At a Reading in Edinburgh March 1858

Description

Speech at a Reading in Edinburgh (26 March 1858).

Creator

Dickens, Charles

Date

1858-03-26

Bibliographic Citation

Dickens, Charles. 'Speech at a Reading in Edinburgh' (26 March1858). Dickens Search. Eds. Emily Bell and Lydia Craig. Accessed [date]. https://dickenssearch.com/speeches/1858-03-26_Speech_At-a-Reading-in-Edinburgh.

Transcription

My Lord Provost, Ladies and Gentlemen, I beg to assure you that I am deeply sensible of your kind welcome and of this beautiful and great surprise, and I thank you for it cordially with all my heart. I have never forgotten, and I never can forget, that I have the honour to be a burgess and Guild brother of the Corporation of Edinburgh. So long as sixteen or seventeen years ago, the first public recognition and encouragement I ever received was bestowed upon me in this generous and magnificent city – in this city so distinguished in letters and so distinguished in the arts. You will readily believe that I have carried to the various countries I have since traversed, and through all my subsequent career, the proud and affectionate remembrance of that eventful epoch of my life; and that coming back to Edinburgh is to me like coming back home.

Ladies and gentlemen, you have heard so much of my voice tonight, that I will not inflict upon you the additional task of hearing any more from me. But I am the 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 formally express my sense of the honour and distinction you have conferred upon me, or the heartfelt gratification I have in its reception.

Summary

He began by saying that on the occasions when he had the honour of reading this little book to a public audience, he was accustomed to begin with two remarks: the first, that he would pause for a few minutes about half-way through; and second, that if as he proceeded they should feel disposed to give expression to any little emotion awakened by the story, he begged they would do so in the most natural way possible, and without the least apprehension of disturbing him.  Nothing could be more agreeable to him than to receive any assurance that they were interested, and nothing could be more in accordance with his wishes than that they should make themselves as like as possible to a small group of friends assembled to hear a tale told, and that they should at once forget everything ceremonious or formal in the manner of their coming together.

Location

Edinburgh

Venue

Music Hall

Collection

Speeches

Geolocation