speeches-literary & social-第5章

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same　community　of　feeling　upon　the　other；　and　there　will　be　no　such

thing；　the　figures　will　be　blotted　out　for　good　and　all；　and；　from

that　time；　the　Athenaeum　may　be　said　to　belong　to　you；　and　to　your

heirs　for　ever。



But；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　at　all　times；　now　in　its　most　thriving；

and　in　its　least　flourishing　condition　…　here；　with　its　cheerful

rooms；　its　pleasant　and　instructive　lectures；　its　improving　library

of　6；000　volumes；　its　classes　for　the　study　of　the　foreign

languages；　elocution；　music；　its　opportunities　of　discussion　and

debate；　of　healthful　bodily　exercise；　and；　though　last　not　least　…

for　by　this　I　set　great　store；　as　a　very　novel　and　excellent

provision　…　its　opportunities　of　blameless；　rational　enjoyment；

here　it　is；　open　to　every　youth　and　man　in　this　great　town；

accessible　to　every　bee　in　this　vast　hive；　who；　for　all　these

benefits；　and　the　inestimable　ends　to　which　they　lead；　can　set

aside　one　sixpence　weekly。　　I　do　look　upon　the　reduction　of　the

subscription；　and　upon　the　fact　that　the　number　of　members　has

considerably　more　than　doubled　within　the　last　twelve　months；　as

strides　in　the　path　of　the　very　best　civilization；　and　chapters　of

rich　promise　in　the　history　of　mankind。



I　do　not　know　whether；　at　this　time　of　day；　and　with　such　a

prospect　before　us；　we　need　trouble　ourselves　very　much　to　rake　up

the　ashes　of　the　dead…and…gone　objections　that　were　wont　to　be

urged　by　men　of　all　parties　against　institutions　such　as　this；

whose　interests　we　are　met　to　promote；　but　their　philosophy　was

always　to　be　summed　up　in　the　unmeaning　application　of　one　short

sentence。　　How　often　have　we　heard　from　a　large　class　of　men　wise

in　their　generation；　who　would　really　seem　to　be　born　and　bred　for

no　other　purpose　than　to　pass　into　currency　counterfeit　and

mischievous　scraps　of　wisdom；　as　it　is　the　sole　pursuit　of　some

other　criminals　to　utter　base　coin　…　how　often　have　we　heard　from

them；　as　an　all…convincing　argument；　that　〃a　little　learning　is　a

dangerous　thing？〃　　Why；　a　little　hanging　was　considered　a　very

dangerous　thing；　according　to　the　same　authorities；　with　this

difference；　that；　because　a　little　hanging　was　dangerous；　we　had　a

great　deal　of　it；　and；　because　a　little　learning　was　dangerous；　we

were　to　have　none　at　all。　　Why；　when　I　hear　such　cruel　absurdities

gravely　reiterated；　I　do　sometimes　begin　to　doubt　whether　the

parrots　of　society　are　not　more　pernicious　to　its　interests　than

its　birds　of　prey。　　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　such　people's　estimate

of　the　comparative　danger　of　〃a　little　learning〃　and　a　vast　amount

of　ignorance；　I　should　be　glad　to　know　which　they　consider　the　most

prolific　parent　of　misery　and　crime。　　Descending　a　little　lower　in

the　social　scale；　I　should　be　glad　to　assist　them　in　their

calculations；　by　carrying　them　into　certain　gaols　and　nightly

refuges　I　know　of；　where　my　own　heart　dies　within　me；　when　I　see

thousands　of　immortal　creatures　condemned；　without　alternative　or

choice；　to　tread；　not　what　our　great　poet　calls　the　〃primrose　path〃

to　the　everlasting　bonfire；　but　one　of　jaded　flints　and　stones；

laid　down　by　brutal　ignorance；　and　held　together；　like　the　solid

rocks；　by　years　of　this　most　wicked　axiom。



Would　we　know　from　any　honourable　body　of　merchants；　upright　in

deed　and　thought；　whether　they　would　rather　have　ignorant　or

enlightened　persons　in　their　own　employment？　　Why；　we　have　had

their　answer　in　this　building；　we　have　it　in　this　company；　we　have

it　emphatically　given　in　the　munificent　generosity　of　your　own

merchants　of　Manchester；　of　all　sects　and　kinds；　when　this

establishment　was　first　proposed。　　But　are　the　advantages　derivable

by　the　people　from　institutions　such　as　this；　only　of　a　negative

character？　　If　a　little　learning　be　an　innocent　thing；　has　it　no

distinct；　wholesome；　and　immediate　influence　upon　the　mind？　　The

old　doggerel　rhyme；　so　often　written　in　the　beginning　of　books；

says　that





〃When　house　and　lands　are　gone　and　spent；

Then　learning　is　most　excellent；〃





but　I　should　be　strongly　disposed　to　reform　the　adage；　and　say　that





〃Though　house　and　lands　be　never　got；

Learning　can　give　what　they　canNOT。〃





And　this　I　know；　that　the　first　unpurchasable　blessing　earned　by

every　man　who　makes　an　effort　to　improve　himself　in　such　a　place　as

the　Athenaeum；　is　self…respect　…　an　inward　dignity　of　character；

which；　once　acquired　and　righteously　maintained；　nothing　…　no；　not

the　hardest　drudgery；　nor　the　direst　poverty　…　can　vanquish。

Though　he　should　find　it　hard　for　a　season　even　to　keep　the　wolf　…

hunger　…　from　his　door；　let　him　but　once　have　chased　the　dragon　…

ignorance　…　from　his　hearth；　and　self…respect　and　hope　are　left

him。　　You　could　no　more　deprive　him　of　those　sustaining　qualities

by　loss　or　destruction　of　his　worldly　goods；　than　you　could；　by

plucking　out　his　eyes；　take　from　him　an　internal　consciousness　of

the　bright　glory　of　the　sun。



The　man　who　lives　from　day　to　day　by　the　daily　exercise　in　his

sphere　of　hands　or　head；　and　seeks　to　improve　himself　in　such　a

place　as　the　Athenaeum；　acquires　for　himself　that　property　of　soul

which　has　in　all　times　upheld　struggling　men　of　every　degree；　but

self…made　men　especially　and　always。　　He　secures　to　himself　that

faithful　companion　which；　while　it　has　ever　lent　the　light　of　its

countenance　to　men　of　rank　and　eminence　who　have　deserved　it；　has

ever　shed　its　brightest　consolations　on　men　of　low　estate　and

almost　hopeless　means。　　It　took　its　patient　seat　beside　Sir　Walter

Raleigh　in　his　dungeon…study　in　the　Tower；　it　laid　its　head　upon

the　block　with　More；　but　it　did　not　disdain　to　watch　the　stars　with

Ferguson；　the　shepherd's　boy；　it　walked　the　streets　in　mean　attire

with　Crabbe；　it　was　a　poor　barber　here　in　Lancashire　with

Arkwright；　it　was　a　tallow…chandler's　son　with　Franklin；　it　worked

at　shoemaking　with　Bloomfield　in　his　garret；　it　followed　the　plough

with　Burns；　and；　high　above　the　noise　of　loom　and　hammer；　it

whispers　courage　even　at　this　day　in　ears　I　could　name　in　Sheffield

and　in　Manchester。



The　more　the　man　who　improves　his　leisure　in　such　a　place　learns；

the　better；　gentler；　kinder　man　he　must　become。　　When　he　knows　how

much　great　minds　have　suffered　for　the　truth　in　every　age　and　time；

and　to　what　dismal　persecutions　opinion　has　been　exposed；　he　will

become　more　tolerant　of　other　men's　belief　in　all　matters；　and　will

incline　more　leniently　to　their　sentiments　when　they　chance　to

differ　from　his　own。　　Understanding　that　the　relations　between

himself　and　his　employers　involve　a　mutual　duty　and　responsibility；

he　will　discharge　his　part　of　the　implied　contract　cheerfully；

satisfactorily；　and　honourably；　for　the　history　of　every　useful

life　warns　him　to　shape　his　course　in　that　direction。



The　benefits　he　acquires　in　such　a　place　are　not　of　a　selfish　kind；

but　extend　themselves　to　his　home；　and　to　those　whom　it　contains。

Something　of　what　he　hears　or　reads　within　such　walls　can　scarcely

fail　to　become　at　times　a　topic　of　discourse　by　his　own　fireside；

nor　can　it　ever　fail　to　lead　to　larger　sympathies　with　man；　and　to

a　higher　veneration　for　the　great　Creator　of　all　the　wonders　of

this　universe。　　It　appears　to　his　home　and　his　homely　feeling　in

other　ways；　for　at　certain　times　he　carries　there　his　wife　and

daughter；　or　his　sister；　or；　possibly；　some　bright…eyed

acquaintance　of　a　more　tender　description。　　Judging　from　what　I　see

before　me；　I　think　it　is　very　likely；　I　am　sure　I　would　if　I　could。

He　takes　her　there　to　enjoy　a　pleasant　evening；　to　be　gay　and

happy。　　Sometimes　it　may　possibly　happen　that　he　dates　his

tenderness　from　the　Athenaeum。　　I　think　that　is　a　very　excellent

thing；　too；　and　not　the　least　among　the　advantages　of　the

institution。　　In　any　case；　I　am　sure　the　number　of　bright　eyes　and

beaming　faces　which　grace　this　meeting　to…night　by　their　presence；

will　never　be　among　the　least　of　its　excellences　in　my

recollection。



Ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　shall　not　easily　forget　this　scene；　the

pleasing　task　your　favour　has　devolved　upon　me；　or　the　strong　and

inspiring　confirmation　I　have　to…night；　of　all　the　hopes　and

reliances　I　have　ever　placed　upon　institutions　of　this　nature。　　In

the　latter　point　of　view　…　in　their　bearing　upon　this　latter　point

…　I　regard　them　as　of　great　importance；　deeming　that　the　more

intelligent　and　reflective　society　in　the　mass　becomes；　and　the

more　readers　there　are；　the　more　distinctly　writers　of　all　kinds

will　be　able　to　throw　themselves　upon　the　truthful　feeling　of　the

people　and　the　more　honoured　and　the　more　useful　literature　must

be。　　At　the　same　time；　I　must　confess　that；　if　there　had　been　an

Athenaeum；　and　if　the　people　had　been　readers；　years　ago；　some

leaves　of　dedication　in　your　library；　of　praise　of　patrons　which

was　very　cheaply　bought；　very　dearly　sold；　and　very　marketably

haggled　for　by　the　groat；　would　be　blank　leaves；　and　posterity

might　probably　have　lacked　the　information　that　certain　monsters　of

virtue　ever　had　existence。　　But　it　is　upon　a　much　better　and　wider

scale；　let　me　say　it　once　again　…　it　is　in　the　effect　of　such

institutions　upon　the　great　social　system；　and　the　peace　and

happiness　of　mankind；　that　I　delight　to　contemplate　them；　and；　in

my　heart；　I　am　quite　certain　that　long　after　your　institution；　and

others　of　the　same　nature；　have　crumbled　into　dust；　the　noble

harvest　of　the　seed　sown　in　them　will　shine　out　brightly　in　the

wisdom；　the　mercy；　and　the　forbearance　of　another　race。







SPEECH：　　LIVERPOOL；　FEBRUARY　26；　1844。







＇The　following　address　was　delivered　at　a　soiree　of　the　Liverpool

Mechanics'　Institution；　at　which　Mr。　Dickens　presided。＇



LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　It　was　rather　hard　of　you　to　take　away　my

breath　before　I　spoke　a　word；　but　I　would　not　thank　you；　even　if　I

could；　for　the　favour　which　has　set　me　in　this　place；　or　for　the

generous　kindness　which　has　greeted　me　so　warmly；　…　because　my

first　strong　impulse　still　would　be；　although　I　had　that　power；　to

lose　sight　of　all　personal　considerations　in　the　high　intent　and

meaning　of　this　numerous　assemblage；　in　the　contemplation　of　the

noble　objects　to　which　this　building　is　devoted；　of　its　brilliant

and　inspiring　history；　of　that　rough；　upward　track；　so　bravely

trodden；　which　it　leaves　behind；　and　that　bright　path　of　steadily…

increasing　usefulness　which　lies　stretched　out　before　it。　　My　first

strong　impulse　still　would　be　to　exchange　congratulations　with　you；

as　the　members　of　one　united　family；　on　the　thriving　vigour　of　this

strongest　child　of　a　strong　race。　　My　first　strong　impulse　still

would　be；　though　everybody　here　had　twice　as　many　hundreds　of　hands

as　there　are　hundreds　of　persons　present；　to　shake　them　in　the

spirit；　everyone；　always；　allow　me　to　say；　excepting　those　hands

（and　there　are　a　few　such　here）；　which；　with　the　con