New-York daily tribune., 1862-10-09
Charles Dickens-NIr. George vandenhoff's
Readings.


| The fast of Mr.. Vsndenhofl's series Of reading
was given on Tuesday evening, at Dodwortl's Hal
The second is announced for tonight. Departing
from the more common custom Of Offering selections
from well-known dramatic writDgr OF reciting ia
miliar poetry, Mr.. Vandenbof presents frsgnentary
scenes from popular romance" Les Mis isenbles"-
preserving the continuity OF the narrative by conver
sationa Links. Hc naturally selects those portions
which afford best opportunity for rhetorical effect
vivid dialogues and or two Of the intenser de
scfiptive passages in the latter, especially, he
faithfully repfoduces the deas of the author reach
ing the mind through tie ear precisely as the printed
pages appeal to the mind through the eye; for it is
Il Characteristic of Victor Hugos style, as of French
style generally TO shape and co.or The phrases nj
10 mark With double emphasis by methods Of ex
PRESTON the character of the thought conveyed. In
the passage for example, narrsting the flight Of Jean
Naljesr, the sentences themselves struggle and pal
ptate, and TO jostle another they hurr,
forward the events. TLis, and others Ike it, hr
Vandenhoff presents with the skill OF n praciccd
rhetorcian. In the colloluies he perhaps trusts
too much TO nicely-baanced effects of delivery, md
labors rather toward expressive uiterance Of the
words of the text than toward l.rge aud brosd
fulfment of their meaning. The artiiices of stage
defamation are not always oonsonlnt with. tie
deeper intentions of an author whose work is written
TO be seen rather than heard.
e II is impossible to consider entertainments Of this
particular order without remembrance of the great
artist who, we believe, first introduced them. Mr.
Dickens always reads bis ewn works, so that he has
the advantage Of poltraying only those passions
which he himself has felt, and of embodying onl J
the sensations of his own mind. The effect OF this il
seen whenever be touches vital point. II It he
grand and noble lie rises with it until tho majesty OF
his influence wakens his audiences 10 impulses ne W
and strange. If it be generous ani humane, bis
words and actions glow with an indefnabe beauty,
unit, the listeners all ready TO love one another
TIL death, and the welve-shiing chairs forget the
social barrier between them and the humber
benches a, halfa-crown. When he repeats the Ian
guage Of Scrooge bis is hard sharp, brutal, and
sometimes Zero cious; his eve is keen with selfish
pess; bis face 10 scared with sharp, ugly, miserly
lines; and the audience does not pause 10 admire
Mr.. Dckers's srt, but, at the moment only abbors
the wretch that 10 held up TO iis cxecration. Mr..
Dickens casts this guise with evident relief You
he felt tie burden, and glad 10 be rid of it,.
And when be turns 10 some scene Of sweet and sltn-
PIE Aumor, bis coun,enance diales, each word
brings smiles and sunshpe aud he revels in his
bright fancy, and has no more thought of hiding Lis
delight ilan have the people in the gallery, whom
the next moment be will cy in company with, over
some cad a,d tender picture that comes fsh from
lis great heart as when the outlines first were
drawn.
But we refer 10 Mr.. Dickenss readngs mainly TO
show tba, the secret Of his 9Th lies in lis also
lutte sympathy wiki every character AID every event
that lie portrays Nobody gives thought 10 his
rhetoric, although, Of course, If it were faulty it
would jar the symmetry OF bio performance. He
feels himself 10 he the person that speaks, and 10 form
par, OF The scene which he describes. He rcads hs
ideas, and lets the words take car. Of themselves
and the value OF al public readings may be measured
BY tho degree n which all hise,awpe' .re observed.