speeches-literary & social-第31章

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being　offered　by　one　of　the　officers　a　loan　of　money　to　enable　him

to　rehabilitate　his　appearance；　positively　declined　it；　on　the

ground　that　he　came　to　the　institution　to　learn　and　to　know　better

how　to　help　himself；　not　otherwise　to　ask　help；　or　to　receive　help

from　any　man。　　Now；　I　am　justified　in　calling　this　the　tone　of　the

institution；　because　it　is　no　isolated　instance；　but　is　a　fair　and

honourable　sample　of　the　spirit　of　the　place；　and　as　such　I　put　it

at　the　conclusion　…　though　last　certainly　not　least　…　of　my


references　to　what　your　institution　has　indubitably　done。



Well；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　come　at　length　to　what；　in　the　humble

opinion　of　the　evanescent　officer　before　you；　remains　for　the

institution　to　do；　and　not　to　do。　　As　Mr。　Carlyle　has　it　towards

the　closing　pages　of　his　grand　history　of　the　French　Revolution；

〃This　we　are　now　with　due　brevity　to　glance　at；　and　then　courage；

oh　listener；　I　see　land！〃　　I　earnestly　hope　…　and　I　firmly　believe

…　that　your　institution　will　do　henceforth　as　it　has　done　hitherto；

it　can　hardly　do　better。　　I　hope　and　believe　that　it　will　know

among　its　members　no　distinction　of　persons；　creed；　or　party；　but

that　it　will　conserve　its　place　of　assemblage　as　a　high；　pure

ground；　on　which　all　such　considerations　shall　merge　into　the　one

universal；　heaven…sent　aspiration　of　the　human　soul　to　be　wiser　and

better。　　I　hope　and　believe　that　it　will　always　be　expansive　and

elastic；　for　ever　seeking　to　devise　new　means　of　enlarging　the

circle　of　its　members；　of　attracting　to　itself　the　confidence　of

still　greater　and　greater　numbers；　and　never　evincing　any　more

disposition　to　stand　still　than　time　does；　or　life　does；　or　the

seasons　do。　　And　above　all　things；　I　hope；　and　I　feel　confident

from　its　antecedents；　that　it　will　never　allow　any　consideration　on

the　face　of　the　earth　to　induce　it　to　patronise　or　to　be

patronised；　for　I　verily　believe　that　the　bestowal　and　receipt　of

patronage　in　such　wise　has　been　a　curse　in　England；　and　that　it　has

done　more　to　prevent　really　good　objects；　and　to　lower　really　high

character；　than　the　utmost　efforts　of　the　narrowest　antagonism

could　have　effected　in　twice　the　time。



I　have　no　fear　that　the　walls　of　the　Birmingham　and　Midland

Institute　will　ever　tremble　responsive　to　the　croakings　of　the

timid　opponents　of　intellectual　progress；　but　in　this　connexion

generally　I　cannot　forbear　from　offering　a　remark　which　is　much

upon　my　mind。　　It　is　commonly　assumed　…　much　too　commonly　…　that

this　age　is　a　material　age；　and　that　a　material　age　is　an

irreligious　age。　　I　have　been　pained　lately　to　see　this　assumption

repeated　in　certain　influential　quarters　for　which　I　have　a　high

respect；　and　desire　to　have　a　higher。　　I　am　afraid　that　by　dint　of

constantly　being　reiterated；　and　reiterated　without　protest；　this

assumption　…　which　I　take　leave　altogether　to　deny　…　may　be

accepted　by　the　more　unthinking　part　of　the　public　as

unquestionably　true；　just　as　caricaturists　and　painters；

professedly　making　a　portrait　of　some　public　man；　which　was　not　in

the　least　like　him　to　begin　with；　have　gone　on　repeating　and

repeating　it　until　the　public　came　to　believe　that　it　must　be

exactly　like　him；　simply　because　it　was　like　itself；　and　really

have　at　last；　in　the　fulness　of　time；　grown　almost　disposed　to

resent　upon　him　their　tardy　discovery　…　really　to　resent　upon　him

their　late　discovery　…　that　he　was　not　like　it。　　I　confess；

standing　here　in　this　responsible　situation；　that　I　do　not

understand　this　much…used　and　much…abused　phrase　…　the　〃material

age。〃　　I　cannot　comprehend　…　if　anybody　can　I　very　much　doubt　…　its

logical　signification。　　For　instance；　has　electricity　become　more

material　in　the　mind　of　any　sane　or　moderately　insane　man；　woman；

or　child；　because　of　the　discovery　that　in　the　good　providence　of

God　it　could　be　made　available　for　the　service　and　use　of　man　to　an

immeasurably　greater　extent　than　for　his　destruction？　　Do　I　make　a

more　material　journey　to　the　bed…side　of　my　dying　parent　or　my

dying　child　when　I　travel　there　at　the　rate　of　sixty　miles　an　hour；

than　when　I　travel　thither　at　the　rate　of　six？　　Rather；　in　the

swiftest　case；　does　not　my　agonised　heart　become　over…fraught　with

gratitude　to　that　Supreme　Beneficence　from　whom　alone　could　have

proceeded　the　wonderful　means　of　shortening　my　suspense？　　What　is

the　materiality　of　the　cable　or　the　wire　compared　with　the

materiality　of　the　spark？　　What　is　the　materiality　of　certain

chemical　substances　that　we　can　weigh　or　measure；　imprison　or

release；　compared　with　the　materiality　of　their　appointed

affinities　and　repulsions　presented　to　them　from　the　instant　of

their　creation　to　the　day　of　judgment？　　When　did　this　so…called

material　age　begin？　　With　the　use　of　clothing；　with　the　discovery

of　the　compass；　with　the　invention　of　the　art　of　printing？　　Surely；

it　has　been　a　long　time　about；　and　which　is　the　more　material

object；　the　farthing　tallow　candle　that　will　not　give　me　light；　or

that　flame　of　gas　which　will？



No；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　do　not　let　us　be　discouraged　or　deceived

by　any　fine；　vapid；　empty　words。　　The　true　material　age　is　the

stupid　Chinese　age；　in　which　no　new　or　grand　revelations　of　nature

are　granted；　because　they　are　ignorantly　and　insolently　repelled；

instead　of　being　diligently　and　humbly　sought。　　The　difference

between　the　ancient　fiction　of　the　mad　braggart　defying　the

lightning　and　the　modern　historical　picture　of　Franklin　drawing　it

towards　his　kite；　in　order　that　he　might　the　more　profoundly　study

that　which　was　set　before　him　to　be　studied　（or　it　would　not　have

been　there）；　happily　expresses　to　my　mind　the　distinction　between

the　much…maligned　material　sages　…　material　in　one　sense；　I

suppose；　but　in　another　very　immaterial　sages　…　of　the　Celestial

Empire　school。　　Consider　whether　it　is　likely　or　unlikely；　natural

or　unnatural；　reasonable　or　unreasonable；　that　I；　a　being　capable

of　thought；　and　finding　myself　surrounded　by　such　discovered

wonders　on　every　hand；　should　sometimes　ask　myself　the　question　…

should　put　to　myself　the　solemn　consideration　…　can　these　things　be

among　those　things　which　might　have　been　disclosed　by　divine　lips

nigh　upon　two　thousand　years　ago；　but　that　the　people　of　that　time

could　not　bear　them？　　And　whether　this　be　so　or　no；　if　I　am　so

surrounded　on　every　hand；　is　not　my　moral　responsibility

tremendously　increased　thereby；　and　with　it　my　intelligence　and

submission　as　a　child　of　Adam　and　of　the　dust；　before　that　Shining

Source　which　equally　of　all　that　is　granted　and　all　that　is

withheld　holds　in　His　mighty　hands　the　unapproachable　mysteries　of

life　and　death。



To　the　students　of　your　industrial　classes　generally　I　have　had　it

in　my　mind；　first；　to　commend　the　short　motto；　in　two　words；

〃Courage　…　Persevere。〃　　This　is　the　motto　of　a　friend　and　worker。

Not　because　the　eyes　of　Europe　are　upon　them；　for　I　don't　in　the

least　believe　it；　nor　because　the　eyes　of　even　England　are　upon

them；　for　I　don't　in　the　least　believe　it；　not　because　their　doings

will　be　proclaimed　with　blast　of　trumpet　at　street　corners；　for　no

such　musical　performances　will　take　place；　not　because　self…

improvement　is　at　all　certain　to　lead　to　worldly　success；　but

simply　because　it　is　good　and　right　of　itself；　and　because；　being

so；　it　does　assuredly　bring　with　it　its　own　resources　and　its　own

rewards。　　I　would　further　commend　to　them　a　very　wise　and　witty

piece　of　advice　on　the　conduct　of　the　understanding　which　was　given

more　than　half　a　century　ago　by　the　Rev。　Sydney　Smith　…　wisest　and

wittiest　of　the　friends　I　have　lost。　　He　says　…　and　he　is　speaking；

you　will　please　understand；　as　I　speak；　to　a　school　of　volunteer

students　…　he　says：　　〃There　is　a　piece　of　foppery　which　is　to　be

cautiously　guarded　against；　the　foppery　of　universality；　of　knowing

all　sciences　and　excelling　in　all　arts　…　chymistry；　mathematics；

algebra；　dancing；　history；　reasoning；　riding；　fencing；　Low　Dutch；

High　Dutch；　and　natural　philosophy。　　In　short；　the　modern　precept

of　education　very　often　is；　'Take　the　Admirable　Crichton　for　your

model；　I　would　have　you　ignorant　of　nothing。'　　Now；〃　says　he；　〃my

advice；　on　the　contrary；　is　to　have　the　courage　to　be　ignorant　of　a

great　number　of　things；　in　order　that　you　may　avoid　the　calamity　of

being　ignorant　of　everything。〃



To　this　I　would　superadd　a　little　truth；　which　holds　equally　good

of　my　own　life　and　the　life　of　every　eminent　man　I　have　ever　known。

The　one　serviceable；　safe；　certain；　remunerative；　attainable

quality　in　every　study　and　in　every　pursuit　is　the　quality　of

attention。　　My　own　invention　or　imagination；　such　as　it　is；　I　can

most　truthfully　assure　you；　would　never　have　served　me　as　it　has；

but　for　the　habit　of　commonplace；　humble；　patient；　daily；　toiling；

drudging　attention。　　Genius；　vivacity；　quickness　of　penetration；

brilliancy　in　association　of　ideas　…　such　mental　qualities；　like

the　qualities　of　the　apparition　of　the　externally　armed　head　in

MACBETH；　will　not　be　commanded；　but　attention；　after　due　term　of

submissive　service；　always　will。　　Like　certain　plants　which　the

poorest　peasant　may　grow　in　the　poorest　soil；　it　can　be　cultivated

by　any　one；　and　it　is　certain　in　its　own　good　season　to　bring　forth

flowers　and　fruit。　　I　can　most　truthfully　assure　you　by…the…by；

that　this　eulogium　on　attention　is　so　far　quite　disinterested　on　my

part　as　that　it　has　not　the　least　reference　whatever　to　the

attention　with　which　you　have　honoured　me。



Well；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　have　done。　　I　cannot　but　reflect　how

often　you　have　probably　heard　within　these　walls　one　of　the

foremost　men；　and　certainly　one　of　the　very　best　speakers；　if　not

the　very　best；　in　England。　　I　could　not　say　to　myself；　when　I　began

just　now；　in　Shakespeare's　line　…





〃I　will　be　BRIGHT　and　shining　gold；〃





but　I　could　say　to　myself；　and　I　did　say　to　myself；　〃I　will　be　as

natural　and　easy　as　I　possibly　can；〃　because　my　heart　has　all　been

in　my　subject；　and　I　bear　an　old　love　towards　Birmingham　and

Birmingham　men。　　I　have　said　that　I　bear　an　old　love　towards

Birmingham　and　Birmingham　men；　let　me　amend　a　small　omission；　and

add　〃and　Birmingham　women。〃　　This　ring　I　wear　on　my　finger　now　is

an　old　Birmingham　gift；　and　if　by　rubbing　it　I　could　raise　the

spirit　that　was　obedient　to　Aladdin's　ring；　I　heartily　assure　you

that　my　first　instruction　to　that　genius　on　the　spot　should　be　to

place　himself　at　Birmingham's　disposal　in　the　best　of　causes。





＇In　acknowledging　the　vote　of　thanks；　Mr。　Dickens　said：…＇





Ladies　and　gentlemen；　as　I　hope　it　is　more　than　possible　that　I

shall　have　the　pleasure　of　meeting　you　again　before　Christmas　is

out；　and　shall　have　the　great　interest　of　seeing　the　faces　and

touching　the　bands　of　the　successful　competitors　in　your　lists；　I

will　not　cast　upon　that　anticipate