The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-10 00:00:00

THE APPROACHING LITERARY

FESTIVAL.

We do not remember there ever to have been
brought together, on one occasion, in the West
Riding of Yorkshire, such an amount of literary and
public talent, as may be expected to gather round the
standard of the North-West Sub-Union of Institutes,
on the twenty-seventh of the present month.
Never was Harrogate so honoured—so far lifted
above its ordinary retiring character, as it will be at
the approaching festival, when so many splendid
specimens of the genius and spirit of the age—
brought together from London, Birmingham, Man-
chester, Leeds, and Ripon—will advocate the claims
and invest with a halo of glory the cause of mechanics'
institutions.

One good result ought to follow—and we hope it
may—from this goodly gathering—wherein Genius,
and representatives of the Church, House of Com-
mons, the political world, and the Press, meeting
together for the accomplishment of one grand object,
will reflect the aspect of the times and the necessi-
ties of society— we mean, a further breaking down
of that ancient barrier of distinctions which, until
now, has sundered the hearts and interests, as well
as the mere position of the two great classes. Why,
we ask, should men, simply because—like the rich
man in the parable—they can clothe themselves
in fine linen and fare sumptuously every day—
withhold their countenance and support from a
movement which, if rightly understood, affects
themselves much more nearly than they are wont
to suppose. We know very well the notion has for
for some time prevailed that mechanics' institutions
and dissent were one and the same thing—that
mechanics' institutions and violent politics or rebel-
lion were the same thing differently expressed. But

—thanks to the few holy and great men who have
risen above the prejudices of faction, and come out
boldly into the open arena of public opinion—these
and all other such like estimates of mechanics' insti-
tutions, are dying out with the ignorance from which
they sprung. Whatever may be said for or against
such institutions in other respects—one thing must
be conceded, that the intelligence, genius, zeal, philan-
thropy, and energy of the age are with them, and that
amongst their best and most constant supporters are
those who are doing more for the advancement of
human nature—more for thegood of society as it now
is, and for all time to come, than attaches itself to
the bigotry of those who cavil at an agency they lack
the spirit and good will to approve.
As has already been stated, the arrangements in-
clude a very sumptuous dejeuner, which will take
place at two o'clock, at the Queen's Hotel, and a
grand soirée, at seven o'clock. The band of the
Yorkshire Hussars it is expected will be obtained
for both occasions. The chair will be occupied by
the inimitable and celebrated George Cruikshank ;
and amongst the distinguished literary and other
gentlemen who will take part in the proceedings,
may be found the names of Lord Viscount Goderich ;
the Hon. and Very Rev. H. D. Erskine, Dean of
Ripon • Charles Mackay, Esq., L.L.D., of London
Edward Baines, Esq., President of the "Yorkshire
Union of Mechanics' Institutes ;" George Dawson,
Esq., M.A., of Birmingham ; Charles Swain, Esq.,
of Manchester; William Scholefield, Esq., M.P. for
Birmingham ' • the 'Worshipful the Mayor of Ripon,
&c. Letters have also been received from the under-
mentioned eminent characters, all of whom regret
their inability to be present :—the Right Hon. the
Earl of Carlisle ; Lord Ashley ; Elihu Burritt ;
Messrs. Robert and William Chambers ; Hon. W.
S. Lascelles, M.P. ; Charles Dickens, Esq. (" Box ") ;
Mark Lemon, Esq., editor of Punch; the Very Rev.
George Waddington, Dean of Durham; Andrew
Lawson, Esq., &c. The list of stewards, now com-
pleted, includes—John James Harrison, isq , Doctors
Bennett and Kennion, and John Richardson, Esq., of
Harrogate ; William Williamson and James Norman,
Esqs., of Ripon; Henry Myers, Esq., of Golds-
borough ; Robert Pollock, Esq., of Leeds ; William
Melville Lomas, Eiq., of Wetherby ; and T. M.
Beaumont, Esq., of Knaresborough. Delegates, we
are gratified to learn, are being appointed to attend,
not only from institutions in the sub union, but from
some that are not within the district through which
its operations extend. By many persons the day
fixed is eagerly anticipated, and we doubt not but it
will prove a glorious harvest for mechanics' institu-
tions. Tickets for the dejeuner cannot be had after
the 20th inst., nor for the soiree after the 25th inst.
We would observe that it is only two months
since the sub union was established, and two very
promising institutions, through its agency, have
already been established in Thorp Arch and Masham.
On Monday next the foundation of a third will be
laid in Tadcaster ; and in addition to these, Topcliffe,
Bedale, and other places, are marked out to share the
benefits of the secretary's missionary labours.—
Harrogate Advertiser.

COURT CIRCULAR.
BALMORAL, SEPT. 6.
Lady Portman and the Hon. Miss Portman had the
honour of joining the Royal party at dinner yesterday
eveniThe ng.
Earl of Aberdeen took his departure.

SEPT. 7.
Her Majesty and the Prince, accompanied by the
Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, the Prince of Wales,
and Prince Allred, went yesterday in a pony carriage to
the Braemar meeting, to witness the Highland games.
In the Royal suite were the Marchioness of Douro, the
Hon. Miss Dawson, Miss Hillyard, Lord John Russell,
Mr. Charles Greville, and Lieutenant• Colonel the Hon.
Alexander Gordon.

Lord John Russell and Mr. Charles Greville left Bal-
moral to day.
Earl Grey is expected to arrive this afternoon, as
Secretary of State in attendance upon the Queen.
Lord Portman will have the honour of dining with the
Queen this evening.
Lord John Russell returned to Pembroke Lodge,
Richmond Park, on Saturday evening, from Balmoral.