The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-17 00:00:00

~~~~~ ~
,~~ -~J
'~

--....e-- ,:_-_________,
~.___
'''-'''''-----
•=7: \,. ---'
T•, ...- IF r.-1 ' r . ~tr- , .T. _ .
e ~.._,.
....„-- Cy/ -..".
. .
..
.., .-.....
,e4Ak
/ • %._____
'4l ,(4,,,v74 • ' Citi . Ar4z. . 4.:::::_4,: 4:i.
I/ 4
1/4........,
'44%
Itirt .
, . „... . .. • ~,r, _ -.4 , w 4.7 ‘ , ~,. , Artai
...... , .
- '
146'4
, n I ,
_.4
‘.
ce;__
,:,
5,,.,,1.,' '
,:"
oil
_‘,4,-,//: !
...;. .
.4...,0141R1114,e:
:, , ,
s, , . s t
~,,,....
~-
:,..
~,,4.....46,1,
t,
'-'
94, ''
' Dir.. ,11, • :1., \,-
/9,t'' + - ",*".. `'• 'l' ROlr . . ''s le 2
...c.
4e.... ,
-----,--,---
..... .

PRICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

- ---------.
would be the case. At the
fore, the growing influence
of that influence shows the
appreciation of its benefits
classes generally. But don't
friends of education. Let ths_
to-day at our meeting—let each man bring his awn
suggestions and his own experience into the com-
mon fund, and if we find that the result which we
anticipated has not been attained to the fullest ex-
tent, let us consider whether it is not partly our
own fault, and whether we are using the right
in: ins—whether there is not something also which
we can do, which will tend to remove those ob-
stacle; which may have unhappily stood in the way
of the complete success of these institutions. (Loud
a plause.) And here let me just say that sometimes
,: ()plc depreciate them and say, why what can a
i au_get from reading the
_books in these inititu-
if
tions, for the knowledge is all superficial and will
do very little good, and they therefore throw cold
water on the efforts of the benevolent persons who
try to spread education among the masses of their
countrymen. I was reading the other day one of
those able papers written by one of the deepest
thinkers perhaps of modern times, I mean the late
Sir J. Macintosh, and in which he combated this ob-
jection. I contend that there is no deeper thinker and
better informed man--a man whose knowledge can
be called deeper than his upon mo,t subjec's—and
yet he says he stands there as the advocate of Super-
ficial knowledge. I don't mean of superficial know-
ledge as against knowledge of a deeper kind, but
superficial knowledge in those who have to choose
between what may be termed superficial knowledge
and ignorance. Sir James Macintosh says, speak
, ing of the immense advantages which the art •of
printing has conferred upon the world, that it has •
broken down a barrier between the rivalry of a
great body of mankind. But then, he says, a great
hody of the people cannot be profound, but, at the
same time, the great truths which regulate the
moral and political relations of men lie not very
far below the surface, and it does not require that
a man should be a philosopher, that he should go
deep into the arcana of science, in order to appre-
hend those great moral and political truths. (Loud
, applause.) He goes on to say that the great works
An whiefrnikientifle—iiisi;oVeries are made, and
scientific truths are stated, are not read exept
by a few ; but that the truth which these works
contain pervade gradually the mind of a reading
people—even though that reading may be of a kind
that is almost superficial, and, by a variety of almost
unseen and circuitous channels, they penetrate esyry-
where, even to every shop and every hamlet. (Loud
applause.) He then goes on to compare and illustrate
this with a beautiful illustration, which I only wish
I could repeat verbatim, but the substance of which
is this :—He says that this may be illustrated by
reference to the course of nature ; and lie theta
describes, in his glowing language, a magnificent
scene, in which there is an expanse of a beautiful
lake over the course of a magnificent river, which
attracts the admiration and commands the atten-
tion of those who look at it ; but they regard • not
for a moment, or understand and appreciate that
unseen mist which, exhaling from the surface of the
lake and river, spreads itself over the adjoining
country, and produces that beauty and fertility
which We admire and profit by. (Loud applause.)
Don't let us therefore be discouraged by thinking
that all knowledge which by wise men, or rather by
very learned men, may be termed Superficial, is
useless ; and don't let any man abstain from enter-
ing upon the path of knowledge, and endeavouring
to lead others to do the same, because they may not
attain those heights which they might desire, but
which circumstances may place beyond their reach.
Let me advert to an important feature in the pre-
sent report—l mean that of those examinations
which are to be held, the examiners being members
of two universities, in different parts of the country,
and of which we have heard a great deal lately:- I
see that reference is made to it in the report, and
that a paper was read at one of the meetings of this
institution, I think two or three years ago, by Mt.
Dodd, in which he was lamenting that there Was
much talent which was wasted, which was thrown
away, which was not developed, because there we,
no stimulants to honours to draw it out. He then
contended that a university residence was/not es-
sential to the acquisition of knowledge; and that if
knowledge could be acquired, and a sufficient test
of the acquisition of that knowledge could be ob-
tained, the great object was then within our reach;
and he recommended for this purpose some southcot
university. Now, without undervaluing at all the
advantages of a residenee at universities—for I alli
sure I should' be most ungrateful, and so would M.
Ingham, were we to do so, for, many years agooee
enjoyed it at the same university, and I believe at
the same college—l could agree that it is most
important and desirable that those whose means,
circumstances, employment, and occupations debar
them from access to universities as residents, t o
have places within their reach for siequiring that
stamp placed upon them by competent authority
which was acquired by others more fortunate than
themselves at the university. (Applause.) I re-
joice, therefore, that the Council of the Union has
placed itself in communication with the authorities
of the universities, and that arrangements have been
made by which examinations will be held in the pre-
sent year by members of the University of Cambridge
at Newcastle, and that it is hoped a similar examine.
tion will take place by the examiners at the University
of Oxford in the course of next year. I hope that
many of our northern youth will enter as competi-
tors for the honours thus placed within their reach,
not because they will estimate the honour itself as
any advantage—not that they will look upon it
merely as empty honour to be paraded only, but
that it will give them a stimulus to their own ex-
ertions and a confidence in their own powers, and
thus lead them on to be useful members of society,
and to confer benefits by the exercise of their talents
not only on themselves, but upon their fellow coun-
trymen •, I cannot helphoping, notwithstanding the
lamented decline of mathematical science—although
we had a proof to-day that it is not extinct cer-
tainly in this county—(laughter)—that there will
be a large number of our northern youth who will
avail themselves of those advantages, and that the
young men of the north of England will hold their
own—to say the least—against the young men of
other parts of the country in obtaining honours.
(Cheers.)

SUPPOSED SUICIDE OF A CORK

PILOT OFF DOVER.