The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-12
Dickens and Some Other Readers.

Mr.. Dickens has concluded his readings in
this city for the present and il gone to the fresh
fields and pastures new Of pious Brooklyn,
thence, we believe, to visit the retired town of
Philadelphia and other towns further and
6lthier. His success has already been very
great Not less than eighty thousand dollars
has thus far been drawn from the popular
pocket to pay for Dickens tickets, and of this
sum Dickens himself has secured about one
third-perhaps less Dolby and Company have
taken two-thirds. It will be seen, therefore,
that the lion does not get the lions share when
it comes to dividing. Mr.. Dickens should
change his programme and profit by the ex-
perience of another distinguished reader-the
Hon. Mrs. Yelverton. That lady read several
times. but made no money. Her agents, how
ever, lived all the time on the fat Of the land,
and could not be induced to taste any fluid less
expensive than champagne. Mira. Yelverton,
seeing the real state of the case, instituted .
sweeping reform, and swept her whole business
establishment away at a str oke OF the pen, as
if crossing st." She then attended to all her
affairs herself hired halls, had her tickets
printed, arranged the sale Of them, paid out all
the money personally, and visited the editors
everywhere she went Her affairs fourished
from that time. Now she is about to visit the
South on a professional tour and look up
the editors there also; and of course
the chivalric and gallant spirit of the
land will assert itself wherever she ap-
pears, and her cash account will blossom
like rose-in fact like mountain Of roses Of
the most expensive sort, the kind that are
worth fifty cents apiece on Broadway. We
would commend this example to Dickens, and,
| following it, he can have seventy-five thousand
dollars for every twenty-five he secures as ct
present built in.
Other distinguished readers are to appear
among US soon, and Fanny Kemble is an.
nounced as one. She comes in her old age to
recall to an admiring public the memory of
the triumphs Of other days; for she was truly
one of the greatest actresses that ever ap-
peared in this city. Mr.. George Vandenhoff is
to appear also in series of readings, and, we
believe, to follow in Dickens wake and give
the same pieces. Mr.. Dickens should therefore
not be set up and reasoned from by the Lon
don Times as If he we're the only representa-
tive Of John Bull on this side the sea for all
are English, and some better types in their
way of English sentiment and feeling than he
is. All the persons whose names we have
mentioned are, moreover, better readers than
Dickens is. Indeed, Dickens Is no reader at
oil, and his only power before an auditory Is
that Of mimicking the few quaint personalities
that are sketched In his stories. Public in
terest was excited to see him as the author OF
the stories he reads. As we have hitherto
said, il was the same interest that we should
feel in hearing Homer read the Iliad. Doubtless
the Greeks who did hear the old rhapsodist
thought him poor enough hand, and this is
the general conclusion as to Dickens He IS q
quaint and curious figure in the matter OF
chains and seals and mustache, but between
Dickens as an author and Dickens as reader
there il as much difference as between Shak-
speare and George Francis Train.