The Press.
London, England, 1853-06-11 00:00:00

JUNE 11, 1853•

Bishop delivered the keys of the new edifice into the
hands of Mr. Ashworth, the appointed principal of
the college, and in a brief speech impressed upon
him the duties of his office. At the same time, with
that adroit urbanity for which he is distinguished,
he introduced Lord Derby to the assembled au-
dience. Lord Derby responded as follows
Ladies and tientlemen—Although I feel that I can ndd
little and may even diminish something front the effect of
that which has been so clearly and so solemnly placed be-
t Ore you by the right reverend prelate who presides over
this diocese, yet I cannot deprive myself of the satisfaction
of assurint.., him and you how highly 1 feel myself
honoured by being invited to take pail, in virtue of my re.
cent cionnection with this ditteese, its the important pro-
ceedings of this day, pnoceedings which cannot. but furnish
matter of the deepest interest to all those who, like my-
self, and like those whom I have the honour of addressing,
feel slimily in behalf of the mond training and the social
advancement of the population of this great country.
(llrar, hear.) Anti when I speak of the population. I
Mean emphatically tel apply the phrase to that portion of it
which has been correctly stated by the right rev. prelate to
be the strength and staple of the country, to those middle
classes which, daily rising into intelligence and import-
ance, daily acquiring more weight in the social scale, be-
come of more and wore consequence to the general wel-
fare, but for whose moral training, till of late years. pro.
vision has been made upon a scale, as compared With the
ebonies above or below them, very disproportionate to the
amount of influence which, for good or for evil, that poi,
don of the population must exercise 1111011 the country at
large. (Hear, hear.) tientiouen, we live in an age of
progress—it is impossible to glen' it. We live in 'el age
of rapid intellectual and unprecedented material progress.
Science is every day making new strides—fresh discoveries.
and fresh inventions, are day by day exercising their intim
enee upon the whole social habits slid constitution of the
people of this country. ( Hear.) Within the memory of
many of those whom I. mu now addressing, within my own
memory certainly, great diseoveries have taken place,
whose operation, partly visible, but much more indirect
and not at once perceived. materially affects the whole of
the social condition of this country. (Hear, hear.) We
o
do nt tak notice as they arise of those great discoveries
anti ogre to inventions ; we do not estimate befor.liand
their results ; and after tiny have been discovered, anti
those results develop themselves, we familiarise ourselves
with the state of things which then exists, but we forget to
look back on the past, anti we are too apt to neglect
examining anti comparing the existing condition of things
with that prior condition which was once familiar to us.
(Hear, hear.) It is only within the last few years that
that mighty discovery has been added to the realms of
science by which, to use a forcible eXpreSSioll, I have
somewhere read, we seize hold of the lightning spark and
we use it as our pen, annihilating time and distance for
the purpose of spreading in an incredibly short period our
thoughts, our feelings, and our intelligence, to the most
distant corners of this anti even of other countries.
(('here's.) It was said by the poet that there is, in the
figurative Sense, all " electric chain wherewith we are
darkly bound," but that electric chain has ceased to he a
figure of speech, and that mighty power is bringing
together for good unit for evil the remotest corners, lust
merely of these little islands, but of the whole habitable
world. (Hear, hear.) Again, it is not thirty years—l
know not whether I ought to confess it—since I was myself
at member of a committee of the Rouse of Commons
which, upon the showing of the promoters, rejected the
first bill that was introduced for an iron railroad, and for
applying to it, if it should be found practicable, the loco-
'motive power of steam. ("Hear, hear," anti laughter.) I
remember yet further, when we boasted, 'lnd we Wasted
wit't melon, that we had in Loudon the hest and most bril-
liantly illuminated metroptolis in the world, when at the
time all our boasted illumination consisted nf some
wretehed oil -lamps, which would now lie despised by the
mo-Awrete'led country town, anti when there was no end
to the, torrents of seemingly ingenious ridicule which
were east igen the Utopian theory or dreamt of pavements
and public ways lit by gas. (Hear, hear.) I migt got
further : a whole generation has not gone by since ri
les ti
introduction of a system which has now been superseded.
There aT r living those who remember the first harshly-
tion of the gigantic projeet late Mr. Palmer, who in
conceived anti nominees' the WialllrollB SelWille
of
transmitting the postal c ' .otions of this country by
means of daily mails st the unheard of speed sof seven
miles all hour. (.4 bnigh.) Well, now, we find it difficult
to realise to ounielves what. the country was before those
great inventions. We Mel it difficult to realise to 11111e1Ves
what probable effect these and other wirer es. which the
esnainually inereasing power of science may ash' no the
knowledge anti resources of the rsountry. will 'wieldier pm.
due... lint that which does convert, its is tea aseertain whe-
ther, in the course of this rapid miswrite' progress which
has taken place, affecting as it does all flosses of the. e •
try, stimulating comfit; 000 i o tiwilitating intercourse.
bringing men personally into co action wholleVer
met before. producing coneert anti collision ttt i t
ar.ousing and mokiislyieg con 1111 l entcrprise. adding to
th..• wealth of the country, and atdoling also Wait eetly to its
population—whether floe moral mud reliuioms proglvss of
th.• country has kept pace with that vast material pro ogress,
mold those various elements of power. and Also of danger,
witieb are the inseparable conoomitimts of those prodigious
inventions. (Hear, hear.) No doubt there are IllySteries
of nature infinite aS the mysteries of the Author of toe
tore : and all that science has yet done—all that successive
generations of men have effeetesi—has enabled as to anent
to Ow knowledge of but little. rompers' with that infinite
unknown which lies beyond the sum of human capticities
and Intelligence set compared with what has been dotr in
borTer times, trifthig as it is ill COMpariSoll with what re-
twavcomplilltd and unknown, the strides which

THE PRESS.

this generation has made in the proseeution and cultivation
of science, and extension of general knowledge among the
population of this country. may he indeed termed by com-
parison gigantie. hut, gentlemen. that increase of science
and extension of knowledge is not, nay. it is a very different
thing front. the increase• of education—( /byte)—may more. I
wilt say that the more that knowledge is extended and tilt.
filmiest, the more• it is mweessary to extend slew anal diffuse
alike the blessing?' tat' that edueation by which alone that
knowledge, can be 'entitied and senectifietl. and led tea at
higher end than the attainment of merely worldly 11.111111.
tag... And as that knowledge is applied. it depends whe-
ther the great society of which we are' member% is tee he
composed of formed after the image of tiod, mid
in
his likeness, anti purified by his lioly Spirit, or whether
that society, imbued with knowledge MA *I purified, and
not rosemetitied, is in truth to Is' a gigantic. monster. a
.. I Fnutkenstein—em creature of incredible beauty and
power, but whose beauty anti power are only the more ter-
tibia 'swains. unguided /Mal Illlsalllrt 'it by a purer anti
holier spirit—whose heathy, capacity. strength, and power
make it only a more tilting instrument for bringing tie-
struction and desolation upon other communities. ( Loud
cheering.) teentletnen. in early times the wisdom of
our forefathers, according to their lights awl according
tat the reeptiretements of their age, made great Mitt
libend provesi tttt for the diffusion of such education us they
could continent& I need nut point to the noble institution
with which 1 have now the honour of being comeeetell-1
nerd not point to the sister university of Canithridge, their
various halls anti colleges, the 14010411 S of royal anti noble
tttt telethon. Eton. West ttt i t ester, Winchester ; but tlineitgle
out the length and lomateith of the land, anal c'hi'lly for
the humbler classes of the et) ttttt illy, establishments
were provided, under time eOtlillll and Ilirt'etioll eat' time
national clergy, conspreleetteling a vast amount of canoe
t• I power, patiaking all of the religious and, in some
degree, of the eleemosynary character, for the purpose of
training up in the fear of God, and such literature as the
time allowed, the children alike of the upper, the middle,
and the lower classes. (Hear, hear.) 'l•lnvough the nice
ilium of such institutions, though many of them leave been
perverttst from their original purpose--tierough the lime-
dium of similes' institutions in the universities—there is
many an instance of persons in the lenteelele walks of life of
whotu the poet might have have sung with truth—
" m .y repressed their noble rage.
And froze tlw genies etirreitt of their soul
but who, i11t11.4111041 hates plaice's and situations where they
had an opportunity tat' obtaining the last ideas of seience,
and applying to them the m Mews of self-denial and noble
diligence, have found their rich reward in taking their plaitce
tttttt teg the neaster-spieits of time age--(ehreroi—em pluee ele
more especially to those who combine with genius hole-
fatigable excellent anti steady self-denial—who know that
ma great objects cane be attained without sustained wed per-
sem wing exert' , and who have sought earnestly to avail
themselves of those advantages which the piety well wisdom
of our forefathers leave placed at their elispotad. ( loon! chrem)
lint those histitlititill*, as I IMP !Aided, weer mostly teethed
to the purposes of an sage in which education, proiwrly
speaking. was confined to those who were destined for the
service of the Church, or the few who intended to devote
themselves exelusively to literary studies. For a com
deralele • e after the Reformation, anti even until ea
comparatively recent period, there were many who held
that for time humbler elsoeses of this country overwthwation
was dangerous, and that all that want required wits InNt 511
11111141 ill aimianllt as would enable them to read whiteout eihti-
ealty, or rather to spell out a chapter in the Bible. (liens.
hear.) I ientletneil. I situ afraid we cannot conceal from ttttt
selves that timing time hest century all classes tat' the com-
munity-Imnd 1 am afraid 1 cannot exempt from that
censure the clergy of time Church of England—had sunk
into a state of lamentable apathy in respect to the discharge
of those ditties 1111 l Which 1001411 tat 1111•
cluesetion the people. ( /frier, hear.) In those obeys
the peopetledieon of the dishicts was routine& in the aloe:mew
of ally facilities for centime 11l i t -What, within the narrow
space he which the circle of their daily ledown• loomed them
down ; suecessive genenitions were bone, vegetated, RIIII.
died
ill contented ignorance, little alleviated ley the l'alt'less NMI
apathetic discharge of a very small 1).11-tioll sat' the duties
of the cireicael 'office. ( Hear. l lint unhappily, us wit!'
Nitre to he the east', whilst men slept the enemy sowed
tiara's, and in the coma ry parishes infidelity tiii4l
vice
wen! 11w iueyihtble plvgruy of spiritual 1111.1
intellectual
darkness. ( hear.) Hitt father, there- rose tap a new
element. beyond perhaps the controlling power even of a
body mine devoted to their duties than aet that day—l iris 1w
praised! the ens.• is very title reset. now—Were the parochial
clergy or the With the growth 11*11111' 111111111.
factuiug and conemenial system the great towthe begun to
rise into impolieneve, aflame lcopulitioe, was 11111110 a brother
leaving many tenant unities eat' ts inquiring ' I with I,
of
disrnssing 111111 111 11.11S1 ttt t lig—shrewd, leard-hemelesi, hard-
Va soiling, intelligent workmen, MI% iarlis to pmt ill.'lll/Wit
hil*Wlllll Ili lift., hilt outgrown the IHAVITS of the
parochial system, and having consempeently, lie their jlgll.l.
111111.4. of spirited things, iittie desire except of obtaining
f ea. tioluselves awl their children that amour of kneoule.dge
whirl' they saw woes essential. but ea knowledge. confined
only to that wleirh would advance them in the ordinary
convene:Or their life. (tree. hear.) There arose eels,
its the towels an illialilll* class—a riass laimoming few their
daily bread, or i limps earning it in at less creditable. l'l',
WO 1111 big little foretheaught, and little rare exeept for 14ne-
IVy beg the selfish instincts and animal Wants of lair Hahne,
gad taco prone tee he led away by the vie-ions gratifirations of
sensuality. and full into brutal exeesses when an oppeatunity
presented itself ell 111.14611 g in 1114.111. ( liner. !near.) Goil
forbid l should say that this is aVI irrect ge.teeral pietme.
of
th • matenfactue hag navies, of the mfrent industrial and mut-
ts o teal eonamunities of this eountry ; still more, (Mod forbid
I should say that it is a convet description of the need
population of this greet* empire, though 1 fear that, both its
the we'd towns and in the ruad districts, tliei'e at'' too

many of our population who answer to the description I
have given, and who are an eating plague and cancer
in our social system. (Hear.) Against the evils of
ignorance the e ti.y is roused and e•eited. buts I doubt
whether the country is equally sensible of a &OWE which
I hold to be not less than that of brutal ignorance-4 mean
the danger of instructed and enlightened infidelity : awl it
is against both these that, if we would sloe our 4.0
country front the inevitable comuspamees of tut) p.wet,
concurrent plagnes--it is Against them' that the OM% aro
tube directed of all who know that the virtue and kutesvltslge
As well Its the t 111111111 l of a people sue the %nivel safeguard
of its welfare, and that witl 1111 l t it no country can prosper,
and no etauttry, in the presence of t toll. call hope to prosper.
( I ',iris if " Hea r. Lear, hear.- ) ticutlemvu, by whom is it
that efforts are to Ise mole to eta. ter these gigantic
evils ? How are we to apply one-wives to deal with that
which, if not ehecketl• it' not controlled, if nut remedied,
toast lead to isousispiilives day by day loon* is•vnieioits anti
nm. destructive? (Bear, hews. I lln whom does this linty
den& t•? It devolves on you, it devolves on tilt., it devolves
son all of ads—(cheers'—it devolves tin all alio have a
human lit.an in their bosom, upon all who ilia feel for the
welfare of their neighbours and their t• try men, who eon
teel filr their slistresst•it Mid ealiklailies„ and mho
teel, also, that there can Is. no distt.ess and no ,'inanity
which sl 1111 l 141 demand so •li pity. n Inch sloolld
cult so loudly tier aid as the et I 1 iil lit lea evils
(11* 1111111011 y aid ignorant.... t Great , herring. ) No
stollbt the universal lia.lllHlld fur knowledge, the • .ersal
desire for instruction, has led to the 6trilletnoll of musty
estalilishint.nts and many 1114.1111/4 of 111111 'thug 6sr the in.
'Art*l,ll4lll oldie • Idle classes. Popular 'ell Ml's, 111,114111 it•S'
institutes, the v 14611104 Hitplialllcus for giving all easy high
road to 1.4141144'—'1114'141' are what many of them Must desire.
and the de 1 lists regulated and piswitred the supply.
Itttt that 6w which there is not the same su 11111 l ill ordewinw,t,
foremost., unhappily, in the operation of suture, we least
feel those of our 1111111,1 which, 11(14111.1414111g 1111.111M.M.14 to
the month mid spiritual p.in of man, an the most ilifiltnill
14 supply—that 6,1. %hid, there is not the saute dpisitiiiii,
51111 isaiseeptently not then • supply, is iis. 1091%isio1 of
well-unfired morn) 111141 religi tttt 14 1117.11.11411011. ( I hoe, hear,
hear.) I believe that there is it grt•itt portion of this
country--1 lielieu.„ I 11111 happy ti, believe, that the Vast
majority lit the people of this country, in 4111101.111011 to II
small section Of it, are of opinion that Ito education 114 ill
itself desirable or valuable which floes not combine n•li•
giims a iili secular instrurtion. t I 'Ayers% 1 I Hlll i'VrtHill
that 1111011 that principle the great maim ity ill Parliitincin
air tlispstseil to proceed, and I believe that ill that partii•ular
they correetly represent the sense of Ike ;0140 majority of
the country. ( ii, or. hear.) Porliamuttt loos become s 011•
sit& of the evils HMI the dangers which we had incurred
from the laxity and 41-I'sor4 Of WO' 'Ocala lo•Es, and within
IV4.4lll..years istllli tttt ally -inert•itsing, grants inn t• liven ofiert•ti
by the Legislature, not for the purpose of superseding
private pationage and the exertions ;if individuals, lint for
the purpose of aiding, st• lining, awl exeiting Ideal
e‘ertions and t.tainibutions in the 66 1111' and 'Henry of all
t•lasses of tits. t. •ty ill ittimml ill a strictly religious
education. Moir, hello', hear.) Hitt among the various
religious denominations into whit li this country is imitate
pily divided this great difficulty arises. that st•ligions edu-
cation icing necessarily smigilt•il with seintlor, such telig'
isliteatitui can only be Most alhaintagisiiis when it is applied
through the 111491. of those whilst! religions pritimples
co iint.itle with those of the people wl tttttt they ste to nostrum.
I must do the l'ostustant dissenters the justiet• to nay that
they were the find to point out the apathy of termer tittles,
imil to s • late piddle intention to the nee,•ssity of tell-
gi tttt 06 i11511.166.t it'll ; lint. I am proud 1.5 511, 4111 Itelitill of the
I %arch of %bll4l I 11111 11111111111111 e 11111 3111111611•111.11111V11111er,
that in n•ferettet• to efliois 64 the promiition of 'teal
secular moil religious education they stand proudly pre•
tininess', far also(' the propoilion of their number and
tlllll* istemis, far above the proptinitmal efforts of any other
holly 4 11101.6601 s ill this country (Ileac, low, hear.) I
have no statistical figures by ate, and I um afraid to state
the very large proport' whit•li, I nifermitent priweeding
upon the principle of OA pug aid to local v7(01141114, the
Churelt of England receit es tint of the i ttttt nal parliamentary
land. I lbws., lo•or.) i 11t shut. I wish to state to you is
this—that, it' it be every 11111164 interest to promote the
religi s *•11111.111i1111 of the country, it is locealially the
ints•irst. till' 4111:1411, the 611111(1411 duty of thapse who are
altaehed members of the I'llitivli of England, to do their
utmost for the promotion of colnesttion iii es Inlet. With
the l'horeli of which they Me members, an to make the
1 schoolmaster, as In. ought to lw, the right lianil of the
eli.11{1111(11, 11l instructing the community at ho g'. (Ifror,
hem., hear.) But how is this to Is' done ? We me awake
in'{ to a %Vl'Se of oar 'odious! r..splai ibility, we an'
awaking to it sense of our ditheultios and of our slairt•
comings. ( noir.) In finnier times— I trust that feeling
is passing natty, thiaigli it unhappily is nut extinct—a man
mitittill for ;nothing rho. was 'kenod lo himself Hod Ili*
hiends fitted for the ottieo• of sehoolloaster. The broken-
dim 11 1 ruslesiiimi, the In,: it who by intemperance Ilmil
riiiiirsi 11ini,...1f and I leis family, the man of laphh(' bodily
health, the nom alio might Iseetsnit• nt any misinent a bur.
duo upon the prish. was 1...) 11111 101 114• lotted by the tote.
poets 11l fill* the filloetitool of a sehompluistiot.r, itlie was tit
11,1. led flint! else. 1•• 'leer," Hod o Neigh.) I hope a
ditrer,.lit surd, r ins things is rising : I hope NV ill VIVI-lee
better than 6iniss.rly the iliffitnaltn.s, the 'taint tesponsi-
bilitv sit' the 1-liiirge a hielt 'let e1t0.4 1111011 the tenelier Of
yfinth. For. if. in the Mistime of parents, ill the IllOiVi lid.
111111. 4111111/11114,11 of the clergyman linos 'lf. whit ninist
attend to the spiritual wants of his thick, and this finds it
impossible for Min to (Isola.• his t• •to the whim', it is
the lousiness of the sehoolinaster to do that which is the
prineipal oloject of eslitration—to train lip the youthful
• d in the love of right and abhorrence of evil, with a
know ledg,e, not merely theoretical, but practical, of the re-
t valet, word of I iron, and of the ditties which are to devolve
upon the children afterattnls in their separate stages of