Evening journal., 1911-03-06
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Speech of Welcome That
Washington Irving
Couldn't Make
BY "HoIland."


when Charles Dickens was max
ing his first visit to the United States,
in the latter part Of 1S41 and early
part Of 1912, he spent some days in
New York city" said the late Parke !
Goodwin, son-in-law Of William Cullen
Bryant. whose career as a journalist
and author dated back TO 1887. After
his return to England, Dickens pub
lished, | think in the year 1874, his
novel Martin Chuzzlewit,' in which
50 many chapters are devoted to the
characterization of some of the crude
personalities in American life as he
had met them.
Some of my literary friends. after
the publication OF Martin Chuzzlewit,
attempted 10 identify several Of the
places mentioned in the book, and we
did establish TO our own satisfaction
the identity of the boarding house at
which Martin Chuzzlewit and Mark
Tapley we're entertained after they
came to New York. We also tried to
identify the original of the character
of Jefferson Brick, the newspaper man
whom Dickens so vividly caricatured,
and finally we made up our minds that
| Brick WAS a composite of several
/ newspaper men WHO wore rather VI
fcious and presumptuous I'm their ap-
proaches to Dickens. jefferson Brick
was It Is true. a caricature, but he
was a caricature which had much of
truth in Il.
But the event associated with Dick
ems first visit to the United States
which I always remember with espe-
cial interest was the great dinner ten
dered to him by the leading citizens Of
New York. ] think am almost the
only man now living who had part in
that entertainment" II was in 1897 that
| MIR. Goodwin told me this anecdote.
More than fifty years had passed since
that dinner took place.
TT was known i'm New York that
Dickens greatly admired some of the
writings of Washington Irving" con-
tinued Mr.. Goodwin. "The story of Rip
Van Winkle' he regarded as a gem of
fairy tales. He concurred in the Amer
ican judgment that Irving was fore
most among American literary men.
SO II was thought that Dickens would
be especially gratified If Irving were
called upon to preside at the great
banquet, and that opinion was correct.
81 remember, however, that several
of the gentlemen, who made the ar
rangements for the dinner were in
great doubt as whether Mr.. Irving
would consent to preside or not. They
were sure that he would gladly be
present. but they thought Il would
need much persuasion to induce him
TO accept the post of presiding host
That doubt arose from the fact, then
well known, that Mr.. Irving could
never be prevailed upon to make a
an. ,ah l.. hs1 A.. A
tempts earlier and had broken down.
Irving, who had just recently been
appointed Minister at Madrid, was liv-
ing in a small two-story house in Irv-
ing Place. and when the dinner com
mittee called upon him there and ask
ed him to preside at the dinner he alb
solutely declined. Indeed, not until
several visits had been made to him
was he at last prevailed upon to ac-
cept the post, when he said, half re-
luctantly, that he would write a little
speech of welcome and commit IL thor
ougbly to memory, but that the COM
mittee would have to rely upon some
one else to make the chief address of
the evening
Mr. Irving never looked better or
seemed more confident of himself than
when the distinguished company was
assembled at the table. Dickens sat at
his right hand. The company was very
merry and companionable. Dickens
himself was in high spirits.
When Mr.. Irving raped for order,
and having secured t., stood before the
company to make the opening address,
/ every one was sure that he had con-
quered his innate modesty He began
In a clear, distinct voice. but he had
spoken only four or five words. when
his voice trembled. embarra ssment
came upon him. and with a curious
gesture Of despair he sank into his
seat, his speech unfinished. Dickens
had been warned that Irving might
break down, so that he was prepared
for this catastrophe. Quietly, he lean
ed over and whispered some comfort
ing words to lrving-no one ever knew
what they were-and the feast went on
as though nothing had happened. Nor
was any allusion ever made in the
presence of Mr. Irving. so far as
know, to what to him must have been
painful and humiliating incident
Dickens understood the tempera-
mental difficulty which made it i'm
possible for Irving to speak in public
lie told some of his friends that II was
not uncommon for men who had writ
ten great literature TO be mute when In
the presence Of many people"
Copyright. 1911, by e. j. Edwards. Al
Rights ReserYed)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell q
"rhe Lad and Famous Author VIII,
Stared at Each Other"