The New York herald., 1868-04-21
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Mr.. Charles Dickens farewell reading in this cOun-
try was given last night at Steinway Hall before q
very large audience, who most enthusiastic in
their recognition Of the best points OF his porrai-
lures. The pieces chosen for the entertainment
were sThe Christmas CarO and the "Bardell Trial {"
from Pickwick. In the sCarol' Mr.. Dickens was
decidedly dun and lessened in his oral description
of that very beautiful work the feelings always enter
tanned OF it. The sentimental portions were
rather ineffective and unimpressive The reading
of the "Bardell Trap' was much more effectiv
and perfect. Mrs. Bardell was good and so was the
lawyer, but Wrinkle was decidedly injured, Pickwick
played out and poor Sam Weller decidedly killed
that old Toney himself. would not know him. To
praise Mr.. Dickens would be to speak OF the excess
sively good description OF Sam Weller in his work
Of the peculiarites of that young gentleman, well
sustained in the same; OF his actions, comicatics
and low witticsms, SO well illustrated, and all these
deserve and merit praise. But Mr. Dickens ruined
the character in especial by his readings Of
it, and not a single Silmrer Of the loving
and loyal Sam could really have been said to recog
nize him last night by his creator Mr. Dickens, like
other creators, failed in reproducing what his readers
have themselves many time and oft imagined, and
like so many Frankensteins, the creators have had
reason to feel dissatisfied with their work.
MR.. DICKENS REMARKS.
After closing the Pickwick reading, In which
he had excited the visibility of his au-
dience he portrayed, in his inmitable
way, the success OF Mrs. Barden and her
treacherous Attorneys, Dodson & Fogg, against the
more Pickwickian Parker, Mr.. Dickens was retiring,
when he was led back hand in hand by his friend
Dolby and the applause which following him
Off the stage back and started with fresh vigor
as Mr.. Dickens entered, and after bow and another
acknowledgment, spoke as foows:-
LADIES AND GESTLEMEN-The shadow OF one word
has impended over me all this evening, and the time
has come when the shadow must fall. IL Is but a
measurable by their length, and tho shorter words
express the whole round of our human existence.
When | read David Copperfed here last Thursday
evening felt that there more than usual sgniti-
canoe, for me, In Mr. Peggottys declaration "My
future life lies over the sea- and when closed
my book just now keeny felt that | was pres
emily going TO establish an ddtf that might have
satisfied even the elder Mr.. Weller himself. The
relations that have arisen between us in this hall
relations at least sustained on my side by earnest
devotion OF myself 20 my task, and sustained on
yours by the readlest sympathy and the kindeSt
announcement, are now to be broken for ever. But
enreat you believe that in passing out OF my sight
you will not pass out OF my mind. | shall often
recall you equally by my winter freside and in the
green English summer weather-never as public
audence always rather in the light OF host of per-
sonal friends; always with gratitude, tenderness
and regard. Ladies and gentlemen, bid you fare
well, and pray God bless you and God bless the
land in which leave you.
The whole audience gave their applause as Mr..
Dickens bowed and retired and so ends Mr.. Dickens
In New York.