The Express.
London, England, 1850-01-05 00:00:00

BATH ATHENAEUM SOIREE.

A soiree, commemorative of the 23rd anniversary
of the Bath Athenseurn wu held In the banguetting room
of the Guildhall, in that city, on Thursday evening. The
greatest interest was tot some days previously manifested, on
account of the announcement, by the committee, that J. A.
Roebuck, Big., M.P., for fitstfileld, and late member for
Bath, would be present at the soiree. Tbere were 600
tickets issued (being the largest number it was possible to
accommodate in the ball), and these were immediately sold,
large numbers of persona, who neglected purchasing them
in time, being disappointed in not being able to obtain
admission. The reception of the honourable gentleman by
those of his late constituents wko had been tortunate enough
to secure tickets, was of the coat enthusiastic description.
JAMES KIKENE, E.q., one of the proprietors of the
Balls Journal, was called upon to preside, and opened the
business by renting letters from several gentlemen of dis-
tinction who were unable to attend. W. Hunt, E,g., who
was to have presided, was absent through a severe domestic
affliction; Capt. Soobell, R.N., was detained at the County
Sessions by his magisterial duties ; and the reptesentaUves
of the city, Lord Duncan and Lord Ashley, had engage-
ments requiring Moir presence in ether puts of the country.
Mn. Charles Dickens, from a similar circiim,tance, wan
obliged to decline the invitation eent to him. Having con-
gratulated the Atiset MOGI upon so glorious a meeting that
evening, the chairman eared upon
Mr. G. ED WARDS (town councillor) to move the follow-
ing resolution
rteingruthuletsporfmirseterllkecty andual
ha'prpciantetisnofthAee oppeoinioile of th
this
emse,i,
improvement.
The speaker warmly commended the Ather seam as
.a
means of elesating the working clews by improving them
intellectual condition.

ALEXANDER FALCONER, Rq., seconded the reso-
lution, whlch was carried by ecelaniatien.
The CHAIRMAN then aid he would take the present
early opportunity of calling upon the it friend Mr. li. ebuck
to address the meeting. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. ROEBUCK, on tines, was received with enthusi-
satie applause, which continued for several mieutee. The
cheering having subsided, he said—l thank you for this
cordial reception, a roeeption which has nothing in it of a
political character ; for I am not here, and cannot b. here,
in a political character. (Applause.) lam sure that neither
you nor this aesembly will expect that I should descant on
the advantages of cducatiou or the ph segues to be derived
from the inquiet:ion of knowledge. Meeting in a society
and institution like this, we of course take fur grented that
we know and understand the vidue of education and the
pleasures attendant upon the acquirement of kuowl-dge.
But, air, it sathes me that I miy render some thyme
by bringing under your consideration the position
which an in. itution like the present holds in the present
voluntary system and thvt which is holds under a el mme-
trical, national system, which I would fain advocate; and,
whim I pay the highest possible tribute of praise to those
who labour against the stream and in favour of voluntary
education, I cannot but reflect on the great Wausau that
would be thrived if such institutions mould be renderete
national, general. and universal, so as to maks them what
they ought to be, a part of the popular instruction, in the
groat hope that by so coleg they would promote the happi-
ness of mankind here, and.iurther their happinets herentter.
(Applause)
he end and °him of g-.vernment is not what
I em going to discuss—that is a long metaphysical subject—
but 1 who state shortly th,d it ,0 to mandato security
tor the person, too property, and ,t e repute:Ph of all the
Wells iouels under it. And now c ,mes the er; at inquiry--
now should the powers of the government whisk
are employed to be employed for this end West are the
means it should assume? And suppose, sir, that all those
mighty armaments,—all that deem:tut expenditure of blood
am, wealth, cud care, and toil, sod swear, which attended
the close of the last century and ushered on the preset," one
—Mat all that mighty power instead of being employed in
toe perpenutath set a carnage before which human nature
recoia with abhorence wheel the len of the historian
describes it—h d been employed for the benevol• nt purpose
of raiaiog a se. eat people in the scale of k ;owl; dee. sup.
pen. there had been a government in Eageand which in the
year 1800 had listened to the yoke of peace—hail said, " ob,
we have warred long enough against one another; hence-
forth the wealth that the ingenuity of man procures shall be
employed ter the benefit ot mankind, and not for its curse."
• Cheers) Suppose that government had said, " We will
not fester natural hatred—we will not minister to • humble
enmity," but teat they had said, Vie will employ the
wealth, the power, sod the it Hoene* of government in
the OJllatiOU of the people." (Cheers.) A. d here I
come to the point at kat. Suppose government had
said, sir, that we had hOO millions of debt, and suppose
that only 100 millions had been employed in instructing the
peeple—iu lasing the foundations of institutions like that
which is cow bathe us. Suppose that we had established
educational hatitunixes from the small parochial and vine('
achool up to the great UnivLreity of the kingdom. (Rear,
heir) That instead of " mounting herbed steeds to tright
the icmle of our adversaries," we had built up the peaceful
school room, the elegant hall, end the all comprehensive
uuiversity. Suppose we had done these thing.; and though
we may in our sanity lock upon a ship of war es a proof of
the wonder.ul power and espanty of man's inge-
nuity le r mischief—should we not ham had •
more soda saustaction if our debt Lad been in-
curred tier the real benefit of mankind. (Cheers.)
It has been said, " Have a government and give it the power
to educate, it will immediately became a proselyting educe-
ton, and we stdel have the children of the pis :pie but the echo
ut of seine body else. The latent won't be the Linde
of the child's mind, but the tesch.r of the state will." I
ads sec etc no: protection. I have no notion of protectsig the
peopie against themselves; if the people cannot protect
themselves, to government, no benevolent iudividuea can
do them any gaud. (Rear.) 1 would soy yon shall
have in every district ytur ptrothial and 'Wage
school', and is all your towns institutions like these. (Rehr.)
I suppose it will be said I 6m descrioing Utopia. Yes;
U opts is a capital thing, fog shoat your arrow high end it
will ga fez. (Others.) And, "both all, having ) eta national
goverom.ee, no doubt you will Con'aol eh proselytising
people, and confine education in your undoes! =cheek to
wait it ought to he. AU .he groat eiecoveries in ert and
faience have been made 17 working men, and mAoy,
sod a very largo part of the most in:portant,
by men who began life by working with their
hands. The teeereity of daily toil did nut shut out
these men front knowledge; why, th.n, should we lay down
the position that the mechanical labourer is conficed be iron
necessity to a lower sphere, e .ndemned to a norm. circle of
ilea.% and to supertieiil knowltdge ? The tact is, the habit
of steely appeal en, of downright end dogged pasi.veranee,
which the man of daily toil his acquired, sal 'sleek he
brings with him to his studies, gives him a let eat advan-
tage over the man of much ielllll% r.e.sure in
a thouanl shapes lures the talk youth from labour.
Ile has a youth of enjoyment and a barren old age. On the
other hand, the working man born to labour, when he conies
to his study comes to it tor recreation, and each step of pro-
gress is a step towards enjoyment and elevation. Thus, I
say, air' are the different cla•es of on n compensated and
balanced ; and thus it is that though the man of fashion
may be happy, the industrious, peiseee.ing, working man,
may still have more moments of real happiness thin the
merest miubn of fortune. (Cann) Therefore, I say to
working men, you need not despair. Despite all opposition
and apparent aisadvantager, you are Lot outcasts of know-
ledge. There is no portion of the mighty realm
of science into which you may not enter. (11.ar.)
This brings me to a consideration as to the classes who, at
I ptehre
eec
he Petit from ti
thes ni ei
tAus'nt it oden ..uwent.
iar. dies al( illar It I n 4epa i
heir.)ne.rs e e ue
ni.ra tehd: dd corn
found.,.
of mechanics' ieetitutes in England thought, by ur.iting the
means ot the mechanics and of young men employed as
clerks—persons of limited inceices, but very de. Irene of
mental improvement—they might establish an institute that
would be advantageous to both classes. This consequence,
however, has bat too often followed- Led here I will say that
of all dames 1 have ever found the working men the proud-
est as well as the shiest—the mechantva have, after a short
while, quietly retired, and thus the object of the well-inten-
tiened founders ot the institute has been defeated, cod the
society become in reality a clerk's institution only. (Hear.)
It is eat so in Franc*. There you will tied members of the
aristocracy sitting next to the men in blouses. In England
LW• cannot he, and the man who would first feel bicself
uncomfortable ani move from his place would be the min in
ttte blouse. Hear, hear.) (The hon. genii man sat down
amidst Loud and long-continued cheering.)
, hlr. Aldermen HANCOCK moved:

That the Bath Atkeu.eunirsinevery way adapted to the
highest objects designed by its institution,—the promcniou of
' literature, science, and arty, social unity, and mutual en-
operatic n in all m esters of public use end universal
In reference to Mr. Roebuck's remark. upon government
education, the speaker remarked that ha (Air. Roebuck) had
been loeg a public schoolmaster, and he hoped he would not
rcnoun-N that occupation until he bad given a few lemons to
eoverven.:it its.lf, for government required to be taught
much before the education of the people could be entrusted
to it. (Chews.)
Mr. Alit'liALlD (town councillor) seconded the resolu-
tion, and also supported the valuntavy preuciple of education
as eppoud to state interference.
The resolution was envied by acclamation.
Mr. 0. EDWARDS moved, sail Mr. CRISP seconded,
the united and cordial cheek. of the meeting to Mr. It ....buck,
for Lis attendance, which was supported by T. W. Sounders,
/3.q., and upon the sugg iron of the chairman, cached with
three times three and one cheer more.
Mr. It'JßßL'eli acknowledged the compliment, and after
some remarks from Dr. Stevens and other gantlemen, the
meeting se( anted about 11 o'clock.

ELECTION Fetes WINDS°II.—A carretputdost says,
"It is fully anticipated that there will be an erection at
Windsor immediately after the meeting of parliament, in
consequence of the expected retirement of Lard John Hay
(one of the Lards of the Atintiralt ), recently appointed Su-
perintendent of Plymouth Dxkyard. Lord John thy. it
will be remembered, was returned without opposition, in
eenjune'ion with Colonel Reid, at the last general ele:tion.
The appeintmert (which is for Ice) conferred by the govern
ment on hi. lonhohip is one which renders the holder subj.et
to criers and instramiens from the Ward of Admiralty. It
would. %herr fore, be an anomalous position to be placed in,
were the two appein'ments (the supenuteadent of a dock-
yard and a Lard of the Admiralty I held by the Limo
Th • name of two or three candidates, opposed to the
pretest ormistry. have been mentioned. and "soundings"
have been tek.a in the town ; but from the powerful in-
fluence of the gorernment at Windsor, there apps irs to he
very littla in( 'vet of a successful opposition to iii n in:a•
teriAl cut lade, even ShoUl,l en npnonent, under such tor-
mune:aces, be Wand di posed to oiler himeelt"