New-York tribune., 1867-09-06
DICKENS IN AMERICA.
From Our Special Correspondent.

DIChENO IN AhEhICd
r''" LONDON, Aug. 20. 1861.
1t is now definitely announced that Mr.. Dickens
will appear in America before next Christmas, and
his arant courier has already been sent out The nov-
elist himself is busily rushing work upon some
lesser matters of composition to appear here durng
his absence, which will occupy about seven months.
In this period Mr. Dickens will read either three or
six nights in the week. according TO circumstances
His habit here has been TO take small hall, Like the
Hanover Square Assembly Room, which does not
give seats TO above six hundred persons and to read
two extracts night three times week Each week
is TINS made TO comprehend all the selections that
Mr.. Dickens will read during the season. Last Win
fer these were: Tuesday night, A Christmas Carol
and tbe Trial Scene in Pickwick; Thursday night
The Death of Little Paul and David COppcrfeld :;
Friday night. Scenes from Nicholas Nicklcby and
Our Mutual Friend. Mr.. Dickens has often contem-
Mated writing special story for reading purposes
only but his manuscript pieces have not lnct WIN
the favor of bis current writings, ana nc Iss con-
tented himself with cutting down, ana giving ara
matte climax TO his known chef dGHrres. Each read
ing begins at and a-halt o'clock, ana Is hhhed
by half past mne. without any accessories OF music
committee men, patrons, or lntrOducers Inc prices
of admission vary from two shllllngs 10 hNe-ao0ut
in your currency now, seyeny-IYe cents 10 tWo uoI-
lars The highest priced seats are IN ifont anu re-
and white gloves "a style OF dress that the ,eauci
also adopts These affairs will be governed very
much by circumstances IN America, WIltiul WIlt.i bin'
Dickens goes upon cTrand of inquiry phliahIoPy
or anoIoSv hui for money of which no amount that
he can receive will paw him back the moral debt OF
your people who have read hun iot tG,y So"i' '""
given him hardly the price Oi MS stdt!oholy fi 10
Mir Dickens is free TO explain 10 his own friends
the extent of his dealings with American puDhshcIs
lie says it has been common ior iaS t5V tPc;r
nIe whom he never knew 10 advertise thi't lhci!
nirated edition of his new books had Deeh pau io i
enormous rates. "Thesc advertisements sac @iu MI,
Dickens, ii was useless for me 10 hotiCe, Ie &
is that got to expecting nothing from America anu
when therefore now and then some fellow' OUT oI
vanity or "A desire to get an autograph or an inter
view or find out my earnings and habits, sent me
fftv nouuds | nut il all TO the account of con-
science money Of late years some sensitlNeness oi
American publishers, hitherto reckless even ot al
peHances has been stimulated by Whal lahc 10 W
The growing scrupulOusneSs of the AmeIlcans at
large Some of them have urged that shOuld be
grateful that they introduced me to the tTanSAtlan
tc public 70 enter into discussion with such lmpl
dencc was prcpOsteTous. know OF ono fellow WHO
made five or six thousand pounds out oi my American
Notes and Chuzzlcwit. and never gave me penny
nor commitment but returned me letter OF rtinoh-
stratiOn that | had nispOrtTaycd ms COuntIymch'
After ALL" says Mr. Dickens. further nave ildu no
reason no encouragement, to be enthusiastic ioI the
limited States. | do not speak of your criticism,
which, until of late has been so crude that an alst
could not feel fatercd even by It's praises ont 9I
The way in which all melancholy ana unaVoldaple
personal troubles of British literary men nave poeii
hailed there | could make "a sCrap-look oi abuse oi
me greater than all that have written Nothg Nolu
lave been easier ana more untrue than lui me 10 III
discriminately praise what had seen. hut having
sotiriZcd the foles and many of the INSTITUTIONS ol
nv own country, was not unmindiul oi tDe YOUTH
full crTogs of yours. Laying claim 10 no rii ul poph,
coy | may say that many Of the iaultS sdlIilAtd
have beeu admitted since by the American sentiment
I'm common with all Englishmen. confess my Ad-
miraton of tho enterprise courage, @ NY g'IpnHlnB
sense of justice of the Americans III potits LANa
al,vavs bcen liberal never said n word for slave
holders nor uttered wish against me lawful cause
in your war As 10 being treated WIN alylhlnB put
ciVlity on my next visit 10 America, thai Is AbAuIu
The day of Macready riots Is over there. II Thought
n dog would bark at me would not touch the shore:
But nation is still not quite perfect IN the Spt oi
the century that would east doubt IN literary
mans mind of his safety in IT. To ask us 10 surrender
opinion because we visit you-thiS Is the DlBouy OF
"a vlllagoW
In this strong way Mr.. Dickens conyersed n short
time ago with n gentleman of fortune and leisure
who had been his correspondent. The author Is "A
sanguine, somewhat restless person. ana having pro-
ected this revisitaton of tho Republic, he ~ already
dcsrous of setting out. All sorts of paragraphs are
aoat as his ulcrOr purposes. IL has been printed
that he means 10 g locate novel IN New-iork at
tho offer of prominent American publisher ana also
that he will write a romance Of the Rebellion. At
any iate he will read in both sections of the Repub-
lie and put the relative courtesy OF North and South
to a test
Incidental TO this visit which is private specula-
ton of Mr Dickens may tell you that he has been
hunted down for ten years by all manner of thcatri-
cal agents and persons of an idea. A man came out
here last year TO hire John Bright, Spurgeon, and
Dickens TO give lectures. He meant TO yoke them
together and get each to praise the succeeding at
every performance. Unfortunately, he called first on
Mr.. Bright who asked for his credentials, and find
ing him minus, then showed him the door.
A Philadelphia stationer offered Mr. Dickens the
sum of $4,000 for 100 nights during this year. and
Boston manager offered him two-thTds Of the gross
receipts, bearing part of the expenses. The char
acter Of Eugcne Urdyburn in Our Mutual Friend"
is said TO have been suggested 10 Mr.. Dickens by
American journalist of plausible address, who called
upon him with such handsome offers of money for "a
Winters readings that the novelist was bewldered
Making inquiries, Mr.. Dickens found that the man
had positively money, and no hopes of any
In sending Dickens over to you, the English peo-
pie send the last and the longest known favOrite Of
their galaxy of prose writers of this remarkable
tuTy. 1t is not probable that any of the galaxy
will visit YOU. The cOmpeers of Dickens are nearly
all either feeble men, authors whose worldly cir
cumsances make lecturing 10 object and travel a
hardship. Dickens Is "a spendthrft, and money il al
ways welcome TO him. Victor Hugo was invaded at
his retreat ia Guernsey last year by New York gen
tcman, and besOught TO visit the United States.
The author asked him what for.
A VOW" he said, "debars me from visiting my
own land. live now only to strengthen the school
of literature have established"
When you come to hear Mr.. Dickens read you will
probably hear the most perfect drawingrOom artist
in the world. His voice has remarkable flexibty
and sweetness and the same may be said Of his face
which is capable of every expression with dignity in
them all. lie would have made q high comedian Of
the first rank. The Christmas Carol" is probably
hls best selection, il affords him broader play Of
character and he has adapted 1t TO an hours enter
tainment so well that it tells the whole story. He
will not be disappointment either in person or in
art His body is in full robustness and he cheer
ful, handsome, and conscientious as ever.
DD Iyu