The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-12
GlaQtttelligetrftr.
DICKENS.
HTS First Reading a, sieinWay Hall,
In New York. /
Critiaue BY HoB. Henry J. Raymond,
Editor.in tchief6rt the Daily Tines.
Nom 0.s 7y,nes o. 7uealav.

tickets Tor seats. A very limited mum,
Der Of admissions 10 "standing.roon
only" seem 10 have been sold but ne
more than could be properly Rccommo
dated themselves, without incommod.
Ing anybody else. The audience was
select, though large, and comprised o
far. larger proportion OF professional
and literary gentlemen than Ia usually
seen at entertainments Of any sort HI
our city. y
While there Is nothing 10 the rea ding
70 arouse noisy or demoislratiye en-
thusiasm In an audience, there Is eve.
rything TO impress and delight such an
audience as that mbled last even
Ing. There are doubtless some persons
living who have seen and heard Sll
Walter Scott, and they certainly musl
cherish the memory OF that meeting aE
among the most memorable events o.
their lives. But II Is not more note,
worthy, nor will Il be cherished longer
or more PLEASANTLY, than the ocoasion
afforded last evening for the Hrst time
TO so many OF Mr.. Dickens hearers
Mr.. Dickens is us great u genius In flo
tion as Sir Waller Soott-he has given
rs great delight TO the world, and has
moved far more deeply aud touched
more powerfully the deepestsprlngs OF
emotion and affection In the human
heart than even that great master Of
human nature and the English tongue
aud he will take rs high u place as he
10 the immortal literature ofthe richest
language now spoken or written on the
earth. To hear such u man read one Of
the sweetest aud choicest OF his own
productions, will be an event in the
life of any man worthy OF remem-
branCe, and II would be d tradition foI
his descendants II the happier
fortune Of our day did not bring
II within the personal experience
OF more persons than ever read vi
heard OF Sir Walter Scott during bis
lifetime. 1t was clearly some such
thought as thls,-thoughls OF the Au.
thor and his Works, III we'll as OF the
Reader and his immediate perform.
ance, that stirred the heart OF last even.
lng's audience, and prompted the hear.
" and prolonged applause which
greeted Mr.. Dickens as he walked upon
the stage, with rapid step, and calm
and self.possessed air, US or Que guile
at home, and, though stranger, sure
VI SoAulAL WuGVbllos mE. DICk6DS IL
twenty-five years older than when be
visited us before. His appearance, Of
course, has changed correspondlngly.
He has not by any means the look Of
an old man, though bis mustache and
beard are thickly Sprinkled with gray;
his hair Is thin aud brushed forward
over the crown Of his mead, and his
general air and manner thoroughly In.
dictate sound health and digestion, and
u hale, hearty good sense aud good hu-
NOR. He acknowledged the applause
which greeted his presence by a quiet
bow, repeated once or twice as the np-
plause continued, aud then said that
he was TO have the pleasure Of reading
Il Christmas. Coral, IN four parts-which
he forthwith proceeded to do (annouuc-
ing the title OF the first part, "Marley's
Ghost"
Mr.. Dickens voice Is not strong, nor
penetrating In the el0cutionist's sense
OF the word. II strikes one unaccus-
toned TO 1t indeed ut first as a little
husky; but ills distinct aud synpathet-
ic, capable Of good deal OF nOdula-
ton, and easily heard IN every part Oi
larger hall than that iu which he read.
There Is iu IL apparently slight APP
proach to II lisp-solnething like that
popularity which Is so marked In the
voice of Reyerdy johnson. Reading,
Indeed, Is scarcely an appropriate term
for his performance, which iS rather d
recitation, Rs he rarely refers to the
printed page before him, and departs
sometimes quito widely from It's text.
In the first pages OF the Carol, which
nra MANLY ilasHFt nEivn hIu llraaIf nnIy
WAS simply that and nothing more
distinguished ouly by admirable utter
ance and ennnc!HtiOn, and most dis.
crlminating and effective emphasis.
There was not the slightest atfectaIion
or effort at efect-very little gesticula.
tion, and nothing 10 distinguish the
performance from the ordinary reading
Of gentleman in his parlor. But
when he came 10 the introduction oI
characters aud 10 dialogue, the reading
changed 10 ucting,-aud Mr.. Dickens
here showed remarkable aud peculiar
power. Old Scrooge seemed present;
every muscle Of his face, and every
tone OF his harsh and domiueerIng
voice revealed bis character. And the
effect of this admirable acting was
still more marked In some OF the
other characters. When, for example,
Scrooge had growled out 10 bis CLERK,
"You'll want all day tomorrow, sup.
pOse," tomorrow being Christmas, and
Bob CratChit llsped out In his timid
trembling tones, ''ll it's quite convent:
ent, Sir" the audience caught sight ut
once off the little, round.iaced, deieren.
tial, simple.heaT Tted clerk as ir he had
entered bodily; and they greeted him
with hearty round OF Hpplause-the
first with which they had Interrupted
the reading. Aud The Imitation of Tiny
Tins small, Shrlll plpe--which was
little more than u sickly squeak
when he shouted out his little "Hoo.
ray" or Joined III tue toast, "God bless
lis, every one, e,"-wRs equally perfect
and effective. Mr.. Dickens makes the
muscles OF his face do their full duty
Ia the work OF initiation, so that the
audience Eee ns well us hear the churac-
tiers that are brought before them. His
presentation Of tie presiding Judge
In the trial scene, BdTteu vs.. Pickwick,
with his long. dull, heavy lace-an.
SwerinB exactly TO the dense stupidity
OF everything he said-was nn ndlnirG.
bic bit OF cartcalure;-and his rehearsal
VI wv FIGgCuth vi odIRohuk Duhlub utlu
Mr.. Simpkin, were inimitabiy droll
and kept the audience In roar of
laughter. But his recital Of Mr.. Win
klO's evldenCe,-with his confused
HtuLter, partly natural and partly the
result OF mental confusion, lack oI
Selt-Conlldence and general bewilder.
Inent, was perhaps the best Of the
whole, and certainly gave the audience
much more definite conception oi
that queer character than they ever hnd
before.
In tho pathetic passages, either OF
description or dialogue, Mr.. Dickens
rnRuner and voice are exceedingly Of.
tective. Nothing could bs more touch.
lug than his recital OF Bob CrAtChitH
telling his vile Of Tiny Tins talk on
tho way home, when he said he chopped
the people saw him In the church, be.
cause he was al cripple, and itmight
be pleasant 10 them to remember, on u
Christmas Day, who made lame beg.
gArS walk and blind men See;n and
there were several pnasRgea Of this sort
to which, ms read by Mr.. Dickens, II
waS impossible 10 listen without ono,
tiOn, and, fOrveTy many present, quite
Impossible TO listen without tears. The
humorous descriptions, also, were es'
pecially telling. The FeZzlwiH ball, =
waS one-but only one-Of the beat
The audience kept nr n half-suppresS'