The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.

stippcirt fidni the more wealthy classes of the community of
the town. (Applause.) That was the kind of assistance
which any one might be proud of offering, and which no
one might be ashamed of acknowledging. (Applause.) It
was not on eleemosynary matter, or anything calculated to
wound any man's feelings of independence —it was simply a
discharge of a solemn obligation of a most important cha-
racter upon those who, under the laws of this country, had
thriven and grown wealthy—an obligation which they owed
to the lower classes of the community by whose labour they
had acquired wealth. (Applause.) There was just one
other point upon which he wished to say a word. They
were probably aware that by an act of parliament, which
was passed he thought in 1848, it was in the power of any
town or borough to charge a part of the expense of main-,
taining such an institution on the public rates. He thought
it was creditable and honourable to the inhabitants of Bury
that they had not done so. (Loud applause.) In the United
States of America,. where he was afraid he must say they
were considerably in advance of us in matters of education,
there was no heavier rate than the rate they paid for
schooling • and he believed that there were none willingly
paid. (Hear, hear.) And he thought that, other means
failing, they, or any inhabitants of any borough, would have
been perfectly justified in calling for that public aid which the
legislature had placed within their power. But it was the
more honourable to them, and showed a greater reliance on
their own means that they had not had recourse to such aid, but
had founded the institution, leaving it to the public spirit of
the community to support and maintain it. (Loud ap-
plause). He apprehended that the principal objects
of the institution were three-fold. There were the evening
classes, about the advantages and benefits of which he
need say nothing. These were the lectures, which would
occasionally, perhaps frequently, he hoped almost always, be
delivered in the institution. (Hear, hear). And then there
was the free library, which he believed bad been actually
opened to all persons whatever. Now, as regarded lectures
he should be very sorry to say a word in disparagement of
them ; he believed they might be, he believed they were
available as a means of instruction, and that they were use-
ful if regularly and consecutively attended. They were use-
ful in arousing, in stimulating attention in regard to subjects
upon which we should otherwise be indifferent, and they
found us intellectual amusement. On various accounts lec-
tures were valuable ; but having said that, he would say
ttt
hhaeohtheeartptariciihced far less
ipl,i.,„tu importance
reoftheins totit themution h—ttoatn he did to
the
elii3rarr
because he believed that any one who was really anxious to
study a subject, could do so better with the aid of books
than he could possibly do by any lectures he might attend.
(Cheers). There was this difference—it was hardly possible
for any one, unless he attended a long course of lectures, to
study a subject closely and consecutively. And, as a lec-
turer must address himself to a large number at once, he
must necessarily address himself so as to be understood by
all. (Cheers). But the man who read and studied for him-
self, would be able to pick up information of that kind
which he was most capable of assimilating and digesting.
(Hear, hear). He was far from under-valuing any branch
of the institution, either the lectures or the evening classes,
which he thought would be of great advantage, but what he
recommended as of great importance was the free library.
(Hear). He baaed that opinion upon this ground that be-
cause they had started well there was a great deal to be done
yet. They must not think that because they had opened
the institution well, they had nothing else to do in the way
of providing both funds and books. (Hear). If he were to
enter on that question, or rather, that wide range of ques-
tions connected with the use and requirements of institutions,
like that to celebrate the opening of which they had met,
he should occupy a great deal more of their time than they
could probably spare, and he should simply waste them and
himself without exhausting the subject. (Hear, hear). But
one or two reflections forced themselves upon him. They
heard every day commonplace sayings about the wonderful
industrial progress that was made, and of the triumphs
which were now gradually gaining over nature—of his
triumphs over the natural and the material world. But
that subject was even trite—they were all familiar with the
wonders of the railway and the electric telegraph. (Hear,
hear). But it was not uncommon for some persons to con-
trast, and certainly not without some plausibility, that ma-
terial progress—which indisputably belonged to the present
age with our moral and intellectual progress. Now, no
doubt, there was some ground for the contrast between them.
No doubt tne intellectual progress of any nation could hardly
keep pace with the wonderful material progress, which
our age had witnessed. But even material progress, of which
we were so justly proud, was found to be connected with the
progress of moral and intellectual advancement. (Hear,
hear). He did not mean by that to say that there was any-
thing in the circumstances of the present age which should
tend to give greater power to individual mind than that pos-
sessed by the minds of those who preceded us. He did not
suppose that that had been the case. Aristotle, Bacon, and
Newton were not excelled, perhaps not equalled, by any
likely to follow them in the present or a future age; but the
difference between their age and this was, not that individual
minds were more developed, but that the number of minds de-
veloped was infinitely greater now than at any former time.
(Applause). No one could think of the difficulties and ob-
stacles which had to be encountered by many in the pursuit
of knowledge in former times, without rejoicing that they

had been overcome, and that now greater facilities for the
acquisition of learninc, were open to all classes of the com-
munity. (Loud applause). It was scarcely posssible now
that a great intellect could be starved and stinted by the
want of proper culture and development. (Hear, hear).
The noble lord briefly dwelt upon the general advantages to
the community of having such institutions as Athenaeums
and mechanics' institutes. He thought there was no fear
of educition being neglected in the present day. (Hear,
hear). They purposed by the present instiution to remove
material obstacles in the way of the student to the acqui-
sition of knowledge, especially the poor, the results they
must leave willinnly in the hands of a wise and over-ruling
Providence. (Loud cheers).
The national anthem was sung by the choir and company
standing.

The Rev. W. R. THORBURN, M.A., read the report, and
Mr. J. R. KAY the statement of the treasurer's accounts,
from which it appeared that the whole amount collected in
subscriptions &c., to the Athenmum was £4,481 17s. 82d,
and the expenditure, £4,875 11s. 101 d leaving a balance
due the treasurer of 393 14s. Vid.
The subsequent speakers were the Lord Bishop of Man-
chester, the Rev. Charles Richson, Mr. J. Cheetham, M.P..
Richard [tort, of Reed Hall, Mr. Smith, the Rev. Dr.
Vaughan &c.