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you know very well that when the health； life； and beauty now
overflowing these halls shall have fled； crowds of people will come
to see the place where he lived and wrote。 Setting aside the
orator and statesman … for happily we know no party here but this
agreeable party … setting aside all； this you know very well； that
this is the home of a very great man whose connexion with
Hertfordshire every other county in England will envy for many long
years to come。 You know that when this hall is dullest and
emptiest you can make it when you please brightest and fullest by
peopling it with the creations of his brilliant fancy。 Let us all
wish together that they may be many more … for the more they are
the better it will be； and； as he always excels himself； the better
they will be。 I ask you to listen to their praises and not to
mine； and to let them； not me； propose his health。
SPEECH： LONDON； FEBRUARY 14； 1866。
＇On this occasion Mr。 Dickens officiated as Chairman at the annual
dinner of the Dramatic； Equestrian； and Musical Fund； at Willis's
Rooms； where he made the following speech：＇
LADIES； before I couple you with the gentlemen； which will be at
least proper to the inscription over my head （St。 Valentine's day）
… before I do so； allow me； on behalf of my grateful sex here
represented； to thank you for the great pleasure and interest with
which your gracious presence at these festivals never fails to
inspire us。 There is no English custom which is so manifestly a
relic of savage life as that custom which usually excludes you from
participation in similar gatherings。 And although the crime
carries its own heavy punishment along with it； in respect that it
divests a public dinner of its most beautiful ornament and of its
most fascinating charm； still the offence is none the less to be
severely reprehended on every possible occasion； as outraging
equally nature and art。 I believe that as little is known of the
saint whose name is written here as can well be known of any saint
or sinner。 We； your loyal servants； are deeply thankful to him for
having somehow gained possession of one day in the year … for
having； as no doubt he has； arranged the almanac for 1866 …
expressly to delight us with the enchanting fiction that we have
some tender proprietorship in you which we should scarcely dare to
claim on a less auspicious occasion。 Ladies； the utmost devotion
sanctioned by the saint we beg to lay at your feet； and any little
innocent privileges to which we may be entitled by the same
authority we beg respectfully but firmly to claim at your hands。
Now； ladies and gentlemen； you need no ghost to inform you that I
am going to propose 〃Prosperity to the Dramatic； Musical； and
Equestrian Sick Fund Association；〃 and； further； that I should be
going to ask you actively to promote that prosperity by liberally
contributing to its funds； if that task were not reserved for a
much more persuasive speaker。 But I rest the strong claim of the
society for its useful existence and its truly charitable functions
on a very few words； though； as well as I can recollect； upon
something like six grounds。 First； it relieves the sick； secondly；
it buries the dead； thirdly； it enables the poor members of the
profession to journey to accept new engagements whenever they find
themselves stranded in some remote； inhospitable place； or when；
from other circumstances； they find themselves perfectly crippled
as to locomotion for want of money； fourthly； it often finds such
engagements for them by acting as their honest； disinterested
agent； fifthly； it is its principle to act humanely upon the
instant； and never； as is too often the case within my experience；
to beat about the bush till the bush is withered and dead； lastly；
the society is not in the least degree exclusive； but takes under
its comprehensive care the whole range of the theatre and the
concert…room； from the manager in his room of state； or in his
caravan； or at the drum…head … down to the theatrical housekeeper；
who is usually to be found amongst the cobwebs and the flies； or
down to the hall porter； who passes his life in a thorough draught
… and； to the best of my observation； in perpetually interrupted
endeavours to eat something with a knife and fork out of a basin；
by a dusty fire； in that extraordinary little gritty room； upon
which the sun never shines； and on the portals of which are
inscribed the magic words； 〃stage…door。〃
Now； ladies and gentlemen； this society administers its benefits
sometimes by way of loan； sometimes by way of gift； sometimes by
way of assurance at very low premiums； sometimes to members；
oftener to non…members； always expressly； remember； through the
hands of a secretary or committee well acquainted with the wants of
the applicants； and thoroughly versed； if not by hard experience at
least by sympathy； in the calamities and uncertainties incidental
to the general calling。 One must know something of the general
calling to know what those afflictions are。 A lady who had been
upon the stage from her earliest childhood till she was a blooming
woman； and who came from a long line of provincial actors and
actresses； once said to me when she was happily married； when she
was rich； beloved； courted； when she was mistress of a fine house …
once said to me at the head of her own table； surrounded by
distinguished guests of every degree； 〃Oh； but I have never
forgotten the hard time when I was on the stage； and when my baby
brother died； and when my poor mother and I brought the little baby
from Ireland to England； and acted three nights in England； as we
had acted three nights in Ireland； with the pretty creature lying
upon the only bed in our lodging before we got the money to pay for
its funeral。〃
Ladies and gentlemen； such things are； every day； to this hour；
but； happily； at this day and in this hour this association has
arisen to be the timely friend of such great distress。
It is not often the fault of the sufferers that they fall into
these straits。 Struggling artists must necessarily change from
place to place； and thus it frequently happens that they become； as
it were； strangers in every place； and very slight circumstances …
a passing illness； the sickness of the husband； wife； or child； a
serious town； an anathematising expounder of the gospel of
gentleness and forbearance … any one of these causes may often in a
few hours wreck them upon a rock in the barren ocean； and then；
happily； this society； with the swift alacrity of the life…boat；
dashes to the rescue； and takes them off。 Looking just now over
the last report issued by this society； and confining my scrutiny
to the head of illness alone； I find that in one year； I think； 672
days of sickness had been assuaged by its means。 In nine years；
which then formed the term of its existence； as many as 5；500 and
odd。 Well； I thought when I s