Litchfield enquirer., 1868-04-30
THE DICKENS DINNER.

We extract the following from thereport of the proceedings at tho dinner given Mir. Dickens by the Press on the evening of the 18th inst, just before his departure for Europe:
 SPEECH OF MR. HORACE GREELEY.
 Gentleman of the American Press: It is now little more than thirty-four years since I, a young printer. recently located in the City of New York, had the audacity to undertake the editing and publishing of ! weekly newspaper Looking around at that time for material with which to make an engaging appearance before the public, among the London Magazines which Ise- lected for the occasion was the old Month ly, containing a story by then unknown writer, and known to us only by the quaint designation of "Boz." Applause. That story, entitled, think, at that time "Del- icate Intentions" but in it's present form entitled ''Mr. Watkins Tottle,'' I selected and published in the first number of the first journal with which my name was con nected. Pickwick was then an unchroni- cled, if not an uncreated character. Laugh ter. Sam Weller had not yet arisen to l increase the mirth of the Anglo-Saxon race 1
 of the writer of these sketches, whose ca
 commenced; [laughter;l and the relation
 that day ro" sld. apwired has continued from
 I am one of not more than twenttyp twenrttypn}auss. bI present company who welcomed him in
 tbls country on an occasion much like this
 quarter of century ago; and when l
 came to visit Europe some seventeen years 1
 there, and one of my pleasantest recollec-
 tlons of Europe. is that of buying in the
 furthest city visited-the City of Venice.
 on the Adriatic-an Italian newspaper. and
 amusing myself with what could not read
 liaughterI, translation of Darid Copper- t'eld wherein the dialogue between Ham
 and Peggotty, with which was familiar in Engllsh, was rendered into very amusing
 Italian. Laughter and applause. And SO, friends, claim sort of humble connec-
 ton with the prophet and priest of human
 lty, who IS our guest this evening-tbe
 man who Tn this generation, when many
 have attempted to preach from that mag
 nlflcent text of the plowman poet of the
 world, "a mans a man for a that" has
 preached the best sermons from that text. and, perhaps, may say the most-whose
 works from first to last have been instinct
 with not only the still sad music of human lty, which Is only one strain of the great epic of the time; but with the cheering. hopeful, triumphant music of humanity: also the humanity of the future, the eleYa. ted, enlightened and glorifed humanity winch must and shall yet be. Applause
 selves tonight in honoring the most sue cessful, the most thoroughly 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 height as he has, still, say his success is sign of hope and encouragement to every one of us. We are each successful in his triumph. We are each, in seeing what he has done, how nobly, how worthiIy he has done 1t, with what thorough success he has preached the gospel of humanity. until even nobles and kings have listened in ad- miration-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 pub lie, if there was not a public thirty years ago,) ready and eager to listen to the mo- blest and most humanizing thoughts which the best of us is now prepared to put be- fore this public. Friends and fellow-la- borers as am to set you an example to- night of a short speech, I will, without further prelude, ask you to join me in this senti- ment: "Health and happiness, honor and generous, because just. recompense. to our friend and guest, Charles Dickens"
 SPEECH OF CHARLES DICKENS.
 MT. Dickens. on rising to respoud, was received with such loud and long-continu- ed cheering, that he had to stand for some time awaiting an opportunity to speak. 1 When the enthusiasm had somewhat subsi- l ded, he spoke as follows:
 Gentlemen: cannot do better than take ! my cue from your distinguished President and refer in my first remarks to his re- marks in connection with the old, natural received an invitation from private as- sociation of working members of the Press 1 of New York to dine with them to-day, I 1 accepted that compliment in grateful re- 1 membrance of a calling that was once my own and in loyal sympathy toward broth l erhood which, in spirit have never quit ted. Good, Good. To the wholesome training of severe newspaper work, when I was very young man, constantly refer my first successes; and my sons will here after testify of their father that he was al- ways steadily proud of that ladder by which he rose. Great cheering.l If it were otherwise, should have but very poor opinion of their father, which per haps, upon the whole, have not. [Langh- ter and cheers. Hence gentlemen, under any circumstances, this company would
 have been exceptionally interesting and gratifying to me. But whereas supposed
 that, like the fairies pavilion in the Aro-
 5ian Nights it would be but a mere handful and I find it turn out, like the same elastic
 pavilion, capable of comprehending null titude. so much the more proud am I of the honor of being your guest; for you will
 readily believe that the more widely rep-
 resentative of the Press in America my en- tertainers are, the more must feel the
 good will and the kindly sentiments tow
 ard me of that vast institution. TApplausel Gentlemen, so much of my voice has lately
 been heard in the land, and have, for up
 wards of four hard winter months, so con
 tended against what I have been some
 times quite admiringly assured was Ca
 true American catarrh"- [laughter1-a
 possession which have throughout highly
 appreciated, though might have prefer
 red to be naturalized by any other out
 ward and visible means; renewed lauehterl