A Second Visit to the United States

A Second Visit to the United States refers to the 1867-68 reading tour undertaken by the renowned English author Charles Dickens. This journey, occurring a quarter-century after his first, controversial trip documented in American Notes for General Circulation, was primarily a lucrative series of public performances rather than a travelogue. Dickens’s observations during this tour, communicated through letters and private remarks, offered a pointed, updated critique of Post-Civil War American society, politics, and character during the tumultuous era of Reconstruction.

Background and Context of the Visit

The tour was conceived primarily as a financial venture, following the immense success of Dickens’s earlier reading tours in England and Scotland. Having severed ties with his publisher Bradbury and Evans, Dickens sought substantial income to support his extended family. The United States, recovering from the American Civil War, represented a vast new audience. The tour was managed by the American impresario George Dolby and was preceded by significant advance publicity in newspapers like The New York Times. Dickens’s earlier, critical writings on America, such as his novel Martin Chuzzlewit, had caused initial resentment, but his literary stature and the passage of time had softened public opinion. The journey commenced when Dickens boarded the RMS Cuba in Liverpool, arriving in Boston in November 1867.

Key Destinations and Itinerary

Dickens’s exhausting itinerary was centered on major urban centers in the Northeastern United States and the Great Lakes region. His initial readings were held at the Tremont Temple in Boston and later at Steinway Hall in New York City. He traveled extensively by rail, performing in cities including Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., where he met President Andrew Johnson at the White House. The tour later expanded westward, with engagements in New York cities like Syracuse and Rochester, and major hubs like Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit. A particularly notable leg took him into Canada, where he read in Montreal and Toronto before returning for a final, lucrative series in New York City.

Observations on American Society and Culture

Dickens privately recorded sharp observations on the national character and social more. He was appalled by the pervasive culture of spitting, the aggressive press corps, and the relentless pursuit of money, which he famously termed "the almighty dollar." He noted improvements in manners and hospitality since his first visit but remained critical of what he saw as a lack of subtlety and a boastful national demeanor. He observed the lingering scars of the Civil War and the complex social dynamics of Reconstruction, though his commentary on African Americans was often marked by the paternalistic prejudices common to his era. He praised the grandeur of Niagara Falls and the development of cities but lamented the environmental damage caused by rapid industrialization.

Political and Economic Commentary

His letters contain pointed critiques of the American political scene. He was deeply critical of the impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson, viewing the political climate in Washington, D.C. as vicious and corrupt. Dickens expressed admiration for the endurance of the U.S. Constitution but dismay at the conduct of politicians and the sensationalist "penny press." Economically, he marveled at the pace of growth and the rise of "Gilded Age" opulence in the North, contrasting it with the devastated post-war South. He commented on the emerging power of industrial magnates and the stark economic inequalities that accompanied the nation's expansion, themes he would later explore in his unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Impact and Legacy of the Visit

The tour was a monumental financial success, earning Dickens over £19,000, but it catastrophically damaged his health, exacerbating the ailments that led to his death in 1870. While he did not publish a formal sequel to American Notes for General Circulation, his private correspondence from the tour, later published in collections like The Letters of Charles Dickens, became a valuable historical resource. The visit cemented his status as a transatlantic celebrity and significantly influenced American perceptions of the author, rehabilitating his image from that of a critic to a beloved performer. His observations provide a crucial, if acerbic, foreign perspective on the United States during the pivotal transition from civil war to industrialized world power.

Category:Books by Charles Dickens Category:1868 books Category:Travel books about the United States