is　managed　by　gardeners；　and　it　has　upon　its　books　the　excellent
  rule　that　any　gardener　who　has　subscribed　to　it　for　fifteen　years；
  and　conformed　to　the　rules；　may；　if　he　will；　be　placed　upon　the
  pensioners'　list　without　election；　without　canvass；　without
  solicitation；　and　as　his　independent　right。　　I　lay　very　great
  stress　upon　that　honourable　characteristic　of　the　charity；　because
  the　main　principle　of　any　such　institution　should　be　to　help　those
  who　help　themselves。　　That　the　Society's　pensioners　do　not　become
  such　so　long　as　they　are　able　to　support　themselves；　is　evinced　by
  the　significant　fact　that　the　average　age　of　those　now　upon　the
  list　is　seventy…seven；　that　they　are　not　wasteful　is　proved　by　the
  fact　that　the　whole　sum　expended　on　their　relief　is　but　500　pounds
  a…year；　that　the　Institution　does　not　restrict　itself　to　any　narrow
  confines；　is　shown　by　the　circumstance；　that　the　pensioners　come
  from　all　parts　of　England；　whilst　all　the　expenses　are　paid　from
  the　annual　income　and　interest　on　stock；　and　therefore　are　not
  disproportionate　to　its　means。
  Such　is　the　Institution　which　appeals　to　you　through　me；　as　a　most
  unworthy　advocate；　for　sympathy　and　support；　an　Institution　which
  has　for　its　President　a　nobleman　whose　whole　possessions　are
  remarkable　for　taste　and　beauty；　and　whose　gardener's　laurels　are
  famous　throughout　the　world。　　In　the　list　of　its　vice…presidents
  there　are　the　names　of　many　noblemen　and　gentlemen　of　great
  influence　and　station；　and　I　have　been　struck　in　glancing　through
  the　list　of　its　supporters；　with　the　sums　written　against　the　names
  of　the　numerous　nurserymen　and　seedsmen　therein　comprised。　　I　hope
  the　day　will　come　when　every　gardener　in　England　will　be　a　member
  of　the　charity。
  The　gardener　particularly　needs　such　a　provision　as　this
  Institution　affords。　　His　gains　are　not　great；　he　knows　gold　and
  silver　more　as　being　of　the　colour　of　fruits　and　flowers　than　by
  its　presence　in　his　pockets；　he　is　subjected　to　that　kind　of　labour
  which　renders　him　peculiarly　liable　to　infirmity；　and　when　old　age
  comes　upon　him；　the　gardener　is　of　all　men　perhaps　best　able　to
  appreciate　the　merits　of　such　an　institution。
  To　all　indeed；　present　and　absent；　who　are　descended　from　the　first
  〃gardener　Adam　and　his　wife；〃
  the　benefits　of　such　a　society　are　obvious。　　In　the　culture　of
  flowers　there　cannot；　by　their　very　nature；　be　anything；　solitary
  or　exclusive。　　The　wind　that　blows　over　the　cottager's　porch；
  sweeps　also　over　the　grounds　of　the　nobleman；　and　as　the　rain
  descends　on　the　just　and　on　the　unjust；　so　it　communicates　to　all
  gardeners；　both　rich　and　poor；　an　interchange　of　pleasure　and
  enjoyment；　and　the　gardener　of　the　rich　man；　in　developing　and
  enhancing　a　fruitful　flavour　or　a　delightful　scent；　is；　in　some
  sort；　the　gardener　of　everybody　else。
  The　love　of　gardening　is　associated　with　all　conditions　of　men；　and
  all　periods　of　time。　　The　scholar　and　the　statesman；　men　of　peace
  and　men　of　war；　have　agreed　in　all　ages　to　delight　in　gardens。　　The
  most　ancient　people　of　the　earth　had　gardens　where　there　is　now
  nothing　but　solitary　heaps　of　earth。　　The　poor　man　in　crowded
  cities　gardens　still　in　jugs　and　basins　and　bottles：　　in　factories
  and　workshops　people　garden；　and　even　the　prisoner　is　found
  gardening　in　his　lonely　cell；　after　years　and　years　of　solitary
  confinement。　　Surely；　then；　the　gardener　who　produces　shapes　and
  objects　so　lovely　and　so　comforting；　should　have　some　hold　upon　the
  world's　remembrance　when　he　himself　becomes　in　need　of　comfort。
  I　will　call　upon　you　to　drink　〃Prosperity　to　the　Gardeners'
  Benevolent　Institution；〃　and　I　beg　to　couple　with　that　toast　the
  name　of　its　noble　President；　the　Duke　of　Devonshire；　whose　worth　is
  written　in　all　his　deeds；　and　who　has　communicated　to　his　title　and
  his　riches　a　lustre　which　no　title　and　no　riches　could　confer。
  ＇Later　in　the　evening；　Mr。　Dickens　said：…＇
  My　office　has　compelled　me　to　burst　into　bloom　so　often　that　I
  could　wish　there　were　a　closer　parallel　between　myself　and　the
  American　aloe。　　It　is　particularly　agreeable　and　appropriate　to
  know　that　the　parents　of　this　Institution　are　to　be　found　in　the
  seed　and　nursery　trade；　and　the　seed　having　yielded　such　good
  fruit；　and　the　nursery　having　produced　such　a　healthy　child；　I　have
  the　greatest　pleasure　in　proposing　the　health　of　the　parents　of　the
  Institution。
  ＇In　proposing　the　health　of　the　Treasurers；　Mr。　Dickens　said：…＇
  My　observation　of　the　signboards　of　this　country　has　taught　me　that
  its　conventional　gardeners　are　always　jolly；　and　always　three　in
  number。　　Whether　that　conventionality　has　reference　to　the　Three
  Graces；　or　to　those　very　significant　letters；　L。；　S。；　D。；　I　do　not
  know。　　Those　mystic　letters　are；　however；　most　important；　and　no
  society　can　have　officers　of　more　importance　than　its　Treasurers；
  nor　can　it　possibly　give　them　too　much　to　do。
  SPEECH：　　BIRMINGHAM；　JANUARY　6；　1853。
  ＇On　Thursday；　January　6；　1853；　at　the　rooms　of　the　Society　of
  Artists；　in　Temple　Row；　Birmingham；　a　large　company　assembled　to
  witness　the　presentation　of　a　testimonial　to　Mr。　Charles　Dickens；
  consisting　of　a　silver…gilt　salver　and　a　diamond　ring。　　Mr。　Dickens
  acknowledged　the　tribute；　and　the　address　which　accompanied　it；　in
  the　following　words：…＇
  GENTLEMEN；　I　feel　it　very　difficult；　I　assure　you；　to　tender　my
  acknowledgments　to　you；　and　through　you；　to　those　many　friends　of
  mine　whom　you　represent；　for　this　honour　and　distinction　which　you
  have　conferred　upon　me。　　I　can　most　honestly　assure　you；　that　it　is
  in　the　power　of　no　great　representative　of　numbers　of　people　to
  awaken　such　happiness　in　me　as　is　inspired　by　this　token　of
  goodwill　and　remembrance；　coming　to　me　direct　and　fresh　from　the
  numbers　themselves。　　I　am　truly　sensible；　gentlemen；　that　my
  friends　who　have　united　in　this　address　are　partial　in　their
  kindness；　and　regard　what　I　have　done　with　too　great　favour。　　But　I
  may　say；　with　reference　to　one　class　…　some　members　of　which；　I
  presume；　are　included　there　…　that　I　should　in　my　own　eyes　be　very
  unworthy　both　of　the　generous　gift　and　the　generous　feeling　which
  has　been　evinced；　and　this　occasion；　instead　of　pleasure；　would
  give　me　nothing　but　pain；　if　I　was　unable　to　assure　them；　and　those
  who　are　in　front　of　this　assembly；　that　what　the　working　people
  have　found　me　towards　them　in　my　books；　I　am　throughout　my　life。
  Gentlemen；　whenever　I　have　tried　to　hold　up　to　admiration　their
  fortitude；　patience；　gentleness；　the　reasonableness　of　their
  nature；　so　accessible　to　persuasion；　and　their　extraordinary
  goodness　one　towards　another；　I　have　done　so　because　I　have　first
  genuinely　felt　that　admiration　myself；　and　have　been　thoroughly
  imbued　with　the　sentiment　which　I　sought　to　communicate　to　others。
  Gentlemen；　I　accept　this　salver　and　this　ring　as　far　above　all
  price　to　me；　as　very　valuable　in　themselves；　and　as　beautiful
  specimens　of　the　workmanship　of　this　town；　with　great　emotion；　I
  assure　you；　and　with　the　liveliest　gratitude。　　You　remember
  something；　I　daresay；　of　the　old　romantic　stories　of　those　charmed
  rings　which　would　lose　their　brilliance　when　their　wearer　was　in
  danger；　or　would　press　his　finger　reproachfully　when　he　was　going
  to　do　wrong。　　In　the　very　improbable　event　of　my　being　in　the　least
  danger　of　deserting　the　principles　which　have　won　me　these　tokens；
  I　am　sure　the　diamond　in　that　ring　would　assume　a　clouded　aspect　to
  my　faithless　eye；　and　would；　I　know；　squeeze　a　throb　of　pain　out　of
  my　treacherous　heart。　　But　I　have　not　the　least　misgiving　on　that
  point；　and；　in　this　confident　expectation；　I　shall　remove　my　own
  old　diamond　ring　from　my　left　hand；　and　in　future　wear　the
  Birmingham　ring　on　my　right；　where　its　grasp　will　keep　me　in　mind
  of　the　good　friends　I　have　here；　and　in　vivid　remembrance　of　this
  happy　hour。
  Gentlemen；　in　conclusion；　allow　me　to　thank　you　and　the　Society　to
  whom　these　rooms　belong；　that　the　presentation　has　taken　place　in
  an　atmosphere　so　congenial　to　me；　and　in　an　apartment　decorated
  with　so　many　beautiful　works　of　art；　among　which　I　recognize　before
  me　the　productions　of　friends　of　mine；　whose　labours　and　triumphs
  will　never　be　subjects　of　indifference　to　me。　　I　thank　those
  gentlemen　for　giving　me　the　opportunity　of　meeting　them　here　on　an
  occasion　which　has　some　connexion　with　their　own　proceedings；　and；
  though　last　not　least；　I　tender　my　acknowledgments　to　that　charming
  presence；　without　which　nothing　beautiful　can　be　complete；　and
  which　is　endearingly　associated　with　rings　of　a　plainer
  description；　and　which；　I　must　confess；　awakens　in　my　mind　at　the
  present　moment　a　feeling　of　regret　that　I　am　not　in　a　condition　to
  make　an　offer　of　these　testimonials。　　I　beg　you；　gentlemen；　to
  commend　me　very　earnestly　and　gratefully　to　our　absent　friends；　and
  to　assure　them　of　my　affe