The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-06


There is no stranlng for stage effect no atttudiz-
ing. no afectation. The most effective reading
VIC ever listened to--it was the most beautifully
simple, straigi forward, hearty piece Of painting
from life. Dear Bob Cratchite made twenty-five
hundred friends before he had spoken two words,
and if everybody had obeyed the impulse of his
heart, and sent him Christmas goose he would
have boon suffocated in q twinling, under
a mountain of poultry. AS for the, de-
lightfql Fizziwigs, not the c9ldost heart a
at once Probably never was ball SO thoroughly
enjoyed as tho ono given by these worthy people
to their apprentices. The greatest hit OF the
eyening was the point where the dance executed
By Mr. and Mrs. Flzz:wlgs to Hiss Flzziwig was de-
scribcd. The contagion OF the audiences laughter
reached Mr.. Dickens himself, who with difficulty
brought out the inimitable drollery: "after which
Mr. Flzzwie cut positlvely-cut SO that q light
seemed to shine from his very calves, and he ac-
tualIy winked with his legs" This was too much
for Boston, and I thought tho roof would go off.
Next to this, the most effective point was Tiny
Tim, who % plaintive treble. with Bob Cratchltes
way Of speaking Of him, brought out SO many
pocket handkerchiefs that 1t looked as If snow-
storm had somehow got into the hall without tick
cts. Seldom do wo hear such genuine pathos as
that with which Mr. Dickens read the poor fathers
lament over his little lamo child, and great was
the genius which enabled him to walk so safely on
the dangerous edge that separates nature, pure
and simple, from moro travesuc.
The Christmas party at the house OF Scrogg's
nephew, where Tuppins plays blind mans buff
with tho plump sister in the lace tucker was
thing mover to be forgotten. When Dickens said,
"l no moro believe th1t that man was blindfolded
than believe that he had eyes in his boots" his
facial observation-disclosures as of man who is
being put upon. and yet with consciousness Of
the absurdty Of the statement that makes him
laugh in spite OF his anger-was inimitabl,, and it
was long before the audience would let him get
on. At last we had il. and the plump sister with
the lace tucker to bacome immortal. There was
an intermission Of about ten minutes between the
reading of s'The Christmas Carof' and ''rhe Trial
Scene from P. ckwick," and Us he closed the book
with Tiny Tins God bless US overy one" the en-
thusiasm Of the vast assembly broke forth in such
expressions, as to those who know the impassive
nature OF Boston audiences showed plainly enough
that the heart under all their silk and broadcloth
was fairly stirred end beating with warm good will.
But Dickens was plainly not to be persuaded into
speech. For gil the uproar, he did not appear
again. until the court called up the case OF Barde
uereiis piciwck. It Was easy to see that the rea-
der himself had peculiar affection for this part
& leaf torn from book that is associated with
the beginning OF his fame, the end out Of which
this splendid tree-stock set with flowers and fruit
has grown. He read it with full iorco, throwing
himself into 1t with all his heart, and, may add,
with eli lis body, for he put much more acting
into This part Of his reading than into the first
part, Sergeant Buztuzs speech to the jury was
without tlaw, pearl of the art of acting, and no
words OF mine or anybody could express the way
in which Nathaniel Winkle was before US. Not
less excellent was the Judge-tha sourest, dryest
most cross-grained piece og legal stupidity that
ever was seen or hoard o. Talk about facial e1-
preston, nothing moro wonderful was ever seen
than the change from the Judge, who seemed to
always be smelling something disagreeabio to the
frank, CHEEKY face OF Samuel Weller, as fresh as
rose, and es good to look at Hero was scene:
Tho minute the Court said, Call up Samuel
Weller" that friend OF near thirty years standing
wns recognized by oil Boston at a glance and his
mounting the stand was signal for such O hand
shaking (soeaking in figure) that he will mover
forgos. And wasn't it Jolly to sec him, Jolly to
hear him, aud joiest OF ali to hear that deep, rich
voice oil his old falher, deep and roh as the foam
cn his quart pot Of a.e, calling out from the gal
lery, "Put it down will we, my lord, put ii down
with wo.H
liz reading these works ofhis, Mr. Dickens neither
follows the original text, nor aIheres closely by
any means TO the text the pretty and convenient
hald-books watch he has himself condensed and
prepared. He Ieaves out q good deal, changes
woI0s mistakes words sometimes, and really
and then, That lie was thinking Of his present au-
dorce, and putting in what he fancicd would suit
better here than IN London. His delivery has
marked pecuiiarites, aud ia thoroughly original.
he deIls much in the riang infection at the end
Of sentences, is sometimes nIonotonous. and keeps
up old pronunciations that We seldom heer Oh this
side of the water :" Clark" tor cler:, 'wnd" with
long 'i," "Ous" for odious, arc Jew. But on tho
whole his accent ard PRONUNCIATION are not, what
We CAL, English. The glsat difference between his
delivery aid ina: ot our ocst Americans u in its
SLOW dclibo. ate cloar-cut dstinctness. This is il
the descriptive parts Where 1t suits the oooa-
sion, his delivery takes every shape ana ID good
tor al needs. Scrosss growl---Bob Cr ,tchi:s'
trembling appeal tho pompous buster Of PBuz uz
-.5I.s. Glupp:n.s lnaundorlng whino, and Sam
Wellcr'a manly yeomans shouts are all echoed by
that magical VOICE. viii Ii will be ognized wbers-
ever it is heard in America as the voice Of q great
author and OF the greatest, pcrhapa certainly in
Charmed our Wosloan World.