Evening star., 1934-05-16

headed Dickens Against the World,
and having in the top left hant
corner the note "Out of the Common
Charles Dickens of No. Devon
shire Terrace York Gate Regents
Park in the county of Middlesex,
Gentlemen, the successful Plain
tiff in the above cause maketh oath
and saith: That on the day and
date thereof, to-wit, at 7 O'Clock
in the evening, he, this deponent,
took the chair at large assembly
of the Mechanics Institution at
Liverpool, and that having been
received with tremendous and en-
thusiaStic plaudits. he this Depon-
ent. did Immediately dash into
q vigorous, brilliant, humorous, pa
thetic, eloquent, fervid and impaS-
stoned speech.
That Magpie Waistcoat.
That the said speech was re-
ceived by Thirteen Hundred Per-
sons with frequent, vehement, up
roarious and deafening cheers, and
that to the best of this Deponent's
knowledge and belief he this De-
ponent did speak up like a man
and did to the best of his knowl-
edge and belief considerably distin-
guish himself.
That after the proceedings Of the
Evening were over. and Vote Of
Thanks was proposed to this De-
ponent, he this Deponent did again
distinguish himself, and that the
cheering at that time, accompa-
MED with clapping of hands and
stamping of feet, was in this De-
ponent's ears laundering and aw-
full. And this Deponent further
saith that his white and black or
magpie waistcoat did create a
strong sensation, and that during
the hours of promenading this De-
ponent heard from persons sur
rounding him such exclamations
as What is it! Is it a waistcoat?
No, it's a shirt" and the like. all
Of which this Deponent believes to
have been complimentary and
gratifying. And this Deponent
further saith that he is now going
to supper, and wishes he may have
an appetite to eat it.
CHARLES DICKENS.
Sworn before me at the Adelphi
Hotel, Liverpool, on the 26th Of
February, 1874. S. RADLEY.
A Letter From Paris.
From Paris in July, 1850, came al
account of an affair by which Dick
ems had been "a good deal vexed.
His perturbation may strike SOM
modern readers as sheer Victorian
prudery, but it was evidently sincere
Judging from the context, Mrs. Dick
ems also had been in Paris, where sh,
had made one at dinner party with
a young French actress. This &C
tress, Dickens now learns, made {
small faux pas some indefinite tim,
ago" and would not have beer
brought to the party had it been un
derstood that other ladies were to bs
present.
So far Dickens would have beer
willing to pass over the error, but or
learning further that the actress wa!
now the mistress of an English peer
and that the association was vel
known in Paris, he is moved to senc
Mrs. Dickens the following instruc.
ton:
Now I cannot remember what
ladies dined with us that day, but
I am satisfied you ought to call
upon them, and, without making
too much of it, just say that her
history is not quite correct, you
find, and that Rogers was mistaken
in presenting her, but you never
mean to tell him so-though you
feel you owe this explanation to
them, whom you asked to meet
her." This you must do at once.
In the same letter Dickens say
that he is to meet D'Orsay at dinner
and that he has not called at tn
embassy, but intends doing so pres
emily. He goes on to express som,
heterodox opinions on the theaters:
We have been to the Francois,
where the acting was odious Gin