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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 affectionate and heartfelt respect。
The company then adjourned to Dee's Hotel； where a banquet took
place； at which about 220 persons were present； among whom were
some of the most distinguished of the Royal Academicians。 To the
toast of 〃The Literature of England；〃 Mr。 Dickens responded as
follows：…
Mr。 Mayor and Gentlemen； I am happy； on behalf of many labourers in
that great field of literature to which you have pledged the toast；
to thank you for the tribute you have paid to it。 Such an honour；
rendered by acclamation in such a place as this； seems to me； if I
may follow on the same side as the venerable Archdeacon （Sandford）
who lately addressed you； and who has inspired me with a
gratification I can never forget … such an honour； gentlemen；
rendered here； seems to me a two…sided illustration of the position
that literature holds in these latter and； of course； 〃degenerate〃
days。 To the great compact phalanx of the people； by whose
industry； perseverance； and intelligence； and their result in
money…wealth； such places as Birmingham； and many others like it；
have arisen … to that great centre of support； that comprehensive
experience； and that beating heart； literature has turned happily
from individual patrons … sometimes munificent； often sordid；
always few … and has there found at once its highest purpose； its
natural range of action； and its best reward。 Therefore it is
right also； as it seems to me； not only that literature should
receive honour here； but that it should render honour； too；
remembering that if it has undoubtedly done good to Birmingham；
Birmingham has undoubtedly done good to it。 From the shame of the
purchased dedication； from the scurrilous and dirty work of Grub
Street； from the dependent seat on sufferance at my Lord Duke's
table to…day； and from the sponging…house or Marshalsea to…morrow …
from that venality which； by a fine moral retribution； has degraded
statesmen even to a greater extent than authors； because the
statesman entertained a low belief in the universality of
corruption； while the author yielded only to the dire necessity of
his calling … from all such evils the people have set literature
free。 And my creed in the exercise of that profession is； that
literature cannot be too faithful to the people in return … cannot
too ardently advocate the cause of their advancement； happiness；
and prosperity。 I have heard it sometimes said … and what is
worse； as expressing something more cold…blooded； I have sometimes
seen it written … that literature has suffered by this change； that
it has degenerated by being made cheaper。 I have not found that to
be the case： nor do I believe that you have made the discovery
either。 But let a good book in these 〃bad〃 times be made
accessible； … even upon an abstruse and difficult subject； so that
it be one of legitimate interest to mankind； … and my life on it；
it shall be extensively bought； read； and well considered。
Why do I say this？ Because I believe there are in Birmingham at
this moment many working men infinitely better versed in
Shakespeare and in Milton than the average of fine gentlemen in the
days of bought…and…sold dedications and dear books。 I ask anyone
to consider for himself who； at this time； gives the greatest
relative encouragement to the dissemination of such useful
publications as 〃Macaulay's History；〃 〃Layard's Researches；〃
〃Tennyson's Poems；〃 〃The Duke of Wellington's published
Despatches；〃 or the minutest truths （if any truth can be called
minute） discovered by the genius of a Herschel or a Faraday？ It is
with all these things as with the great music of Mendelssohn； or a
lecture upon art … if we had the good fortune to listen to one to…
morrow … by my distinguished friend the President of the Royal
Academy。 However small the audience； however contracted the circle
in the water； in the first instance； the people are nearer the
wider range outside； and the Sister Arts； while they instruct them；
derive a wholesome advantage and improvement from their ready
sympathy and cordial response。 I may instance the case of my
friend Mr。 Ward's magnificent picture； and the reception of that
picture here is an example that it is not now the province of art
in painting to hold itself in monastic seclusion； that it cannot
hope to rest on a single foundation for its great temple； … on the
mere classic pose of a figure； or the folds of a drapery … but that
it must be imbued with human passions and action； informed with
human right and wrong； and； being so informed； it may fearlessly
put itself upon its trial； like the criminal of old； to be judged
by God and its country。
Gentlemen； to return and conclude； as I shall have occasion to
trouble you again。 For this time I have only once again to repeat
what I have already said。 As I begun with literature； I shall end
with it。 I would simply say that I believe no true man； with
anything to tell； need have the least misgiving； either for himself
or his message； before a large number of hearers … always supposing
that he be not afflicted with the coxcombical idea of writing down
to the popular intelligence； instead of writing the popular
intelligence up to himself； if； perchance； he be above it； … and；
provided always that he deliver himself plainly of what is in him；
which seems to be no unreasonable stipulation； it being supposed
that he has some dim design of making himself understood。 On
behalf of that literature to which you have done so much honour； I
beg to thank you most cordially； and on my own behalf； for the most
flattering reception you have given to one whose claim is； that he
has the distinction of making it his profession。
＇Later in the evening； Mr。 Dickens gave as a toast； 〃The
Educational Institutions of Birmingham；〃 in the following speech：＇
I am requested to propose … or； according to the hypothesis of my
friend； Mr。 Owen； I am in the temporary character of a walking
advertisement to advertise to you … the Educational Institutions of
Birmingham； an advertisement to which I have the greatest pleasure
in calling your attention； Gentlemen； it is right that I should； in
so many words； mention the more prominent of these institutions；
not because your local memories require any prompting； but because
the enumeration implies what has been done here； what you are
doing； and what you will yet do。 I believe the first is the King
Edward's Grammar School； with its various branches； and prominent
among them is that most admirable means of training the wives of
working men to be good wives and working wives； the prime ornament
of their homes； and the cause of happiness to others … I mean those
excellent girls' schools in various parts of the town； which； under
the excellent superintendence of the principal； I should most
sincerely desire to see in every town in England。 Next； I believe；
is the Spring Hill College； a learned institution belonging to the
body of Independents； foremost among whose professors literature is
proud to hail Mr。 Henry Rogers as one of the soundest and ablest
contributors to the Edinburgh Review。 The next is the Queen's
College； which； I may say； is only a newly…born child； but； in the
hands of such an admirable Doctor； we may hope to see it arrive at
a vigorous maturity。 The next is the School of Design； which； as
has been well observed by my friend Sir Charles Eastlake； is
invaluable in such a place as this； and； lastly； there is the
Polytechnic Institution； with regard to which I had long ago
occasion to express my profound conviction that it was of
unspeakable importance to such a community as this； when I had the
honour to be present； under the auspices of your excellent
representative； Mr。 Scholefield。 This is the last of what has been
done in an educational way。 They are all admirable in their kind；
but I am glad to find that more is yet doing。 A few days ago I
received a Birmingham newspaper； containing a most interesting
account of a preliminary meeting for the formation of a Reformatory
School for juvenile delinquents。 You are not exempt here from the
honour of saving these poor； neglected； and wretched outcasts。 I
read of one infant； six years old； who has been twice as many times
in the hands of the police as years have passed over his devoted
head。 These are the eggs from which gaol…birds are hatched； if you
wish to check that dreadful brood； you must take the young and
innocent； and have them reared by Christian hands。
Lastly； I am rejoiced to find that there is on foot a scheme for a
new Literary and Scientific Institution； which would be worthy even
of this place； if there was nothing of the kind in it … an
institution； as I understand it； where the words