The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-22 00:00:00

MECHANICS' INSTITUTE SOIREE.

(From the Carlisle Journal.)
The members of the Carlisle Mechanics' Institute held
soirée in their lecture ball, on Wednesday evening last.

The attendance was numerous, Tad the whole of the
proceedings passed off with great spirit and eclat. After
tea the chair was taken by the Mayor of Carlisle (Dr.
glliot), who was accompanied by P. H. Howard, Esq.,
of Corby Castle ; R. Ftrguson, Esq., of Morton ; W.
Browne, Esq., of Victoria place ; Alex. Davidson, Esq.,
the Rev. J. F. Simpson, and Mr. J. A. Cockburn, &c.
The MAYOR said they had met to-night at the Soir6e
of the Mechanics' Institute—an institution which de-
servedly stood at the head of all the literary in,titutions
in the town, and that was saying a good deal when they
remembered that Carlisle boasted of about 15 or 16 in all.
When Mechanics' Institutions were first proposed by
Dr. Birbeck, then a physician in Glasgow, the plan
was thought to be impracticable. However, under
his auspices the Mechanics' Institute of Glasgow pros-
pered so well that in the course of a few years Edin-
burgh followed the example of her sister city, and in a
few years more the example was followed by the Metro-
polis of Great Britain. He (the Mayor) inclined to the
same opinion, because in Carlisle the experiment had
bee❑ reduced to practice and found to work remarkably
well. (Hear, hear.) The Mayor concluded by requesting
Mr. Davidson to give them a little information on the

present position and future pr)gpects of the Mechanics'
Institute, bath of which he believed were very satisfac-

Mr. DAVIDSON, in the course of his observations, said
he was happy to observe that the institution was in a
prosperous state. By the last report it appeared that
the number of full members was 365 ; and of reading
members (under 21 years of age) 216 ; making a total of
581. Toe library contained 3,89 volumes, and he was
glad-to-finl-that the members had availed themselves of
them to a very great extent indeed. The number of
volumes taken out last year was 12,553. A few years
ago a much greater proportion of light reading was
taken out. The number of volumes on history, biography,
and science, taken out during the year was 5,767;

novels, poems, and lighter litei:ature, 5,543 ; and perio-
dicals, 1,245. As to the newspaper department, it was

as com- pleto as the funds would Permit:

He believed

although they had devoted much money to purchase
newspapers they had had an increase of members in
consequence, and of course had more funds to devote
to the buying of books. (Cheers.)
Mr. P. H. HOWARD was the next speaker, and was re-
ceived w ith loud cheers. He said he W 33 very much re-
joiced to hear that the institution was progressing so
favourably. It must be very satisfintory to hear that
not only was light reading esteemed, but that a majority
of the readers applied themselves to more solid and sub-
stantial literature. (Hear.) He was delighted to see be-
fore him so large and respectable an attendance, and to

find that the Mechanics' Institute had now a room of its

wn—an apartment inferior to none in Carlisle. He was

sure that they would look back with melancholy i-atis-
faction to the efforts of those who bad gone before, and

had advocated that institution. They wculd look back to

the memory of Mr. Steel with melancholy regret, and they
should remember on beholding those walla that the first
stone was laid by a predecessor of his honourable friend
Dr. Elliot—by Mr. Rome, then mayor of Carlisle, who
was unfortunately now no more. As this was a literary
institution he might be allowed to pay a passing tribute
of regret to the memory of a distinguished poet, who-e
existence had just closed ; he alluded to Mr.Rogerst, the
talented author of the " Pleasures of Memory," and
other poems. (Hear.) That gentleman, whom he had had
the honour of slightly knowing, was endeared to all who
knew him by his kind genial manners and by his refined
taste. Though this was rather the age of the exact
sciences than of poetry, he left behind b;rn one or two
poets. He left Mr. Tennyson, and he left a lady of dis-
tinguished talent and power—Mrs. Norton. But at the
same time while we could not boast of many bards in
the land, one of their kinsmen across the Atlantic—the
talented Mr. Longfellow—might perhaps be esteemed
one of the most popular poets of the day, and he was
happy to be able to pay him this tribute. When they
met last, about the period of the Great Exhibition,
all Europe seemed slumbering in repose. How different
was the present aspect of affairs. Even at agricultural
meetings he saw that most peaceable and placid of rani-
male, a well-fatted beast, turned into a war horse.
(Laughter.) Ile had seen lately the great agricultural
meeting at Darlington, and there the farmer, like every
one else, was occupied by that sabject which now en•
grossed the attention of the world—the war in which
we were now engaged in the East. (Cheers.) It must
be the wish of every one, that if negotiations were really
going on they should eventuate in an honourall t and
lasting peace. (Cheers.) That must be the wish of
every patriot, and every friend of humanity. (Rear.)
He could not, of course, say how far these neptiations
were in progress. He trusted, however, that some effort
would be made to define the object of the war, He
trusted that when the integrity of Turkey was secured ;
' that when the rights of the Christian population of
Turkey were vindicated, and when freedom of cone
uterus wn3 guaranteed and secured, that we should not
be tempted, in a spirit of cruel rancour, to launch into
objects not defined when we commenced the operations
of the war. (Cheers.) Ho hoped that if, unfortunately,
we should still continue to be engaged in war efforts
would be made to secure a national force. We had
already been near the brick of war with our kinsmen
across the Atlantic by trenching on their international
rights. The King of Prussia had lately pardoned a per-
son who was engaged, against the law of nations, in en-
listing men, and, though that might be honourable to
the King of Prussia, we should not place any of our '
consular or other officers in a position to be pardoned.
(Cheers.) Ho trusted that we should be able to secure a
national force, and that while we might not reject the
offers of foreigners, we might see that we could net with
impunity defy the law of Europe. He begged leave to offer
a few remarks upon what had fallen from a talented
member of the House of Commons ; and lie should not
have alluded twit had that person not been a member of
the Administration—he referred to the speech of Sir R.
Peel at Tainworth. He had heard with regret that Sir
R. Peel bad launched some invectives—some rather ill-
timed invectives—against the only power who could be-
come the herald of peace—against the ancient ally of
England, and the only power that could bear the olive
branch between contending parties. He trusted that
members of the Administration would see the solemn
duty of not perplexing negotiations, and would allow
them to go forward without interrupting their course.
Let them trust to the honour of the Government to se-
cure terms which would be favourable and honourable
to Englishmen, but let them net shackle the hands of
the only power now in the position of arbitrator between
the contending nations. (Cheers.) He was not going
to say more at this moment. He hoped the time would
shortly arrive when we alight see a rivalry in the arts,
and a rivalry in literature, as well as a rivalry in arms.
The war might perhaps have the effect of bringing our
rivals into more immediate contact with the Western
Powers, and the alleviation of the serfdom of Russia
might perhaps emanate from her present difficulties.
He returned his thanks for their kindness in listening to
his remarks with attention. He had taken the liberty
of making his remarks, confident that whilst we ei I not
wish to see the bright honour of England tarnished, yet
at the same time we and every other commercial coun-
try wished to see hostilities brought to a happy conclu-
sion. If such was the object and aim, as he believed it
was, of the talented monarch who was now the ally of
England, and of the chivalrous king who leads the Sar-
dinian power—(loud cheers)—he trusted we should not
allow difficulties to intervene ; that we should secure
our commercial interests, but not make the lain effort of
humbling, for the sake of humbling, our enemy. For they
would all be aware that nations in the state of Russia—
in a state of semi-civilisation—were capable of gigantic
efforts and of sustained enthusiasm. At the same time
it must be the interest of Russia as well as of England
and France and Sardinia to bring this desperate strugg e
to a happy and honourable conclusion. (Cheers.) Mr.
Howard concluded by expressing a hope that they
should often meet on similar occasions to the present.
Mr. R. FERGUSON said their old friend Mr. Howard,
whom they were delighted to see on this occasion, bad
made some remarks on that topic which was still the
prominent one in men's minds, and in most of those re-
marks he most cordially concurred. It was in some re-
spects a sorrowful reflection, that eighteen centuries
after Christ came to bring peace upon earth and good
will towards men, some of the principal nations in Eu-
rope should be in a state of warfare. It was melancholy
and when
fall on men who were little able to bear them,
must of
they reflected on the manner in which the war
with social progress. When they
necessity interfere wi
s to which our
considered the sufferings and privation
when they considered the inevitable burdens which must
soldiers and those of our gallantf allies werne subjected,
they oll°
account
of
their enemies also, whenon
there was
not one of those Russian hordes , not a little circle
far he did n t think
(Cheers.) So ar o
reproach ourselves, but it was pos-
w had any reason to
sibele that too warlike a spirit might arise in the nation,
cordially concurred in the remarks of Mr. noward
and he
ought to guard ourselves that no considerations
that we
dark
ecnoeudl dbynhoits
fbatint. feel catuhseeywo
reflectedso
ar
do
but a desire for the security of Europe should prevail in
dictating the terms of peace. (Cheers.) Some allusion
was made by Mr. Davidson to thenewsroom. He thought
the institution had no alternative but to do as it
bad done, for now when all institutions, even those
which were poorer than thie, had provided newsrooms, the
Mechanics' Institute must either do the same or shut
up shop altogether. (Cheers.) It was satisfactory to
know that the number of volumes read had increased
in proportion to the increase of members, for it showed
that whatever might be the object with which members
had joined, they had read the bookswhen they had joined,
not think and that was all that was required. He believed that the
only things which this institution required were money
and
ashould
did b e
—which every institution wanted that ever he heard of
—and members. They already had some lady men"
b
exceedingly glad they would be to have them. (Laugh.
ter.) There were provided for their especial delectation
some of those important periodicals containing those
wonderful pictures of ladies with impossible waists,
which it was necessary for all ladies to look at some-
times. (Laughter.) But he should be very sorry to
ppeal to the ladies on such a low ground. They had
gladladies
knew
have some
how
moreerse
; in theyfo fact he