supporting；　they　address　you；　in　effect；　in　these　words：…　〃We　ask
  you　to　help　these　widows　and　orphans；　because　we　show　you　we　have
  first　helped　ourselves。　　These　widows　and　orphans　may　be　ours　or
  they　may　not　be　ours；　but　in　any　case　we　will　prove　to　you　to　a
  certainty　that　we　are　not　so　many　wagoners　calling　upon　Jupiter　to
  do　our　work；　because　we　do　our　own　work；　each　has　his　shoulder　to
  the　wheel；　each；　from　year　to　year；　has　had　his　shoulder　set　to　the
  wheel；　and　the　prayer　we　make　to　Jupiter　and　all　the　gods　is　simply
  this　…　that　this　fact　may　be　remembered　when　the　wagon　has　stopped
  for　ever；　and　the　spent　and　worn…out　wagoner　lies　lifeless　by　the
  roadside。
  〃Ladies　and　Gentlemen；　I　most　particularly　wish　to　impress　on　you
  the　strength　of　this　appeal。　　I　am　a　painter；　a　sculptor；　or　an
  engraver；　of　average　success。　　I　study　and　work　here　for　no　immense
  return；　while　life　and　health；　while　hand　and　eye　are　mine。　　I
  prudently　belong　to　the　Annuity　Fund；　which　in　sickness；　old　age；
  and　infirmity；　preserves　me　from　want。　　I　do　my　duty　to　those　who
  are　depending　on　me　while　life　remains；　but　when　the　grass　grows
  above　my　grave　there　is　no　provision　for　them　any　longer。〃
  This　is　the　case　with　the　Artists'　Benevolent　Fund；　and　in　stating
  this　I　am　only　the　mouthpiece　of　three　hundred　of　the　trade；　who　in
  truth　stands　as　independent　before　you　as　if　they　were　three
  hundred　Cockers　all　regulated　by　the　Gospel　according　to
  themselves。　　There　are　in　existence　three　artists'　funds；　which
  ought　never　to　be　mentioned　without　respect。　　I　am　an　officer　of
  one　of　them；　and　can　speak　from　knowledge；　but　on　this　occasion　I
  address　myself　to　a　case　for　which　there　is　no　provision。　　I
  address　you　on　behalf　of　those　professors　of　the　fine　arts　who　have
  made　provision　during　life；　and　in　submitting　to　you　their　claims　I
  am　only　advocating　principles　which　I　myself　have　always
  maintained。
  When　I　add　that　this　Benevolent　Fund　makes　no　pretensions　to
  gentility；　squanders　no　treasure　in　keeping　up　appearances；　that　it
  considers　that　the　money　given　for　the　widow　and　the　orphan；　should
  really　be　held　for　the　widow　and　the　orphan；　I　think　I　have
  exhausted　the　case；　which　I　desire　most　strenuously　to　commend　to
  you。
  Perhaps　you　will　allow　me　to　say　one　last　word。　　I　will　not　consent
  to　present　to　you　the　professors　of　Art　as　a　set　of　helpless
  babies；　who　are　to　be　held　up　by　the　chin；　I　present　them　as　an
  energetic　and　persevering　class　of　men；　whose　incomes　depend　on
  their　own　faculties　and　personal　exertions；　and　I　also　make　so　bold
  as　to　present　them　as　men　who　in　their　vocation　render　good　service
  to　the　community。　　I　am　strongly　disposed　to　believe　there　are　very
  few　debates　in　Parliament　so　important　to　the　public　welfare　as　a
  really　good　picture。　　I　have　also　a　notion　that　any　number　of
  bundles　of　the　driest　legal　chaff　that　ever　was　chopped　would　be
  cheaply　expended　for　one　really　meritorious　engraving。　　At　a　highly
  interesting　annual　festival　at　which　I　have　the　honour　to　assist；
  and　which　takes　place　behind　two　fountains；　I　sometimes　observe
  that　great　ministers　of　state　and　other　such　exalted　characters
  have　a　strange　delight　in　rather　ostentatiously　declaring　that　they
  have　no　knowledge　whatever　of　art；　and　particularly　of　impressing
  on　the　company　that　they　have　passed　their　lives　in　severe　studies。
  It　strikes　me　when　I　hear　these　things　as　if　these　great　men　looked
  upon　the　arts　as　a　sort　of　dancing　dogs；　or　Punch's　show；　to　be
  turned　to　for　amusement　when　one　has　nothing　else　to　do。　　Now　I
  always　take　the　opportunity　on　these　occasions　of　entertaining　my
  humble　opinion　that　all　this　is　complete　〃bosh；〃　and　of　asserting
  to　myself　my　strong　belief　that　the　neighbourhoods　of　Trafalgar
  Square；　or　Suffolk　Street；　rightly　understood；　are　quite　as
  important　to　the　welfare　of　the　empire　as　those　of　Downing　Street；
  or　Westminster　Hall。　　Ladies　and　Gentlemen；　on　these　grounds；　and
  backed　by　the　recommendation　of　three　hundred　artists　in　favour　of
  the　Benevolent　Fund；　I　beg　to　propose　its　prosperity　as　a　toast　for
  your　adoption。
  SPEECH：　　THE　FAREWELL　READING。　　ST。　JAMES'S　HALL；　MARCH　15；　1870。
  ＇With　the　〃Christmas　Carol〃　and　〃The　Trial　from　Pickwick；〃　Mr。
  Charles　Dickens　brought　to　a　brilliant　close　the　memorable　series
  of　public　readings　which　have　for　sixteen　years　proved　to　audiences
  unexampled　in　numbers；　the　source　of　the　highest　intellectual
  enjoyment。　　Every　portion　of　available　space　in　the　building　was；
  of　course；　last　night　occupied　some　time　before　the　appointed　hour；
  but　could　the　St。　James's　Hall　have　been　specially　enlarged　for　the
  occasion　to　the　dimensions　of　Salisbury　Plain；　it　is　doubtful
  whether　sufficient　room　would　even　then　have　been　provided　for　all
  anxious　to　seize　the　last　chance　of　hearing　the　distinguished
  novelist　give　his　own　interpretation　of　the　characters　called　into
  existence　by　his　own　creative　pen。　　As　if　determined　to　convince
  his　auditors　that；　whatever　reason　had　influenced　his
  determination；　physical　exhaustion　was　not　amongst　them；　Mr。
  Dickens　never　read　with　greater　spirit　and　energy。　　His　voice　to
  the　last　retained　its　distinctive　clearness；　and　the　transitions　of
  tone；　as　each　personage　in　the　story；　conjured　up　by　a　word；　rose
  vividly　before　the　eye；　seemed　to　be　more　marvellous　than　ever。
  The　vast　assemblage；　hushed　into　breathless　attention；　suffered　not
  a　syllable　to　escape　the　ear；　and　the　rich　humour　and　deep　pathos
  of　one　of　the　most　delightful　books　ever　written　found　once　again
  the　fullest　appreciation。　　The　usual　burst　of　merriment　responsive
  to　the　blithe　description　of　Bob　Cratchit's　Christmas　day；　and　the
  wonted　sympathy　with　the　crippled　child　〃Tiny　Tim；〃　found　prompt
  expression；　and　the　general　delight　at　hearing　of　Ebenezer
  Scrooge's　reformation　was　only　checked　by　the　saddening　remembrance
  that　with　it　the　last　strain　of　the　〃carol〃　was　dying　away。　　After
  the　〃Trial　from　Pickwick；〃　in　which　the　speeches　of　the　opposing
  counsel；　and　the　owlish　gravity　of　the　judge；　seemed　to　be
  delivered　and　depicted　with　greater　dramatic　power　than　ever；　the
  applause　of　the　audience　rang　for　several　minutes　through　the　hall；
  and　when　it　had　subsided；　Mr。　Dickens；　with　evidently　strong
  emotion；　but　in　his　usual　distinct　and　expressive　manner；　spoke　as
  follows：…＇
  LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　It　would　be　worse　than　idle　…　for　it　would
  be　hypocritical　and　unfeeling　…　if　I　were　to　disguise　that　I　close
  this　episode　in　my　life　with　feelings　of　very　considerable　pain。
  For　some　fifteen　years；　in　this　hall　and　in　many　kindred　places；　I
  have　had　the　honour　of　presenting　my　own　cherished　ideas　before　you
  for　your　recognition；　and；　in　closely　observing　your　reception　of
  them；　have　enjoyed　an　amount　of　artistic　delight　and　instruction
  which；　perhaps；　is　given　to　few　men　to　know。　　In　this　task；　and　in
  every　other　I　have　ever　undertaken；　as　a　faithful　servant　of　the
  public；　always　imbued　with　a　sense　of　duty　to　them；　and　always
  striving　to　do　his　best；　I　have　been　uniformly　cheered　by　the
  readiest　response；　the　most　generous　sympathy；　and　the　most
  stimulating　support。　　Nevertheless；　I　have　thought　it　well；　at　the
  full　flood…tide　of　your　favour；　to　retire　upon　those　older
  associations　between　us；　which　date　from　much　further　back　than
  these；　and　henceforth　to　devote　myself　exclusively　to　the　art　that
  first　brought　us　together。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　in　but　two　short
  weeks　from　this　time　I　hope　that　you　may　enter；　in　your　own　homes；
  on　a　new　series　of　readings；　at　which　my　assistance　will　be
  indispensable；　but　from　these　garish　lights　I　vanish　now　for
  evermore；　with　a　heartfelt；　grateful；　respectful；　and　affectionate
  farewell。
  ＇Amidst　repeated　acclamations　of　the　most　enthusiastic　description；
  whilst　hats　and　handkerchiefs　were　waving　in　every　part　of　the
  hall；　Mr。　Charles　Dickens　retired；　withdrawing　with　him　one　of　the
  greatest　intellectual　treats　the　public　ever　enjoyed。＇
  SPEECH：　　THE　NEWSVENDORS'　INSTITUTION；　LONDON；　APRIL　5；　1870。
  ＇The　annual　dinner　in　aid　of　the　funds　of　the　Newsvendors'
  Benevolent　and　Provident　Institution　was　held　on　the　above　evening；
  at　the　Freemason's　Tavern。　　Mr。　Charles　Dickens　presided；　and　was
  supported　by　the　Sheriffs　of　the　City　of　London　and　Middlesex。
  After　the　usual　toasts　had　been　given　and　responded　to；
  The　Chairman　said　that　if　the　approved　order　of　their　proceedings
  had　been　observed；　the　Corporation　of　the　City　of　London　would　no
  doubt　have　considered　themselves　snubbed　if　they　were　not　toasted
  by　themselves。　　He　was　sure　that　a　distinguished　member　of　the
  Corporation　who　was　present　would　tell　the　company　what　the
  Corporation　were　going　to　do；　and　he　had　not　the　slightest　doubt
  they　were　going　to　do　something　highly　creditable　to　themselves；
  and　something　highly　serviceable　to　the　whole　metropolis；　and