New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-03
CHARLES DICKENS.
HIS FIRST READING IN AMERICA.

Ever since it was announced that Mr. Dickens
would give his first Reading on this side the Atlantic
| IN Boston, the inhabitants of our quaint, old
fashioned sister city have been in state OF feverous
excitement. No sooner was the news flashed along
| the Cable that lie was coming than everything was
Immediately put in appe-pie order. The streets were
all swept from one end of the city to the other, for
the second time IN the twentyfour hours the State
House and the Old South Church were painted Off
hand, delicate rose-pink new statue of Edward
Everett put up in the Public Garden, In the atl-
tude of throwing up his hat and shouting Hurrah y
every booksellers window was stacked up with
copies of TicBnOr * Fields's edition Of Dick
ems" to the temporary displacement of LOngfellows
Dante and Dr. Holiness Guardian Angel" the
cigar-shOps came out as one man with their brands
all new-chrstened, and nothing is smoked
chewed, or taken in snuff to-day but Little
Nell Cigars" Mr.. sQueers's Fine Cut, the
NIantilmi Plug and the Genuine Pickwck
Snuff" while at every turn, in the illustrated news
papers, in the hotel office, and in all the shop win
dows the new portrait Of Mr.. Dickens IS to be seen
showing as a man somewhat past middle life, with
thin, gray hair, scanty beard, and eyes dOwncast
reading on book a striking contrast to the boylsh
face of twenty-five years ago. with its large eyes full
OF wonder and sensitive feeling its delicate almost
grlish contour and its long locks of dark, abundant
hair The younger portrait was, perhaps, little
fatteTed but the older one is as good as quiet i'm
passive picture Of face full of life and expression,
and rarely at rest, be. We had the pleasure of
meeting Mr. Dickens at dinner a few days ago, and,
of course il was not difficult to recognize him, even
though seeing him for the first time but this por-
trait would think have helped us but little. All
we can say is TO those who wish to know before
hand how so famous a man will look when they see
- - .. a. -.
nze him. but that is all its office. 1t shows us all
that time and labor, and care, have DONE to batter
down the beautiful house of youth and haunting
fancy but it gives CLEAN Of the radiant spirit that
still lights up the enchanters face.
Meanwhile, until tonight, Mr.. Dickens has kept
himself strictly secluded from all but two old
and intimate friends. His rooms are at the Parker
House and there he has remained busily engaged all
day in writing and study, excepting when he Is taking
his daily eight mile constitutional walk with his
publisher Fields, and steadily declining all the inyi-
tations to breakfast dinner, tea, supper, parties,
balls and drives, that hOspitable Boston pOurs IN
upon him in an unfailng stream. Much of his time
is spent in the most laborious panstaking study Of
the parts he is to read. Indeed the public has but
little idea of the cost-in downright hard work OF
mind, and body, and voice-at which these read
ings are produced Although Mr. Dickens has
read, now, nearly five hundred times, l aln
assured. on the best authority that he never
attempts new part in public until he has
spent at least two months it in study as faithful
and searching as Rachel or Cushman would give to
new character This study extends not merely to the
analysis Of the text 10 the discrimination of charac
ter TO the mnutest points of elocuton; but decides
upon the facial expression the tone of the voice. the
gesture the attitude, and even the material sur
roundngs of the actor for ActiHg Il s not Reading IN
the ordinary sense at all. Mr. Dickens IS so essen
tally an artist that he cannot neglect the slightest
thing that may serve TO highten the effect of what he
has undertaken to do And he is as conscientious so
strict in all his dealngsa very martinez in business
aud thorough man of affairsthat he Will leave moth
ing undone that time and labor can do TO give TO tho
public that pays so much for the pleasure of hearing
him. the full worth of its money This is the reason
why he, man of the world, greatly delighting in
society thoroughly fitted enjoy it himself, and to
make Others enjoy it-deberately cuts himself of
from il, until his task shall be done.
" am come here" he says, TO read. The people ex-
pect me to do my best and how can do it if am all
the time on the go Ny time Is not my own, when
| am preparing TO read, any more than it is when |
am writing a novel; and can as well do one as the
other without concentrating all my powers on 1t until
il is donen Whoever, then, fances that the crowd
that packed the fremont Temple tonight that the
crowd which, after the splendid success of this first
Reading, will continue 10 pack it till the Readings
are all over-have given their money for b"s"toie'
an hours careless play Of genius-whoeyer thinks
this Is quite mistaken. This wonderful two-hours
performances full of varied power brim-full,
from end to end of feeling pathos, mrth, and fun,
sunlt shower of smiles and tears not TO be described
in words hardly to be comprehended by the mind !;
all this-if il be not the pure result OF unremittng
study. and thought, and physical labor, would, at
least not have been the perfect thing it Is, without
these helps.
Although the tickets for the readn gs carry twice
repeated on their face the request that the audience
would all be seated punctually at o'clock, 1t was
nearly s:l5 before the vast crowd had simmered down
TO a state of comparative Quiescence And 1t was IN
deed vast audience-such crowd as is seldom
gathered in a single hall TO meet any single man.
The line of carriages down all manner of streets
and lost itself in the suburbs. All theears Leading
from the OUTLYING towns brought in fresh recruits to
the great army, and the 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 swarm
ing multitude that was trying to get inside
the doors-watched by long faced silent multitude
that crowded round the door ways without tickets
and no hope of getting in Mt all Inside the house,
the scene was striking enough. Few cities any
where could show audience of such character.
Hardly a notable man in Boston, or 80 miles about,
but was there and doubt if i'll London itself Ar.
Dickens ever read before such assemblage. There
sat Longfeow looking like the very spirit of Christ
mas with his ruddy cheeks and bright soft eyes look
ing ont from the vest of snow white hair and snow
white beard. There was Holmes looking crisp ana
fine like tight little grapeskin full of wit instead
I all
had come back with his poets heart smiling
nndlu thrnnph his noets ewes. Here too was tno