The Sun. — London, England, 1858-10-13 00:00:00

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE. LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY. The great inaugural meeting of last night was in every respect satisfactory, and. the interest evinced amounted almost to enthusiasm. We now supply in full the speeches following Lord John Russell's • address. Mr. HASTINGS, the hon. secretary, having read letters of apology from Lord Stanley, who is pre vented from being present by his attendance on the - Queen at Balmoral, from Lord Goderich, Mr. J. S. Mill, the Rev. C. Kingsley, Miss Nightingale, and others, The Earl of SHAFTESBURY rose to propose the first resolution— " That the thanks of the National Association be given to the Right Hon. Lord Brougham for his services as founder and first president of this association." The noble Lord said he experienced the most sin cere pleasure in endeavouring to do honour to a man who had rendered such distinguished services in this and every other department, to whom was owing in a great measure the foundation of the society and the good conduct and success which had marked its progress, and who, it was to be hoped, would be long spared to render to the association and to many others vain able and effective services. (Cheers.) On such an occasion as this it was almost impossible to re frain from saying a few words of gratitude and respect for his noble and generous career. His great and valuable services in stirring up the country to the immense value, to the still more im mense necessity, of national education could never be forgotten ; neither could his generous, mighty, unwearied, and new, by the blessing of God, successful endeavours for the mitigation of the biggest wrong that ever desolated and dis graced mankind—the horrible and atrocious traffic in human flesh. (Cheers.) There was not a single effort undertaken for the benefit of the human race which had not his sympathy and as far as he could, give it his co-operation ; and well might he say, according to the language of ancient times, that which no ancient could truly have said—" I am a man, and nothing that affects the interests of man kind is, or ever can be, foreign to my affections." (Loud applause.) His advancing years, too, instead of producing on him the effect they produced upon ordinary men, seemed only to lead him to a renewal of those great efforts, to the exhibition of that masterly eloquence, and to those great and vigor ous sympathies that characterised all the efforts of his earliest youth. Seeing him, therefore, standing there, the patriarch of philanthropy, in a green old age, entering upon a new career that even now seemed to set at a distance all the younger por tions of the community, he hoped all would unite in tendering hearty , thanks to him for the great services he had rendered, with a hearty wish that he might long enjoy the honours he had achieved, and a still more hearty wish that he might be spared by the blessing of God for further sympathy, counsel, and co-operation in every good word and work for the benefit of the human race. Sir J. PAKINGTON seconded the resolution. It was most gratifying, he said, to find that during the intervals of Parliamentary warfare men of different parties could assemble together upon common ground and act cordially together for the: public good, thus holding out to the country at large: . a proof that, though the public men of England might differ, and sometimes differ warmly, as to which might be the best road to take, that all had in view equally one great end, and that great end the Welfare of the people. No one could dispute that the objects of this association were closely connected With the most important public interests, social economy, the treatment of crime, the amendment of the law, public health ; above all, the improve ment and the extension of popular education. The interest and the importance of those objects had been explained that night with the happiest eloquence and the most felicitous illustration by the noble lord in the chair ; and he rejoiced to infer from this grand assemblage of the people of Liverpool in that noble hall that all would join in the opinion that these were subjects of primary importance, and that those who valued the welfare of the country could do no better than devote their atten tion to them. The best mode in which this could be done was by thus assembling together, by thus forming an association by means of which men of ability and experience were brought together, who could thus offer to each other the views they en-2 tertained, who might give, and receive information, and might excite public interest and public atten tion to this most important subject. Above all, lien hoped that it would be believed and felt by tb.k in-. dustrious and bfthe waKkiliAclasses of this,c.intry.,' that the objects of this*ftwa k atio4 l ,4speei44Y. regarded their .iut441 4 1444.eie,;,.y/ (tle4;, hear.) Perhaps -Might •be;'evrta,„ more conscious Or the iat fo which thanks were; due to Lord Byon,g44iji, - Own Lord, Shaftesbitry,i, having had the advarifitO'Of,,being a Birmingham last year, and he could hear testimony to the ability with which he guided their proceedings, to the in formation which be brought to their assistance, and to the admirable manner in which his duties upon that occasion were . conducted. The illustrious life of Lord Brougham had been devoted to objects of public interest, and to advancing the interests- of all classes of the people ; and he never had given, or rarely given, a more•remarkable proof of that, or one which would be longer remembered, than y bthe part he had taken in the foundation and in the support of this institution., All men had re cently read a most striking proof that the great intellect of Henry Brougham was still bright and unclouded. (Loud cheers.) Long might it remain so. (Renewed cheers.) Long might he enjoy from the people of this country feelings of well-merited gratitude. The resolution • having been carried with enthusiasm, Lord BROUGHAM rose and was received with hearty_ applause. He said,—l do assure you that it is impossible for any person to feel more deeply than I do—what, however, I am wholly unable to express—my gratitude for the reception which you have given to the remarks of my noble and right hon. friends. It is not strictly correct to say that I. am the founder of this association. I was a very early associate in it. I highly approved it from the very b9ginning, and when others who had well . considered the subject came to me to ask my sup port to it and my co-operation with it, I at once acceded to their request and accepted the office of president of the association. (Cheers.) I have the honour still to hold that office. My noble friend near me is president of this local meeting of the association ; I am still the president of the associa tion at large ; but I am about this instant to abdi cate, and I consider that I shall well perform the duty of president this night by abdicafion in favour of my noble friend and connexion, the presi dent of this meeting. (Loud cheers.) I am sure that upon no person could that mantle which was placed round me descend more appropriately than upon my noble friend. (Renewed cheering.) If I wanted any proof that he was a fit person, any proof beyond the whole of his long and useful life -(cheers)--a life so much devoted to the improve ment of the people in all branches of improvement —L(hear, hear)—if I wanted beyond the previous history of my noble friend a proof that he was the fit and proper president ofthe association, I should say you have it in what has passed this night (loud, and continued cheering)—in that most able, most luminous, and most useful address with with he hits opened our proceedings of this evening, an address in which, except where his kind ness led him to make some personal reference to ny self, in every one word, in every one opinion ex pressed, even down to the very mode and manner of expressing those opinions, I do most entirely and-post heartily concur. (Cheers.) •If there be one portion of it which I think more useful, and, I may add, more forcibly and more powerfully ex pressed than another, it was the latter part of his observation upon the progress of the people, upon the character of the people, upon the means of its improvement, upon. the helps which ought to be given for that improvement, and to which I will only add one single remark in illustration furth er of the principles which he so powerfully and so eloquently laid down—that the-people must 'them_ selves work out their own improvement. (Great cheering.) There is no Royal road either to pop e _ tar happiness or to popular fame. (Hear, hear.) It is said by a poet—by a poet of the people, I will say by Crabbe--if any one tells you of these Royal r oa d s to fame or to happiness, trust them not— " Who fame or bliss would share, ( 4 Must learn with labour and must live with care." (Cheers.) Whether people are in pursuit of dis tillation or of comfort, a.r of happiness and enjoy ment higher than comfort, there is but one road to the fulfilment of their w):::thes, and that is hard work, sobriety, avoiding, excess of all sor t s — even avoiding excess of hard Ivork itseif -- - f laughter and applause)—no overworking, but no idleziess, no in temperance—and economy and frugality in the management of their resources. (Cheers.) i ought to apologise for having added a single wort; to a what has been_ so well said by my noble friend, :u1 I will on ly k a y th a t, i ns t ea d of further detaining you upon th e - p resen t occas i on , I intend, by God's blessing., to-m. orrow, befo re ou r worthy vice-presi dents make t heir addresses to their several de partments, to. lay before you that which applies equally to all t ;heir departments and to the whole object of this great association together—a state- - ment rather of • `f ac t s an d arguments than opinions— though opinions. Twill not disguise onvithhold—upon the great Tax-41 nouns important subject of popular literature, more, espeeiallypopui ar literature adapted to all classes of. the people, combining amusement with instruction—innocent, harmless, improving amusement, with solid instruction ; and chiefly that which comes periodically before the public in all parts of the country and at all seasons of the year. I ought now to say one word which applies to myself rather than to the body of my friends near me, in connection with this meJting. So large a meeting as this, in every point of view so respect able and so interesting—long and great as has been my experience of large assemblies—l certainly never before assisted at. It gives me the greatest pleasure to have met my old friends of Liverpool again. (Cheers,) lam afraid it is now somewhere about 46 years ago that I first came among you. We were then split up into various parties —many factions in the State—not a few in the Church ; but, as my right hon. friend the First Lord of the Admiralty has stated, it is most comfortable, it is most delightful, one might add, to be able to meet together on a subject which puts to silence all factious differences, whether they be civil or whe ther they be clerical, and where all sects and all parties may cordially unite in efforts for the im provement of all the people. I could not avoid saying how happy I was to meet my old Liverpool friends on an occasion of such paramount import ance. It grieves me to add, Ido not meet, Heaven knows, all those friends. That is too painful a subject to dwell upon; and I say no more than that, even with this lamentation, it gives me un feigned pleasure to have met you here to-night. (Loud and protracted cheering.) The Earl of CARLISLE moved the next resolu- tion : " That the thanks of the meetinc , be given to Lord John Russell for the address which he has just delivered." All had listened to that address with pleasure and delight, which, eloquent, clear, and comprehen sive, and thus attractive to all ears and minds, would still be best appreciated by those most con versant with the several subjects dealt with. But, over and above this address, every one present Would bear in mind the incidenti of an illustrious life and the qualities of a virtuous character. It having fallen to his lot to serve in several capaci ties under his noble friend, he felt the greatest satisfaction in doing so once more in connexion with this association. Sir J. K. SHUTTLEWORTH seconded the motion, and bore testimony to the personal share which Lord.j. Russell had taken, both in office and out of office, in the promotion of measures for the advance ment of education, the improvement of prison dis cipline, the establishment of reformatories for the young, and the amendment of the Poor-law. His lordship, he added, had ever been forward in all these questions, and had not shrunk from the risk of introducing them before they had become po pular. The motion having been carried with unanimous acclamation, Lord J. RUSSELL rose to reply. He said—l beg leave to return you, ladies and gentlemen, my grateful thanks for the honour you have done me ; but I do not know that I can so well thank my friends; Lord Carlisle and Sir J. Shuttleworth, be cause sometimes praise that is overdpne may injure the object Of it—(cheers and a laugh)—and I could not but feel that their praise went far beyond any merits' that I may have. But I wish to say a word or two with respect to the address which I read to you to-night: I was somewhat afraid that going into 'so many statistical details—which are of them selves dry—would appear to you hardly suited to a-'great-Tublie and popular audience ; but I have observed in this country with regard to many sub jects; that people do not like to undertake them— to put themselves to any great trouble about them . —to move in them, in fact, at the sacrifice of time and other exertions, unless theysee before them not only that the object is a worthy one, but that there are practicable and safe means of accomplishing it. Now, I wished to show you—l will not say with regard to education, but with regard to prison dis cipline and the improvement of health and other matt9rs, and that those means are practicable, and that by exertion they may very well be attained. (Cheers.) What I have felt on these subjects before Lord Brougham presided at the association last year was.,:_that.though very able men wrote works on -them, though there were pamphlets and'hlne-books in abundance on them, and much was proved, yet that there was not such a force of public opinien as 'to act with effect upon the Legislature of the coun try. ' (War, hear.) My right hon.' friend Sir J. PakingtOn; I think, would say the same thing ; because, 'without any party differences, I am sure We :liare seen sometimes part of the Horse of' Cora •., !NA perhaps forming a majoritY, who- have not Studied. these subjects and had not attendedp them, 01. .." • ales in the way of that' hich was really 11 1 0.- . 701.fibfit' of the country,' lint AV itii !regard. to Oitc :Was nO active public - op ~.mia.Wrth 144ttl.tel which therefore thy had 'lntl i4-en diem- 4 , ;':Aves . +11'; trouble of investiga*iv, ( 47l:Atlast that 'OtakWeitikt'ed at Birmingham lastkysmii*nd is bc . • tAiitititi" , ,at 'Liverpool now will prod'ileWstt6ll a force of public opinion that great improVementS may be made oh all these subjects. My dutjupon this oc casion—for I certainly have not come here for any purposes of display—is, I believe, to make myself as useful as I can in these matters. lam delighted to see that there is so much attention given to them, and I quite agree with my noble friend Lord Brougham, that it is by inducing the people them selves to undertake these matters that we shall really arrive at a beneficial result. (Cheers.) I have ob served that there are some persons who seem rather nervously alarmed at the attention which is paid to these subjects of social science ; because they argue that people will get so run away with by these favourite objects of public health, sanitary improve ment, reformatories, and prison discipline, that they will have no time to attend to the politics of the country—to those questions which my right hon. friend Sir J. Pakington and I so often discuss in the House of Commons, and on which' we have the misfortune so frequently to differ. (A laugh.) I think that that is a very needless apprehension ; because, much as we like these subjects, there is so much excitement in a good Parliamentary political debate—a great deal of sarcasm and indignation and eloquence is thrown from one side to the other —and these matters are so much. more interesting and so much more easy to investigate— Lord BRoUGHUM—Besides, it -is so much more pleasant to be abused than to be praised. '(Laughter.) Lord J. RUSSELL—My noble friend adds that it is so much more pleasant to be abused than to be praised, and that reminds me of an observation of a man who certainly was no excessive lover of his kind, Dean Swift, who said that panegyric had always a good deal of poppy in , it. : ,(Laughter.) That certainly is very apt to be the case. Therefore I think we may rely upon it, whatever attention we may pay to these subjects, that when the House of Commons meets again we shall be quite as warm as ever. with regard to our politicardiffereriees. I always listen to my right hon. friend Sir. J. Pak ington with great pleasure, because •he not only speaks with great ability, but he does not misre present his opponents. Still, listening to him with great . .pleasure, I am afraid that 'We shall find, as heretofore, that we shall have many great subjects of difference. But, laying these subjects aside for the present, I must remind you that in the ques tions in. which we are now engaged there is great need of patient investigation ; and while we are speaking on this subject from the, platform I must say that the persons .to whom the utmost credit is due are those men to. whom I have alluded, who have not been' able hitherto to collect public opinion into great force, who have not been able to direct it with great power, but who, in their several capaci ties of lawyers, political economists, and physicians have patiently inquired. into these subjects, have at a great sacrifice of time (and in the case of the medi cal profession at a great risk of health and of life alsoj devoted themselves to the imp rovem e n t o f th e i r fellow* creatures. I feel that we all sink into insig nificance When compared with those men whom fame has not reaaleg. I have only again to thank you for the reception which I have met this evening, and to repeat thee it far exceeds my deserts. (The noble lord resumed his seat amid loud cheering, and the assemblage lullizediately dispers e d.) The arrangements connected with thi s vas t 0 gathering were admirable; And if to M r . H as ti ngs, the hon.' secretary, and Mr.. Medley, the local secretary, the credit of their co:xception is due, M r . Mackenzie is entitled to thanks .1. or the man ner i n which he carried them into executiOL TUESDAY, OCT. 12. This morning's p rocee dings were open by the fulfil ment o f Lord Brougham ' s prom i se to deliver an address on "Popular Literature." The elegy pan' concert room of St. George's-hall was crowded loiN before the hour appointed, and, as on the preVious evening, the ladies formed a large proportion of the audience. At 11 o ' c l oc k h i s lordship, accompanied by the principal members of the Association and the distinguished visitors whose names we' have given already, made his appearance on the plat form, and delivered the following address :—lt is an unspeakable relief to those who undertake the diScussion of matters connected with the progress of improvement that they are no longer called upon to demonstrate the fundamental propositions a few years ago the subject of controversy, and especially the expediency, including of course tL e safety, of diffusing knowledge of every description among all classes of the people. The days have long gone by when it was deemed necessary for the peace of society, first that learning in general, then that at any rate political science, should be confined to orders of th e com mun ity, as if the hum biertlie upper ranks. were either incapable f comprehend . lug it or unfit to be intrusted with it. As suredly= it would not be easy now even for those enemies of progress to draw this li ne , 41.0 ground their political cre e d upon th e i r re those religious feelings, when they call to mind the grand diversity THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 12, 1858. between our pure belief and the false systems which it happily supplanted, the distinction, that above every .other, marks its infinite superiority, and pro• claims its divine origin. The heathens, even the wiser among them, took the same distinction be tween the various classes of the community which the adversaries of popular improvement have been wont to take among- ourselves. Holding immorta lity in considerable doubt, of one thing they were quite clear—that it would only be granted to souls of a higher order Si quis priorummanibus locus ; si ut sapientibus placet non cum corpore extingu unter magnm animie"—says Tacitus. " But, no," says Cowper, the Christian poet and sage— " But no! the silver trumpet's heavenly call Sounds for the poor—it sounds alike for all." All such distinctions have been swept away by the same Gospel which brought life and immortality to light, and the soul of the meanest capacity, of the humblest of His creatures, is as precious as that of the exalted in the eyes of Him without whose will a sparrow falls not to the ground. From all doubts and all refinements of the caste, therefore, we are now happily relieved, and the word having gone forth irrevocable that the people shall be taught, we are only left to consider what is the best, be cause the most effectual mode of teaching. The course pursued with this object in view during the last 30 or 40 years has been to regard self-education as the great instrument, and therefore reading as the principal means, of learning, with the help of such oral instruction as can be obtained through lectures. But, as individual or private reading forms the bulk of the process, everything was ad mitted to dependupon affording easy access to works of an instructive kind, and at the same time of a nature to attract readers. When, 35 years ago, I addressed the working classes and their employers in a tract (of which the 23d edition lies before me), pointing out the advantages as well as the duty of extending their information, I announced the step about to be taken of establishing an associa tion, of which the main objects should be the preparing and publishing of works to help self-edu cation. The Useful Knowledge Society was accord ingly formed, and its labours were entirely success ful. The price of books, maps, and prints was reduced exceedingly, and a plentiful supply was provided of treatises upon all branches of science at a very low price, and composed in a manner so simple and clear as to convey the required instruc tion without the help of a teacher, to such as really desired it, and would take the trouble of obtaining it. But a variety of other works was likewise pro duced, the object of which was to afford instruction in an entertaining or amusing form ; and the great circulation immediately obtained by our works of these kinds proved that our endeavours had been attended with success. But we next saw that a much wider scope could be given to our operations, and that classes whom our larger publications did not reach might be induced to improve themselves by reading. Hence arose the Penny Magazine, the happy suggestion of that eminent philanthropist Mr. Hill, now Recorder of Birmingham and Com missioner in Bankruptcy. The low price, the admi rable woodcuts, the judicious selection of subjects, at once instructive and entertaining, speedily ob tained for the paper a circulation till then unpre cedented; for at one time 220,000 were sold weekly. The sale, indeed, may be supposed enormous when 60 guineas could be afforded for one plate, the im pression from which, with two or three others less fine, and eight pages of letterpress, was sold for a penny to the public, consequently much less to the retail dealer. It remained for others engaged in the same good work of promoting the improvement of the people to carry this plan a step further, but a most important step, by preparing cheap periodical papers containing such proportion of works of fic tion as should attract persons wholly bent upon entertainment, and reading without any direct view to obtain useful knowledge. The society's works, even the Penny Magazine, had never admitted writ ings of this description, except occasionally a few lines of poetry. Now, it had been found to be cer tain that a vast proportion of readers regarded narrative as alone interesting, and hence history, and especially biography, had been . largely intro duced into our publications ; but it became also ap parent that imaginary adventures, scenes rarely or never exhibited in real life, lively descriptions of both persons and things removed from common ob servation—in a word, stories, whether ofaromantic or of a mere ordinary character, would fix the atten tion which the most interesting realities had failed 'to arrest, and that thousands would read tales whom nothing else would tempt to take up a book. Nor is this taste confined to the, humbler classes of the community.. Very many of their betters can with difficulty be "Rot to read any, statement of facts beyond a paragraph. in a newspaper. But it is un ,deniable that the remark applies particularly to the great numbers who.have never acquired the habit of reading, • and who Aye most averse to any such interruption nf ;their otl er. pursuits, or any interfe 7 yence withtheirest and relaxation. -It is to this class that such works as the Penny Magazine, and also papers in part at least - devoted to works of fiction, are principally addressed,—to those who from their vocations have but little spare time which they can eniploy in reading, their hours of relaxation being .apt to be spent either in rest, or in games, or in7dissipation. It is to find employ ment in reading for these hours, and to provide such works as may most powerfully interest, that the greatest efforts have been made ; and expe rience_ has proved. decisively that a considerable part of such works must consist of stories—accord ingly penny papers, published weekly, with. good cuts, have been supplied, one part of the letter-press being stories, the rest historical or biographical sketches, and information in a popular form upon subjects of science and art. The greatest care is taken to exclude from the narratives and the de scriptions everything that can by possibility either inflame the passions, or trench in the least degree upon religious and moral principles. But that is only a negative merit. The object of the whole, both narrative and descripiive, is to cheerish feel ings of a virtuous and amiable kind ; to inculcate the purest moral principles, and to further a spirit of piety and devotion, and more by the actions and the scenes represented than by mere advice and reflections. Of one individual, John Cassell, who has taken a leading part—perhaps the most pro minent part—in these important proceedings, it is fit to mention the name, because he was himself a working man, who rose by his industry from a most humble station, has constantly lived with the work ing classes, and has the most complete knowledge of their habits and their tastes, from daily unre served intercourse with them. The variety of the works which he has prepared and published is very great, and their circulation extraordinary. The prices which he gives to secure the best assistance of literary men and of artists do the greatest credit to his liberality, and also' to his good sense, as his remarkable success proves. He has indeed even given considerable sums by way of premium for the production of works by competition ; in some cases as much as £lOO or £2OO. It would be endless to enumerate the various works which he and several others have brought out upon this plan. The most widely circulated are the London Journal, which sells 350,000 ; Cassell's Fahrily Paper, illustrated, 285,000 ; Popular History of England, 100,000. One very remarkable publication of this class is the literature by Working men, or essays on every. variety of subject, by working men, proving unde niably the benefits which they have derived from their studies—and also proving that they have not been distracted for an hour from their daily toil. That these works have encouraged a taste for read ing among thousands who never before read, and have afforded the means of gratifying it, cannot be denied. We used to reckon that the Penny Maga zine, at its highest circulation, had nearly 1,000,000 of readers. According to this estimate, some of these weekly papers must have twice as many. An opinion has, however, of late gone forth that all the labours of the Useful Knowledge Society and their followers and allies have ended in an entire failure ; that no success has attended their efforts to raise the cha racter and improve the habits of the people by in creasing the supply of their intellectual food, and bettering its quality. Therefore, the grounds of this opinion deserve to be examined. But it must be premised that the patrons of this doctrine wear a somewhat suspicious aspect, and look in some sort as if they were the enemies in disguise of all pro gress. For, though they affect only to dislike the means employed; confining to words their objections to the execution of. the works actually provided for the people, it turns out that there is no pleasing them, and if the works are ever so much changed the same difficulty, the same disapproval recurs. So i that it should seem to be the end they dislike, not .Cile means ; and they really appear to be of the cla .ss which we had hoped and believed was extinct, that we have fallen upon specimens of those losta r which and . peopled a former world, the ancient opponen.` l ° of all popular progress, though wrapped u in mere' ,modern integuments. All we can d o the delusion attempted to b e propa gatedpfor is to cc . dispellinic" nsider both the fact of w h a t h as b een " effected, and ti'le manifest tendency of wh a t i s s till continuing to li The first objection which meets us we must an'vert to, that it may at t stops the way, an d o b s t rucs alnlc improvement. b p e ro symation conv e y e d i n th e o vement. removed; is admittted to be of a manner before described limited and imperfee,t kind • the subjects treated on or referred to cannot be fully hai:idled ; the instruc tions given must of .necessity be gartial or intro ductory only. Many readers will go no farther, and therefore by them a very , scanty knowledge is acquired. Now, bestowing this is described by the objectors as encoaraging superficial acqairements, and the old argument, not very correctly put for w.3 aru in a great pea. t's verse, is repeated in prose, not much more incq rrect, though less, harmonious. But when it is said or sung that " a little learning is a dangerous thing," we can see no harm in add ing, that there is another thing somewhat (more dangerous—great ignorance ; not to mention that the one cures itself, while the other perpetuates itself—aye, and spreads andipropagate s it se lf t oo ; for it is almost as true in point of fact that they who have learned a little have their 'half-satisfied curiosity to obtain more full gratification, as it is false in point of fact that sobriety results from. excess of drinking. We object, there fore, to this hackneyed maxim, not because it is hackneyed, but because it is unfounded ; as illogical when delivered in plain prose as inappo site when clothed in humorous verse—the falsehood of the position in the one case being equal to that of the metaphor in the other. " Better half a loaf than no bread" is the old English saying. " All wrong," say the objectors, "A little food is a dan gerous thing ; rather starve than not have your fill." Better be purblind than stone blind," is the French saying. " No," cry the objectors, "if you can't see quite clearly, what use is there seeing at all ?" "In the country of the blind," says• the proverb, " the one-eyed man is king." Our objectors be longing to the people there would dethrone the monarch by putting out his eye. But they had better crush their blind brethren to restore their sight, and then his reign would cease at once with out any act of violence, any coup d'etat. Here is a well of precious water, and we have got a little of it in a tankard. " What signifies," say the ob jectors, " such a paltry Supply It would not wet the lips of half-a-dOzen Of the hundreds who are athirst?' • • True; but it- enables- us• to-wet the sucker of. the- pump; • instead of - following • their advice to leave it dry ; and, having the handle; we use it to empty the • well - and' gatigry all: ' • ********* gains some'information; it 'mar be' etfly ' • Say the objectors "he is superficial." Would he be more profound if he knew nothing ? The twilight is unsafe for his steps. Would he be more secure from slipping in the dark ? But he may be self sufficient, may think he knows much, and look down upon others as knowing little. Is this very likely to happen if the knowledge he has acquired is within reach of all and by the greater,number possessed ? The distinction is the ground of the supposed influence upon his demeanor towards others ' • when that difference no longer .exists the risk of his manners being spoiled is at an end. The most trifling instruction which can be given is sure to teach the vast majority of those who receive it the lesson of their own deficiency, and to inspire the wish for further knowlege. But suppose, as must happen in many cases, that no great pro gress shall be afterwards made, at least it is certain that the proportion is most inconsiderable of those who are not the better for what they have learned, and of those who are the worse for it the number cannot really be said to have any existence at all. It must be always kept in mind that there are two descriptions of persons to whom popular literature is addressed, and who may in different ways profit by it—those who from their natural ca pacity and natural inclination, as well as from pos sessing a certain leisure, can so far improve them selves as to become really accomplished in the branches of knowledge which they study, and the great bulk of the community who can never go be yond giving a very moderate attention to books, can in fact read but very little. Let us first consider the former class, which, though small comparedwith the mass, is yet again divided into two, those of ordi nary talents, but anxious to learn, and those whose thirst for knowledge is not only very great but ac companied with capacity to excel, possibly even with original genius. Both classes benefit incalculably by the helps whichpopular literature extends to them. Their love of knowledge is both excited and gratified, and let us observe their progress. The different works which are prepared encourage and enable them to proceed. At first they were attracted by some tale or anecdote, or biographical account. Soon after they find in the same paper a popular exposition of a subject in science or literature. This inclines them to go further, and the treatises fur nished by the Useful Knowledge Society are within their reach on different subjects, suiting the line they desire to follow, and in various kinds in point of difficulty, and thus adapted to the progress they may have made from Mr. Marcet's plain and ele mentary explanations up to the treatises of learned professors like those of the Astronomer Royal, Sir D. Brewster, and Professor de Morgan. So great and varied are the helps afforded to the students in humble life that it has been said there can be no -such thing now as a self-taught person. Let us only reflect how mighty would have been the com fort, to such students in former times could they have enjoyed such fa'cilities. What would Frank lin have given for them, who, living on a vegetable diet on purpose to save a few ;pence from his day's wages for the purchase of books, Was fain to learn a little geometry from a treatise on navigation he had been happy enough to pick up at a bookstall, something of arithmetic by having fallen upon a copy of Cocker, and from an odd vo lume of the. Spectator gained a notion of the style he afferwards so powerfully used ? What would Simpson have given for access to books, who could only get, from the accident of a pedlar passing the place where he was kept by his father working at his trade of a weaver, the copy of Cocker contain ing a little algebra, and even when grown up could only, by bo! rowing Stone's translation of L'Hopital from a friend, obtain an insight into the science of infinitesimals, on which two years after he published an admirable work, while continuing to divide his time between his toil as a weaver and as a teacher? Brindley, the great engineer, was through life an uneducated man ; Rannequin is said never to have learnt the alphabet; andboth executed great works, but with difficulties and delays which reading would have spared them. Harrison, too, though he had received an ordinary education, yet only while working in his trade of a carpenter became ac quainted with science by some manuscript lectures of Sanderson falling in his way ; and so hard did he. find it to obtain adequate - knowledge on the sub jects connected with his mechanical pursuits, that 40 years were spent in perfecting his admirable im provements on the construction of timekeepers and bringing them into use. It would be going too far to hold that Franklin's genius, both in physical and political science, could have done greater things had his original difficulties in self-education been removed ; but we may safely affirm that both Brindley, Rannequin, and Harrison would have effected far more with the helps which their succes sors have had ; and of Simpson no doubt can be en tertained that, even amid the distractions of his trade, his short life would have been illustrated by far greater steps in mathematical science. For it is an entire mistake to suppose, with some of his biographers, that his genius was not original and fitted to make great advances in his favourite study. The late proceedings respecting Sir I. New ton's monument have led to ascertaining that Simpson had made the same approaches wards the modern improvement of the calculus which its illustrious inventor himself had done, but kept con cealed ; and no doubt can be entertained that the germ of the great discovery of Lagrange and La Place on the stability of the solar system is to be found in the last and most remarkable work of Simpson. It is truly delightful to contemplate such feats of genius, so scantily aided, in a hard-working mechanic; patronised by none. But the same gra tification, though certainly in a very inferior de gree, arises from seeing the effects of those helps which are now afforded to the humbler classes. Instead of resorting to instances of progress in the physical and abstract sciences, let us only observe how the study of moral philosophy, in its most practical branches, has borne good frnits. There lies before me a short treatise by a working man, popularly written, because it is addressed to his fellow-workmen in the same line of employment, with the view of removing the prevalent, but dan gerous delusions on the subject of capital and wages, by explaining the true principles of economical science on this head. No student of that philosophy at either of the English —nay, at any of the Scotch Universities, where it is more studied—could have produced a better reasoned tract, or one showing more entire acquaintance with the principles. It is the work of a common shoemaker in the midland counties, whose attention was turned to the discus- sion of the subject by the injuries which the strikes and combinations of his brother workmen were doing to their own interests. Nor is there any fear that his success as an author in expounding these principles will make him neglect another principle as essential to the children of industry as profiting by the means of instruction, that their first duty, as it is their highest interest, is the steady pursuit of their calling, and that their reading or writing, whether for relaxation or improvement, must be confined to the hours which that calling leaves vacant, and makes, as it were, their own. This good young man will not go so far beyond his last as to become a professional author, for he may know, and if he does not I will now tell him, what was once said by a celebrated female wit in Paris,* the mother of a far more celebrated person, the illustrious D'Alembert, " Woe to him who depends for his subsistence upon his Pen !" By a singular coincidence with the present application of her remark, she adds to illustrate it :—"The shoe maker is secure of his wages ; the bookmaker is not secure of anything." There may be some exaggera tion in this, but that it is substantially true appears to be shown by the fact that the greater part of authors who have no private fortune join some ordi nary profession to literature. It is unnecessary to multiply examples of the beneficial effects of popular literature in training up persons even of eminence in the walks of science and of art. One may be men tioned of the latter description. Among the most Madamo de Toncin, sister of the Cardinal-Archbishop _of Lyons rising sculptors of the day, though he may not yet have obtained celebrity, is one who declares that his mind was first turned towards the fine arts by wood cuts in the Penny Magazine. An affecting instance of the same good result from our labours was related by one of our colleagues, Lieut. Drummond, after wards Under-Secretary . in Ireland, and inventor of the celebrated light which bears his name. When employed as Boundary Commissioner at Manchester, by the Government of 1832, he found in one of the lowest abodes of misery four families - existing, rather than living, in a single room. Of these un happy creatures one was an old woman, with her grandson, a boy ten years old, who had, from the vilest prints which alone he had seen, gained a certain taste for such things ; and when the fine cuts 'of the Penny Magazine came out, he was so delighted with their superiority that he and another boy, his friend, formed a partnership to join in tak ing a copy of the paper ; he set himself to draw, and, getting a few colours of the roughest kind, contrived to sell his little drawings ; so that Mr. Drummond found he had actually made 12s. by them, and was so much pleased with the poor lad that he recommended him to a great cotton printer, who placed him in his designing room. What became of him D.'s death soon after prevents us from knowing ; but that he throve and rose in his vocation there can be little doubt. Such is the use o 1 those helps which make us say self-educa tion is altogether changed. But, though absolute self-education, that is, education without any help—is fortunately no longer to be discoursed of, that which with the helps afforded becomes more easy and more effectual has still all the ad -vantages, and they are very great, of self-instruc tion. It gives the inestimable benefit of self reliance ; it unfolds, or at least exercises, faculties which more regular training leaves either latent or little tried ; it draws forth original genius ; and confers on him who only discovers what others had found out before, all the praise, because he has all the merit of the invention ; as D'Alembert, when he sighed to find in his unassisted studies how often he had been anticipated without knowing it, yet felt the conscious pride of his achievements, and gained, too, the more solid advantage of greatly increasing his analytical powers. A survey of the moral world, individual and social, is fitted to raise the same emotions which inspire us in casting our eyes over the solar system ; the movements, the proportions, the action of attractive, repulsive, and disturbing forces, all at first sight little to be com prehended, and apparently without arrangement or plan, but all, when deeply considered and carefully compared, reducible to certain rules, and fixed, unchangeable order. As new bodies are discovered in the heavens by marking their mutual attraction with those before known, the attractions of science and of letters will disclose to the just and learned observer genius already existing, but now first drawn forth to the view. But the nebula occupy the largest share in both firmaments; and in the moral their importance is unspeakably greater than that of either the more shining or the greater luminaries. The benefits are beyond all price which the bulk of the community derive from their influence, and from the assistance of popular literature ; nor can anything be more unreflecting than the doubts which have been raised of its bene ficial tendency. We may begin with the broad fact of the harmless character; to say the very least of the amusement which it affords. While we admit it to be certain that a considerable portion of these works is devoted chiefly to enter tainments, this is certainly of an altogether inno cent kind. But it has come in the place of a different class of publications. When Mr. Hill proposed the Penny Magazine ' the first of the kind now so happily established in the confidence of the people, C. Knight brought him a list of no less than nine weekly papers devoted to the circu lation of the most abominable matter, morally scandalous and obscene, religiously not simply in fidel, but scoffing and ribald ; politically preaching anarchy, hardly even confined to the crazy dreams of socialism, but as if the editor were that boy become a man, who, when the Sovereign went to meet his Parliament, had been arrested for bawling out, " No King ! no church ! no lords ! no commons ! no nothing !" The Penny Magazine drove the vile publications absolutely out of existence. A most feeble progeny alone was left to succeed them; it skulked in corners, and ever since has scarcely been heard of. It was like the effect of the Society's Almanack, which pnt an end to the dis reputable fortune-telling tracts before published by the Stationers' Company and abandoned by them, other and rational year-books being substituted in their place, perhaps immediately, certainly as soon as the illustrious statesman and warrior at the head of the Government, without any application on our part, gave directions that the Society's Almanack should be used at all the offices. But it is not only irreligious, immoral, and fraudulent publications that have been supplanted ; the far less hurtful, yet by no means commendable works, which study to give the mere excitement of horror by dealing in accounts of brutal murder and cruel seductions, and in romances abounding in such descriptions, together with ghost stories. These, once so greedily pored over, now find but little acceptation, and have ceased to be in demand. It is most satis factory to find that the natural preference of the people is for the better kind of writings. At times of political or religious excitement those of a worse cast may have some success, but it is temporary. The works of Carlisle and Paine have long ceased to attract readers, the people falling back upon papers which combine harmless recreation with some instruction; and the tendency of public prosecution to give them an interest which they had not natu rally was found so manifest, that the Government has long taken the safer course of letting them alone. But it would be a great mistake to suppose that the benefits of the popular press are negative only. The tales composed for the working-men's hours of relaxation are of a kind that address themselves both to the understanding and the heart—at once giving lessons of instruction and fostering the kindly affections. Nor can anything be more groundless than the charges that have been brought against it. Two of these may be at once stated and disposed of. First, we are told that the stories given relate to persons and scenes in high life, and that none other interest the'working classes. This is certainly con trary to the fact. That these classes wish occa sionally to know what passes among their superiors is true, yet not more true than that their superiors desire to dwell upon the actions and the sufferings of each other; but what most powerfully excites the humbler classes and most deeply imprints itself on their memory is the story of the actions and the sufferings, the good and evil fortune of their brethren and equals. They delight to dwell on the struggles of heroism, the endurance,of privation, the agonies of anxiety, the resignation under sorrow, of the humbler classes, their own brothers and sisters. He who vividly, above all feelingly, portrays a nobl e heart throbbing under a fustaian jacket or a cotton gown, records the tears shed for the untimely loss of the young, or the removal of the protection made habitual and venerable by the lapse of years is sure to find eager and sympathising readers. Nor will be less awaken their minds, though to emotion of a different kind, who describes the anxious fears of conscious but undetected guilt, the ever wakeful remorse wken discovery is not dreaded, and the worthless to secure happiness of vicious though successful courses. Characters thus taken from humble life, and scenes laid in its haunts, most strongly rivet the attention of the 'working men and their families. And- wherefore this ? Because the case may be their own. The fiction of to-day may to-morrow be the sad or the happy reality of their own lot. That the narratives and the descriptions which thus attract and thus move them are fitted to affect others as well may be safely affirmed, It is from experience, no less than from the relation of others in the higher classes, that we describe it as impossible to read some of these stories -with a dry- eye. It must not, however, be supposed that none of the romances, favourites of the great, are thus made conducive to the enter tainment of the poor. Some of Sir Walter S co tt' s have been given in these publications, and it is only to be wished that they had been accompanied with warnings against the perversion of history as well as the false and indeed obsolete political opinions in which some of that great writer's tales abound. But next it is alleged that what is termed the new —it should rather be called the improved—litera ture of the people supplants more solid and more useful works, and the multitude of the read ers i s given as a proof of this. It is assumed—most falsely assumed—that these are withdrawn from the peru sal of other publications. On . the very contrary, they are added to the body of former readers, and their numbers prove it to demonstration. Take three instances—Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper began this year with a sale of 300,000, and the Family .-Herald issues 200,000. The London Jour- nal is asserted to have had a circulation of 500,000, but its present actual sale is from 320,000 to 350,000. What papers and other periodical works did these 800,000 purchasers take, and what did the 2,000,000 who in the whole peruse these three papers read before they were brought out ? It is quite manifest that this is, if not wholly, yet in a very great proportion, a clear addition to the num ber of persons who formerly saved from their earn ings a penny weekly, and laid it out in purchasing what would help them to pass an hour or two of rest without the weary sense of unoccupied time, or the pernicious resource of drinking. The provi sion is only made for such as before had none. A new food has been presented to the mind. They who fancy that it comes in the place of other and more wholesome fare would have objected to the potato being cultivated, because it lessened the gains from the growth of wheat, whereas it °nix, produced a Supply' for those who else were _ - doomed to starve, or to linger out a feeble life on most scanty diet. Nay, the objectors may per adventure belong to that class which would not have the resource of foreign markets opened to us, lest the security against a famine, by giving our people access to the produce of other soils and other climates, should lessen the numbers who consume that of our own. There used to be some persons, nay, at one time no small number, who thus held and felt alarmed. The race is supposed to be long extinct; and specimens of it are only to be found preserved in the antiquary's collections of political curiosities, as the fossil remains of long lost animals - which once peopled our globe may be seen in the museum of the geologist. It is quite as great a delu sion under which those labour who figure to them selves the promoters of popular literature as indif ferent to the encouragement of more severe studies and the cultivation of profounder science. We of the Useful Knowledge Society can well recollect that exactly the same prejudices prevailed, or if it did not, was sought to be raised against its prepa ration of scientific works in a cheap form, and de signed to give information of the most solid and even profound description. Some of the very per sons who were remunerated, and amply remune rated for their writings, derided what they called " sixpenny science," because a treatise once a fort night for several years was published at that price, but by whom composed ? By such mathematicians as Professor de Morgan, such natural philosophers as Sir D. Brew s t er , a discoverer, as well as a teacher —such botanists as Professor Lindley. It was plain enough that same of those who thus complained of the treatises as not :profound could not have read one line of them from their own profound ignorance of these subjects. Contemporary with the Penny Magazine was the Penny Cyclopedia, of which it is enough to say, that so accomplished a scholar as Professor Long being the conductor, no less a ma thematician than the Astronomer-Royal has pub lished in a separate form his valuable contribu tions to the work ; papers, too, composed in so plain and popular a manner as to bring the most sublime truths of the Newtonian phi losophy within the comprehension of readers very moderately acquainted with the mathematics. At the bottom of the clamour against the Useful Knowledge Society's proceedings, possibly not un connected with the present attacks upon popular literature, was the notion that the gains of authors are lessened, the wages of literary labour reduced ; an error not less glaring than that of the common workman who should object to the capital by which his labour is employed and paid being invested at low profits and quick returns. In truth, the fund out of which literary labour is paid has been very greatly increased by the cheap publications. Inde pendent of the Cyclopedia, the Society did not ex pend less than £lOO,OOO in this way, the whole of which arose from the profits of its cheap works, which by their charter of incorporation they were bound thus to expend. When Admiral Beaufort (Admiralty hydrographer) was consulted on the price of its maps, ls. being proposed, he refused to undertake the superintendence of that department if the price were fixed higher than 6d., because he saw that this must secure circulation and profit. J. Cassell and others expend large sums in like manner, and not a little in obtaining prize works by competition. But the duty on paper is a heavy burden, and goes almost altogether in diminuti on o f the fund destined for authors. It amounted to above L 7,000 yearly on the Penny Magazine when it wa s 3d. per pound. Had it not been reduced 1, 1 4. the Cyclopedia must have been given up ; and, even since the reduction, one of the greatest publishers pays Government between £7,000 and £B,OOO a year, the greatest part of which would be employed in paying for literary labour and plates, were the duty repealed. The exaction of this duty is among the greatest anomalies of our political administra tion, though it is not the only one, for while endea vouring by every resource of negotiation and of force, not a little costly, to put down the foreign slave trade, we give it direct encouragement by opening our markets to slave-grown sugar, and thus also lower the price of our own free-grown produce. So, while we profess to promote education, and, in deed, the improvement of the people in every way, and, expend large sums yearly to further this great work, we raise, on the other hand, a powerful obstruction to all our operations by laying a tax upon knowledge in each one of its various depart ments. We pay for schools in all the ways in which such expenses can be incurred, and we wil fully raise the price of every book which can be used at them. We profess to encourage reading among the people, and we directly and effectually discourage it, raising the price and lowering the value of everything they read. To a certain de gree, however, the people have a remedy in their own hands. Let them firmly resolve to meet the paper duty by practising a salutary economy in the use of their earnings. The tax adds to the price of what they buy to read; let them deduct as much from their other expenses, and the pressure of the tax ceases. Let them abstain from the use of fer mented liquors, not at first altogether, but so f ar as to increase by a little the sum they pay for cheap works. They will feed themselves all the better for the change, and will be encouraged to carry it fur ther, so as to give up altogether the use of both beer and spirits. That the greatest obstacle to their im provement is also the greatest injury to their health, the worst enemy to their comfort and happiness, is undeniable ; nor can there be a more natural or more appropriate manner of meeting and over coming this adversary than to make the practice of temperance a help to knowledge, thus setting at defiance the obstinate errors •of the shortsighted and inconsistent Legislature, and shaming it by the wise and provident consistency of their own conduct. The successors of the Penny Magazine —the popular papers of the day—are accompanied, as it was, with other works of a more " sustained and complete description, so that the reader who is attracted in the search of amusement, and finds in the same paper historical or scientific matter, is also enabled, if thereby inclined, to obtain more full information ; for these works are, generally speaking, of very low prices. Thus nine papers, which may be called of entertainment, and having a joint circulation of 1,200,000 weekly, are published at ld. • but there are also p u bli s h e d a t th e same time historical and scientific works—some weekly, some monthly, some once a fortnight —at the price of Id., 11d. ' the larger ones sd. and 7d. Cassell's Illustrated History of England, of which 100,000 are published in penny numbers, comes already down to Charles 11., and costs only 12 s . His Educational Cour se and 'opular Educator give popular and sound information on natural and moral science, the former, in a volume of nearly 600 pages, with tolerably good plates, costing under half-a crown ; and of this and other similar works the joint circulation is 300,000. The Popular History of England of C. Knight is of a somewhat higher price, but the plates, as well as the paper, are greatly superior, and its literary merits are of a very high order. Indeed, nothing has ever appeared superior, if anything has been published equal, to the account of the state of commerce, government, and society at different periods. In all these English histories the soundest principles are laid down in almost every instance. The interests of virtue, of liberty, and of peace, the best interests of mankind, are faithfully mid ably maintained throughout, with only the exception that while the atrocities of our wars under Edward are honestly de nounced, there is too little blame bestowed on the expedition of Harry V., in its origin a mere scheme of plunder, though becoming, by th e most unforeseen accidents, a perfectly unrighteous as well as utterly useless conquest. The number of popular works wholly religious is very great, and their circulation vast; 17 of these have a sale of 900,000. The works of the Temperance Society circulate 300,000 weekly. It is impossible to doubt that much good is done by the works of both classes, with the help of the pious and enlightened persons whose zeal is at once testified and rewarded by the great success of these. But it may fairly be ques tioned if either the cause of religion or temperance gains so much by the publication of works confined to these subjects as by the judicious proceeding of writers avowedly upon other subjects making their works, whether of narrative, of fiction, or of discus sion, the vehicle of those sound doctrines. A person of irreligious life, or of infidel opinions, will not be easily tempted to read a professedly religious paper; nor will a drunkard bestow either his pence or his minutes upon what bears on its front the name of " Temperance advocates." It must, however, be admitted that both the friends of religion and the advocates of temperance consider their respective causes to have been great gainers directly by the popular press. That they have gained exceedingly by the indirect process cannot be doubted. Upon one class of periodical publications it has not been deemed necessary to dwell, those of the newspaper press ; sometimes called the public press, as if all other works proceeded from private print ing offices. The use of these journals is incalcul able ; their importance both to the Legislature, the courts of justice, the police department, is incon testable ; and to the rights and to the lesser inte rests of the community their value is such as can only be duly estimated in countries which either never enjoyed such advantages, or have lost them through their wilful folly, possibly their crimes. But in-less important respects these publications are of no little value ; they are a source of constant entertainment, rational, and even useful. " Had I all the money," says one writer " which I pay in taxes to Go ve rnment at liber4 to lay out upon amusement and diversion, I know not whether I Would make choice of any in which I should find greater pleasure.'! Nor are these the words of an itnorant or an ordinary person ; they are those of al great divine a nd phitosepher ; they are P a l ey ' s 'i n his Moral Philosophy. He shows how the news- papers " minister," as he says, "to the harmless gratification of multit u d es ," and adds that " the secrecy, the jealousy, the solitude, and precipitation of despotic governments exclude all this." He did not live to see that middle state between entire ex clusion and full possession of which the last 70 years have furnished in certain countries a signal example. It would be wrong if we did not advert to the great improvement in one material particu lar of the newspaper press in our time. The papers which made a traffic of slander have ceased from among us. For a while they acted like a drain to carry off the impurities which had before been dif fused over other journals; the good sense, both of the public and of literary men, has now filled up a sewer no longer wanted, and, to all appearance, that portion of the press no longer exists. But it is truly grievous to think that for some portions Ef the press, though not in those now under consideration—cer tain religious newspapers —we should rather say, perhaps, calling themselves religious—there is still a want of the drain ; because impurities there abound, extremely offensive. We there find, through the virulence of a factious spirit, outrages upon de corum and truth—to say nothing of Christian charity—which have made pious men refuse to read them, declaring that they had much rather see such things served up in the naked simplicity of common slander than smothered in religious" thoughts. It has been contended that our news paper press, by the paper duty and other circum stances, is hampered, so as to make the supply fall short of the effectual demand. This may well be doubted. But it is further said that the demand ought to be greater ; and the example of the United States is cited, where the number of journals is very much larger in proportion to the number of the people ; where, indeed, a newspaper is reckoned so much an article of necessity than no sooner is a spot in the forest cleared for a village than a print ing -press is sent for. The political situation of America is probably the cause of this. The nature of the Government throws the whole country into a never-ceasing state of party agitation, there being no office, from the highest to the lowest, from Pre sident to penny postman, which may not be changed at each renewal of that high functionary's term ; and thus the whole period of his incumbency is passed in canvass and cabal. There seems every reason to think that with us there is already an abundant supply of the article in question ; that even Paley would have been of this opinion ; that he would have been suspicious of any scheme which tended to deteriorate its quality ; that, above all, whatever objection he might have made and most justly to the tax, he would have received with entire reprobation the proposal of reducing its price by a piracy upon literary property. It thus appears that for the treatment of every subject, and to suit the condition, the capacity, and the taste of every class, there is ample provision made in the popular literature of the age ; that the means are afforded of encouraging those to read who would else devote their hours of rest to mere listless vacancy of thought, or to dissipated courses ; that the opportunity of fuller instruction is given to those who are desirous and capable of receiving it ; that while all are thus greatly improved, some are made fit to improve others; that the instinct of curiosity effectually prevents all risks, converting, . when desirable, superficial int o so lid i nformation, but leaving even partial acquirements to do sub stantial good; and there is thus the clearest proof afforded of the people's instructors working out the ends of Providence by the employment of the means bountifully placed within' their reach, improving the mass of their fellow-creatures through the in telligence bestowed, and the instincts implanted by the Heavenly Father, who desireth not that His children should perish in the darkness of ignorance,' but rather that they should learn and live. The address was delivered with all his Lordship's accustomed vigour and action of expression, and was warmly applauded throughout. An address was then delivered by Mr. W. Cow per, M.P., President of the Educational Department. At 1 o'clock the Members and Associates paid a visit to the Akbar Reformatory frigate, which is moored in the Mersey, off Rock Ferry. The boys, to the number of about 150, consisting of juvenile criminals who are being trained for a seafaring life, went through their various exercises with a smart ness that does credit to the discipline of the esta blishment. The clean and trim appearance of the vessel created general admiration, and the healthy - looks of the lads a n d th e cheerful activity which characterised them gave promise of the realisation. of the beneficial results which the founders of the institution had in view. On returning to St. • George's-hall, inaugural addresses were delivered by the Earl of Carlisle, President of the Punish-. ment and Reformation Department, the Earl of- Shaftesbury, President of the Health Department, and by Sir S. Stephen, President of the Depart ment of Social Economy. These we reserve for our report to-morrow. - It had been arranged that the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, who is President of the Jurisprudence and Amendment of the Law Department, should also have delivered his address to-day ; but this morn ing a telegram was received from him stating that just as he was stepping into the steamer at King stown to cross to Liverpool it was brought to his notice that, as keeper of her Majesty's conscience in Ireland, he could not quit that country without her Majesty's permission under the sign manual. He had telegraphed for this to Balmoral, and intended to leave as soon as the constitutional embargo should be remove& A conversazione took place in the evening at St. George's-hall. The exhibition of pictures of the Liverpool Academy was thrown open to members. The Philharmonic Society issued invitations to 150 of the non-resident members, and conversational , meetings of the managers of reformatory schools and ragged schools were also held. COUNTRY MARKETS. LIVERPOOL—OcT. 12. At this day's market there was rather more tone, but oats and oatmeal were again id per 451 b and 6d per load lower, and still a slow sale. In barley, beans, and peas there was no change to note. Indian corn was freely offered at 6d per qr. less money, without leading to any business worthy the merest retail demand, at about Tuesday's rates. LEEDS—OcT. 12. Our supplies of grain continue liberal. The wheat trade is firm to-day, and a tolerable business passing at Friday's full prices. Beans at declining prices. Barley as before, light qualities a very slow sale. Oats and other articles at previous rates. Averages for the week : Wheat 3,7731 qrs., at 42s llid 8ar1ey......... 594 s„ 3ss Bid Oats 46 „ 2ss 7d Beans l7l „ 47s 70 Peas ... „ —s Od Rye ' 40 f 36s Od Arrivals this ' week : Wheat 5,042 qrs. Oats Barley Beans .. 268 Rapeseed .. Linseed . .................... 651 . NORWICH CATTLE—Our. 9. There was a good show of store beasts to-day, consisting. of Scots, shorthorns, Irish, and a few Devons. Sales were , slow. The selling•price for Scots was 4s to 4s 6d; short horns, 3s 6d to 4s 6d ; Irish, 3s to 3s 6d per stone of 141 be. estimated .weight whenlat. Fat beasts fi rm a t 8 s t o 8 s 6d per stone. Sheep—Fat sheep, 8s to 8s 6d, prime lots 9s per stone. Pigs—Good store pigs, 18s to 25s per head. Fat pork, 6s to 6s 6d, prime 63. Od per stone. . . The lecture programme of the Edinburgh Philo sophical Institution .has just been issued. It includes an inaugural address by Dr. W. F. Hook, the Vicar of Leeds; special addresses by the Earl Stanhope and Lord Neaves ; lectures by Professor Tulloch, Professor A. J. Scott (Owens' College, Manchester), Dr. Charles Mackay, Professor Geo. Wilson, Professor Reiland, Professor Ly on pl a yf a i r , D r . Wm. T. Gairdner, s c,- • • . BIRTHS. Ecx.—On the 12th inst., at the Grove, Clapham-road, Mrs. Justus Eck, of a daughter. HOFFMEISTER.—O n the 10th inst., at Cowes, the wife of W. C. Hoffmeister, M.D., Surgeon to the Queen, of a son. PERRY.—On the 10th inst., at 36, Eaton-place, Lady Perry, of a son. WOLRIGE.—On the 9th inst., at. 39, Craven-hill gardens, the wife of Henry P. Wolrige, of a daughter. MARRIAGES. SCRUSTER— FITZ-1 1 1AURICE.=O n the 11th inst., at All Saints' Church, Ennismore-place Sand. Leo, eld es t son of Leo Schuster Esq:, of Roehampton, Surrey, t o t h e Lady Isabella Fitz -Maurice, eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Orkney. M ARSH—CARMICHAEL.—On the 12th inst., at St. Peter's, Eaton-square, Willoughby Digby Marsh, Captain R.E., to Margaret Isabella, second. su r viving daughter o f th e late Dr. Carmichael, of Trinidad. DEATHS, d,aalet, alBg,ed.u6p2p.er Hornsey.rise, ARTINDALE.—On the 10th inst., at York-street, Kings ejolhlnthArtinsint. Henry Widrington, the infant son of Edmund Byrne, Esq. By la ß ld E -I:_ottM t r h . Dnunic.—On the 11th inst., at North Brixton, in the 68th year of his age, the Rev. Robert Drury, F.R.S.E., late Deputy Receiver-General of Inland Revenue. HESKETIL—On the 11th inst., at Southport, the Rev. William liesketh, late of St. Michael's, Toxteth, aged 57. HOITA.Y.—On the 11th inst., at his father's house, Queen's road, Regent's -park, Edward E. Hoffay, of the Audit office, aged 36. SENIOR.—On the "10th inst., George Senior, Esq., late of Fordingbridge, Hants, aged 41. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, `Strand, in the Precinct of Savoy, in the county of Wddlesex, Wednesday, October 13, 1858. Ins flue anE fore Pro' Plic Gos . Ceti 8( tion .also Mira for Pri n . will SNyv Wgjj Aai other Ra main teresi Paz Won( Nay th e 0 any ti and t] No Rev Nona' Secs of tru For tajoec to INI • sC tab Cram. Soviet Staudt of gray DaYME the off Ti linj_poi o tml EI Z l ' • He ^2,ae JQullut a P.R. rrof Mess r , The r 14 I'4'l folic take v cutin 142, s