for a
season the engagements and pleasures of his
home and his life among us, and will cross the seas
to find, however, beyond these seas, a new home
and new friends in those who already are familiar
with him. lie will see the progress a quarter of a
century has made in that wonderful land ; he will
meet many he wishes to see from old asso-
ciations and new ideas, and though last, not
least, he will use his best endeavours to lay down
a third cable of intercommunication between the
Old World and the New.

Some persons have been pleased to animadvert
upon various expressions that are " found in Ameri-
can State:,," but it hardly needed Mr. DICKENS'S
disclaimer of them some years ago in the compre-
hensive words he alluded to on Saturday, that what-
ever motes his beainy eyes had described iu theirs, he
knew full well that they were a kind, large-heaited,
generous, and great people. In that he expects to
return from them in the spring, and in that faith to
live and die. Mr. DICKENS most appropriately con-
cluded his expressive speech in these eloquent
words :—" If I may quote one other short sentence
from myself, let it imply all that I have left unsaid,
and yet deeply feel—let it, putting a girdle round
the earth, comprehend both Biles of the At-
lantic at once in this moment. As Tiny
Tim observed, God bless us every one.' "
It was a fitting thing that a great author should

have due "honour paid to him previous to his depar-
ture from among us, though for a brief season
only, -to visit those shores of the New World, in
which we take so deep an interest. His welcome in
Arne rica will be sure to be cordial and complete,
wor thy•of the greatland he visits, and the noble race
whit h flourishes in so astonishing a manner, with
gigantic steps, ever seeming to catch up the civiliza-
tion of the Old World. We know that if there is
one thing wanting in that community it is softness,
and how better can this deficiency be supplied than
by the refining influences of literature? A great
high priest from the Temple of Fame is then to go
among them. May his influence be of the happiest
and holiest kind—may he teach them to value the
great advantage they enjoy, and assure them of the
goodwill of his countrymen ! May his visit to the
New World be a prosperous one, and though it can
hardly increase his fame, it may be a proud reflec-
tion to him when he returns to the end of his days
that he has acceded to the request of his numerous
admirers across the Atlantic to read to them his
works, which are in the same language as their own.

The crisis in the affairs of Italy, whose progress
is now watched with such intense interest and
anxiety on all sides, has assumed a new phase. The
Government of King VICTOR EMMANUEL is placed
in a poSition of almost unparalleled difficulty, and
whatever step they take they are certain to offend
some one or other of the conflicting parties. There
are the French, their quondam allies and self-con-
stituted advisers, whose formidable assistance is
drawing nearer and nearer. There is the POPE,
whom, as professing Catholics, they dare not dis-
regard, for fear of the consequences. There are
their own people chafing under foreign interference,
and clamouring for Italian unity. Above all, there
is GARIBALDI, whose name is a tower of strength
to the enthusiastic revolutionists, and whom it
seems, impossible for force or reason to restrain.
Amid such conflicting passions and interests it is
no great wonder that neither the old nor the new
Government of the Kingdom of Italy has found
itself able to avoid the risk of collision with one or
other of the contending parties. The last move,
in the occupation of the Papal territory, has called
forth the disapprobation of M. DE MOUSTIER,
whose despatch, which we publish this day,
emphatically disavows any sympathy with the
movement. The French Minister is emphatic in
his condemnation. "If the Government of the
King of ITALY," he says, " believes that he may
expect from us even a tacit adhesion, suck a belief
is an illusion which we must not hesitate to dispel."
In a lofty and dictatorial tone of reproof, the French
Minister censures the action of the Italian Govern-
ment. lie cannot invest in any degree with his ap-
proval a step which France as an adviser has always
blamed and dissuaded from. The previous declara-
tions of King Vicrorc EMMANUEL had, he says, led
the French Government to hope that the new
Ministry, " proceeding firmly in the course that had
been traced out for them," would have been able by
efficacious measures to discourage all revolutionary
intrigues and to re-establish order. But M. DE
MOUSTIER and his chief appear alike to
forget that they are dictating not to
one man not even to a Cabinet but
to a sensitive, impassioned, and enthusiastic popu-
lation. It is easy to sit in the Cabinet at Paris
and pen positive directions to the Government at
Florence, but the Italian people aro something
more than a dead letter. They cannot see, without
excitement and apprehension, the threatened reoc-
cupation of any part of the Peninsula by foreign
troops. The Moniteur, indeed, has explicitly de-
clared that the intervention of the French troops
had no hostile object towards Italy, but the embar-
kation of troops and horses continues incessantly at
Toulon, where the ironclad fleet has arrived, and
already a French brigade is in Rome. The Italian
Government and people can hardly fail to chafe
under the tone of M. de MOUSTIER'S despatch,
which is, in fact, neither more nor less than a direct
reproof and censure to them. The French Minister's
despatch will not even entertain the considerations
which General MENABREA advances in support of
their proceedings. "We do not wish to discuss to-
day the reasons by which endeavour is made to
justify an act so contrary to international law, but
we desire to manifest without delay the impression
which the determination of the Florence Cabinet
has caused us to experience." General MENABREA'S
Circular presents a strong contrast to that of
the French Minister. He entered at some length
into the position of affairs between the September
Convention and the present crisis. He expresses
the regret with which the KING'S Government have
found themselves unable to change the resolution
of France to intervene, and he affirms that the
crossing of the frontier by the KING'S troops cannot
in any sense be construed into an act of hostility to
France. The troops are to occupy a few points
only of the Papal territory, to respect established
authority, and to endeavour in every way to
conciliate the people. The intervention of
the Imperial troops has, he points out,
altered the situation, and he plainly hints that since
the Imperial Government no longer abides by the
terms of the September Convention, the KING'S
Government is not constrained to do so. By plac-
ing itself in an identical position with that of the
other contracting Power, says General MENABREA,
" the KING'S Government will be able to open fresh
negotiations on a footing of perfect equality."
Unluckily for VICTOR EMMANUEL, it will need a
good deal more to put Italy on an equality
with France 1 A hostile collision between
them, indeed, would be as discreditable to
France as it would be unfortunate for Italy, and it
would be inconsistent alike with all NAroucox's
professions, as well as with his former services to
Italy. The sympathies of the French people, too,
would be strongly opposed to any such a measure,
while it is difficult to say who would be really the
gainer. GARIBALDI is holding the torch. Should
he once kindle the fire, it is hard to say when or
how it shall be extinguished. Unhappily the hero
of Sicily is a conspicuous example of that valour
without discretion which so often loses all
it gains. He is now entrenched at Monte
Rotondo, and refuses to listen to appeal or re-
monstrance. It is said that he courts death, but
his sacrifice would but complicate matters still
further. No nation in Europe would hear without
a thrill of emotion and regret that GARIBALDI had
met his death at either French or Italian hands.
The situation is a grave one, and each of the con-
flicting parties must make concessions and act with
moderation, or all alike will have cause to rue the
events of November, 1867.

A correspondent says, with regard to the com-
parative merits of English and French manufacturers
" After all, the loading jewellers of London have exhibited
some good and tasteful articles. Messrs. C. F. Hancock,
Son, and Co. have, however, fairly attained the right to
take the load of them, fcr they have brought a continued
succession of articles of jewellery unparalleled for beauty,
originality of dorign, and skill in execution. Of course
they had a gold medal. Had it been set with diamonds
the reward would not have been too great." It is said
that Mr. C. F. Hancock's name was down for the red
ribbon, had the English Government not prohibited the
wearing of the red," being almost as afraid of it as the
wearing of the other colour, " the wearing of the green."
—Court Journal, Nov 2.