speeches-literary & social-第6章

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

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

infirmity　of　human　nature；　I　would　rather　salute　in　some　more

tender　fashion。



When　I　first　had　the　honour　of　communicating　with　your　Committee

with　reference　to　this　celebration；　I　had　some　selfish　hopes　that

the　visit　proposed　to　me　might　turn　out　to　be　one　of

congratulation；　or；　at　least；　of　solicitous　inquiry；　for　they　who

receive　a　visitor　in　any　season　of　distress　are　easily　touched　and

moved　by　what　he　says；　and　I　entertained　some　confident　expectation

of　making　a　mighty　strong　impression　on　you。　　But；　when　I　came　to

look　over　the　printed　documents　which　were　forwarded　to　me　at　the

same　time；　and　with　which　you　are　all　tolerably　familiar；　these

anticipations　very　speedily　vanished；　and　left　me　bereft　of　all

consolation；　but　the　triumphant　feeling　to　which　I　have　referred。

For　what　do　I　find；　on　looking　over　those　brief　chronicles　of　this

swift　conquest　over　ignorance　and　prejudice；　in　which　no　blood　has

been　poured　out；　and　no　treaty　signed　but　that　one　sacred　compact

which　recognises　the　just　right　of　every　man；　whatever　his　belief；

or　however　humble　his　degree；　to　aspire；　and　to　have　some　means　of

aspiring；　to　be　a　better　and　a　wiser　man？　　I　find　that；　in　1825；

certain　misguided　and　turbulent　persons　proposed　to　erect　in

Liverpool　an　unpopular；　dangerous；　irreligious；　and　revolutionary

establishment；　called　a　Mechanics'　Institution；　that；　in　1835；

Liverpool　having；　somehow　or　other；　got　on　pretty　comfortably　in

the　meantime；　in　spite　of　it；　the　first　stone　of　a　new　and　spacious

edifice　was　laid；　that；　in　1837；　it　was　opened；　that；　it　was

afterwards；　at　different　periods；　considerably　enlarged；　that；　in

1844；　conspicuous　amongst　the　public　beauties　of　a　beautiful　town；

here　it　stands　triumphant；　its　enemies　lived　down；　its　former

students　attesting；　in　their　various　useful　callings　and　pursuits；

the　sound；　practical　information　it　afforded　them；　its　members

numbering　considerably　more　than　3；000；　and　setting　in　rapidly　for

6；000　at　least；　its　library　comprehending　11；000　volumes；　and　daily

sending　forth　its　hundreds　of　books　into　private　homes；　its　staff

of　masters　and　officers；　amounting　to　half…a…hundred　in　themselves；

its　schools；　conveying　every　sort　of　instruction；　high　and　low；

adapted　to　the　labour；　means；　exigencies；　and　convenience　of　nearly

every　class　and　grade　of　persons。　　I　was　here　this　morning；　and　in

its　spacious　halls　I　found　stores　of　the　wonders　worked　by　nature

in　the　air；　in　the　forest；　in　the　cavern；　and　in　the　sea　…　stores

of　the　surpassing　engines　devised　by　science　for　the　better

knowledge　of　other　worlds；　and　the　greater　happiness　of　this　…

stores　of　those　gentler　works　of　art；　which；　though　achieved　in

perishable　stone；　by　yet　more　perishable　hands　of　dust；　are　in

their　influence　immortal。　　With　such　means　at　their　command；　so

well…directed；　so　cheaply　shared；　and　so　extensively　diffused；　well

may　your　Committee　say；　as　they　have　done　in　one　of　their　Reports；

that　the　success　of　this　establishment　has　far　exceeded　their　most

sanguine　expectations。



But；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　as　that　same　philosopher　whose　words

they　quote；　as　Bacon　tells　us；　instancing　the　wonderful　effects　of

little　things　and　small　beginnings；　that　the　influence　of　the

loadstone　was　first　discovered　in　particles　of　iron；　and　not　in

iron　bars；　so　they　may　lay　it　to　their　hearts；　that　when　they

combined　together　to　form　the　institution　which　has　risen　to　this

majestic　height；　they　issued　on　a　field　of　enterprise；　the　glorious

end　of　which　they　cannot　even　now　discern。　　Every　man　who　has　felt

the　advantages　of；　or　has　received　improvement　in　this　place；

carries　its　benefits　into　the　society　in　which　he　moves；　and　puts

them　out　at　compound　interest；　and　what　the　blessed　sum　may　be　at

last；　no　man　can　tell。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　with　that　Christian

prelate　whose　name　appears　on　your　list　of　honorary　Members；　that

good　and　liberal　man　who　once　addressed　you　within　these　walls；　in

a　spirit　worthy　of　his　calling；　and　of　his　High　Master　…　I　look

forward　from　this　place；　as　from　a　tower；　to　the　time　when　high　and

low；　and　rich　and　poor；　shall　mutually　assist；　improve；　and　educate

each　other。



I　feel；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　that　this　is　not　a　place；　with　its

3；200　members；　and　at　least　3；200　arguments　in　every　one；　to　enter

on　any　advocacy　of　the　principle　of　Mechanics'　Institutions；　or　to

discuss　the　subject　with　those　who　do　or　ever　did　object　to　them。

I　should　as　soon　think　of　arguing　the　point　with　those　untutored

savages　whose　mode　of　life　you　last　year　had　the　opportunity　of

witnessing；　indeed；　I　am　strongly　inclined　to　believe　them　by　far

the　more　rational　class　of　the　two。　　Moreover；　if　the　institution

itself　be　not　a　sufficient　answer　to　all　such　objections；　then

there　is　no　such　thing　in　fact　or　reason；　human　or　divine。　　Neither

will　I　venture　to　enter　into　those　details　of　the　management　of

this　place　which　struck　me　most　on　the　perusal　of　its　papers；　but　I

cannot　help　saying　how　much　impressed　and　gratified　I　was；　as

everybody　must　be　who　comes　to　their　perusal　for　the　first　time；　by

the　extraordinary　munificence　with　which　this　institution　has　been

endowed　by　certain　gentlemen。



Amongst　the　peculiar　features　of　management　which　made　the　greatest

impression　on　me；　I　may　observe　that　that　regulation　which　empowers

fathers；　being　annual　subscribers　of　one　guinea；　to　introduce　their

sons　who　are　minors；　and　masters；　on　payment　of　the　astoundingly

small　sum　of　five　shillings　annually；　in　like　manner　their

apprentices；　is　not　the　least　valuable　of　its　privileges；　and；

certainly　not　the　one　least　valuable　to　society。　　And；　ladies　and

gentlemen；　I　cannot　say　to　you　what　pleasure　I　derived　from　the

perusal　of　an　apparently　excellent　report　in　your　local　papers　of　a

meeting　held　here　some　short　time　since；　in　aid　of　the　formation　of

a　girls'　school　in　connexion　with　this　institution。　　This　is　a　new

and　striking　chapter　in　the　history　of　these　institutions；　it　does

equal　credit　to　the　gallantry　and　policy　of　this；　and　disposes　one

to　say　of　it　with　a　slight　parody　on　the　words　of　Burns；　that





〃Its　'prentice　han'　it　tried　on　man；

And　then　it　TAUGHT　the　lasses；　O。〃





That　those　who　are　our　best　teachers；　and　whose　lessons　are

oftenest　heeded　in　after　life；　should　be　well　taught　themselves；　is

a　proposition　few　reasonable　men　will　gainsay；　and；　certainly；　to

breed　up　good　husbands　on　the　one　hand；　and　good　wives　on　the

other；　does　appear　as　reasonable　and　straightforward　a　plan　as

could　well　be　devised　for　the　improvement　of　the　next　generation。



This；　and　what　I　see　before　me；　naturally　brings　me　to　our　fairer

members；　in　respect　of　whom　I　have　no　doubt　you　will　agree　with　me；

that　they　ought　to　be　admitted　to　the　widest　possible　extent；　and

on　the　lowest　possible　terms；　and；　ladies；　let　me　venture　to　say　to

you；　that　you　never　did　a　wiser　thing　in　all　your　lives　than　when

you　turned　your　favourable　regard　on　such　an　establishment　as　this

…　for　wherever　the　light　of　knowledge　is　diffused；　wherever　the

humanizing　influence　of　the　arts　and　sciences　extends　itself；

wherever　there　is　the　clearest　perception　of　what　is　beautiful；　and

good；　and　most　redeeming；　amid　all　the　faults　and　vices　of　mankind；

there　your　character；　your　virtues；　your　graces；　your　better

nature；　will　be　the　best　appreciated；　and　there　the　truest　homage

will　be　proudly　paid　to　you。　　You　show　best；　trust　me；　in　the

clearest　light；　and　every　ray　that　falls　upon　you　at　your　own

firesides；　from　any　book　or　thought　communicated　within　these

walls；　will　raise　you　nearer　to　the　angels　in　the　eyes　you　care　for

most。



I　will　not　longer　interpose　myself；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　between

you　and　the　pleasure　we　all　anticipate　in　hearing　other　gentlemen；

and　in　enjoying　those　social　pleasures　with　which　it　is　a　main　part

of　the　wisdom　of　this　society　to　adorn　and　relieve　its　graver

pursuits。　　We　all　feel；　I　am　sure；　being　here；　that　we　are　truly

interested　in　the　cause　of　human　improvement　and　rational

education；　and　that　we　pledge　ourselves；　everyone　as　far　as　in　him

lies；　to　extend　the　knowledge　of　the　benefits　afforded　in　this

place；　and　to　bear　honest　witness　in　its　favour。　　To　those　who　yet

remain　without　its　walls；　but　have　the　means　of　purchasing　its

advantages；　we　make　appeal；　and　in　a　friendly　and　forbearing　spirit

say；　〃Come　in；　and　be　convinced　…





'Who　enters　here；　leaves　DOUBT　behind。'〃





If　you；　happily；　have　been　well　taught　yourself；　and　are　superior

to　its　advantages；　so　much　the　more　should　you　make　one　in　sympathy

with　those　who　are　below　you。　　Beneath　this　roof　we　breed　the　men

who；　in　the　time　to　come；　must　be　found　working　for　good　or　evil；

in　every　quarter　of　society。　　If　mutual　respect　and　forbearance

among　various　classes　be　not　found　here；　where　so　many　men　are

trained　up　in　so　many　grades；　to　enter　on　so　many　roads　of　life；

dating　their　entry　from　one　common　starting…point；　as　they　are　all

approaching；　by　various　paths；　one　common　end；　where　else　can　that

great　lesson　be　imbibed？　　Differences　of　wealth；　of　rank；　of

intellect；　we　know　there　must　be；　and　we　respect　them；　but　we　would

give　to　all　the　means　of　taking　out　one　patent　of　nobility；　and　we

define　it；　in　the　words　of　a　great　living　poet；　who　is　one　of　us；

and　who　uses　his　great　gifts；　as　he　holds　them　in　trust；　for　the

general　welfare　…





〃Howe'er　it　be；　it　seems　to　me

'Tis　only　noble　to　be　good：

True　hearts　are　more　than　coronets；

And　simple　faith　than　Norman　blood。〃







SPEECH：　　BIRMINGHAM；　FEBRUARY　28；　1844。







＇The　following　speech　was　delivered　at　a　Conversazione；　in　aid　of

the　funds　of　the　Birmingham　Polytechnic　Institution；　at　which　Mr

Dickens　presided。＇



YOU　will　think　it　very　unwise；　or　very　self…denying　in　me；　in　such

an　assembly；　in　such　a　splendid　scene；　and　after　such　a　welcome；　to

congratulate　myself　on　having　nothing　new　to　say　to　you：　　but　I　do

so；　notwithstanding。　　To　say　nothing　of　places　nearer　home；　I　had

the　honour　of　attending　at　Manchester；　shortly　before　Christmas；

and　at　Liverpool；　only　the　night　before　last；　for　a　purpose　similar

to　that　which　brings　you　together　this　evening；　and　looking　down　a

short　perspective　of　similar　engagements；　I　feel　gratification　at

the　thought　that　I　shall　very　soon　have　nothing　at　all　to　say；　in

which　case；　I　shall　be　content　to　stake　my　reputation；　like　the

Spectator　of　Addison；　and　that　other　great　periodical　speaker；　the

Speaker　of　the　House　of　Commons；　on　my　powers　of　listening。



This　feeling；　and　the　earnest　reception　I　have　met　with；　are　not

the　only　reasons　why　I　feel　a　genuine；　cordial；　and　peculiar

interest　in　this　night's　proceedings。　　The　Polyte