The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-23 00:00:00

PHERSON.

Another Mechanics' Institute has been opened.
This time it is at Stockport. The meeting in cele-
bration of the inaugural ceremony being presided
over, and therefore, as a matter of course, very ably
addressed by Lord STANLEY. In regard to Me•
chanics' Institutes generally, we can never use the
name of them without a somewhat disagree-
able sense of its being somewhat of an egregious
misnomer. Mechanics' Institutes t'iey were origi-
nally designed to be. But Mechanics' Institutes
they never yet have been, to our knowledge; and
are never likely to be, so far as we can imagine.
However, setting aside all further consideration
of the appropriateness or inappropriateness of
the mere name, it would be nugrateful
not to recognise the extraordinary benefit
conferred upon the community by these kind of
institutions, since the date of their original esta-
blishment. A benefit so obvious and so undeniable,
that we are always rejoiced at the tidings of any
new edifice of this description having been opened
—more particularly when it happens to be, as in
the instance immediately before us, in the midst
of a numerous and industrious population.
In reference to this alleged failures here
and there of Mechanics' Institutions, Lord STANLEY
yesterday mentioned, among other reasons for this,
the fact that frequently in those instances, " There
was at first too much generalisation as to what men
ought to wish to learn, and in the midst of the
discussion what men did wish to learn was ne-
glected." Again, the noble lord " considered the
attempts to popularise science was a mistake. The
attempt was made in a form which gave little
trouble to the hearer but served no purpose as a
mental discipline. Real students are rare in
every class of society. Such you may encourage,
but you cannot create them, and science, in
the proper sense of the term, can never be
popularized." After descanting, at some length,
in eloquent terms, upon the advantage accruing
from the establishment of institutions of this kind
when properly organised—Lord STANLEY, it is no
wonder to note, under the circumstance, availed
himself of the opportunity to refer to the aWoting
distress now prevalent throughout the districts
hitherto known as constituting the chief
seat of our vast cotton manufactory. He
avowed, however, to the promoters of this
institution at Stockport, that "he thought they
did quite right to celebrate the opening of their
building, even in the midst of the existing suffer-
ing ;" adding, " he was glad to hear that the direc-
tors had determined to throw open the classes of
the institution, free of charge, to all persons now
out of work, who have previously been members of
the institution." Far more suitable in every
way, indeed, have been these sober, unostentatious
and intellectual proceedings, which have just taken
place at Stockport, in the midst of all the bitter
anxieties naturally felt in the north in regard to the
spread of the disastrous influences resulting from
ythaae tt gaudyall masquerading
the church bells
tahateaCraotatioian
wFahmicihn er-e-etehnat
of Preston ringing, almost to the tune of the Dance
of Death,

THE ROUPELL FOUCIERIES. The prisoner de-
clined to plead, and the Recorder therefore ordered pleas of
n" guilty to be entered. The trial is fixed for Thursday,
and it is stated that the prosecution will be conducted by
iva Atteorney-Cieneral in person.
•--,.