The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-04-22
MT. Summer. SUCK
(Signed) j. B. HENDERSON"

The THIRD CABLE.-At the great entertain
ment given to Mr.. Dickens by the literary men
of Great Britain, just before his departure for
this country, the guest said that he was going
to America "to lay third cable between the
two countries. The expression of traternal
feeling at the Press Dinner in New York, on
Saturday evening, is conclusive proof that he
has done so. The bond of a common brother
hood, realized through the contact with a
great cosmopolitan spirit, like that of Dickens,
is stronger than the repelling influences Of
conflicting material interests, or divergence OF
opinion in theories of government, society or
morals. There were no Americans and no
Engishmen at the board at which Horace
Greeley presided; all were citizens of the
world. Among the tributes to Mr.. Dickens
none was more graceful than that of the chair
man. Mr.. Greeley said:
L C aim a sort OF humble connection with
the prophet and priest of humanity, who is
our guest this evening-the man who in this
generation, when many have attempted to
preach from that magnificent text of the
plowman poet of tae world, "a mans a man
ior a that, has preached the best sermons
from mat text, and, perhaps l may say the
most-whose works from Fl rst to last have been
instinct with not only the still, sad music of
humanity, which is only one strain of the
great epic of the lime; but with the cheering,
hopeful triumphant music of humanity: also
the humanity Of the future, the elevated en-
hghtened and glorfied humanity which must
and shall yet be. Friends and fe low labore.s,
we honor ourselves tonight in honoring the
most successful, the most thoroughly success
ful literary man of our time-a man who we
may proudly say is not ashamed of having
come up, as most of us have come up from
the lower rounds OF the ladder of the press.
and though none of us have reached such a
height as he has, still, 1 say, his success is a
sign OF nope and encouragement to every one
OF US. We are each successful i'll his triumph
we are each, in seeing what he has done how
nobly, how worthily he has done it, with what
thorough success he has preached the gospel
OF humanity. until even mobiles and kings have
listened in admiration-I say we have in this
success OF his an encouragement to every one
OF us, saying, GO up higher" do not fear to
say your best, for there has been created
pubic tlf there was not public thirty years
ago. ready and eager to listen to the noblest
and most humanizing thoughts which the best
OF MS Is now prepared to put before this pub
lie.
Mi. Dickens gave his last reading in New
York Monday evening. At the conclusion of
his reading he said:
Ladies and gentlemen, the shadow of one
word has impended over NE all this evening"
ana the time has come at last when the shad-
ow must fall. 1t is but very short one, but
the weight OF such things is not measured by
their length, and two much shorter words ex-
press the whole realm of our human existence
When was reading David Copperfield" here
last thursday night felt that there was more
than usual significance for me in Mr. Peggot-
TVS declaration my tutur life lies over the
sea-, and when closed this book lust now /
felt keeny that was shortly to establish such
an abb as would have satisfied the elder MIR.
Weller himself. (Laughter.)
The relations that have been set UP between
us IN this place; the relations sustained on nv
side at least by the most earnest devotion of
myself to my task, sustained by ourselves on
your side by the readiest sympathy and kind
nest acknowledgement, must now be broken
OH forever; but L entreat you to believe that
IL passing from my sight you will not pass
from my memory. L shall often recall you as
see you now equally by my winter fire and
IN the green English summer weather. I
shall never recall GU as a public audience.
put rather as host of personal friends, and
ever with the greatest gratitude, tenderness
and consideration. Ladies and gentlemen l
beg to bid you farewell; and 1 pray God bless
you, and God bless the land in which I have
met you.
The speech was received with great ap-
plause, the audience rising and with waving
handkerchiefs and loud voices cheering the
distinguished reader till he had passed from
the room.
And so the "third cable" was laid with ap-
propriate rites, and with hearts in which sad
ness and Joy con end for the mastery, the
American world bids farewell to Charles
Dickens.