ENGLISH FRIENDSHIP FOR AMERICA
April 18，1868
Gentlemen：
I cannot do better than take my cue from yourdistinguished President，and refer in my first re－marks to his remarks in connection with the old，natural，association between you and me.When Ireceived an invitation from a private association ofworking members of the press of New York to dinewith them to－day，I accepted that compliment ingrateful remembrance of a calling that was once myown，and in loyal sympathy towards a brotherhoodwhich，in the spirit，I have never quitted.To thewholesome training of severe newspaper work，when I was a very young man，I constantly refermy first successes； and my sons will hereafter tes-tify to their father that he was always steadilyproud of that ladder by which he rose.If it wereotherwise，I should have but a very poor opinion oftheir father，which，perhaps，upon the whole，Ihave not.Hence，gentlemen，under any circum-stances，this company would have been exception-ally interesting and gratifying to me.But whereas Isupposed that like the fairies'pavilion in the“Ara－bian Nights，” it would be but a mere handful，andI find it turn out，like the same elastic pavilion，capable of comprehending a multitude，so much the more proud am I of the honor of being your guest；for you will readily believe that the morewidely representative of the press in America myentertainers are，the more I must feel the good－willand the kindly sentiments towards me of that vastinstitution.
Gentlemen，I henceforth charge myself，notonly here but on every suitable occasion whatsoever and wheresoever，to express my high and grate-ful sense of my second reception in America，andto bear my honest testimony to the national gen-erosity and magnanimity.Also，to declare how as-tounded I have been by the amazing changes that Ihave seen around me on every side.Nor am I，believe me，so arrogant as to suppose that in five－and-twenty years there have been no changes in me，and that I had nothing to learn and no extremeimpressions to correct when I was here first.
Gentlemen，the transition from my own feel－ings towards and interest in America to those ofthe mass of my countrymen seems to be a naturalone； but，whether or no，I make it with an expressobject.I was asked in this very city，about lastChristmas time，whether an American was not atsome disadvantage in England as a foreigner.Thenotion of an American being regarded in Englandas a foreigner at all，of his ever being thought of orspoken of in that character，was so uncommonlyincongruous and absurd to me，that my gravity was，for the moment，quite overpowered.As soonas it was restored，I said that for years and yearspast I hoped I had had as many American friendsand had received as many American visitors as al-most any Englishman living，and that my unvary-ing experience，fortified by theirs，was that it wasenough in England to be an American to be re－ceived with the readiest respect and recognitionanywhere.Hereupon，out of half－a－dozed people，suddenly spoke out two，one an American gentle-man，with a cultivated taste for art，who，findinghimself on a certain Sunday outside the walls of acertain historical English castle，famous for its pic-tures，was refused admission there，according tothe strict rules of the establishment on that day，but who，on merely representing that he was anAmerican gentleman，on his travels，had，not tosay the picture gallery，but the whole castle，placed at his immediate disposal.The other was alady，who，being in London，and having a greatdesire to see the famous reading－room of the British Museum，was assured by the English fami-ly with whom she stayed that it was unfortunatelyimpossible，because the place was closed for aweek，and she had only three days there.Uponthat lady's going to the Museum，as she assuredme，alone to the gate，self－introduced as an Amer－ican lady，the gate flew open，as it were，magical－ly.I am unwillingly bound to add that she certain-ly was young and exceedingly pretty.Still，the porter of that institution is of an obese habit，and，according to the best of my observation of him，notvery impressible.
Now，gentlemen，I refer to these trifles as acollateral assurance to you that the Englishmen who shall humbly strive，as I hope to do，to be inEngland as faithful to America as to England her－self，have no previous conceptions to contend a-gainst.Points of difference there have been，pointsof difference there are，points of difference thereprobably always will be between the two great peo－ples.But broadcast in England is sown the senti－ment that those two peoples are essentially one，and that it rests with them jointly to uphold thegreat Anglo-Saxon race，to which our presidenthas referred，and all its great achievements beforethe world.And if I know anything of my country－men-and they give me oredit for knowing some- thing-if I know anything of my countrymen，gen- tlemen，the English heart is stirred by the flutter-ing of those Stars and Stripes，as it is stirred by noother flag that flies except its own.If I know mycountrymen，in any and every relation towardsAmerica，they begin，not as Sir Anthony Absoluterecommended that lovers should begin，with“a lit-tle aversion.” but with a great liking and a pro－found respect； and whatever the little sensitivenessof the moment，or the little official passion，or thelittle official policy now，or then，or here，orthere，may be，take my word for it，that the firstenduring，great，popular consideration in Englandis a generous construction of justice.
Finally，gentlemen，and I say this subject toyour correction，I do believe that from the greatmajority of honest minds on both sides，there can-not be absent the conviction that it would be betterfor this globe to be riven by an earthquake，firedby a comet，overrun by an iceberg，and abandonedto the Arctic fox and bear，than that it should pre－sent the spectacle of these two great nations，eachof which has，in its own way and hour，striven sohard and so successfully for freedom，ever again being arrayed the one against the other.Gentle－men，I cannot thank your President enough or you enough for your kind reception of my health，and of my poor remarks，but，believe me，I do thankyou with the utmost fervor of which my soul is ca-pable.
查爾斯·狄更斯
英國人對美國的友情
1868年 4月 18日
先生們：
我是學你們杰出的主席的樣，首先談談他提到的關于你們和我之間為時已久的、自然的交往。在我接到紐約新聞界人士要我今天與他們共進晚餐的邀請時，我以對我曾從事過的職業(yè)的愉快回憶，和我在內(nèi)心從未拋棄過的對報界同仁的真誠關心，接受了這一好意。我經(jīng)常把我早年的成功，歸因于我年輕時曾在嚴格的新聞工作中受到有益的鍛煉，今后我的兒子們會證實，他們的父親始終堅定地為他借以上升的梯子感到自豪。如果情況不是這樣，我就只會得到他們對于父親的很差的評價，但基本上我不會得到那樣的評價。因此，先生們，這樣的聚會不管怎樣都會令我感到分外有趣和愉快的。不過，我原以為這次聚會會像《天方夜譚》里仙女們的帳篷一樣，只有巴掌那么大，但我發(fā)現(xiàn)，它就像那頂會伸縮的帳篷，結果容納了一大群人，這使我為有幸成為你們的客人而倍感高興；因為你們很快就會相信：我的款待者在美國新聞界的代表性越高，我所感受到的這一巨大機構對我的好意和感情就越深。
先生們，從今以后，我要給自己規(guī)定這樣一項責任：不僅在這里，而且在任何地方的每一個適宜的場合，表達出我對第二次訪美時所受到的款待的高度感激之情，提供我對這個國家的慷慨、高尚行為的公正證明，并且表明我是如何為我所看到的各方面驚人變化而震驚。請相信我，我決不會狂妄自負到認為我在25年里沒有變化，并且覺得沒有什么可以學習的東西，沒有什么足以糾正我首次訪美時的觀感的強烈印象。
先生們，我自己對美國的感情和興趣，看來可以很自然地轉變?yōu)槲业耐麄兊母星楹团d趣，但是，不管怎樣，我是出于一個公開的目的來進行這方面的工作的。大約在去年圣誕節(jié)，就在紐約，有人問我：美國人，作為一個外國人，在英國會不會處于某種不利地位。把在英國的美國人視為外國人，以這種眼光去考慮他、談論他，這樣的觀念在我看來是非常不恰當和荒謬的。在那次談話中，我表現(xiàn)得過分嚴肅。我在恢復了正常的嚴肅性后說，多少年來我希望像任何一個活著的英國人一樣，擁有那么多的美國朋友，接待那么多的美國來訪者，并且希望他們的經(jīng)驗會加強我的一條不變的經(jīng)驗：一個美國人在英國到處都會充分地受到發(fā)自內(nèi)心的尊重和關心。關于這一點，我可以立即說出兩個人的情況。其中之一是一位很有藝術修養(yǎng)的美國紳士。某個星期日他來到一座以收藏繪畫而的英國古城堡的城墻外。根據(jù)關于星期日的嚴格規(guī)定，起初不允許他進入城堡。但是僅在他說明自己是一個正在旅行的美國紳士以后，不要說畫廊，就連整個城堡都讓他隨意參觀了。另一個是一位女士，她在倫敦非常想看一看的不列顛博物館的閱覽室。她借住的那家人家告訴她，很遺憾這事辦不到，因為博物館停止開放一星期，而她在倫敦只能再逗留3天。這位女士后來告訴我，她獨自走到博物館門前，自我介紹是位美國女士，大門就神奇般地敞開了。我不情愿，但不得不補充說，她當然十分年輕，而且特別漂亮。不過，博物館看門人是個大胖子，而且據(jù)我認真觀察，他還是一個不易被人打動的人。
先生們，這里我附帶提到這些小事是為了向你們肯定：如我所希望的那樣，英國人對美國人像對英國本國人一樣誠懇，他們本來就沒有什么反對的觀念。在兩個偉大的民族之間，過去、現(xiàn)在和將來都會有不一致的地方。然而在英國廣泛地傳播著、洋溢著這樣一種感情：這兩個偉大的民族實質上是一家人，他們共同負有高舉盎格魯一撒克遜旗幟的責任（這一點我們的主席已經(jīng)談到了），還要把她的一切成就展現(xiàn)在全世界面前。如果我對我的同胞們還是有所了解的話——他們相信我是了解一些情況的——如果我對我的同胞們有所了解，先生們，英國人的心已為星條旗的飄揚而激動了，盡管除了自己的旗幟外，它一般不為其他任何飄動的旗幟所激動。如果我了解我的同胞，我知道他們不像安東尼·艾布索列特爵士所說的戀人們慣常表現(xiàn)的那樣，起初“略帶厭惡”、卻又深懷好感與尊敬來對待他們同美國的一切關系；不論當時有過什么樣的小情緒，也不論現(xiàn)在、將來、這里、那里會有什么樣的小小的官僚脾氣和官僚政策，請相信我的話，英國人普遍給予美國人的持久的、極大的關心是一種富有正義的思想。
最后，先生們，我講一個問題請予以指正。我的確認為，在大西洋兩岸眾多的、誠實的、有思想的人中，不會沒有這樣一種看法：讓地球被地震震碎，被彗星燒毀，被冰山撞翻，把它扔給北極的狐貍和熊，也比在描述這兩個通過各自的方式和時機努力而成功地爭取自由的偉大國家的景象時，把它們再度對立起來好。先生們，對于你們的主席和你們大家如此友好、親切地對待我的健康和我的拙劣言辭，我感激不盡，但請相信我，我的確是以我的心靈所能具有的的熱情來感謝你們的。
April 18，1868
Gentlemen：
I cannot do better than take my cue from yourdistinguished President，and refer in my first re－marks to his remarks in connection with the old，natural，association between you and me.When Ireceived an invitation from a private association ofworking members of the press of New York to dinewith them to－day，I accepted that compliment ingrateful remembrance of a calling that was once myown，and in loyal sympathy towards a brotherhoodwhich，in the spirit，I have never quitted.To thewholesome training of severe newspaper work，when I was a very young man，I constantly refermy first successes； and my sons will hereafter tes-tify to their father that he was always steadilyproud of that ladder by which he rose.If it wereotherwise，I should have but a very poor opinion oftheir father，which，perhaps，upon the whole，Ihave not.Hence，gentlemen，under any circum-stances，this company would have been exception-ally interesting and gratifying to me.But whereas Isupposed that like the fairies'pavilion in the“Ara－bian Nights，” it would be but a mere handful，andI find it turn out，like the same elastic pavilion，capable of comprehending a multitude，so much the more proud am I of the honor of being your guest；for you will readily believe that the morewidely representative of the press in America myentertainers are，the more I must feel the good－willand the kindly sentiments towards me of that vastinstitution.
Gentlemen，I henceforth charge myself，notonly here but on every suitable occasion whatsoever and wheresoever，to express my high and grate-ful sense of my second reception in America，andto bear my honest testimony to the national gen-erosity and magnanimity.Also，to declare how as-tounded I have been by the amazing changes that Ihave seen around me on every side.Nor am I，believe me，so arrogant as to suppose that in five－and-twenty years there have been no changes in me，and that I had nothing to learn and no extremeimpressions to correct when I was here first.
Gentlemen，the transition from my own feel－ings towards and interest in America to those ofthe mass of my countrymen seems to be a naturalone； but，whether or no，I make it with an expressobject.I was asked in this very city，about lastChristmas time，whether an American was not atsome disadvantage in England as a foreigner.Thenotion of an American being regarded in Englandas a foreigner at all，of his ever being thought of orspoken of in that character，was so uncommonlyincongruous and absurd to me，that my gravity was，for the moment，quite overpowered.As soonas it was restored，I said that for years and yearspast I hoped I had had as many American friendsand had received as many American visitors as al-most any Englishman living，and that my unvary-ing experience，fortified by theirs，was that it wasenough in England to be an American to be re－ceived with the readiest respect and recognitionanywhere.Hereupon，out of half－a－dozed people，suddenly spoke out two，one an American gentle-man，with a cultivated taste for art，who，findinghimself on a certain Sunday outside the walls of acertain historical English castle，famous for its pic-tures，was refused admission there，according tothe strict rules of the establishment on that day，but who，on merely representing that he was anAmerican gentleman，on his travels，had，not tosay the picture gallery，but the whole castle，placed at his immediate disposal.The other was alady，who，being in London，and having a greatdesire to see the famous reading－room of the British Museum，was assured by the English fami-ly with whom she stayed that it was unfortunatelyimpossible，because the place was closed for aweek，and she had only three days there.Uponthat lady's going to the Museum，as she assuredme，alone to the gate，self－introduced as an Amer－ican lady，the gate flew open，as it were，magical－ly.I am unwillingly bound to add that she certain-ly was young and exceedingly pretty.Still，the porter of that institution is of an obese habit，and，according to the best of my observation of him，notvery impressible.
Now，gentlemen，I refer to these trifles as acollateral assurance to you that the Englishmen who shall humbly strive，as I hope to do，to be inEngland as faithful to America as to England her－self，have no previous conceptions to contend a-gainst.Points of difference there have been，pointsof difference there are，points of difference thereprobably always will be between the two great peo－ples.But broadcast in England is sown the senti－ment that those two peoples are essentially one，and that it rests with them jointly to uphold thegreat Anglo-Saxon race，to which our presidenthas referred，and all its great achievements beforethe world.And if I know anything of my country－men-and they give me oredit for knowing some- thing-if I know anything of my countrymen，gen- tlemen，the English heart is stirred by the flutter-ing of those Stars and Stripes，as it is stirred by noother flag that flies except its own.If I know mycountrymen，in any and every relation towardsAmerica，they begin，not as Sir Anthony Absoluterecommended that lovers should begin，with“a lit-tle aversion.” but with a great liking and a pro－found respect； and whatever the little sensitivenessof the moment，or the little official passion，or thelittle official policy now，or then，or here，orthere，may be，take my word for it，that the firstenduring，great，popular consideration in Englandis a generous construction of justice.
Finally，gentlemen，and I say this subject toyour correction，I do believe that from the greatmajority of honest minds on both sides，there can-not be absent the conviction that it would be betterfor this globe to be riven by an earthquake，firedby a comet，overrun by an iceberg，and abandonedto the Arctic fox and bear，than that it should pre－sent the spectacle of these two great nations，eachof which has，in its own way and hour，striven sohard and so successfully for freedom，ever again being arrayed the one against the other.Gentle－men，I cannot thank your President enough or you enough for your kind reception of my health，and of my poor remarks，but，believe me，I do thankyou with the utmost fervor of which my soul is ca-pable.
查爾斯·狄更斯
英國人對美國的友情
1868年 4月 18日
先生們：
我是學你們杰出的主席的樣，首先談談他提到的關于你們和我之間為時已久的、自然的交往。在我接到紐約新聞界人士要我今天與他們共進晚餐的邀請時，我以對我曾從事過的職業(yè)的愉快回憶，和我在內(nèi)心從未拋棄過的對報界同仁的真誠關心，接受了這一好意。我經(jīng)常把我早年的成功，歸因于我年輕時曾在嚴格的新聞工作中受到有益的鍛煉，今后我的兒子們會證實，他們的父親始終堅定地為他借以上升的梯子感到自豪。如果情況不是這樣，我就只會得到他們對于父親的很差的評價，但基本上我不會得到那樣的評價。因此，先生們，這樣的聚會不管怎樣都會令我感到分外有趣和愉快的。不過，我原以為這次聚會會像《天方夜譚》里仙女們的帳篷一樣，只有巴掌那么大，但我發(fā)現(xiàn)，它就像那頂會伸縮的帳篷，結果容納了一大群人，這使我為有幸成為你們的客人而倍感高興；因為你們很快就會相信：我的款待者在美國新聞界的代表性越高，我所感受到的這一巨大機構對我的好意和感情就越深。
先生們，從今以后，我要給自己規(guī)定這樣一項責任：不僅在這里，而且在任何地方的每一個適宜的場合，表達出我對第二次訪美時所受到的款待的高度感激之情，提供我對這個國家的慷慨、高尚行為的公正證明，并且表明我是如何為我所看到的各方面驚人變化而震驚。請相信我，我決不會狂妄自負到認為我在25年里沒有變化，并且覺得沒有什么可以學習的東西，沒有什么足以糾正我首次訪美時的觀感的強烈印象。
先生們，我自己對美國的感情和興趣，看來可以很自然地轉變?yōu)槲业耐麄兊母星楹团d趣，但是，不管怎樣，我是出于一個公開的目的來進行這方面的工作的。大約在去年圣誕節(jié)，就在紐約，有人問我：美國人，作為一個外國人，在英國會不會處于某種不利地位。把在英國的美國人視為外國人，以這種眼光去考慮他、談論他，這樣的觀念在我看來是非常不恰當和荒謬的。在那次談話中，我表現(xiàn)得過分嚴肅。我在恢復了正常的嚴肅性后說，多少年來我希望像任何一個活著的英國人一樣，擁有那么多的美國朋友，接待那么多的美國來訪者，并且希望他們的經(jīng)驗會加強我的一條不變的經(jīng)驗：一個美國人在英國到處都會充分地受到發(fā)自內(nèi)心的尊重和關心。關于這一點，我可以立即說出兩個人的情況。其中之一是一位很有藝術修養(yǎng)的美國紳士。某個星期日他來到一座以收藏繪畫而的英國古城堡的城墻外。根據(jù)關于星期日的嚴格規(guī)定，起初不允許他進入城堡。但是僅在他說明自己是一個正在旅行的美國紳士以后，不要說畫廊，就連整個城堡都讓他隨意參觀了。另一個是一位女士，她在倫敦非常想看一看的不列顛博物館的閱覽室。她借住的那家人家告訴她，很遺憾這事辦不到，因為博物館停止開放一星期，而她在倫敦只能再逗留3天。這位女士后來告訴我，她獨自走到博物館門前，自我介紹是位美國女士，大門就神奇般地敞開了。我不情愿，但不得不補充說，她當然十分年輕，而且特別漂亮。不過，博物館看門人是個大胖子，而且據(jù)我認真觀察，他還是一個不易被人打動的人。
先生們，這里我附帶提到這些小事是為了向你們肯定：如我所希望的那樣，英國人對美國人像對英國本國人一樣誠懇，他們本來就沒有什么反對的觀念。在兩個偉大的民族之間，過去、現(xiàn)在和將來都會有不一致的地方。然而在英國廣泛地傳播著、洋溢著這樣一種感情：這兩個偉大的民族實質上是一家人，他們共同負有高舉盎格魯一撒克遜旗幟的責任（這一點我們的主席已經(jīng)談到了），還要把她的一切成就展現(xiàn)在全世界面前。如果我對我的同胞們還是有所了解的話——他們相信我是了解一些情況的——如果我對我的同胞們有所了解，先生們，英國人的心已為星條旗的飄揚而激動了，盡管除了自己的旗幟外，它一般不為其他任何飄動的旗幟所激動。如果我了解我的同胞，我知道他們不像安東尼·艾布索列特爵士所說的戀人們慣常表現(xiàn)的那樣，起初“略帶厭惡”、卻又深懷好感與尊敬來對待他們同美國的一切關系；不論當時有過什么樣的小情緒，也不論現(xiàn)在、將來、這里、那里會有什么樣的小小的官僚脾氣和官僚政策，請相信我的話，英國人普遍給予美國人的持久的、極大的關心是一種富有正義的思想。
最后，先生們，我講一個問題請予以指正。我的確認為，在大西洋兩岸眾多的、誠實的、有思想的人中，不會沒有這樣一種看法：讓地球被地震震碎，被彗星燒毀，被冰山撞翻，把它扔給北極的狐貍和熊，也比在描述這兩個通過各自的方式和時機努力而成功地爭取自由的偉大國家的景象時，把它們再度對立起來好。先生們，對于你們的主席和你們大家如此友好、親切地對待我的健康和我的拙劣言辭，我感激不盡，但請相信我，我的確是以我的心靈所能具有的的熱情來感謝你們的。