The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-08-21 00:00:00

FETE ATKNOWSLEY.

Oe Satarday the members of the Mechanics' :fsstitutions
connected with the Institutional Association of Lancashire and
Cheshire, by the kind perriission of the Earl of Derby, met at
Knowsley, under circumstances of the most agreeable descrip-
tion. • Not only were the beautiful grounds and other attrac-
time; including :the boat-house,- with its chastely wainscoted
walls and floor, composed of varieties of wood finely polished,
thrownropen,. but the fine old , mansion itself, with. ,its choice
picture-gallery, and its elegantly-arranged suite of rooms, were
placed at- their temporary service:. Soon after three o'clock
streams of well-dressed people -entered the grour_ds. from va-
rious points, the great bulk being from Manchester, which
contributed upwards of 1,000,, while Bolton seat 300 s War-
rington 300, Bury 150, Liverpool 500, the total., number of
about 5,000 persons being completed by draughts- Brom other
towns in Lancashire and Cheshire. _ _ _

Soon after five o'clock the appearance of Lorct-Staatley on
the colonnade., in the south front, of the hall, was:the signal
for a vehement burst of applause from the excursionists on the
lawn below.

Dr. I,lrDeiaN as the repres,mtativo of the Aseosiirtien of the
Mechanics! Institutions of Lancashire and Cheshirep.requested
their particular attention to Mr. Malcolm Romp who, after
some appropriate remarks, proposed " that the most respect-
ful and- grateful thanks of this- meeting, represented by 70
Mechanics. and other adult Educational Institutions of Lan-
cashire and Cheshire, be presented to the Right Hon. Earl of
Derby, for• his noble and generous conduct in admitting so
large an -.assemblage to his mansion and grounds,;: and this
meeting desires to assure Lord Stanley, M.P., that the friends
of educational reform entertain the most lively gratitude
towards- his• lordship for his nnlightened advocacy of every
measure conducive to the moral.. and intellectual welfare of ;
the people."
The resolution baying been, carried by acclamation,
Lord ST,LNLET said :--Ladies and gentlemen,--Good
neighbours all,—Don't imagine. that I am about. to ask you to
waste any considerable part of the remaining_portion of this
day, unfortunately too short, in listening to. a speech from.
me. Public- speaking is only: valuable, or even endurable,..
when it-leads, to some practical result in the form of action..
Business is a good thing,: as. in Lancashire we all know;
amusement and recreation art good also, as both. in our own.,
case and that of our neighteurs we are, in thisnountry, soma-
times tao apt to forget ; bitwhen you try tonain pleasure and.
business-together, you run a great risk of spoilirg both. We
have not come here to discuss, to deliberate,. too consult, upon:
any subject of public interest; we are merely here for the.
purpeseof holiday making andsocial enjoyment. There are not
many things better than a;fine summer's day in the country,.
andas ws.have got one (rather- a chance in this-climate) we won't
spoil it, after this cordial greeting paid on. both sides, by enre
mony, or constraint, or fermAity of any kind. Ido assure you
there is no one on that lawn, man, woman, or child, be they:who :
they may, that enjoys this scene better than I do. I never
lookxound this old place- I never walk, out in that parki.with
which I hope you will. shortly make acgraintance, without
thinking that they want only ore-thin„ to make them
perfect in my eyes, and that is a few more happy faces to
enliven and • enjoy the -scene. That wish is fully gratified
now,. and I hope this may be only the first of many similar
excursions, for which, I undertake to say, all facilities
shall be given. As for this association of which you. are mem-
bers, and concerninc, which I have been requested to. speak a
word, I will only say, I wish it well. It has not lasted long,
inits present form; but it is in good hands; it has made a
good start; and it carries with it.the best wishes of all parties
and classes among those who are -friends of education and of
the people. As to the principle of adult edumtion, a man
must be twenty years behind, the age who consents to argue
that. The thing has got beyond the reach of controversy ; it
is past that stage at which it- can need the aid of platform,
speaking, or newspaper writing, or agitatiOn of any kind ;
now only wants doing—talking about it is wastoof words only.
--carrying-oat, once for all, in the speediest and silent%t
practicable manner. Every year brings more clearly into
light a few leading truths-which had, until of late, beentoo
much overcooked. Every. year we see more plainly, that in
education,as in other matters, self-help is the best help—that
a little which men do for themselves is bettbr than a great deal

that they get the State to.do fbr them. We see, too, this,---and
not long age it was a matter which philanthropists and the pub-.
lie were too much in the habit of overlooking—we seethat we.
cannot by any interference on the part of Government or
the public, deprive- the parent of the privilege or absolve him
from that duty and responsibility which lies primarily on him
—that of duly instructing his children.. And from these
admitted trnthg it follows, that, in order to do any real good,.
isthe parent Ns ho must be interested in the work of educa
tion. That you, 'can only accomplish by giving him also. au
interest in literature and literary pursuits, on his own account ;
and that is. what, in associations. of this kind, you undertake
and endeavour to effect, and the work upon which we one. and
all are engaged. Now, the principle of adult eduCation being
thus indisputable, how do you here carry it out ? In this
association, I suppose you don't want telling, there are. seventy
institutions, and more than 16,000 members, while your libra-
ries and reading-rooms contain in the aggregate about a
quarter of a million volumes. Of this association, as I under-
stand it, the two leading features are these. One is, mutual
assistance among a large number of unconnected institutions ;
the securing of a bond of union between them, of a common
centre to which all their members may look ; so that local dif-
ficulties may be more easily got over, local quarrels or diffe-
rences as to management decided in an amicable way, and the
special experience of each institution made available for the
common benefit of all. That is one object, of which the ad-
vantage is readily recognised, and to a considerable extent has
been attained. The other leading feature is the establishment
of itinerating libraries, or collections of books, circulating gra-
tuitously from village to village, in rural districts which are not
populous enough to maintain libraries for themselves. That is
still almost a novelty in England; it is now for the first time being
tried iu other counties ; but here the system has been (though
but on a limited scale) in operation for three years. It has met
with signal and remarkable success; and I am bound to affirm
and glad to have an opportunity of doing so, that, as a means
of diffusing knowledge, it deserves more general notice than it
has yet received. But if I get on to these subjects I
shall be led too far; and I conclude at once by offer-
ing you, in my father's name —he is in Scotland, but
he has charged me to express his regret that., he could
not be present to witness this sight,—l beg in Lord
Derby's name and in my own-to thank you for the compliment
of this visit, to thank you also, though no more than expected,
for the courtesy and good humour shown both to one another,
and to those placed to keep order amongst so great a multitude,
and to offer to each and all of you a very hearty welcome. The
house has been thrown open. There are persons stationed
about the park and gardens who will show what is best worth
seeing. You have yet got several hours of daylight, and'l
wish you a pleasant afternoon.
His Lordship retired amidst vehement applause, - three
cheers being given for Lord Derby, three for the Countess of
Derby, and three for Lord Stanley.
The excursionists afterwards visited the famous boat-house
and the other attractions of Knowsley, and returned at the
appointed hour to their respective localities, highly delighted
; with the day's enjoyment, and with the courtesy they tad ex-
' perienced at the hands of the noble house of Stanley.

rAuGrwr 21, 1855.