Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-12-12
CHARLES DICKENS.
M. First n.ssins 4. America.

contains careful and elaborate criticism
Of Mr.. Charles Eicksns' frat reading be-
fore an American public, which took
place the previous evening In Boston,
furnished by telegraph, from which we
select the following:
Meanwhile, until tonight, Mr.. Dick
ems has kept himself strictly secluded
from all but one or two old and intimate
friends. HiSrOons ere nt the Parker
House, and there he remained, Dusily en-
gagged all day, In writing and study, eK-
cepting when he Is taking his daily eight
mile constitutions" I" walk with his
publisher, Fields, and steadily declining
all the invitations to breakfast, dinner,
tea, supper, parties, balls, drives, that
hospitable Boston pours in upon him in
an unfailing stream. Much of his time
10 spent in the most labOrious, pains
taking study of the parts he is to read
Indeed, the public has but little idea OF
the cost-in dow nrisht hard work of
mind, and body, and voice--at which
these readings are produced. Although
Mr.. Dickens has read, now, hearty five
hundred times, sm assured, on the best
authority, that he never attempts a new
part in public until he has spent vt least
two months over it in study as faithful
and searching ~ Rachel or Cushman
would give to . new character. This
study extends not merely To the analysis
of the text, to the discrimination of char
Acter, to the minutest points OF elOcution;
but decides uIs n the facial expression,
the tone of the "oice, the gesture, the at
titude. and even the material surround
ings of the acter, for, Acting II, IL not
Reddinp, in the ordinary sense, at all
Mr. ic iens IL 40 essentially an artist
that he cannot neglect the slightest thing
that may serve 70 hiRhten the effect Of
what he has undertaken to do. And he
j. as conscientious, so strict in all his
dcalings-Rvery Uartinet in business and
thorough man OF ntlars-that he will
leave nothing undone, that time and la
Dor canIo to give to the public that pays
90 much for the pleasure of hearing him,
the full worth of its money. This Is the
reason why he, n man of the world great
ly dellghting in society, thoroughly fitted
to enjoy it himself, and to make others
enjoy it-dcliberately cuts himself off
from 1t, until his task shall be done. 81
am come here " he says, Ito read. The
people expect me to do my Hest, and how
can do il IL am all the time on the go?
My time In not my own, when am pre-
pairing TO read, any more than it IL when
] am writing q novel, and | can ~ well
doone ~ the other without concentrating
~, my Powtfs OH ~ uhtii ~ " uohc'
WnoeNei tnen, IAncles lIiat tne crown
tnas PACKED the Iremoht ienpie 70
splendid success OF this first Reading,
will continue to pack it till the Readings
are all Over-have given their money for
a baxatelie, an hours careless play of ge-
MUS whoever thinks this, is quite mis-
taken. This wonderful two-hours per-
Iormsnce-so iuii Oh Varieu power oilhl-
tuil, from emu 10 en", OF ieelihg, patnos'
mirth, ana iun, sunni sno~eroI sh'iies
anu vars not u pe nescrioeu IN WORDS
hardly TO !" compreltnded 10y the nina;
i. MI tne-h ~ ,'r not ,ne pure result OF un-
!enittihR stu"y anu thoueht, ana phys-
icai labor, would, at least, not have been
the perfect thihsitis, withoutthese helps.
Atnoueh the tickets ior the readings
carry tS'ce repeated on their fact the re-
quest tuAt the audience would all lie
seate" punctnaiiy AZ O'Clock, IL was
nearly slo before the vast crowd had
bln'n'ren uo~h 10 STATE OF comparative
qulescsnce. Ana IL was ihueeu VAST
hudiene~-sucna acio~n as Is seldom gain
sreiin s'i'gie nan tomeet any single man
AhS h"e oi 'hrriAv's ran man manner
oistr~''sa ahu st ltseii IN thesuDurps' All
the care IeanihS rom the outlying towns
Drought IN reSh recruits 10 IN" great
army shu the snow thAt hau peeh ialihS
aii Tue Aterho0h at last gave up trying
toget =" ths pavement, anu went 10 some
oth"t P'sce, ~hiie the moon shohe out
anu ne PED the gas lamps iight the gay,
etruSgi!hs,s"armlhs multitude thnt was
Trying 10 get ihside the doors-watcheu
py long iAceh' slent multituue that
cf1wieu r"iha the door ways without
ticse" anu no hopeS OF getting IN at an.
lhsiue the mouse, he scene was striking
enough. rev cities anywhere coulu
snow an Aunienee OF such character'a
Haru'y hotanie man III Boston or ou
miles apout, OUT was thsre, ana we uoupi
In LONDON useli Mr. Dickehs ever reau
DeIore such an assenplhge. Ihere sat
i.ongeuow iooKihg ike tne very spirii
OF Christmas WIN ms ruhuy cheeks ahu
briRht solt eyes looking out rom tne Ves'
OF snow white nair anu snow White oearu
liners was ho'ines LOOKING crisp ana
me IKE ugit little Rrape'sKih Iull o.
VII insteau. OF WINE: Ihere was Ioweli
- II sidney hin-eii hai come BACK wiz,
ms poets heart smllihg sadly throngi
ms poeIseyes' mere 700 was tne eluel
Dana, now an OH man OF 80. WIN ions
gray hslr lalihg rouhd iace bright VIII
shrewu Ih.einsence' IN an,e now as o., ~
years ago 10 write; fuW Telton OF re-
blrcdneer, running lhe eye over th'
nan one saw other men wiueiy known