The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-02-20


not see much cause to regret this inability Of nine
to interest you in this way for feel that there Wi!
be no want OF champions ready 10 take my piece; |
see 80 many OF them around me at this moment firmly
seated in their saddle. and who find IL cult rei1
in their steeds, until the signal Is given them start
So therefore, leave the field, and with afew prelni
| nary remarks will dispose OF my part of the sub
| ect. Aud yet, / never under deeper or more
| pleasureable excitement or with more feelings Of
| pride as an author, as now look around with pride
upon this assembly of my townsmen, met to greet
the arrival OF an author among them. never was
more proudly conscious oil the intellectual character
| Of my countrymen than in witnessing this burst If
| enthusiasm, which has been echoed from city TO
city, to welcome mere literary visitor TO our land.
(Cheers) And this, too, al time Of great public
distress, when every mind more or less, is corroded
by care, and the most prosperous among us doubs
the foundation OF his prosperity. Gentlemen this
| thuslasm Is OF the right kind. II speaks well for
been accused OF being serdd aud Of being meice-
maryland too much given up to the pnrsuils OF cur
mere worldly interests. But in The present Instance
our enthusiasm has given the lie TO the charge
| and has spontaneously arisen in one wide spread
| scene OF homage paid to intellect (Cheers.) Cen
llemen, 1t Is impossible tor me to proceed Here
| Mr. Irving was almost overcome by his feelings,
| bat the cheering and enthusiasm most tremen
dousIand cries OF " go on, go on.'') fad 1t i'm.
| possible for Inc to make out speech; and there.
fore, gentlemen, I'll give ysu a toast. I'll give
| you-
| "CHARLEs DICKENS, The Eferayu guest of The ma
| ton"
This was received with the msst tremendous
cheering. and three times three and two or three
Manchesters" over. They were very unanimous
inth ere thing. The band played. Several very
enthusiastic gentlemen drank three glasses upon the
strength of their admiration for Boz, and then sat
| down. Then, amids, great silence, aud with all
sorts Of sensible, and sober, and unsober eyes upon
him,
/ Nv opIx,, al. IL.
| most enthusiastic applause. On its subsistence he
| said MIR. President and Gentlemen, don't know
| how TO thank you'll really dent know how. You
might suppose that by dint of custom and from the
experience you have given me, this difficulty has
diminished, has dwindled into nothing, but do as
sure you, that the fact is exactly the Unlike
that" rolling stone which gathers no moss" have 10
my progress to this place collected around me such
tina; in my power Of expressing it have grown
| more and more anwieldly every hour (Lcud APP
| pause.) picked up such quantity of fresh moss
so to speak, ,;tlaughter,)-at certain brilliant
by any possibility, grow any bigger, (great laugh
ter; but crowded upon that, there comes again
| night new accumulation, of such extent and
magnitude that am fairly st stand still and can
roll no more daughter and enthusiastic applause
| Gentlemen, we know from the authorities that
whenever fairy stone. or ball, reel of thread
! stopped OF It's own accord-whch do not some
catastrophe was sure to be at hand. Tie precedent
however, stands good in my case, for remembering
| the short time have before me, in this land Of
mighty interest, and the poor opportunities can at
best acquire Of making myself acquainted with
il: l have felt it almost duty 10. de-
cline the honors which my generous friends
elsewhere would heap upon me, and henceforh to
pass through the country more quietly. Argus him
eyes, would have found the reception of public
entertainment once week somewhat relaxing to
his vigilance and activity (Gres, laughter and sp.
plause) And as would lose no scrap or jot Of the
r i'll
await me, know, on every hand. and of which
have already derived small instalment evenfrom
your hospitals and common jals, have resolved to
take up my staff and go upon my way rejoicing and
for the future to shake hands with Americans, not out
parties, but at home Uong continued cheers.) And
| therefore, gentlemen, l say tonight with iull
heart and an honest purpose and grateful meaning
| that ! bear with ME and shall ever bear with me,
a deeper sense of your kind affectionate and nobe
greeting than it is possible to convey in wordsthat
| no European sky without, and no cheerful home
| within shall ever shut out this land from my vision
| that shall often hear your words of welcome in
nv quiet room, oftenest when it is most quiet, and
see your faces ia the winter evening fire-ihat If
live to grow old, the light of this hall. and others
| like it. will shine as brightly in my dull eyes fifty
| years hence as it does tonight and that when my
| course is run the sympathy you have shown 10 me
| shall be paid back and well remembered, if il so
please God, in the enduring love and honor of my
| race: loud and enthusiastic applause Gentle
| men, one other word in reference TO this tiresome
| first person singular, and close that theme l
| came here in an open, honest, and cobfding
spirit, ever nan did and because heartily lncll-
| ned towards you-i, had felt otherwise, should
have kept away. As came here without the admix-
ture of the hundreaih portion OF gram OF base al
loy-wthout the fanest unworthy reference TO self
in any word have ever addressed to you, or IN any
| sssiirnent have ever interchanged with you,
claim to night in reference TO the past for the last
time, my right in reason. truth and justce, TO APP
peal to you, as have done on two former occasions,
on lection of universal literary interest 10 both
Al / ct,s
| that have made the appeal one who has some
right to speak and to be heard and that have done
go in frank, and courteous aud good humored
spirit of Difference, to those VINO frankly, coni.e,
| in any or in every respect (Cheers) For myself,
gentlemen, have only to add, that Will ever be as
true to you as you have been TO me. Cloud Chesrs)
In your enthusiastic approval OF the creations Of my
fancy, recognised 10 glass, your enlightened care
| for the happiness of the manv- your tender and
gentle regard for. the afflicted and help
less-for the correction and Improvement oil me
bad and the encouragement and so,ace OF the good
| the education and advancement OF every member
of society. (Great cheering) My constant
| and unceasing devotion to the end OF my
to the extent of my humble capacity.
having the common good In view, shall 1rove to you
that in this respect least you do not mistake me,
and that the light you shed upon my pathh was
| that have said this much in reference to myself,
let me have the qualification have long expected,
of saying few words in reference TO somebody else
(4aughter.) There is, 10 this city, a gentleman;
| well remember that it was the Old Curiosity
| Shop"-wrote to me in England letter. so gener-
Gus, so affectonate 80 manly, that if had written
that book under every circumstance ofdsadvantage,
encouragement, and difficulty, instead OF win
every thing to cheer and urge me on, should have
found in its receipt my best and happlest reward
(Oheers.) answered him and he answered ms.
(Laugbter,) ard go we kept on shaking hands au-
| a. n
ocean between us, Laughter,) until came here on
Saturday night, longing and eager to see him
(Cheers) And here he sits (said Dickens, with all
the velocity and volubilty Of young going, 60
mo gone" and slapping Washington Irving on the
hack with most extraordinary Sam Wellerish gus
To- amidst most terrific laughter and cheering y
AndI needn't tell you that it is the browning cir
cumstance to me OF this night, that he is here 10
| lis .anacifv. l(freat cheernoA Washinofon Iry