The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-27 00:00:00

THE MANCHESTER ATHENIEUM.
MANCHESTER, Ocr. 24.—Last evening, the members of
this literary association gave their third annual soirée at the
Free Trade-hall, Peter's-street. The attendance, as on pre-
vious occasions, was very large, the vast hall, capable, it is
said, of accommodating 3,000 in a sitting posture, being
crowded in every part by well-dressed ladies and gentlemen.
The chairman, Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, was supported on
the right by the Mayor, on the left by Mr. Cobden, M.P.,
Mr. M. Philips, M.P., Mr. M. Gibson, M.P„ Mr. Brotherton,
M.P., Mr. Bright, M.P., Mr. Douglas Jerrold, and several
literary gentlemen from London. Mr. Charles Dickens was
to have come, but was prevented by the delicate state of
Mrs. Dickens's health. N. Thiers was also invited, but was
unable, on account of engagements in Paris, to proceed to
Manchester.
Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD, who was received with loud
cheers, commenced the proceedings by briefly adverting to
the splendid talents of some of his predecessors in the chair.
Impressive as the scene before him would be in any place, it
became solemn, almost awful, when the true relations, the
real significancy of its splendour were revealed. When they
considered that this festival of intellect was held in the capi-
tal of a district which comprised scarcely less than two mil-
lions of inhabitants, engrossed in a far greater proportion by
the toils of commerce and manufacture than any other dis-
trict in the world—when they remembered that this great
assembly indicated an unprecedented desire upon the part of
those who directed the labour of these large classes to share
with them whose labour they thus directed, and whose inte-
rest they thus guarded, that literature, which was once the
privilege of the cloistered few, but now formed the finest
social links of this vast society in this vast city—when
they bore in mind all these considerations, they felt that
the object which this society represented, although in-
tensely local, was yet of universal concern, and they
would cease to wonder at that familiar :interest which
he, a stranger, took in it, whenever it was presented
to his notice•—(Cheers.) The Learned Gentleman pro-
ceeded to congratulate the meeting upon what
their institution had accomplished—upon what had
been accomplished, too, in Manchester, in a spirit kindred to
the exertions of the institution whose members he was ad-
dressing. He especially congratulated them on the boon
which they had secured to the toiling thousands of Man-
chester, the precious Saturday half-holiday—that boon alike
precious to man as to boy—when manhood borrowed the en-
dearing name from childhood, and sought to enrich it with
all that remained of childhood's still-remembered feelings—
(Cheers)—precious in the impulse which it gave to labour,
and most precious in its result, when, brightened and graced
by those modes which this association indicated, it left body
and mind more free for the service of earth and heaven !
(Cheers.) In considering the benefits which the Manchester
Athenaeum was likely to be the source of to those among whom
it was founded, he would regard them not so much as afford-
ing a path by which a few might rise above their station, as
promising a means of adorning and gracing that sphere of
action in which many must continue to move. It might be
that sonic master-mind might start into fame from their
ranks ; and should such rare felicity be their lot, with how
great pride would they expatiate upon that greatness which
they had watched in its dawn, and with how pure a satisfac-
tion would they commemorate the achievements of their
then illustrious townsman, when, satiated with the applause of
strangers, he would revert to those scenes among which his
genius found its first expression, and earned its first prize.
But it was not in the culture of such rare minds that he an-
ticipated the happiest fruits of their peaceful victories. The
talents which in darker ages might have suggested the
desire to guide the obscure but honourable sphere of peace-
ful labour in quest of literary distinction, could at present
only be safely employed in adorning the path in which they
originally moved. But if it were too late to be ambitious
except on some rare occasions, for the immortality which
earth could bestow, yet, for that true immortality of which
time's longest duration was only a vivid symbol—for that
immortality, the cultivation of wisdom and piety was as
momentous now as ever. They would believe him when
he said that there was no path more open to the influenoe
of heaven than the common path of daily duty. On that
path the lights from various departments of their institution
would fall with the steadiest lustre, and by that light they
might walk in peace and gladness, if not in glory, happy in
the opportunity of elucidating some great truth which might
be reflected from the polished mirrors of thousands of asso-
ciated minds.—(Cheers.) After alluding to several other
points, the Learned Gentleman touched upon ths financial
affairs of the institution—a sketch of which we have already
given—and concluded by urging forcibly upon the assem-
blage the duty of supporting strenuously and unweariedly
the institution whose anniversary they were met to celebrate.
To the young he especially committed it. For their benefit
it was especially founded—for its welfare they were especially
responsible. Let them never forget, in this great capital of
physical labour, how important it was that spiritual power
should be awakened into like activity. Canning once said
that he had called a new world into existence to redress the
balance of the old; but let them keep the balance even, be-
tween the world within and that without, keeping steady the
social vessel with contemplation's immortal freightage.,
Mr. MARK Plumps, M.P., was the next speaker. He re-
gretted that it had not been in his power to have attended
other and former anniversaries of the Manchester Athenrenm.
If they had ever entertained any doubt as to the success of
the Institution, he trusted that those fears had been as fully
removed on their part as he was sure that they were upon
his own. It was evident that the mind of Manchester was
set upon effecting its object. He saw before him the as-
surance that the Athenaeum would not stand still, much less
retrograde. On the contrary, he looked forward to the pe-
riod when almost every young man of Manchester should be
a member of the Athenaeum, or of some kindred institution,
the whole to work together towards one common object, and
with one common aim. There seemed to be but one opinion
in favour of the Institution. It was founded upon the best
of all principles—self-government. They were responsible
to themselves for the management of their own affairs, and
he trusted that that management would continue to be as
prosperous as it had hitherto been. The Honeurable Gentle-
man proceeded to allude to a part of Mr. Disraeli's speech
last year, in which he dissected the lonely condition of a
young man arrived from the country in Manchester, lowly
and unknown. To all such the Athenaeum afforded a rally-
ing point, lhe best possible refuge for a young man so situated.
There be would meet with welcome and instruction—there
lie might amuse, while he instructed himself—there, while
morally and intellectually he was cultivating his faculties, he
would also feel that socially he was not alone. After an ap-
peal to the ladies, who had done so much for the Athenaeum,
and an energetically expressed hope that they would con-
tinue their exertions in its behalf, the Honourable Gentleman
resumed his seat amid hearty applause.
Mr. F. STONE, who was introduced by the Chairman as an
artist of celebrity, who left Manchester when young to push
his fortunes single- handed in London, next addressed the
meeting, and dilated on the advantages which such an insti-
tution as that whose prosperity they were now met to cele-
brate held out to young students in the fine arts. He in-
ferred from the success of the Athenaeum a sympathy for the
fine arts, properly so called; and he ventured to hope the
time was fast approaching when a public school of art would
be established.—(Cheers.)
Mr. BRIGHT, M.P., disclaimed all pretensions to literary
or scientific distinction ; he professed to having attained
only to this degree,—that he had learned to admire and
honour those men who, by their deep thought or eloquent
writings, had done anythinps, to improve and elevate man-
kind—(Cheers)—and when he looked at that vast assemblage,
he might say there were thousands present who might
claim not to be literary men, but at least to have warm
sympathies with the feelings they expressed, and to honour
those who thus led the minds of their countrymen.—(Cheers.)
They were met not for the purpose of engaging in a frivo-
lous amusement, or passing an idle hour, but for the pur-
p ise of supporting an institution of the very best and noblest
character—an institution which had for its object the promo-
tion, among those who at a very early period must become
themselves the directors and controllers of public opinion and
intelligence in that district, of those sentiments and that cha-
racter which would enable them satisfactorily to fulfil those
thigh duties to which they would speedily be called. The very
character of the district presented one of the strongest argu-
ments in favour of such an institution. It was more populous,
more wealthy, and had more powers of producing wealth than
any other part of the kingdom. For activity of mind it was
unequalled ; he doubted if it were equalled by any
otherpor-
tion of the British empire; and if there were
such P
a 9 ula •
tion, such wealth, such power to 'create wealth, and such
activity of mind, was he wrong in coming to the conclusion
that the course which should be pursued and the opinions
that should prevail there would greatly influence the destinies
(A' the empire and of the world?—(Cheers.) The records of
the past were those of error, crime, and suffering, and was it too
much to say that mankind might yet be made more happy—
was it an irreverent thought that they might by cultivation
more largely develop the divine faculties within them, and
thus aid at once the human happiness and the honour and re-
aaown of the Creator himself? Time was when the destiny of
nations was in the hands of one, or a few men; but a mighty
change was now taking place, and in proportion as nations
became informed and intelligent, power was diffused among
them, and became transferred from the hands of the few to
those of the many. Public opinion was daily gathering
strength, and was marching on to omnipotence and an undis-
puted dominion.—(Cheers.) He admitted that much had
been done in Manchester,—he doubted whether any town in
the kingdom had made such rapid strides,—but still he could
not conceal from himself that much remained to be done.
They must erect for theinseves a high standard and a noble
aim, and rest satisfied with nothing while anything re-
mained to be achieved. It was not enougi for them in Man-
chester that they clothed the world cheaply; it was not
enough that many merchants and manufacturers amassed
wealth, and that multitudes of industrious artizans were well
paid, and in comfortable circumstances; more than this was
wanted. Measures should be taken to secure a sound and
real education, not so much among the operative classes as
among his own class and rank, connected with the manufac-
tures and commerce of the district. He held it to be quite
impossible that there should be a great up-raising of the ope-
rative classes unless there were a corresponding improve-
ment in the class next above them in the social
scale.—(Cheers.) A great effort at some not distant period
must be made for this purpose. When he recollected that
the so-called national universities were not for them, and
that from their honours and advantages the vast multitudes
of that district were effectually debarred, it was not for
them to fold their arms in apathy because they found diffi-
culties in their path. If they were surmountable, why
should they not be surmounted? He pictured to himself
the good, the intelligent, and generous people of Lancashire
and Yorkshire, dissatisfied with things as they were with
respect to educational means, gradually rousing themselves
from their apathy; and he saw a long list of names denoting
large subscriptions for the purpose of founding, building,
and establishing some great free college or university which
should be for the especial service of those who were engaged
in the vast commerce of the district.—(Cheers.) The principle
on which it should proceed must be, that it should be free,
open to all—they should not suppose that the teaching, the
imperfect teaching, of a couple of dead languages was educa-
tion, any more than they were to consider that true nobility
consisted in a long line of dead ancestors. He hoped that
the education which would be imparted would be of a prac-
tical character, and that with all the knowledge communi-
cated there would be associated those noble sentiments and
generous sympaties which formed the essence of true wis-
dom, and enabled its possessors rightly to use the informa-
tion they had acquired.—(Cheers.) lie did not despair of ,
seeing what he now suggested accomplished at no distant
.
. day—(Cheers.) Thay had warred with the elements, and
chained the powers of nature to do their bidding. The
very_
air they breathed would speedily propel them across a
kingdom in a few hours. With increased physical comforts
and advantages would 'they neglect the far more noble, be-
cause the indestructible portionia of their being ?—victors in
the material, would thev(oeieecrontent to gain no laurels in
soallther would they not,
the intellectual world ?=
to loftier heights,
diving to deeper depths and
=lard blessings
, Jess jekrepral stature, and add to all thosern
purer
ri p pr, }, iiatt, ftsth they were surrounded those which a
rich oeliasting, which would spring up
<-,
,_-__ , i.ej. s . tune of the mind? He trusted every oarneveht
es • .e-ese„-f-elaelOr ..---- , e tuld that night form a resolution to do what he
:A:7,- i r --, , ..-4.ixtfiti tO-..- .. • el that county and district educationally whate
't''eSsi rtm :.... Itry+ me, and what it must become, if they would
v:,* ...,.. ,„ :,..41,410,40. . rder preserved, and the prosperity continued.
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- --'="- .i.' - , ON': 3IAN begged now to introduce a gentleman who
-
bgqp ong known to him, and with whom in spirit he
N. :tas W.,e sure they had all for years been familiar, one whose.
graver writings had been devoted in the most earnest and
thoughtful manner to the great interests of hit species. and