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recipients of the bounty of the Charity amounted to little more
than 100 pounds； inclusive of all office charges and expenses。 The
experience and knowledge of those entrusted with the management of
the funds are a guarantee that the last available farthing of the
funds will be distributed among proper and deserving recipients。
Claiming； on my part； to be related in some degree to the
profession of an artist； I disdain to stoop to ask for charity； in
the ordinary acceptation of the term； on behalf of the Artists。 In
its broader and higher signification of generous confidence；
lasting trustfulness； love and confiding belief； I very readily
associate that cardinal virtue with art。 I decline to present the
artist to the notice of the public as a grown…up child； or as a
strange； unaccountable； moon…stricken person； waiting helplessly in
the street of life to be helped over the road by the crossing…
sweeper； on the contrary； I present the artist as a reasonable
creature； a sensible gentleman； and as one well acquainted with the
value of his time； and that of other people； as if he were in the
habit of going on high 'Change every day。 The Artist whom I wish
to present to the notice of the Meeting is one to whom the perfect
enjoyment of the five senses is essential to every achievement of
his life。 He can gain no wealth nor fame by buying something which
he never touched； and selling it to another who would also never
touch or see it； but was compelled to strike out for himself every
spark of fire which lighted； burned； and perhaps consumed him。 He
must win the battle of life with his own hand； and with his own
eyes； and was obliged to act as general； captain； ensign； non…
commissioned officer； private； drummer； great arms； small arms；
infantry； cavalry； all in his own unaided self。 When； therefore； I
ask help for the artist； I do not make my appeal for one who was a
cripple from his birth； but I ask it as part payment of a great
debt which all sensible and civilised creatures owe to art； as a
mark of respect to art； as a decoration … not as a badge … as a
remembrance of what this land； or any land； would be without art；
and as the token of an appreciation of the works of the most
successful artists of this country。 With respect to the society of
which I am the advocate； I am gratified that it is so liberally
supported by the most distinguished artists； and that it has the
confidence of men who occupy the highest rank as artists； above the
reach of reverses； and the most distinguished in success and fame；
and whose support is above all price。 Artists who have obtained
wide…world reputation know well that many deserving and persevering
men； or their widows and orphans； have received help from this
fund； and some of the artists who have received this help are now
enrolled among the subscribers to the Institution。
SPEECH： LONDON； MAY 20； 1862。
＇The following speech was made by Mr。 Dickens； in his capacity as
chairman； at the annual Festival of the Newsvendors' and Provident
Institution； held at the Freemasons' Tavern on the above date。＇
WHEN I had the honour of being asked to preside last year； I was
prevented by indisposition； and I besought my friend； Mr。 Wilkie
Collins； to reign in my stead。 He very kindly complied； and made
an excellent speech。 Now I tell you the truth； that I read that
speech with considerable uneasiness； for it inspired me with a
strong misgiving that I had better have presided last year with
neuralgia in my face and my subject in my head； rather than preside
this year with my neuralgia all gone and my subject anticipated。
Therefore； I wish to preface the toast this evening by making the
managers of this Institution one very solemn and repentant promise；
and it is； if ever I find myself obliged to provide a substitute
again； they may rely upon my sending the most speechless man of my
acquaintance。
The Chairman last year presented you with an amiable view of the
universality of the newsman's calling。 Nothing； I think； is left
for me but to imagine the newsman's burden itself； to unfold one of
those wonderful sheets which he every day disseminates； and to take
a bird's…eye view of its general character and contents。 So； if
you please； choosing my own time … though the newsman cannot choose
his time； for he must be equally active in winter or summer； in
sunshine or sleet； in light or darkness； early or late … but；
choosing my own time； I shall for two or three moments start off
with the newsman on a fine May morning； and take a view of the
wonderful broadsheets which every day he scatters broadcast over
the country。 Well； the first thing that occurs to me following the
newsman is； that every day we are born； that every day we are
married … some of us … and that every day we are dead；
consequently； the first thing the newsvendor's column informs me
is； that Atkins has been born； that Catkins has been married； and
that Datkins is dead。 But the most remarkable thing I immediately
discover in the next column； is that Atkins has grown to be
seventeen years old； and that he has run away； for； at last； my eye
lights on the fact that William A。； who is seventeen years old； is
adjured immediately to return to his disconsolate parents； and
everything will be arranged to the satisfaction of everyone。 I am
afraid he will never return； simply because； if he had meant to
come back； he would never have gone away。 Immediately below； I
find a mysterious character in such a mysterious difficulty that it
is only to be expressed by several disjointed letters； by several
figures； and several stars； and then I find the explanation in the
intimation that the writer has given his property over to his
uncle； and that the elephant is on the wing。 Then； still glancing
over the shoulder of my industrious friend； the newsman； I find
there are great fleets of ships bound to all parts of the earth；
that they all want a little more stowage； a little more cargo； that
they have a few more berths to let； that they have all the most
spacious decks； that they are all built of teak； and copper…
bottomed； that they all carry surgeons of experience； and that they
are all A1 at Lloyds'； and anywhere else。 Still glancing over the
shoulder of my friend the newsman； I find I am offered all kinds of
house…lodging； clerks； servants； and situations； which I can
possibly or impossibly want。 I learn； to my intense gratification；
that I need never grow old； that I may always preserve the juvenile
bloom of my complexion； that if ever I turn ill it is entirely my
own fault； that if I have any complaint； and want brown cod…liver
oil or Turkish baths； I am told where to get them； and that； if I
want an income of seven pounds a…week； I may have it by sending
half…a…crown in postage…stamps。 Then I look to the police
intelligence； and I can discover that I may bite off a human living
nose cheaply； but if I take off the dead nose of a pig or a calf
from a shop…window； it will cost me exceedingly dear。 I also find
that if I allow myself to be betrayed into the folly of killing an
inoffensive tradesman on his own door…step； that little incident
will not affect the testimonials to my character； but that I shall
be described as a most amiable young man； and as； above all things；
remarkable for the singular inoffensiveness of my character and
disposition。 Then I turn my eye to the Fine Arts； and； under that
head； I see that a certain 〃J。 O。〃 has most triumphantly exposed a
certain 〃J。 O。 B。；〃 which 〃J。 O。 B。〃 was remarkable for this
particular ugly feature； that I was requested to deprive myself of
the best of my pictures for six months； that for that time it was
to be hung on a wet wall； and that I was to be requited for my
courtesy in having my picture most impertinently covered with a wet
blanket。 To sum up the results of a glance over my newsman's
shoulder； it gives a comprehensive knowledge of what is going on
over the continent of Europe； and also of what is going on over the
continent of America； to say nothing of such little geographical
regions as India and China。
Now； my friends； this is the glance over the newsman's shoulders
from the whimsical point of view； which is the point； I believe；
that most promotes digestion。 The newsman is to be met with on
steamboats； railway stations； and at every turn。 His profits are
small； he has a great amount of anxiety and care； and no little
amount of personal wear and tear。 He is indispensable to
civilization and freedom； and he is looked for with pleasurable
excitement every day； except when he lends the paper for an hour；
and when he is punctual in calling for it； which is sometimes very
painful。 I think the lesson we can learn from our newsman is some
new illustration of the uncertainty of life； some illustration of
its vicissitudes and fluctuations。 Mindful of this perm