The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-12
Dir. Dickens W.. Miss DIckinsou--NT Mrs
Gummidgc vs.. Breakers Ahead.

GummidRc vs.. Breakers Ahead.
Mr.. Dickens and Miss Dickinson, lion and
q lioness-the one at Steinway Hall, the other
at Cooper Institute-both appeared before the
public the other evening. The gentleman
presented himself In what would have been
properly the lady's part Ghe reading Of GER
tain romances), and the lady assumed the
character of = man, on the political dangers Of
the country--a r6le, however, in which the gen.
tleman in question, rs 80 stranger in these
paris" would have been very interesting. The
tender-hearted man gave his delighted audi
ence some mastery recitations Of his own
popular fancy sketches; the strong minded
woman, dealing in the stern realities of our
political situation, startled her hearers with
her fierce denunciations and terrible prophe-
cies Mr.. Dickens transformed into Frederick
Bremar with her soft, benevolent face and
Quakerly costume, and Miss Dickinson changed
Into Black Hawk would have been exactly
righs-scalping knife, tomahawk, war paint,
beads, bears claws, feathers and all.
The reading programme OF Mr.. Dickens was
the mild metheelin Of david CopperHeld'
and Bob Sawyer's Party" and the lecture Of
Miss Dickinson was "Breakers Ahead,r q
trenchant political discourse. The heroes and
herones Of Mr.. Dickens were rather spooney
and imaginary, while those Of Miss Dickinson
were chosen from our actual living eaters Of
beef and potatoes. The gentleman detailed
the ideal virtues of his old kind-hearted sailor,
Peggotty, while the lady took strong ground
against the Presidential nomination Of General
Grant The amable Charles dwelt upon bis old
sailors anxious efforts to recover his " little
Emily" while tho indignant Anna declared
that sit is one of the marvels of the age that
those men who were deepest in the rebellion
should now be impudently demanding of us
rights thousand times forfeited by treason
and perjury" The gentleman reader amused
his hearers with the imaginary sorrows of Mrs.
Gummidge, whose complaint was that "evcry-
thing went contrary with her." while the lady
lecturer protested that "these disloysl ones
must be bound hand and foot" and compelled
to obey the laws. Mr.. Dickens revealed in he
cheering hope OF Micawbcr that "somc.hiag
VIII turn up" while Miss Dickinson ayowed
that "there are some men, even in Massachu-
setts, who would rather vote for rum than free
dom" What y contrast But again, while
the eani.c rcades al ateinway Hall was repeat
ing the assurances OF Mrs.. Mcawber to her un-
lucky spouse, ~ viii never desert you, never"
10 bolligcren. lee arer nj the Cooper Institute
was venting her wrath upon The republican
party in Congress for letting Andrew Johnson
60 scctir.c. K;naiiy, while Mr. Dickens was
making his friends perfectly nj home with Bob
Sawyer. Miss Dickinson was expressing her
belief that it was not altogether safe to shout
for General Grant without knowing exactly
where he stands.
Our case is made out We have shown that
the readings OF Mr. Dickens would be the APP
propriate role for Miss Dickinson, and from
those "American Notes" we judge that Miss
Dickinson's Breakers Aheadr would be the
very Thing for Demonstrating, perhaps, her
objections to General Grant. Considering
thus the fitness Of things, what q sensation they
would make II we could only have for q single
night Mrs. Gnmmidge and Bob Sawyer from
the lady aud Breakers Ahead" from the gen
tleman!