New-York tribune., 1868-04-20
CHARLES DICKENS.
-, nnrcc n1yNTR Ar DELMONICO'S.

Mr. ChAstbs t press Of New-York beg to solicit the
pleasure of company 60 r GG return To- this CITY in
the coming spring bst The largest number OF our
,tv journalists are from business We venture 10 sug
& The appoinfment OF that evening for the proposed
etnE bnt trust that yol win not allow this suggestion
IN nreyent YOU from designating another H.,
Tins far mat no mention be made of them in the public
prints; remembering that previous to your departure
tation 10 dinner Of which the London press made no
tee. we shall be happy TO waive our rule, III case use you
should desire, sole wish is To arrange the en-
tertainment may best accord with your convenience
Permit us to ask an early response to this note, and at
time to tender you the sincerely good wishes 2
those behalf OF whom write, and of ourselves ndl
Believe US, dear SIR, very cordially your friends.
DAVID c. CROIY, and Others Committee
The reply of Mr.. Dickens was as follows o.o
PnlLADELrHIA, 1st st. February, GG,nr - 1868; GS,r
letter of the 22d Of last month and TO explain 70 you T
will give Very great pleasure to accept your 1y tSc
only day at my disposal before my departure snoo sun
In reference to your kind suggestion OF your readiness
70 depart from your usual rule OF pvhhcy and that
leave the matter wholly in your hands ,.,o am
Very cordially reclprOcatiDg your goOu WISHES ah
ai""9s ue"r 'ns' l"i'iii'l' ''"' CHARLES DICKENS.
The hour appointed was o'clock p m' at which time
the company assembled in the parlors adjoining the
large dnipgroom appropriated to the event Ate
Mr. Dickens appeared though suffering from temporary
ilpess and escorted by the Hon Horace Greeley who
had been selected to preside proceeded to the dining
hall. This room decorated with the arms ana the
flags of England and the United States The guest OF
the evening sat at the right hand Of the President at
table which was placed elevated das at one side OF
the room; while several other tables stationed at
right angles with this. fine band OF music was III
attendance in adjoining room and favored the com
pany with choice selections and the National airs OF the
two countries represented 10y the distinguished guest and
his entertainers The decoration of the tables and the
room were exceedingly good taste and the rare flowers
that graced the board filed the room with the GENIAL
breath Spring. The bin Of fare was excellent and by
an ingenious nomenclature, the different dishes were
made to compliment well-known parsonage
n the walks Of literature. Among the names OF the gen
temen present are the following Horace Greeley, Henry
j. RAYMOND Samuel BoWles Of The Springfield Repud-
lieai, W. H. Hurbert George William Curtis, James Par.
ton NJ Halstead of Cincinnati, Charles Eliot Norton,
George II. Boxer j. T. Fields, Charles F. Briggs, Put
MANS Magazine; ID. G.. CrOy, n. T. World; Richard b.
Kimba oliver johnson, The Independent; Charles Nord-
hof Erening POST John Russell Young, n. Y. TRIB-
USE; John r. G. Hassard n. Y. TRIBUNE; Prof
Z. L. Youmans c. p. Dewey, Commercial Adter-
.iser; Gen. Joseph r. Hawley, Hartford Co'Tdr'G
G.. W. Demers Albany Ere,lng JoTnaE the
the Rev. H. NJ. Field E. c. .Stedman, Samuel Sinclair N
Y TRIBUNE; A. j. Sehem n. Y. TRIBUNE; F. Ottarson,
Wy. TRIBUNE; Col b. Thorpe, d. Judd, Commercial
Advertiser: DIR. Vim. A. Hammond, ]. W. Simonton, Au
gustus Maverick, Ereing Post s s. Conant " y Times;
Geo Sheppard N. J. Times; W. W. Harding Philadelphia
A. ~. =
~ T. Times; F. b. Carpenter, Henry Z. sweetser, n T.
World; Charles H. Sweeser Erenmg Mail;
Thomas McElrath, ]. F. Cleveland, the Hon.
VIM. OrtOn, Thomas Mast, Hd'pe's Weekly
L. II. Clement, N. Y. TRIBUNE; Edwin DeLeon, ~ l.
Citisen; Smith Homans Bankers MagdziRe; Whitelaw
Reid Cincinnati Gazette; p. c. Howard Erenmg Nal; W.
w. Warden Philadelphia Inquirer William Stuart, Lester
Walack ]. II. Hackett Leonard W. jerome, John Bon
ner j. X. OsgOod John X. Thompson, William Young,
Howard NJ TicknOr, j. B. Mppncott, Philadelphia, and
A. X. Mcclure.
At about O'clock the President arose amid loud aI-
plause, and upon the restoration Of silence said:
SPEECH OF Mr.. GREELEY.
Gentlemen ofRe American Press 1t is little more
than years since young printer recently located IN
the City Of NewYork had the audaciy 10 undertake the
editing and publishing weekly newspaper for the first
time. Looking around at that day for materials with
which make engaging appearance before the public
among the London magazines which purchased for the
occasion was the old Monthly, containing story by
then unknown writer-knOwn TO us only by the quaint
designation of "Boz." Great applauscl That story
entitled think at that time, delicate Attentions, but
In Its present form entitled "Mr. Watkins Tote," Sc
lected published the first number Of the first jour
nal with which my name was connected lApplauseJ
Pickwick was then unchroniced if not uncreated
character ILaugherl Sam Weller had not yet arisen
TO increase the mirth Of the Anglo-Saxon race
ICheersl We had not heard have since
heard OF the writer Of those sketches,
whose career then may claim 10 have in some sort COM
menced with my great laugher; and the relation
OF admirer and admired has continued from that day TO
the present. lAppkiuse am one Of not more than
twenty Of the present company who welcomed him in
country occasion much ike this, quarter Of
century ago. When came to visit Europe, now seven
teen years ago, Of my most pleasant experiences
there, and Of my peasantest recOlectiono Europe
is that Of buying in the rthest city yistedthe City Of
Venice the Adriauc-an italian newspaper and
amusing myself with what could not read-aughterl-
translation Of David Copperhed," wherein the dia-
logue between Ham and Peggotty, with which was
familiar English, rendered into very amusing Ita
ian. Laughter and applause.l Ana so, friends claim
sort Of humble connection with the prophet and priest
Of humanity who is guest this evening-lappausel
the man who, best in this generation, when
many have worthily attempted TO preach from that
magnificent text Of the plOwman poet Of the world "a
mans man for a. that has preached the best sermons
from that text, and perhaps may say the most also
whose works from first 20 last have been instinct with
only the still sad music Of humanity which is one
only strain Of the great epic of the time but with
the cheering, hopeful, triumphant music OF humanity
Also the humanity Of the future the elevated enght
ened and glorfed humanity which must and shall yet
be- Applausel Friends and fellow-laborers we honor
ourselves tonight in honOrng the most successful the
most thoroughly successful literary Of our time.
iApplause. who we may proudly say is not
ashamed Of having up, as most OF us
have come up, from the lower rounds Of the ladder
Of the Press, and though Of us have reached
such hight he has, stil, I say his s
sign Of hope and encouragement 10 every OF US.
We each successful in his triumph. We each IN
seeing what he has done, how nobly how worthiy he
has done it, with what thorough he has preached
the gospel Of humanity until mobiles and kings have
listened in admration-I say have in this success Of
his encouragement 70 every one OF saying Go up
higher do not fear TO your best for there has been
created public III there was not public thirty years