The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

MARCH a, 1845.

ASHFORD MECHANICS'
INSTITUTION.
A lecture on the " Art and Science of Political Economy"
was delivered on Thursday evening last at the Mechanics'
Institution in this town, to a crowded meeting of its mem-
bers, by the Rev. John Dufton, Rector of Warehorne. The
Rev. Lecturer observed that the science to which he was
about to call their attention was usually spoken of as
one of the most modern. This was only in part true,
as its novelty consisted in the arrangement of well-
known facts. The advance in chemistry. mathematics,
and natural philosphy in modern times was held sufficient
to constitute them new sciences, and yet the greatest inno-
vations were regarded as improvements. He considered
the name of Political Economy a disadvantage, and unfor-
tunately chosen and calculated to lead to incorrect notions.
Adam Smith has designated his work a treatise on the
" Wealth of Nations." Others have described Political
s
er,
dto hos,i
.bftet
yi
nih
others‘mSptncphliaoaeeirnni
tleca, eirnthicontoouf:dribreEe
srosvaxivt
gae
haciasetenaens
otdoefi
fstta
h;
and
eh'ledaei
Raennn,
,e,sdevpee. againhxhGihappinesstlae,e)srsnnotpafl itoelhimrysc hasoain
tntoto
Commerce."
advancement
o'lject to ascertain the philosophical principles of juris-
prudence, to point out that the most effectual plan for the
caevmtnanmnotcenherli n: I proposedaan'm: nt
conform to the principles and that order of things recom-
mended by nature. Of the truth of these remarks en-
lightened men seem now to be generally convinced; for
the most celebrated works which have been produced in
different countries of Europe, by Adam Smith, Huskisson,
Ricardo, Turgct. Quesnai, Beccaria, and others, have aimed
at the improvement of society by this means. After speak-
ing with much force on the importance and utility of the
science, and pointing out " wealth" as having no more
necessary connexion with avarice or sordid selfishness than
the inquiries of the physiologist and the chemist respecting
the organs of digestion and absorption of nutriment with
gluttonous excess, the lecturer remarked that nations the
most ignorant and poor, and tribes the most savage, are as
prone to avarice as any others. After noticing aad refuting
the opinions of those who contend that a poor country is
more favourably situated for virtue than a rich one, he
went on to show that even if wealth were admitted to be
ran evil, it was still Accessary to study its nature and its
production, the causes which promote or impede its in-
crease, and the laws which regulate its distribution, just as
bodily diseases are made the subject of laborious and minute
inquiry by physicians, with a view to their cure. The
Rev. Gentleman then made some striking and valuable re-
marks on the prevailing fallacies connected with common
sense and experience, in order to prove that men in general
give their testimony in favour of the former in those cases
only where they themselves have nothing else to trust to—
resorting to systematic study—to rules of art and science
in those of which they respectively possess the knowledge.
The sailor, for instance, would laugh at the idea of navi-
gating a ship by common sense; so would the architect in
building, and the physician in the treament of diseases.
As regards experience, the lecturer adduced some beautiful
and interesting illustrations to prove that time alone does
not necessarily confer experience, nor carrying on business
one way necessarily confer experience in another, and that
the idea of enlightening incorrect reasoners by giving' them
more knowledge is like the tale of the school-boy making
a flat roof and laying on more straw to prevent the rain
soaking through. His more intelligent companion saw a
new arrangement was wanting. Straw is also wanting,
but no quantity will supply the want of knowing how to
build. After dwelling on anatomy, and physiology, as fur-
nishing a most important part of natural theology, he ad-
verted to the practical success which is invariably found in
proportion to the scientific knowledge men possess, and
added, the more these sciences were studied, the more light is
thrown on the wisdom of contrivance which the structure of
organized bodies displays—inferences which he thought were
obvious, although, perhaps, not really more clear and valid
than in any other. In the beautiful words of the poet,
All nature is but art unknown to thee,
All chance direction which thou canst sot see."
If, then, order and regularity prevail in the material world
(he continued), equally do they predominate throughout
moral and intellectual existences. An attentive inquirer
would perceive a no less admirable apparatus for the pro-
gress of society. The Rev. Gentleman proceeded to notice the
division of labour, and the co-operation which is required
before a single pin can be made and brought to market,
and the many thousands of workmen necessary to provide
the coarse, rough coat of the day-labourer in a civilized
community. Who then could venture to estimate the
number of people who combine their labour before a large
city is supplied with provisions and the useful objects they
enjoy? After quoting one of the most profound thinkers
and powerful reasoners of the present age, to show with
what ease this wonderful and important end is accomplished
by private interest, operating on the ' numerous class of
wholesale, and more especially retail traders—a mechanism
which no wisdom of man can direct so well, he said " no
wisdom of man," for in this instance, as in most others.
there are the same works of contrivance and design, with
a view to a beneficial end, which we admire in other
branches of Natural Theology; nay, it tended more to ex-
cite our admiration to contemplate rational agents co-ope-
rating, not by gravitation and impulse like inert matter,
but by motives addressed to the will—presenting to the
reflective mind a branch of Natural Theology more striking
than any other. " The heavens do indeed declare the glory
of God," and the human body is "fearfully and wonder-
fully made ;" but if the phenomena connected with man
as a rational agent and a member of society were as well
understood as Anatomy and Physiology, it would exhibit
even more striking marks of Divine wisdom than we have
any knowledge of. After a few striking remarks en what
is called pure and uncultivated nature, in remote and
sequestered districts—on those who speak of the manly
virtue and practical wisdom of our rude and simple fore-
fathers, and regard vice as something imported from
thronged cities, smoky workshops, and bustling manufac-
tories' the lecturer went on to prove, at some length, that
as tendencies to deceit, sensuality, and all other vices exist
in all mankind in every state of society—a fact which men
may learn from observation, conscientiousness, and Holy
Writ—so the counteracting and restraining checks of pru-
dence, morality, and religion have the less or more sway,
speaking generally, according as a community is more or less
advanced from a state of rude and barbarian ignorance. He
concluded that, as a general rule, advancement in
"national wealth," which men are adapted for and im-
pelled to promote by the Most High, must be favourable
to moral improvement, and that they have by this means
been designed to advance in virtue, and true wisdom, and
happiness. " But," continued the Rev. Gentleman, "I am very
far from thinking we have realised the advantages which
increasing national wealth holds out as regards moral, in-
tellectual, and religious advancement. It is certainly true
our condition in this island is much improved, as compared
with what it was when our Anglo- Saxon ancestors were
first settled in it; yet I hope and trust those who follow us
two or three centuries hence will look upon us as semi-
barbarians—that commerce between different countries,
rendering them mutually dependent, will lessen their disposi-
tion to go to war—and that slavery and war (which, if
Christianity were heartily and generally embraced, would be
entirely unknown) will, by the spread of civilization and just
views of political economy, be banished from the-earth."
During the delivery of his lecture, of which the above is a
neagre outline, the hey. Gentleman was frequently greeted
sith warm applause, and he resumed his seat amid much
eering.—Kentish Gazette.

DUTCH SPIRITS,—On a memorial, some time since,
to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, by
certain parties, importerts of geneva from Holland, praying
relief in regard to the construction put by the officers of the
revenue, under the superintendence of the Customs Depart-
ment, upon the recent act of the last session of Parliament,
cap. 86, as applicable to spirits imported in glass bottles for
the purpose of re-exportation to the British colonies, the
authorities received a communication from Mr. Cardwell,
one of the secretaries to the Lords of the Treasury, stating,
that he has been coirmanded by their Lordships to convey
to them their permission for directions to be issued allowing
geneva to be imported in glass bottles, containing not more
than three pints or 12 gills each. This privilege, it appears,
had been permitted for a length of time previously to the Act
mentioned coining into operation, which Act, in the opinion
of the officers (prohibiting as it does, as a general rule, the
importation of foreign spirits, unless in casks or other vessels
capable of containing liquids, each of such casktstil,er ;)etahsetr
vessels being of the size or content of 20 gaelloinn
goroainrtgblgs athe size of
included in
cargod of the ship
the mani-
fest which the same are imported, and
bottles, and abreisntganrseablalyttlie,asrat not
tf
exceeding
eannuionbejreaolgo otor
tdietescrciopnttivineoanofeethoef
cfeasrtgoortheortehoeor, papers enumerating
the practice, and therefore they did not feel justified in
sanctioning the privilege, until the reception by them of a
proper authority. from the Treasury in the matter, and as an
extensive and important trade had sprung up in conse-
quence of the length of time the privilege bad been per-
mitted, which was threatened with serious detriment, if not
total extinction, if the privilege were at once and suddenly
withdrawn, the memorial in question to the Lords
thete
Treasury was rendered necessary, and which Produced
sanction of their Lordships for the
saree to be continued
parties alluded to
to be permitted. The memorial of t
referring only to the importation of
po a len, a ques-
the size mentioned for the purpose o
trheexartirtclecin bottles of
to be deemed
twiohnethh
ears
threoc,ernrot
obrye e no
order
radoen
tbhye the
trteevremn,ua
se officers as to
applicable to such and similar importations for home use
equally as for exportation, and on application from the party
concerned to the heads of the department requesting the
delivery of a case of the spirit imported from Holland in
glass bottles containing si gills each, detained by thirevenne
officers as being each half a gill under the proper size.
ep .
Treasury,B 6
a, aboveenlcslt uito them,
ppmtot
hqiraoteudnamoett eiorndna
5,: hasiootbnfesfgotherwise,eo cler
geneva
eeb vne stated,
ace
ane
fromno decided etcni
hsi
not
tt eoodtl
o formeri
btahenbadetuh,dheeer
tsorderhtmemorialoe
restrictedord foottonoorf
as restricted by the 63d section of the Act 8 and 9 Victoria,
etha
homeit ihice lusud
consumption
oj
importations of the article for the purpose of exportation
only. This is of considerable importance; and it is not im-
probable that, as geneva is included amongst the list of articles
on which it is intended that a reduction of duty to a coo.
siderable extent shall shortly take place, the importation of
the spirit for consumption in this country will b 1 in-
creased.

SUICIDE OF A MERCHANT.—Yesterday afternoon an
inquest was held at the Hampton-court Palace, Hampton-street,
Newington, before Mr. Carter, on the body of Mr. John Shaw, an
American merchant, who committed suicide by cutting his throat,
under the following melancholy circumstances :—Elizabeth Finch,
housemaid in the service of the deceased, who resided at No. 5,
Walwerth-terrace, deposed that her late master was a merchant,
and had only been married eight weeks before the commission of the
rash act. For some weeks the deceased had been in a low, despond-
ing state of mind, which witness believed was owing to the unfortu-
nate gentleman believing that he should lose considerable property
in Hudson's Bay and other parts of North America, in the event of
the expected war with that country breaking out. On Friday morn-
ing she took up to the deceased hot water for shaving. Soon after
her mistress called the deceased, but received no answer. Witness
and her mistress went up to his bed-room, but the deceased was not
there. The door of an adjoining dressing-room was locked inside,
and on this being forced open, the deceased was discovered on his
knees, with his throat cut in & aToadful manner, and the floor
covered with a pool of blood, Her master was alive, but appeared
insensible, and c0..1d not articulate. Witness went for Mr. Bodely,
a surgeon, who promptly arrived. The deceased died about two
o'clock
verdict
spoke to the the, sa
state ofe dahis mindy. Severas having been friemuchnds ofdepresse the decdeasa
d
t
,eine
agitated for some time past, after which the jury returned a N
of temporary insanity.
HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION, held at the
noon the general quarterly court of this in
was e
in
Chelsea, John Laboucher ,
board-room of the institution in 80.—On Monday after-
tthheatchthaeiri.nuTniintenernetpsourart. thmatters,nd
by t stated
lnte
Rev. Henry Campbell,
2s was on Sunday evening collected at St. Mary's
of Cowie}, near Uxbridge, to the institution.
The sum of 621. 1 . oa 'lll 2' 70 0 l.thheard b encouragingc e
Church,wooAxßry.o ,a.ton.,uare, after a sermon by the Rev. Thomas Ro-
binson,