The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-31 00:00:00

know their duties, and be certain of what

they can do and what they cannot do. In

the remarks which he subsequently made in re-

turning thanks for the " House of Peers," Lord

MALMESEITRY seemed animated by the desire of

justice and fair play to all classes, and to entertain
none of those sectarian and prejudided views which

are so often attributed to those in his position. He

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spoke truly and forcibly of the importance of free

discussion in all places and especially of its value in

the House of Commons. He observed, "It is good
for this country that the voice of the people
should be heard in its proper place, and if

disagreeable truths and disagreeable assertions

were not allowed in the House of Commons
we should have much more of them in the streets

than we do now. It is, therefore, most desirable
that in the House of Commons the nature of the

people should be expounded. The House of Lords,
an hereditary assembly, is of a different kind ;
an assembly it has been unjustly said of men wish-
ing to curtail the liberties of the subject, for we
should be ungrateful to our ancestors if we did not
recollect that it was in the House of Lords that the
first liberty of England dawned, and that it was from
the Barons of England they received the charter of
their liberties. It is not agreeable to boast of
those honours which are but an accident of bitrh,
but it is impossible not to feel justly proud of be-
longing to a body and an order of men who have
formed a part of the greatness of England's career
for so many centuries. The noblest spirits have
been proud to be in that house; the noblest spirits
have aspired to gain that honour ; and who
shall forget the chivalrous heart of NELSON

when boarding the Spanish ship, he shouted--" A

Peerage or Westminster Abbey." The noble lord

concluded his eloquent address by referring to the

responsibility that he felt appertained to all in his

position who were responsible to GOD and their

consciences, and to the nation, for the votes given
in their assembly,

The friends of popular education will observe
with satisfaction the increasing number and im•
portance of the various literary and educational
institutes throughout the country. At one time it
was a matter of much regret to those who watched
their fortunes with interest that they seemed to
languish ; to be little heeded by those classes for
whom they were designed ; and scarcely to realise
the anticipations formed of them. Of late, however,
a reaction has taken place. The existing institutions
seem to have taken a fresh start, and the establish-
ment of new ones in other districts testify the public
approval of their purpose and character. The opening
of a new lecture hall at the Literary and Mechanics
Institute of Witham (Essex), last evening, afforded
Mr. Du CANE, M.P., who is president of the insti-
tution, the opportunity of making some remarks on
the objects and development of this movement.
He observes that the institution in question had
increased both in members and funds, in spite of
the emigration northwards, which had diminished
the population. Regarding the subject from a
wider point of view, he then proceeded to quote
recent statistics, which showed there existed in the
United Kingdom one thousand institutions for
literary and educational purposes, numbering more
than 100,000 subscribers, and containing in the
libraries connected with them more than a million
volumes. The objection which some had raised
against these establishments—namely, that they
were not exclusively used by the working classes—he
considered could no longer be brought forward,since
in the manufacturing districts especially, large
numbers of mechanics and artisans were to be found
among the supporters. But, as Mr. Du CANE
justly observed, we must not consider the institutions
failures, even if they are not the sole property of the
working classes, for no institution established for an
educational purpose can fail to benefit its neigh-
bourhood, by enlarging the means of knowledge,
cultivating the taste, and awaking an interest in
subjects otherwise disregarded. Such establish-
ments supply, as he appropriately remarked, a void
in the educational system of the country. When
we consider the great number of adults who, thanks
to the negligence of the last generation, have re-
ceived no instruction in their youth, and the
very early age at which children of the present day
are withdrawn from school, we shall at once see the
advantage of offering knowledge in a form that is
not directly instructive, and which, therefore,
grown-up men do not resent as humiliating. Be-
sides the value of conveying information and culti-
vating the mind, these assemblies possess also the
merit of diminishing the temptations of the public-
house, where the cheerful lights, the company, and
talk are often the great attractions. If a man be a
member of one of these institutions, on the contrary,
he can secure company and conversation of a
better class without risk of expense and discom-
fiture. We fully agree with Mr. Du CANE in ap-
proving the admission of works of fiction and poetry
to the shelves of the library, believing that not only
amusement but profit may often be derived from
them. Lessons conveyed by example are prover-
bially more effe4ive than didactic precepts; social
and moral truths can be more forcibly impressed
on uncultivated minds through the lives of men and
women than by treatise or homily. It is for this
reason that biography affords so useful and inte-
resting a study ; but biography, unless it trenches
unduly upon the sacredness of private life, leaves
the wants of the imagination unsatisfied. It may
record facts, but can scarcely deal with feelings.
Often the great joys and great sorrows of a famous
man, the motives that have swayed his acts, the
hopes or disappointments which have influenced his
destiny, are unknown save to himself or to a few
cherished friends who would shrink from betraying
his secrets. Biographical works thus lack tha

exciting interest which is necessary to secure the
attention 04 the tired and indifferent reader. It is
possible twat the projectors and managers of
these institutions have erred on the aide of solid

:nstruction. A little larger admixture of amusemen

more concerts. lectures on the poets, humorous

readings, &c., might have increased their utility by
extending their influence. Among the educated

classes we do not find scientific lectures more
largely attended than the theatre or the concert

room, or works of history so popular as " The

Cartons," or " Adam Bede." Men of any
rank who have to devote their energies,
mental or bodily, to any pursuit for long consecu-
tive hours, require when their labour is done

amusement as well as mental cultivation. We

must not expect from untrained minds and wearied

bodies powers of application of which those habitu.

ated to mental exertion are not always capable. In
conclusion Mr, Du CANE made some sensible re-

marks on the competitive system, which he sup-
ported in principle but which he thought defeated
its purpose by grasping too many subjects. The
plan of " cramming" often confusing the mind
and loading the memory with superficial and ill-
digested knowledge, is certainly far from encourag-
ing that soundness of information and mental
readiness which the examinations were intended to
secure. Mr. Du CANE'S parting advice to the mem-
bers of the institution was appropriate and excel-
lent, and the young students present must have
listened to his speech with profit as well as plea-

sure.

fiEH SUN, LONDO.I.I TETURSDAY gvENING, OCTOBER 31, 1861.