[E2] "'Boz' in Philadelphia," Spirit of the Times, Feb. 10, 1842

            "BOZ" IN PHILADELPHIA.—The Inquirer of yesterday morning contained the following paragraph:—

            A "True Philadelphian" is informed that an invitation to a Complimentary Dinner, has already been forwarded to "Boz" from this city.

            This is stale news.  We stated the same fact on Monday last, and gave a copy of the letter forwarded.  The whole matter, so far, has been secretly managed, and by a clique of "small potatoe" gentlemen, who arrogate to themselves the title of the "literati" of Philadelphia.

            We hope Mr. Dickens will not suffer himself to be imposed upon in this manner.  The citizens of Philadelphia—the poor as well as the rich—who admire his genius, would be glad to take him by the hand, and would rejoice in being able in any decorous way, of exhibiting their respect for him.  But they are not ready to fawn upon him like a whipped spaniel—nor do we think he would expect it.  They are not ready to cringe, and stoop, and kiss the dust off his boots—nor do we believe he could relish such insipid adulation.  In perusing, therefore the letter from our city, we trust he will not imagine all Philadelphians donkeys, but will properly appreciate the ambitious character of those "small potatoes" who, to use the language of the New York Courier, (the editor of which has publicly backed out of the BOZ excitement,) exhibit such an "overweening disposition to make themselves ridiculous."

            We are glad to find that our friend of the Lancaster Intelligencer, has independence enough to agree with us on this point.  He says of Dickens:—

            "It is right to pay him respect, great respect; but when it is degraded into hollow parasitical parades, it must not be expected that Mr. Dickens, with his keen sense of the ridiculous—after having so irresistably burlesqued the follies and humbugs of his own country—will pass the exhibitions of our weakness by, without thoroughly sifting them.  For heaven's sake, let him not be forced to write a book discreditable to us, after he gets home!  We do not believe he would do so; but Boz is not the man to let a succession of good things pass before his eyes, without recording some of them in his log-book."

            We hope the "literati" of the "Tickle-me-and-I'll-tickle-you-Club," of our city will be the first that Boz will "show up" when he gets home; and lest he should not be aware of who he will have to deal with here, we sent him a copy of our last Monday's Times, and send him another copy of to-day's.