great　public　recognition　and　encouragement　I　ever　received　was
  bestowed　on　me　in　this　generous　and　magnificent　city　…　in　this　city
  so　distinguished　in　literature　and　so　distinguished　in　the　arts。
  You　will　readily　believe　that　I　have　carried　into　the　various
  countries　I　have　since　traversed；　and　through　all　my　subsequent
  career；　the　proud　and　affectionate　remembrance　of　that　eventful
  epoch　in　my　life；　and　that　coming　back　to　Edinburgh　is　to　me　like
  coming　home。
  Ladies　and　gentlemen；　you　have　heard　so　much　of　my　voice　to…night；
  that　I　will　not　inflict　on　you　the　additional　task　of　hearing　any
  more。　　I　am　better　reconciled　to　limiting　myself　to　these　very　few
  words；　because　I　know　and　feel　full　well　that　no　amount　of　speech
  to　which　I　could　give　utterance　could　possibly　express　my　sense　of
  the　honour　and　distinction　you　have　conferred　on　me；　or　the
  heartfelt　gratification　I　derive　from　this　reception。
  SPEECH：　　LONDON；　MARCH　29；　1858。
  ＇At　the　thirteenth　anniversary　festival　of　the　General　Theatrical
  Fund；　held　at　the　Freemasons'　Tavern；　at　which　Thackeray　presided；
  Mr。　Dickens　made　the　following　speech：＇
  IN　our　theatrical　experience　as　playgoers　we　are　all　equally
  accustomed　to　predict　by　certain　little　signs　and　portents　on　the
  stage　what　is　going　to　happen　there。　　When　the　young　lady；　an
  admiral's　daughter；　is　left　alone　to　indulge　in　a　short　soliloquy；
  and　certain　smart　spirit…rappings　are　heard　to　proceed　immediately
  from　beneath　her　feet；　we　foretell　that　a　song　is　impending。　　When
  two　gentlemen　enter；　for　whom；　by　a　happy　coincidence；　two　chairs；
  and　no　more；　are　in　waiting；　we　augur　a　conversation；　and　that　it
  will　assume　a　retrospective　biographical　character。　　When　any　of
  the　performers　who　belong　to　the　sea…faring　or　marauding
  professions　are　observed　to　arm　themselves　with　very　small　swords
  to　which　are　attached　very　large　hilts；　we　predict　that　the　affair
  will　end　in　a　combat。　　Carrying　out　the　association　of　ideas；　it
  may　have　occurred　to　some　that　when　I　asked　my　old　friend　in　the
  chair　to　allow　me　to　propose　a　toast　I　had　him　in　my　eye；　and　I
  have　him　now　on　my　lips。
  The　duties　of　a　trustee　of　the　Theatrical　Fund；　an　office　which　I
  hold；　are　not　so　frequent　or　so　great　as　its　privileges。　　He　is　in
  fact　a　mere　walking　gentleman；　with　the　melancholy　difference　that
  he　has　no　one　to　love。　　If　this　advantage　could　be　added　to　his
  character　it　would　be　one　of　a　more　agreeable　nature　than　it　is；
  and　his　forlorn　position　would　be　greatly　improved。　　His　duty　is　to
  call　every　half　year　at　the　bankers'；　when　he　signs　his　name　in　a
  large　greasy　inconvenient　book；　to　certain　documents　of　which　he
  knows　nothing；　and　then　he　delivers　it　to　the　property　man　and
  exits　anywhere。
  He；　however；　has　many　privileges。　　It　is　one　of　his　privileges　to
  watch　the　steady　growth　of　an　institution　in　which　he　takes　great
  interest；　it　is　one　of　his　privileges　to　bear　his　testimony　to　the
  prudence；　the　goodness；　the　self…denial；　and　the　excellence　of　a
  class　of　persons　who　have　been　too　long　depreciated；　and　whose
  virtues　are　too　much　denied；　out　of　the　depths　of　an　ignorant　and
  stupid　superstition。　　And　lastly；　it　is　one　of　his　privileges
  sometimes　to　be　called　on　to　propose　the　health　of　the　chairman　at
  the　annual　dinners　of　the　institution；　when　that　chairman　is　one
  for　whose　genius　he　entertains　the　warmest　admiration；　and　whom　he
  respects　as　a　friend；　and　as　one　who　does　honour　to　literature；　and
  in　whom　literature　is　honoured。　　I　say　when　that　is　the　case；　he
  feels　that　this　last　privilege　is　a　great　and　high　one。　　From　the
  earliest　days　of　this　institution　I　have　ventured　to　impress　on　its
  managers；　that　they　would　consult　its　credit　and　success　by
  choosing　its　chairmen　as　often　as　possible　within　the　circle　of
  literature　and　the　arts；　and　I　will　venture　to　say　that　no　similar
  institution　has　been　presided　over　by　so　many　remarkable　and
  distinguished　men。　　I　am　sure；　however；　that　it　never　has　had；　and
  that　it　never　will　have；　simply　because　it　cannot　have；　a　greater
  lustre　cast　upon　it　than　by　the　presence　of　the　noble　English
  writer　who　fills　the　chair　to…night。
  It　is　not　for　me　at　this　time；　and　in　this　place；　to　take　on　myself
  to　flutter　before　you　the　well…thumbed　pages　of　Mr。　Thackeray's
  books；　and　to　tell　you　to　observe　how　full　they　are　of　wit　and
  wisdom；　how　out…speaking；　and　how　devoid　of　fear　or　favour；　but　I
  will　take　leave　to　remark；　in　paying　my　due　homage　and　respect　to
  them；　that　it　is　fitting　that　such　a　writer　and　such　an　institution
  should　be　brought　together。　　Every　writer　of　fiction；　although　he
  may　not　adopt　the　dramatic　form；　writes　in　effect　for　the　stage。
  He　may　never　write　plays；　but　the　truth　and　passion　which　are　in
  him　must　be　more　or　less　reflected　in　the　great　mirror　which　he
  holds　up　to　nature。　　Actors；　managers；　and　authors　are　all
  represented　in　this　company；　and　it　maybe　supposed　that　they　all
  have　studied　the　deep　wants　of　the　human　heart　in　many　theatres；
  but　none　of　them　could　have　studied　its　mysterious　workings　in　any
  theatre　to　greater　advantage　than　in　the　bright　and　airy　pages　of
  VANITY　FAIR。　　To　this　skilful　showman；　who　has　so　often　delighted
  us；　and　who　has　charmed　us　again　to…night；　we　have　now　to　wish　God
  speed；　and　that　he　may　continue　for　many　years　to　exercise　his
  potent　art。　　To　him　fill　a　bumper　toast；　and　fervently　utter；　God
  bless　him！
  SPEECH：　　LONDON；　APRIL　29；　1858。
  ＇The　reader　will　already　have　observed　that　in　the　Christmas　week
  of　1853；　and　on　several　subsequent　occasions；　Mr。　Dickens　had　read
  the　CHRISTMAS　CAROL　and　the　CHIMES　before　public　audiences；　but
  always　in　aid　of　the　funds　of　some　institution；　or　for　other
  benevolent　purposes。　　The　first　reading　he　ever　gave　for　his　own
  benefit　took　place　on　the　above　date；　in　St。　Martin's　Hall；　（now
  converted　into　the　Queen's　Theatre）。　　This　reading　Mr。　Dickens
  prefaced　with　the　following　speech：…＇
  LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　It　may　perhaps　be　in　known　to　you　that；　for
  a　few　years　past；　I　have　been　accustomed　occasionally　to　read　some
  of　my　shorter　books；　to　various　audiences；　in　aid　of　a　variety　of
  good　objects；　and　at　some　charge　to　myself；　both　in　time　and　money。
  It　having　at　length　become　impossible　in　any　reason　to　comply　with
  these　always　accumulating　demands；　I　have　had　definitively　to
  choose　between　now　and　then　reading　on　my　own　account；　as　one　of　my
  recognised　occupations；　or　not　reading　at　all。　　I　have　had　little
  or　no　difficulty　in　deciding　on　the　former　course。　　The　reasons
  that　have　led　me　to　it　…　besides　the　consideration　that　it
  necessitates　no　departure　whatever　from　the　chosen　pursuits　of　my
  life　…　are　threefold：　　firstly；　I　have　satisfied　myself　that　it　can
  involve　no　possible　compromise　of　the　credit　and　independence　of
  literature；　secondly；　I　have　long　held　the　opinion；　and　have　long
  acted　on　the　opinion；　that　in　these　times　whatever　brings　a　public
  man　and　his　public　face　to　face；　on　terms　of　mutual　confidence　and
  respect；　is　a　good　thing；　thirdly；　I　have　had　a　pretty　large
  experience　of　the　interest　my　hearers　are　so　generous　as　to　take　in
  these　occasions；　and　of　the　delight　they　give　to　me；　as　a　tried
  means　of　strengthening　those　relations　…　I　may　almost　say　of
  personal　friendship　…　which　it　is　my　great　privilege　and　pride；　as
  it　is　my　great　responsibility；　to　hold　with　a　multitude　of　persons
  who　will　never　hear　my　voice　nor　see　my　face。　　Thus　it　is　that　I
  come；　quite　naturally；　to　be　here　among　you　at　this　time；　and　thus
  it　is　that　I　proceed　to　read　this　little　book；　quite　as　composedly
  as　I　might　proceed　to　write　it；　or　to　publish　it　in　any　other　way。
  SPEECH：　　LONDON；　MAY　1；　1858。
  ＇The　following　short　speech　was　made　at　the　Banquet　of　the　Royal
  Academy；　after　the　health　of　Mr。　Dickens　and　Mr。　Thackeray　had　been
  proposed　by　the　President；　Sir　Charles　Eastlake：…＇
  FOLLOWING　the　order　of　your　toast；　I　have　to　take　the　first　part　in
  the　duet　to　be　performed　in　acknowledgment　of　the　compliment　you
  have　paid　to　literature。　　In　this　home　of　art　I　feel　it　to　be　too
  much　an　interchange　of　compliments；　as　it　were；　between　near
  relations；　to　enter　into　any　lengthened　expression　of　our　thanks
  for　the　honour　you　have　done　us。　　I　feel　that　it　would　be　changing
  this　splendid　assembly　into　a　sort　of　family　party。　　I　may；
  however；　take　leave　to　say　that　your　sister；　whom　I　represent；　is
  strong　and　healthy；　that　she　has　a　very　great　affection　for；　and　an
  undying　interest　in　you；　and　that　it　is　always　a　very　great
  gratification　to　her　to　see　herself　so　well　remembered　within　these
  walls；　and　to　know　that　she　is　an　honoured　guest　at　your　hospitable
  board。
  SPEECH：　　LONDON；　JULY　21；　1858。
  ＇On　the　above　date；　a　public　meeting　was　held　at　the　Princess's
  Theatre；　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　the　now　famous　Royal