The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-03
CHARLES DICKENS.
HIS FIRST READING IN AMERICA


habitants OF our quaint, old-fashioned sister
city have been In state OF feverish excitement
that he was coming, that everything was Inn
mediately put In apple pie order, Tne streets
were all swept from one end of the city 20 the
other, for the second time in the twenty-four
hours; the state House and the old South Churcn
were painted, offhand, delicate rose pink a
Public Garden, in the altitude OF throwing up
his hat and shouting "Hurrahp every bookse[
ler's window was stacked up with copies of Tick
nor q Fields new edition of Dickens" to
the temporary displacement OF Longfellow,s
"Dante" and DR.. Holmes "Guardlan Angel;''
the cigar shops came out as one man with their
brands all new-chrtstened, and nothing is
Itte Nell Cigars e Mr. squeeTS p Fine SS the the
Mantilini Plug, and the "Genuine PickWlck
Snufiin while at every turn In the Illustrated
shop windows, the new portrait of Mr.. Dickens
is to be seen, showing us man somewhat past
middle life, with thin gr ey hair, O scanty beard,
and eyes downcast reading on book; astriking
contrast to the boyish face Of twenty-five years
ago, with its large eyes full of wonder and sem
sftive feeling, its delicate, almost glrltsh con-
tour, and its long locks of dark, abundant hair.
Ihe younger portrait was pernaPs, p Q I'LL, mttie
impassive picture OF face full OF life and ex-
preston, and rarely at rest, can be. We had the
pleasure of meeting Mr.. Dickens at dlcner
few days ago, and, OF course 1t was not difficult
to recognize him, even though seeing him for
the first time; but this portrait would, we think,
have helped us but little. All we can say is, to
these who wish to know beforehand how SO
famous man will look when they see him, is
that this portrait prepares the mind to recog-
nize him, but that is all Its office. IL shows US
all that time, and labor, and care have done,
TO batter do IN the beautiful house of youth
and haunting fancy, but 1t gives no gleam Of
the radiant spirit that still lights up the en-
Meanwhile, until tonight, Mr.. Dickens has
kept himself strictly secluded frem all but one
or two old and intimate friends. His rooms
are at the Parker House, and there he has re-
manned, bustly engaged all day, In writing and
study except When ne Is taGlng ms us daily elgnt
Fields, and steadily declining all the invita-
tions to breakfast, dinner, tea, supper, parties,
balls and drives that hospitable Boston pours
In upon him in an unfaIling stream. Much of
his time is spent in the most laborious pains
the public has but little idea of the cost-in
downright hard work of mind, and body, and
Voice-at which these readings a n are proaaceG;
five hundred times am assured, on the best
authority, that he never attempts new part
months in study over 1t as faithful and search
ing as Rachel or Cushman would give to q
new character This study extends not merely
to the analysis of the text, to the discrimination
of character, to the minutest points of elocu-
tone of the voice, the gesture, the attitude. and
even the material surroundings OF the actor,
for Actng Is St ReSdiiag q In the ordinary
thing that may serve to heighten the effect of
conscientious, % len SO strict in ali his dealings
very martinez in business and thorough man of
affairs-that he will leave nothing undone, that
time and labor can do. to give to the public that
pays so much for the pleasure of hearing him,
why 14 he, man q Of IL the World. greatly eight6g
in Society, thoroughly 1tted to enjoy it himself.
Himself him ti of from it, until his task shall
be done 81 am come here" he says, Ito
BEST best, and how PoS cam l do it III Il am an all all
the time on the go? Ny time Is not my own,
when am preparing to read. any more than
well do one as the other without concentrating
ALI my powers on 1T until 1t is done" Whoever,
fremont Temple tonight, that the crowd
which, after the splendid success of this first
reading, will continue to pack 1t till the read
ings are all over-have given their money for a
bagatele, an hours careless play of genius
whoever thinks this. is quite mistaken: This
wonderful tWO-hOurs performance-So full OF
varied power: brimfull, from end to end,
of feeling. pathos, mirth, and fun, sunlit
in words, hardly to be comprehended by the
mind; ali this-if it be not the pure result Of un
labor, would, at least, not have been the perfect
thing IL is without these helps.
sne S ec 1oc 'ne tSe AIRY
'the audience would all be seated punctually at
o'clock" 1t was nearly 8l5 before the vast
parative quizscence. And 1t was indeed vast
audience-such crowd as is seldom gathered
in q single hall to meet any single man. The
line OF carriages ran down all manner of streets
and lost itself In the suburbs ALI the cars
fTesh Eecrnits 10 The Sreat army and the snow w
that had been falling all the afternoon at last
gave up trying to get to the pavement, and
went to some other place, while the moon shone
out and helped the gas-lamps light the gay,
struggling, swarming multitude that was try
ing to get inside the doors-watched by long
faced, silent multitude that crowded round the
door-Ways without tickets and no hope of get
ting in at all. Inside the house the scene was
striking enough. Few cities, anywhere, could
show an audience of such character. Hardly
notable man IN Boston; OF nffty miles about,
Mr. Dickens ever read before such an assem-
blage, There sat Longfellow, looking, like the
very spirit of Christmas, with his ruddy cheeks
and bright soft eyes looking out from the
vest of snow-white hair and snowwhite beard.
There was Holmes, looking crisp and fine like
tight little grape,sktn full of wit instead of
wine. There was Lowell, as If Sidney himself
had come back with his poets heart smiling
sadly through his poets eyes. Here too was
the elder Dana, now an old man of eighty,
with long grey hair falling round a face bright
wears ago to write "Paui FELTON,; or the Bacca.
neer" Running the eye over the hall, one
saw other men widely known. Charles Eliot
Norton, whose translation of Dantes "Vita
Nuovan may we'll stand side by side with his
master LongfellOw of the grander song. There
in the gallery is Edwin Whipple. Yonder is
Fields, to whom all owe this great pleasure for
he suggested, urged, and made this visit of
Dickens easy to him. Bishop Eastburn, over
on the other side, seems thankful that clergy
men have yet some pleasures left There is
Poole, the Librarian of the Athen@um, one of
our men who knows most about books and
Samuel Eliot, the President of the Social
crossed blades with Bancroft. EmeTson's face
L could not catch. Concord is far away and
snow storms no joke to travel in, Nor did
whittier come as was promised-W Whittier, who
has never in his life been present al an evening
entertainment of any description, concert or
| even, strange to say, lecture He promised,
| Dut at the last his heart failed him; aud the
good grey head that all men know did not
| bless our eyes tonight
have said that Dickens is an artist in all ne
o9oes, and seldom have seen a more finished
| piece OF work than this whole reading So