speeches-literary & social-第7章

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

interest　in　this　night's　proceedings。　　The　Polytechnic　Institution

of　Birmingham　is　in　its　infancy　…　struggling　into　life　under　all

those　adverse　and　disadvantageous　circumstances　which；　to　a　greater

or　less　extent；　naturally　beset　all　infancy；　but　I　would　much

rather　connect　myself　with　it　now；　however　humble；　in　its　days　of

difficulty　and　of　danger；　than　look　back　on　its　origin　when　it　may

have　become　strong；　and　rich；　and　powerful。　　I　should　prefer　an

intimate　association　with　it　now；　in　its　early　days　and　apparent

struggles；　to　becoming　its　advocate　and　acquaintance；　its　fair…

weather　friend；　in　its　high　and　palmy　days。　　I　would　rather　be　able

to　say　I　knew　it　in　its　swaddling…clothes；　than　in　maturer　age。

Its　two　elder　brothers　have　grown　old　and　died：　　their　chests　were

weak　…　about　their　cradles　nurses　shook　their　heads；　and　gossips

groaned；　but　the　present　institution　shot　up；　amidst　the　ruin　of

those　which　have　fallen；　with　an　indomitable　constitution；　with

vigorous　and　with　steady　pulse；　temperate；　wise；　and　of　good

repute；　and　by　perseverance　it　has　become　a　very　giant。　　Birmingham

is；　in　my　mind　and　in　the　minds　of　most　men；　associated　with　many

giants；　and　I　no　more　believe　that　this　young　institution　will　turn

out　sickly；　dwarfish；　or　of　stunted　growth；　than　I　do　that　when　the

glass…slipper　of　my　chairmanship　shall　fall　off；　and　the　clock

strike　twelve　to…night；　this　hall　will　be　turned　into　a　pumpkin。　　I

found　that　strong　belief　upon　the　splendid　array　of　grace　and

beauty　by　which　I　am　surrounded；　and　which；　if　it　only　had　one…

hundredth　part　of　the　effect　upon　others　it　has　upon　me；　could　do

anything　it　pleased　with　anything　and　anybody。　　I　found　my　strong

conviction；　in　the　second　place；　upon　the　public　spirit　of　the　town

of　Birmingham　…　upon　the　name　and　fame　of　its　capitalists　and

working　men；　upon　the　greatness　and　importance　of　its　merchants　and

manufacturers；　upon　its　inventions；　which　are　constantly　in

progress；　upon　the　skill　and　intelligence　of　its　artisans；　which

are　daily　developed；　and　the　increasing　knowledge　of　all　portions

of　the　community。　　All　these　reasons　lead　me　to　the　conclusion　that

your　institution　will　advance　…　that　it　will　and　must　progress；　and

that　you　will　not　be　content　with　lingering　leagues　behind。



I　have　another　peculiar　ground　of　satisfaction　in　connexion　with

the　object　of　this　assembly；　and　it　is；　that　the　resolutions　about

to　be　proposed　do　not　contain　in　themselves　anything　of　a　sectarian

or　class　nature；　that　they　do　not　confine　themselves　to　any　one

single　institution；　but　assert　the　great　and　omnipotent　principles

of　comprehensive　education　everywhere　and　under　every　circumstance。

I　beg　leave　to　say　that　I　concur；　heart　and　hand；　in　those

principles；　and　will　do　all　in　my　power　for　their　advancement；　for

I　hold；　in　accordance　with　the　imperfect　knowledge　which　I　possess；

that　it　is　impossible　for　any　fabric　of　society　to　go　on　day　after

day；　and　year　after　year；　from　father　to　son；　and　from　grandfather

to　grandson；　punishing　men　for　not　engaging　in　the　pursuit　of

virtue　and　for　the　practice　of　crime；　without　showing　them　what

virtue　is；　and　where　it　best　can　be　found　…　in　justice；　religion；

and　truth。　　The　only　reason　that　can　possibly　be　adduced　against　it

is　one　founded　on　fiction　…　namely；　the　case　where　an　obdurate　old

geni；　in　the　〃Arabian　Nights；〃　was　bound　upon　taking　the　life　of　a

merchant；　because　he　had　struck　out　the　eye　of　his　invisible　son。

I　recollect；　likewise；　a　tale　in　the　same　book　of　charming　fancies；

which　I　consider　not　inappropriate：　　it　is　a　case　where　a　powerful

spirit　has　been　imprisoned　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　in　a　casket

with　a　leaden　cover；　and　the　seal　of　Solomon　upon　it；　there　he　had

lain　neglected　for　many　centuries；　and　during　that　period　had　made

many　different　vows：　　at　first；　that　he　would　reward　magnificently

those　who　should　release　him；　and　at　last；　that　he　would　destroy

them。　　Now；　there　is　a　spirit　of　great　power　…　the　Spirit　of

Ignorance　…　which　is　shut　up　in　a　vessel　of　leaden　composition；　and

sealed　with　the　seal　of　many；　many　Solomons；　and　which　is

effectually　in　the　same　position：　　release　it　in　time；　and　it　will

bless；　restore；　and　reanimate　society；　but　let　it　lie　under　the

rolling　waves　of　years；　and　its　blind　revenge　is　sure　to　lead　to

certain　destruction。　　That　there　are　classes　which；　if　rightly

treated；　constitute　strength；　and　if　wrongly；　weakness；　I　hold　it

impossible　to　deny　…　by　these　classes　I　mean　industrious；

intelligent；　and　honourably　independent　men；　in　whom　the　higher

classes　of　Birmingham　are　especially　interested；　and　bound　to

afford　them　the　means　of　instruction　and　improvement；　and　to

ameliorate　their　mental　and　moral　condition。　　Far　be　it　from　me

（and　I　wish　to　be　most　particularly　understood）　to　attempt　to

depreciate　the　excellent　Church　Instruction　Societies；　or　the

worthy；　sincere；　and　temperate　zeal　of　those　reverend　gentlemen　by

whom　they　are　usually　conducted；　on　the　contrary；　I　believe　that

they　have　done；　and　are　doing；　much　good；　and　are　deserving　of　high

praise；　but　I　hope　that；　without　offence；　in　a　community　such　as

Birmingham；　there　are　other　objects　not　unworthy　in　the　sight　of

heaven；　and　objects　of　recognised　utility　which　are　worthy　of

support　…　principles　which　are　practised　in　word　and　deed　in

Polytechnic　Institutions　…　principles　for　the　diffusion　of　which

honest　men　of　all　degrees　and　of　every　creed　might　associate

together；　on　an　independent　footing　and　on　neutral　ground；　and　at　a

small　expense；　for　the　better　understanding　and　the　greater

consideration　of　each　other；　and　for　the　better　cultivation　of　the

happiness　of　all：　　for　it　surely　cannot　be　allowed　that　those　who

labour　day　by　day；　surrounded　by　machinery；　shall　be　permitted　to

degenerate　into　machines　themselves；　but；　on　the　contrary；　they

should　assert　their　common　origin　from　their　Creator；　at　the　hands

of　those　who　are　responsible　and　thinking　men。　　There　is；　indeed；

no　difference　in　the　main　with　respect　to　the　dangers　of　ignorance

and　the　advantages　of　knowledge　between　those　who　hold　different

opinions　…　for　it　is　to　be　observed；　that　those　who　are　most

distrustful　of　the　advantages　of　education；　are　always　the　first　to

exclaim　against　the　results　of　ignorance。　　This　fact　was　pleasantly

illustrated　on　the　railway；　as　I　came　here。　　In　the　same　carriage

with　me　there　sat　an　ancient　gentleman　（I　feel　no　delicacy　in

alluding　to　him；　for　I　know　that　he　is　not　in　the　room；　having　got

out　far　short　of　Birmingham）；　who　expressed　himself　most　mournfully

as　to　the　ruinous　effects　and　rapid　spread　of　railways；　and　was

most　pathetic　upon　the　virtues　of　the　slow…going　old　stage　coaches。

Now　I；　entertaining　some　little　lingering　kindness　for　the　road；

made　shift　to　express　my　concurrence　with　the　old　gentleman's

opinion；　without　any　great　compromise　of　principle。　　Well；　we　got

on　tolerably　comfortably　together；　and　when　the　engine；　with　a

frightful　screech；　dived　into　some　dark　abyss；　like　some　strange

aquatic　monster；　the　old　gentleman　said　it　would　never　do；　and　I

agreed　with　him。　　When　it　parted　from　each　successive　station；　with

a　shock　and　a　shriek　as　if　it　had　had　a　double…tooth　drawn；　the　old

gentleman　shook　his　head；　and　I　shook　mine。　　When　he　burst　forth

against　such　new…fangled　notions；　and　said　no　good　could　come　of

them；　I　did　not　contest　the　point。　　But　I　found　that　when　the　speed

of　the　engine　was　abated；　or　there　was　a　prolonged　stay　at　any

station；　up　the　old　gentleman　was　at　arms；　and　his　watch　was

instantly　out　of　his　pocket；　denouncing　the　slowness　of　our

progress。　　Now　I　could　not　help　comparing　this　old　gentleman　to

that　ingenious　class　of　persons　who　are　in　the　constant　habit　of

declaiming　against　the　vices　and　crimes　of　society；　and　at　the　same

time　are　the　first　and　foremost　to　assert　that　vice　and　crime　have

not　their　common　origin　in　ignorance　and　discontent。



The　good　work；　however；　in　spite　of　all　political　and　party

differences；　has　been　well　begun；　we　are　all　interested　in　it；　it

is　advancing；　and　cannot　be　stopped　by　any　opposition；　although　it

may　be　retarded　in　this　place　or　in　that；　by　the　indifference　of

the　middle　classes；　with　whom　its　successful　progress　chiefly

rests。　　Of　this　success　I　cannot　entertain　a　doubt；　for　whenever

the　working　classes　have　enjoyed　an　opportunity　of　effectually

rebutting　accusations　which　falsehood　or　thoughtlessness　have

brought　against　them；　they　always　avail　themselves　of　it；　and　show

themselves　in　their　true　characters；　and　it　was　this　which　made　the

damage　done　to　a　single　picture　in　the　National　Gallery　of　London；

by　some　poor　lunatic　or　cripple；　a　mere　matter　of　newspaper

notoriety　and　wonder　for　some　few　days。　　This；　then；　establishes　a

fact　evident　to　the　meanest　comprehension　…　that　any　given　number

of　thousands　of　individuals；　in　the　humblest　walks　of　life　in　this

country；　can　pass　through　the　national　galleries　or　museums　in

seasons　of　holiday…making；　without　damaging；　in　the　slightest

degree；　those　choice　and　valuable　collections。　　I　do　not　myself

believe　that　the　working　classes　ever　were　the　wanton　or

mischievous　persons　they　were　so　often　and　so　long　represented　to

be；　but　I　rather　incline　to　the　opinion　that　some　men　take　it　into

their　heads　to　lay　it　down　as　a　matter　of　fact；　without　being

particular　about　the　premises；　and　that　the　idle　and　the

prejudiced；　not　wishing　to　have　the　trouble　of　forming　opinions　for

themselves；　take　it　for　granted　…　until　the　people　have　an

opportunity　of　disproving　the　stigma　and　vindicating　themselves

before　the　world。



Now　this　assertion　is　well　illustrated　by　what　occurred　respecting

an　equestrian　statue　in　the　metropolis；　with　respect　to　which　a

legend　existed　that　the　sculptor　hanged　himself；　because　he　had

neglected　to　put　a　girth　to　the　horse。　　This　story　was　currently

believed　for　many　years；　until　it　was　inspected　for　altogether　a

different　purpose；　and　it　was　found　to　have　had　a　girth　all　the

time。



But　surely　if；　as　is　stated；　the　people　are　ill…disposed　and

mischievous；　that　is　the　best　reason　that　can　be　offered　for

teaching　them　better；　and　if　they　are　not；　surely　that　is　a　reason

for　giving　them　every　opportunity　of　vindicating　their　injured

reputation；　and　no　better　opportunity　could　possibly　be　afforded

than　that　of　associating　together　voluntarily　for　such　high

purposes　as　it　is　proposed　to　carry　out　by　the　establishment　of　the

Birmingham　Polytechnic　Institution。　　In　any　case　…　nay；　in　every

case　…　if　we　would　reward　honesty；　if　we　would　hold　out

encouragement　to　good；　if　we　would　eradicate　that　which　is　evil　or

correct　that　which　is　bad；　education　…　comprehensive；　liberal

education　…　is　the　one　thing　needful；　and　the　only　effective　end。

If　I　might