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

5 if

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would be the case. At the sam time, as-I said gel.%4' /
fore, the growing influence and Vialitrtng` a zen ey y
of that influence shows that thereis irtiFo-cd
appreciation of its benefits amen.* 'ate world*
classes generally. But don't let this discourage the
friends of education. Let them do as we haYe done
to-day at our meeting—let each man bring his own
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
mans—whether there is not something also which
we can do, which will tend to remove those ob-
stacles which may have unhappily stood in the way
of the complete success of these institutions. (Loud
applause.) And here let me just say that sometimes
people depreciate them and say, why what can a,
man get from reading the books in these institu-
tions, for the knowledge is all superficial and will
do very little good, and they therefore throAv cold
water en 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 most subjecl e—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 hare 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
r great body of mankind. But then, he says, a great
body of the people cannot he- 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-
liend those great moral and mgtiiiirtrutlis. (Loud --
applause.) He goes onto sa tiat t. fie great Works
scientific discoveries are made, and
scientific truths are stated, arc not read except
by a few ; but that the truth which these works
contain pervade gradual7y the mind of a reading
people—even though that reading ir ay be of a kind
that is almost-superficial, and, by a variety of almost
unseen and circuitous channels, they penetrate every-
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 then
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 Mr.
Dodd, in which he was lamenting that there was
much talent which was wasted, which was thrown
away, which was not developed, because there were
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 southern
university. Now, without undervaluing at all the
advantages of a residence at universities—for I am
sure I should be most ungrateful, and so would Mr.
Ingham, were we to do so, for, many years ago, we
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, to
have places within their reach for acquiring 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 examina-
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 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 DOTIZEI?,.

Last night an inquest was taken at the Black
Horse, High-street, Poplar, on view of the body of
a person, whose name is supposed to be Brady, a
Cork pilot, who, on Tuesday, the Pith of September,
jumped from the merchant ship the Sparkling Sea,
of Boston, into the sea off Dover.

Joseph Ryder, the captain, said that he engaged
the deceased at Cork to pilot the vessel to the
Downs. He then obtained the services of a pilot
Banked John Apps. Witness believes his name *as
Brady. About seven o'clock on the Tuesday morn-
ing he suddenly left the cabin, where he was at
breakfast with witness, and said he would not stop
there any longer. He ran up on the deck.
Richard Cater, one of the crew of the Sparkling
Sea, said that on the evening before the Deal pilot
came on board deceased entered the deck where the
men sleep, and said that he " wanted all hands to
be called together for him to speak to them." He
observed that " he knew his life was in danger, as
he had overheard men speaking about him." All
tried to pacify him, thinking he was not in his
right mind. On the morning of the Tuesday there
was a steam tug in attendance upon the Sparkling
Sea to take her in tow down the river. The de-
ceased, upon seeing it, suddenly hailed the tug, and
jumped overboard. The, Deal pilot called to the
captain of the tug, who lowered a boat, when the
deceased was picked up and taken on board the
tug.
John Apps, the Deal pilot, said that when he
got on board on the Tuesday he met deceased, who
said to him, "(food morning, pilot; now I am re-
lieved I will wash and shave myself." He went
away about half-past 9 o'clock. He came back
again, and sat on the timber heads. He then ob-
served," I claim your protection, pilot." Witness
said, " What for ?" He said, " I don't like the
mate." (The mate was present.) Witness said,
"Not like the mate ! Why not ?" He then re-
marked that there never was a better man, and
that all the crew were good. In a minute after he
ran forward to the mizen rigging and jumped
overboard, at the same time calling out, " Steam,
a-hoy" (meaning the steam-tug).
The jury returned a verdict " That the deceased
was drowned in the sea off Dover by precipitating
himself from a vessel while in an unsound state of
mind; but whether to destroy himself, or to get
on board a steam tug which was in attendance, the
evidence is inconclusive."
At the conclusion of the inquiry,
The parish constable asked the captain of the
a s
e theds
Sparkling Sea to deliver to him the deceased's
watch, with the other property found upon him,
remarking that they would go towards paying
funeral expenses of the deceased, which would be
paid for by the parish. (The captain-refused to
give them up.).
The coroner stated that by law, when, a parish
buries a person, what property was found upon'him
was !appropriated to the funeral expenses, and that,
after they were defrayed, the surplus was given to
the friends or relativeS who were lawfully entitled
to it. .

The captain refused to give the property up.

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