New-York tribune., 1842-02-07
The Bo.ton Dinner to Boz,

IE DlI!llcI gwen " ShlflkS DlChLNS Nv l!lt
Young Men of Boston on the lst inst;n. must have
been a splendid affair. The company consisted OF
about two hundred. Among those present in
vitcd quests were His Honor the MAYOR. President
QuIScY. WAsHlSGToS ALLsTtN, RICHARD II.
DANA. GEORGE BANCROFT, S. GRATTAS, w.
H.GARDSEn, fRASxLtS DEXTER. Judge WAR
ZRE. DR.. BIGELow, DR.. PALfKEY &c. Hon. 10
slAH QUNcf, Jr. presided. assisted by O. W.
HOLMES. GEORGE S. HlLLIARD, EDWARD 6.
LoRINc; and J, I. STKvESSos Us Vice Presidents.
After the cloth was removed, the President an
nounccd the object Of the festival in appropriate
Speech Of mingled hHmor and pathos. He alluded
10 the feeling OF warm welcome which had greeted
Mr.. DicKEss on his first arrival, and to the feeling
of sympathy and admiration By which this was to
be explained "Wllv should wcnot welcome him
as a friend? !" said he Have not walked
with him in every scene of varied life? Have NC
not together Investigated with Mr.. Pickwick, the
theory of Titlcbuts1 Have we not travelled to-
ccthcr in the Marks of CRANKY with old Weller
on the box and his son Samivcl on the dickcy2
Have we not bccnrook shooting with Mr. Winklc,
and courting with Mr. Tupman Have we not
played cribbagc with the NIarchioncss and quafied
the rosy with Dick Swivcllerl Tell US not Of AMI
nal Magnetism We, and thousands Of our country
men lave for years been eating and talking riding
AMI walking, dancing and sliding, drinking and
Slipping with our distinguished guest. and hc
never knew one of us. Is it wonderful that we
are delighted to see him. and TO return. in a
: Ill
stranger! Well may we again cxclaim, with Sir
John Fulstaf ID ye think we didn't know yc!
We knew We as well as him that made yc.'
Mr.. QuINcY concluded by giving as a toast
q Health, Happiness and hearty welcome TO
CAANLEs DICKENS.
This toast was received with tremendous ap
pausc As soon as the cheering had subsidized MIR.
Dickens responded with the following Address,
which he delivered in {; warm, fluent and manly
tone:
'Gcuhcmcn: If fvouhad given this splendid en-
,crtainmcnt to any one else the whole wide world
if Iwcro tonight to exut in the triumph of my dear
est frcnel-irI stood here upon mydcfence, to rcpc
any unjust attuck-to appeal Us stranger to your
generosity and kindness rs the rrcst people the
carlll-I could, putting some restraint upon myself
stand among you az sclf-pos5esscd and ulmovcd AS
I should be alone in my own room III England. but
when have tho echoes of rcordia greeting ring
ing in nv curs-wlcn SEQ your kind faces beam
inc aswecomc so warm and earnest never Nun
had | fccl-it is my naturc--so vanqulshcd and
subducd ,ha, | have hardly forttude enough TO
thank vou lfvour President, instead of pouring
forth that delightful mixture of hrnor and pathos
which, yo,, have Just heard with much delight,
had been but a caustic, ill-naturcd mar-if he had
only been !. dull onc--f could only have doubted
or disruS,cd him or yon-l should have had my
wits IL, my fingers ends, and. using them, coaid
have held you ut arms length. But vou have
given me such opportunity; you take advantage
oimc in the tcudrrcst ront; you give me no chance
OF playing ut company holding you alta distance,
bul flock about me like hos, of brothers. and make
this place like home. Indeed. gentlemen, indeed,
if i, be natural and allowable tor each of us, his
own hearth. 10 express his thoughts in the most
horncly fashion. and 10 appear III his plaincs, sarb
| have Il fair claim upon You, IL let me Ito SO TO-
night fox YOU have made my home an tladdln :
Palace \ on fold so cnlcrlv within your breasts
that common household lamp in which ,ay treblo
fire is all erlshrincd, and at which my iickcring
torch is lighted up, that straight my household
gods take wing, and transported here And
whereas of tha, fairy structure that 1t
never moved without two slIochS-onc WHEN II
rose and one when it settled down. can say of
mine that, however sharp tug it took topi'ick 1t
from its native ground, it struck at once an easy
and u deep, and lasting root into this soil and
loved it as its own can say more of it. and say
with truth tina, long before it moved, or had Il
chance OF moving lis m;lS,cy-pcrlap- from some
secret sympathy between its ,mberS and a certain
stately ,l, has its being hcrcubout, and spreads
Its broad branches ;,r and widc-drcamcd BY day
and night, for years, of setting foot upon tins shore
and breathing tins pure air And, trust me- gem
tlcncn. that IT had wandered here, unknowing
and unknown. would--if know nv OWN heart
have come with all my svmpa,hics clustering as
richly about this-la and pcope-witl all my
sense OF Justice rs kccnv alive To their his.l claims
on every man who loves Gods ilnacc-with all nv
energies IA fully bent Judging for mvScli and
speaking out and telling III my sphere the truth as
do nov. when You rain down Your welcomes OF.
my head.
Our Prcsidcn, has alluded 10 those writings which
have. been nv occupation for some Years past; and
YOU have received his alus;oaS in Il manner which
assures nc-it needed any such a>>uraHce-tha,
wc are old friends in the spirit. and have been II
close communion tor long time.
Ii is not easy tor !; man to speak OF his own books
dare say that few persons have been .uo:cz inter
,,,,cd in mine than | and if it be general ptlnci
pic III nature that lover love blind and tlat
mothers lovc IS blind. believe II may be >itid "i n
nuthar 5 attachment, TO the creatures OF hl>=owl
iaaeinarion thati, is pcrtcc, model ot conStanc,
and devotion, and Is the hlindcst Of all. But Tn
objects and purposes haze had in view, are yer,
plain and simple, ar, may be easily told hnv'
always had. and always shall have M earnest ans
,rnc desire to contribuc As far iumc hes. 10 h
common stock OF lcuithful cheertnlncss and ENJOY
mcnt. have always had. and always shall have
am inyinciblc repugnance to that noe-cycd phlloso
phy Which loves Inc darkness. and winks and scowl
i:..,.. 1 h.l;cre thal Nrtue shows omit. q