THACKERAY AND DICKENS AT THE THEATRICAL FUND DINNER.
Mr. Thackeray presided at the thirteenth an* nivei-3ary of the Theatrical Fund, Maioh 29 } and Mr. Dickens was also present* Mr. Thackeeay, in proposing the toast of the evening " Prosperity to the Fund," said— Having seldom, indeed only once before in my life, been called on to fill the chair on an oeca* sion like this, and not possessing that happy genius and skill in such matters which belong to a friend of mine not very far from me (Mn Dickens), I thought I could make up for my deficiencies by previous assiduity and study j. and I went through a long course of reading relative to the drama, beginning with its very commencement, with occasional slight ramifii* cations into the history of the Chinese and Turkish stage. (Laughter.) The commence* ment of the drama, I find, was at a period about 570 or 580 years before the Christian | era. It happened at a time when one of the seven wise sages of Greece flourished in Athens, and who wa3 called Solon. He was a man of great eminence in his time, and I have introduced his name because I wished you to see how assiduous I have been, and also with a view to your enjoyment of the puzzle which you will experience in wondering what the sage Solon has to do with the toast of to-night. (Laughter) Solon, being one of the greatest persons in Athens, consented to witness a dramatic representation by Thespis, its discoverer, and who went in a waggon—no doubt a stage waggon—* (laughter)—about a theatrical circuit. (Laugh* ter.) Having witnessed the performance, Solon sent for Thespis, and having a large stick in his hand, he said to him, "How dare you tell such aparcel of lies ?" Thespis remonstrated, and said that his songs and interludes were not meant to be taken as matters of fact, but were simply intended to amuse. On which Solon thumped his stick on the ground and said, " Begone I A man who will tell such fibs on the stage would forge a bill of exchange." (Laughter.) This story was told in Plutarch's Life of Solon, and I never read of his life after that. (Hear, and laughter.) What a number of years has passed since Solon has been called to his rest, and Thespis has been called to his last account! Every one present is aware how often a character on the stage is acted over and over again, and though Solon and Thespis are dead their parts are still acted among us. When your worthy treasurer was making that journey of which he told us on the occasion of one of the festivals of this institution, with fourpence* halfpenny in his pocket, provided with a little skimmed milk for refreshment, and clothed in a painted calico waistcoat, but with a cheerful heart under it—suppose that Solon had overtaken him—-no doubt the sage would have had as light an opinion of him—would have looked down on him, and surveyed his calico waistcoat with contempt, while he congratulated himself on how superior he was to that poor person struggling manfully on the road of life. There are Solons amoiig us even now. There was a Solon in a German band who once said to me that he did not read novels because they were not true. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) This was worthy of a Solon, for a Solon may be a pompous humbug, though he thinks himself far above a wandexing actor. There may be Solons who cannot appreciate music, because they have no ear for it, and cannot tell the difference between "Water parted from the Sea" and " the music in Ariadne." (Laughter.) Let us theu suppose that his indifference proceeds only from his own dulness, and not from any more unfavourable feeling. But because Solon. is so wise and virtuous, is there any reason why there shall be no more cakes and ale? No; despite of Solon's gi'avity, all youth and humour say we will have our sport; Harlequin shall dance with Columbine, the Clown shall eat his sausage, and Hamlet shall kill his wicked uncles and we will not be horrified at the transaction. (Laughter.) Claude Melnotte shall still walk up and down with Pauline under the spangled heavens, and still adorned with a pair of spangled tights, and we will have our sports ana our plays, despite of all the Solons, with sticks as thick as a beadle's. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps, however, when Solon comes to look at a society like this, and sees how generous you are disposed to be he will be inclined to have a greater respect for Thespis in his cotton waistcoat than when he met him trudging on the road. Mk. Charles Dickens, who was received with much applause, next rose and said—ln our theatrical experience as playgoers we are equally accustomed to predict by certain little signs and portents on the stage what is going to happen there. When the 3'oung lady an admiral's daughter, is left alone to indulge in a short
soliloquy, when certain smart spirit rappinga are heard to proceed immediately from beneath her feet, we foretell that a song is impending. (Laughter.) 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 v reti-ospetivo biographical character. (Laughter.) When any of the performers who belong to the seafaring 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. (Laughter.) 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. (Laughter and applause.) 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 walkinggentlemen—laughter.—with the melancholy difference that .he has no ono to Jove. (Laughter.) 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 begreatly improved. .(Laughter.) His duty is to call every half-year afc the bankers, when he signs his name in a large greasy inconvienient book, to certain documents of which he knows nothing, and then he delivers it up to X the property man and exits any where. (Laughter.) He, however, has many privileges. It is one of "liis steady privileges-to watch the steady growth of an institution in which he takes great inter- ■ est; it is one of his privileges to bear his testimony to the prudence, the goodness, the selfdenial, 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. , (Hear hear.) And lastly it is orre of his privileges -sometimes to be called on tor propose the health of the chairman at the annual dinners of the "institution, when that chairman" is one of whose -genius he entertains the warmest admiration - nud whom he respects as a friend, and as one -who does honor to' literature, and in whom literature is honoured. * (Zioud cheers. I say when that is the case,'"he feels that this. - privilege.is a great and high one., {Loud cheers.)' 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 chairman as often as possible within the -circle of literature and the arts—-(hear, hear) — - and I will venture to say that no similar institution has shown itself as having been presided -over by so many remarkable and distinguished •men. (Hear, hear.) lain 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 presenceof the noble English writer who fills the chair to-night.* (Great cheering.) It is not fox- me at this time--aud in this place to take on myself to flatterbefore you the well-th urn bed pages of Mr.. ■Thackeray's books, and to tejl you to observe how full they are of wit and wisdom, how out- - speaking and how devoid of feax- or favour; but, I will take leave to remark, "in payino- mv due' homage and respect to them, to say that"it is„fitting that such a writer and such an institu- • tion should be-brought together. (Hear, hear.}; 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 them must be - more or less reflected in the great mirror which':. 'he holds up to nature. Actors, managers, and~ - authors are represented.in this company, and it may be -supposed that they all have studied thes - deep wants of the human heart in many thea-■ 'tres ; but none of them could have studied its," mysterious workings in any- theatre to greater' - advantage than in the bright and airy pao-es of .'-■ *■' Vanity Fair." (Hear.) To this skilful show-" man, 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 I (Cheers.) The Chairman briefly returned thanks, and - expressed his gratification at the terms in which ; he had been spoken of by his friend, Mr. Die-: - kens, as well as at the circumstance'that two' literary gentlemen could be found who entertained such sentiments towards each other as " they did. (Cheers.) Several other toasts followed : and the con- - tributions, including 100 guineas from the - Queen, reached £400.
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Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 599, 31 July 1858, Page 3
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1,674THACKERAY AND DICKENS AT THE THEATRICAL FUND DINNER. Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 599, 31 July 1858, Page 3
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