The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-12-01
Miss Kate Fields lecture OH Charles
Dickens.
Fem the Boston Advertiser.

F.cm the Boston Advertiser
\ large audience gathered Yesterday after
noon III The Globe Theatre 20 listen 10 Ms
Kate Fields lecture on Charles Dickens
At 3 O'Clock the curtain rose. and the audi-
cnce had TO: been 4 model Bostcn ore in Is
undcmons.ra.Iyeness, Il burst OF applause
would have greeted the opening scene, which
was arranged with artistic perfection. Miss
Field WAS dressed in rich blue silk, with
white lace trimmings, a bunch of ro>e-buds
on her bosom and the red cover of The book
from which she read giving the necessary
points % deep color 10 the cool blue and
white The same idea i'm color was carried
on; in the stage arrangements. \ stand OF
lUyelv roses was in the foreground. and far
Their back Il blue cloak trimmed will. ermine
lay upon the arm OF 4 crimson chair. Mss
Field has the rare accomplishment of stand
iGs well; her pose is natural, graceful, dig
nificd and serene; her iigrre is beautiful
md her iace animated and attractive. He
lecture WAS 4 eulogy. She proved that she
was capable of unqualified admiration for 4
human being; ard that shows generous
nature and Il warm. brave heart, better
than any elaborate criticism, or weighing
of the evil against the good. The lecture
was full of bright points, and the close was
both eloquent and touching. The following
is brief sketch:
Il; is big job" said Abraham Lincoln.
while attempting to crust, the great rebellion,
1t Is Il big job this. OF attempting to do JUS
,icc To Charles Dickens, But / remember
that the great man once exclaimed: ''God
bless those women, they aercf do anything
by halvc>; they are always in earnest
Sanding in this theatre, regarded bv him
with almost personal interest, in the pres
ence OF some of his dearest friends, ! should b.
les than human were | not in earnest: and.
ii do my work b. halves, it is because my
head fails 10 90 the bidding o: my heart
The lecturer alluded to Dickenss readings
and his dramatic power, saying, that ''whal
varnish il to IN oil-pain;in9, Dickens's de-
livery was 10 his text" Declaring tina: Dick
ems was rot only great genius, bat great
example, she spoke of his industry and en-
terpri-e, especially in his reportorial expo
rience. Respecting Dickens's faults as an
author, she said:
dickens is no: perfect. He has manner
ism-; he has faults of style; there is even an
occasional slip in grammar; but, after all,
what is the best style? Is not its definition
that OF 4 straight line-,ho shortest distance
between two points? Try 10 GU; down Dick
ems and see how you will succeed. He was
50 rabid in the matter Of condensation As To
reduce his own name from Charles John
Hougham Dickens 70 plain Charles Dickens.
With him words were made for ideas. not
IDEAS for words In description he Is fire.
luently elaborate, but il is the elaboration of
a rich mind Kidding itself of suggestions in
The tersest Of language. Ii seems to me that
Dickens style belongs essentially to Dick
ems 5 SeniIIs-tl!at they are one and insepara-
bic, and that those who world have had him
turn himself into 4 latter-,!av essavist fail 10
appreciate his real greatness, for STYLE is bit
a frame for thought. IL is the secondary
the first; the servant not
he master. The falling OF to-1ay's worship
pers of style appears to he dedication ofthe
servant, the result Of which is 4 series Of
beautiful frames setting off very Indifferent
paintings. Which is preferable, Dickens.
pictures or the frames Of critics.
Miss Field touched briefly ON Dickens
views on temperance, and his illusions to the |
;ubjec; in hi writing. From this she
passed 10 the discussion of the poetic quality |
If the authors writings, and, after mention |
ng his principal productions in verse, re-
.ite,l with fine expression 1.-The Hymn of the |
Wiltshire 'Laborers." Then she described |
lis love for animated nature, illustrating her |
description with quotations and anecdotes.
As 10 the female characters drawn b. |
Dickens, she said '''But Dickens never
'et drew a woman sings the old refrain. l !
lave often heard that Shakespeare has never
lone justice TO woman. Without insti-
uting comparisons where there should Ike
lone, it seems TO me tina, the two charges are
lmost equally well founded. II Shake
peaxe's and Dickens's men play the more
prominent part, is there no reason for il?
Drama and novel demand action, and the
phere of man up TO this year 1870, being
roader, gives to him the greater variety Of
haracter. Neither writer dreamed Of the
coming woman, but shall they be reviled
Or this? They took the characteristics of
'omen as so far developed, and fashioned
UGH beings as their genius created. Ifthere
re few so-called ladies in Dickens novels,
here are fewer gentlemen; and SHALL we
uarrel with Hogarth for nc, being Sir
oshua Reynolds? Are We to Judge genius
y what never was intended to be or BY what
is? His stories are for the most part
oIute HIS pcopie are EOWeiy. II MS |
omen are not large-brained, they are wha.
infinitely better, large-hearted, and in
TO reach the ideal in his own
lind, he feared that be blot.ed their char.
tiers.
Dickens, the editor, had a. hearty a well
,me for the woman Of brains rs !or the
IAN of brains. His valued friend, Mrs.
askell, was his first contributor to House.
Did Words. He discovered the talents Of
nnie Adelaide Proctor, to whose legends
I'd lyrics he wrote 4 touching preface. He
as first TO welcome Mrs. Thomas Adoiphus
rollope, whose novels Of Amt Margaret's
rouble, Mabers Progress, &C., are attrib-
ed to his own daughter. The friend Of
ese women, Of Fanny kemble, George
Ito; and Miss Rur!eet Coutts, to tie last B.,
whom he dedicated Martin Chuzzlewit,
ID whose private donationsin certain quar-
rs he managed for years, could not .disbe- {
we in feminine intellect. Indeed, l am old &
shioned enough 10 he grateful to Dickens /;