The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-08 00:00:00

THE MANCHESTER ATHEN2EUM. selves. " For my own part," says he, " I really
(From the Times.) believe that had that party and sectarian feeling pro-
No one can read the brilliant addresses made at the ceeded in the same power and virulence it has done
oir,4 o the Maneleoiter Athenaeum, without feeling for the last twelve or fourteen years, it must have
‘. . double pleasure, firsr, in the exeellence of the . eta- i exercised a barbarising influence upon public senti-
, cm, then, in jading;it so wor:...y celebrated. It is : relents and public manners. There are some amongst
the great difficulty of our age to bring thin es toge- . us now, I know, who believe that the period has
ther. Either there is profusion or lack. What I arrived when a great effort must be made to emanci-
might tell with noble effect if well bestowed, is pate the country from the degrading thraldom of fac-
thrown away where it is. We have literature and tion ; to terminate, if possible, that extreme, that
taste enough, but then it is all in a class, heaped sectarian, and limited view in which all human con-
together—of as little use as a well-stored magazine duct is examined, observed, and criticised; to put an
ten miles off the devoted band who are selling their end to exclusiveness, which, in its peculiar sphere, is
lives dear because their ammunition is exhausted. equally deleterious as flight aristocratical exclusiveness
On the one hand there are thousands who are daily of manners which has produced so much evil ; and, as
pining for the occasion which is to bring out their far as I can form an opinion, these views have met with
powers. Their one great lack is opportunity. Oh for sympathy from every part of the counntry." These
something to do—somebody to work upon—something sentiments were received with loud applause, and they
to assure me lam a real man, and not a shadow, with well deserved it. Coming from any public man, they
an actual call and business in this world. Mean-
must have been gladly and gratefully received ; but
while a street, or a wall, or a less visible barrier, coming from a gentleman who sits in the House of
separates you from a sphere where it is all opportu-
Commons immediately behind Sir R. Peel, they must
nity, all raw material ; everything to be done. The have been received with special wonder and delight
elements of grandeur lie waste because the soul of Among those present who most cordially hailed
order is absent. There is plenty of rudeness wild the utterance of these liberal and enlightened senti-
,
ments, was the Member for Stockport. Mr. Cobden's
nature of men and things, unorganized multitudes,
brutish incessant toil, furious energies, noble instincts, observations had an immediate reference to the liberal
gigantic capabilities, everything vast and shapeless, character of the Institution, whose interests they
the sooty workshop of the Cyclops. All this waits were all assembled to promote, but they were meant
to be informed, and trained to beauty and greatness. to have a universal application. cc He could not,"
says the report of Mr. Cobden's speech, 16help con-
But as yet that cannot be accomplished. Strength is
rude, and refinement is coy. The one resents inter-
gratulating himself, while Mr. D'lsraeli was speak-
ference, the other revolts from its task. Thus ing, that with Lord John Manners on the one side,
both are wasted. It is then a great beginning and Mr. Smythe on the other, the imputation of party
that literature should be seen raising its head in the must be an absolute contradiction. He thanked them
midst of our great marts of industry, and summoning for coming among them, and producing so admirable
to its aid some of its most favoured sons. It is a result as they had witnessed that night. And now
not necessary to abate one's satisfaction with the taking that vantage ground—having the fullest reli-
salvo, that literary institutions, libraries, news- ance upon the cordial support of every party, sect,
rooms, with the appendage of gymnasia and balls, are and class, in the community, he would ask what might
not sufficient. Such a caution is even less needful in not the Athenaeum become under such favourable aus
Manchester than in the enlightened metropolis. True, pices ?" Lord J. Manners referred, with an exulting
they may satisfy and fill the mind. To that abuse spirit, to the auspicious absence of party feeling which
are all Heaven's gifts obnoxious. They are, how- characterised their assembling together. "In these
ever, good as far as they go. It is a good thing done days," says that Noble Lord, "of political rancour,
—an actual step in advance—if minds or hands here- and class and party distinctions, it is gratifying to
tofore occupied in mere mechanic arts should ask ad- any one who remembers that the name of English-
mission to the worlds of imagination and taste. man should be one of prouder import, and bear a
Imagination is near akin to faith, and taste to good- more quickening spell, than that of Whig or Tory,
ness. The ideal is the school of truth. With all the to find a field whereon politicians of all opinions may
many weaknesses and temptations of literature, who meet without quarrelling, and, better still, with a
that has it would not have had it ? Let those who good hope that the result of the meeting may be af-
declaiin most eloquently on its engrossing, or fording increased means of mental amusement and
enfeebling, or secularising tendency, consider within recreation to the laborious tradesman and toiling
themselves whether they are not on the whole apprentice." We trust we are not over sanguine in
gainers by this perilous gift. Why, then, should believing that a new and happier era is about to dawn
he who would be miserable without his bookshelves, on this country. We think we can clearly discern
dictate to others an abstinence or a deprivation the proximate advent of a period when the greatest
which he would himself be the first to break and best of our public men will bury their political
through? He owes half his thoughts, and more than partisanship and personal jealousies in the dust; and
half his tone of thinking, to literature. It is the shall strive together as to who shall contribute most
grammar of his mind. It is also his no slight social largely to the improvement of the moral and social
bond. He tries to communicate his thoughts and condition of their countrymen. That were a noble
feelings, and finds himself unintelligible to the rivalry. That were an emulation worthy the dignity
crowd—intelligible only to the initiated few. Piety of our nature. Were the feeling but universal, and
opens its' mouth to denounce literature, and finds we rejoice to say it is rapidly extending, it would, in
itself speaking the language and recognising the a very little time, convert a world which is full of
mission of its imagined rival. In the act of condemning crime and misery, into one of the purest virtue and
philosophy it is itself guilty of the crime. Let it be most exalted bliss.
remembered, too, that the gentile world was pros,' i- , (From the Morning Herald.)
deetially led through a course of arts before it came A meeting took place at Manchester, on Thursday,
te the gospel. The truths of Christianity were de- graced by the presence of several of the " new
generation," e rewch meeting shows
veloped in the schools, and grew into a divine philo-
that there is noththing po
sting f hi
o unimportant as to escape the
so2hy, the awful literature of Heaven. Those fathers
vigilant caterers for public information. It was, to
whose mind and language have sunk deepest into the
be sure, declared by one of the lions on th 3 occasion
memory of the Church were bred on the lap of
—Mr. G. Smythe, of Canterbury, called by a con-
Pagan science. Let such pursuits be only followed
temporary at the very nadir of bathos, "the chival-
in a spirit of gravity and reverence, and no one need
roue Smythe"—that "that meeting will be memora-
fear the result. Some will think this a superfluous
ble when civilisation shall be one hour from its
advocacy of .ghat must speak for itself. Of course
they es ill also set down the speeches of Mr. D'lsraeli, zenith ;" yet we fear the mischievous will add the
ill-natured commentary of Poison—"but not till
fcnitless displays. But there is a wide-spread and a then." The meeting was held for a very excellent
deep-rooted prejudice against the higher and finer purpose, and the founders and supporters of the
accomplishmsnts, against every branch of learning Manchester Athenteum are entitled to all praise.
which does not pretend an obvious utility. It is But of what importance upon earth is it to the rest of
agreed that the sons of manufacturers must be menu- the empire to know that Mr. D'lsraeli went down to
Manchester to tell the people there the history of
facturers, and no more than manufacturers; and that
ii you try to make then more, you will fill alto- what they themselves had done—a history with
tether. Writers who furnish in their own style abun-
which they were, of course, much better acquainted
than Mr. D'Lraeli could possibly be ? " You have
dant proofs of the powers and delights of a
classical education, are so ungrateful or so founded a news-room," and "you have founded
thoughtless as to think the wealthy master of a lecture-room," were facts both important and
five hundred operatives will be better and happier creditable to the locality in which they were stated;
a
and abler without it. c' He will have to cast accounts and if the facts were not recorded with a parade which
makes them ridiculous, they might serve as examples
and compute profits. Then he must learn bookkeep-
in r Ile will have to improve his machinery. Then
~. to other places. But when the meeting is exhibited
as an important " sign of the times" (that portent
let biro study mechanics. He will have to pay wages.
which is always most easily discovered when the
Let him acquire a positive taste for compound addi-
seeker is the least intelligent), or is compared modestly
thin. In order to make out and execute orders he
with the invention of printing, the beneficial effect is
must be handy at practice. Geography also will be
infinitely lessened. Mr. D'lsraeli may have seen
wanted occasionally.' Offhand writers seldom mean
all that they say, but we do not see what other " Ilyssusi silvery springs," and may have the most
in 11Ir.
ineahing to assign to the following passage vivid recollection of the sunset on that occasion. He
Cooke Taylor's Tour in the Manujacturin' Districts. may be also aware that Mr. Cobden gazed delight-
fully on the land where Penelope wove her web of
qf Lancasliire :
yore, yet the relation of these facts, however it may
" I should be very much puzzled if I were asked to
point out a d, en schools in the country where youth serve for a sign of character, we scarcely can call " a
could obtain instruction in those branches of knowledge sign of the times." But Mr. D'lsraeli enunciated
which are the best calculated to train them for a life of some rare maxims, and one of these was, that "it is
cennuerca and active business. In plain terms, the ma- the duty of every citizen in a free community
11am:twine, youth of the higher and middle classes are to be acquainted with the opinions he has
not trained for the order to which they must eventually formed." We hope it is a duty which " Young
belenes. but for an order to which there are few chances England" as not failed to perform ; for if their
of th.-ir eNer attaining, but after which there is all but 66 opinions" (as we presume their phantasies
a per 'ect certainty that they will render themselves mi- are designated) can be reduced to a compre-
eel-able by aspiring. This defect is sufficiently notorious,
hensible system, the sooner some one of the frater-
and one consequence of it has passed into a proverb,
tiiat "Diem is but one generation in Lancashire between nity, remembering the fate of the theories of the late
c, og
.and clog.' If manufacturers cannot be induced to reverend and ingenious Edward Irving, promulgates
associate themselves into a distinct order for their own their politics in a known tongue, the more advan-
sak,., th,y ought certainly to do so for the sake of their tageous will it be to their prosperity. The allusions
chi!dr.n, avid, above all things, they should assert the of the guests of the people of Manchester to that very
dignity ,. t'
. the commercial character by a public recog- ancient' desideratum, which " Young England "
ninon of the extent of information necessary for the chooses to call one of its discoveries; viz., facilities
commercial profession." for the amusement of the working classes, could not
On the contrary, manufactures and commerce have been made in a more appropiate place. The
seem especially to crave the greatest possible inrusion games and sports in which " Young England " places
of literature. They know best their own want. The —and to some extent justly—great confidence as a
manufacturer sends his son to a public school, and is political medicine, are certainly least known in
anstioue to see him an accomplished scholar. To be manufacturing districts. The anti-experience legis-
able to do this was part of the vision which, from his lators, however, mistake the concomitants of a certain
earliest life, concentrated and sustained his efforts. state of society for its essence; and because highly-
But for this hope, he would have continued to this coloured tradition tells us of a happy peasantry under
day a smug, self-satisfied, eating, drinking, and sleep- the regime of priestcraft, would saddle us again with
ing, fifth-rate tradesman. Deprive him' of mentalls
ii the " corporations of bachelors." The amicability '
This
advancement, and his wealth has lost its value. with which " Young England" sighs for an over-
is Dr. Cooke Taylor's own supposition. He is cen- throw of party spirit is highly commendable,
suring the folly of commercial men who wish to make but how are they carrying it out? Albeit that
their sons scholars and gentlemen. What's the use of to honest party spirit, the pure attachment of up-
money, if they are not to do this ? The process of right minds to the principles which they admired, we
mechanic production induces a conceit of power, owe most of all that is valuable in the British Consti-
which breaks out into overbearing arrogance. A tution—nay, the preservation of that Constitution'
man who has secured the most glittering of human itself; yet it were indeed lamentable if much neutral
prizes, and has that which all mankind seem running ground did not exist upon which distinctions of party
after, is too conscious of his success. His activity could be forgotten. This fusion, however, is not
becomes rough and tyrannic. The fine arts are use- to be accomplished by the system of Messrs. Smythe
ful in this stage, though such a mind will scarcely and D'lsraeli, viz.,
P-
flattering on all occasions the dis-
apprehend any other than their most sensual a tinctive tenets or characteristics of a party, and as
plicatian. There is another stage in the manufac- invariably voting against it. On this conduct we had
turing history—another class, to which literature is some time since the following lamentation from the
indispensable. What can wealth do, or be, without League :
it ? Dr C. Taylor will answer, " Let wealth go .. It is with
grief
orwe add that the name of this
on producing wealth." Experience shows that it powerful advocate for
in thethe liste of the monopolist
extension of commerce (M r.
will not. The youthful possessor or expectant of Smythe) was found
ma-
thousands per annum is apt to contemplate his wealth jority that rejected Mr. Villiers's motion, and that
that the
till his mind becomes as laden and lumpy as his ingsts, same list contains the name of the author of " Co-
To possess and to enjoy is his life. Soul and body he ningsby," to whose eloquent denunciations of commer-
yields himself' to the passive delight. The gold enters cial restriction we recently directed the attention of our
into his soul. He devours it with his eyes before he readers. This is a sad anomaly."
comes to its actual use. Such is the being whom a Now we think it rather a wholesome anomaly. If
man of real genius proposes to keep at the desk, to a man perpetually says one thing and perpetually
the exclusion of other art or science. A worse danger does another, it requires no great quantity of algebra
remains. It is impossible that the mere pursuit of to discover the value of his principle or his common
wealth and mere mechanic employments should so sense ; and with such facts before the world, the
satisfy the mind as to render it even ordinarily secure mouthing of " Young England," even at a gala soirée
against the sensual allurements to which wealth is so at Manchester, is as harmless as the pipes of the Stre-
easy a prey. High religious feeling is the gift of few; phons, with whom one of its young members would
but against that host of lower dangers a gentlemanly cover the grass-grown ruins of that important town.
(From the Morning Post.)
education is at least an immense auxiliary. Any- With feelings of rare and unqualified delight we
thing in the mind, if only innocent, helps against
bespeak the attention of all our readers to the report
sense. The education of the working classes has
we this day publish of the magnificent meeting held
already done wonders in Lancashire. To it must be
ascribed the affecting resignation with which so vast on Thursday, at the Manchester Athenaeum. We
a mass endured the virtual famine of 1840-42. The publish an elaborate report of the proceedings; for
higher and intermediate classes are advancing in
pro- we conceive them to be interesting in the most ele-
i , portion. Of course, one watches with
oven suspicion, the sudden efforts of a newly-gathered consoling indication of that better feeling, with re-
population at present. ; but the auspices are goodßard to the social and domestic condition of the work-
They only want leaders. ing people, which, within a comparatively recent
(From the Morning Advertiser.) . period, has made sits influences felt in quarters the
The meeting of the subscribers to the Athenaeum most widely separated on most points of taste and
,
at Manchester, held on Thursday last, was one of no opinion. And amid the many uncheering charic-
common character. The numbers present were corn- least ene symptom giving ground for hope that all teristicsmay of the times, it is no light comfort to find at
puled at 3,000 ; but it is not to the greatness of the
g cribed The charac gathering that the importance of the meeting is to be yet be well with England. Truly it was a noble spec-
tacle to see Lord J. Manners—the young and generous
as.
speeches delivered and the s grit which p ervaded the representative of England's most exalted aristocracy
,
—standing amongst the honest workpeople and their
intelligent throng, were the circumstances which in-
wealthy employers, in consultation upon the mode of
vested that meeting with a special interest. By far
making all classes better pleased with each other—
the most important characteristic of the meeting was better qualified to be virtuous, useful, happy, and
the entice absence of party feeling. Never did men
loyal subjects of the mighty empire whereof their
of more opposite principles assemble together. Who
little island home is the mistress and arbitress. When
could snore opposed to each other in their p olitica 1
faith, thin Mr. Cobden and Mr. Benjamin D'lsraeli we further mention the name of the chivalrous
Mr. Alilner Gibson and Lord 'John Manners? The Smythe—of D'lsraeli, the champion of the essential
• same dive ' rsity of political sentiment prevailed among principle of monarchic rule—of Cobden, an Gibson,
the more hub in svi
le d* •
duals composing the body of and Brotherton; advocates of the violent docd trines of
m
political Liberalism, we sufficiently intimate how en-
the meeting. And yet the most harmonious feel-
log prvaded the entire proceedings Mr. Benjamin tirely absent was everything partaking of vulgar
D'lsraeli was in the chair. lE'; speech of the party combination. Rejoicing, as we do, that the
Honourable Gentleman was able and eloquent ' • but rich manufacturer in our large towns is at length ac-
it possessed a still higher quality, especially con- of -
knowledging the
claims
of the poor to some portion
sidering the political party with whom
the speaker care for their health and comfort—heartily re-
has hitherto acted : it was a thoroughly liberal joicing that the amusements and relaxations of the '
people are attracting some share of attention, as an
speech. l t was more : it was a manifesto in favour
of the organieas.ion of a party who shall disconnect important element •
m
body
politic—we the constitution of a happy
solely themselves from any and every faction, and be
vandert i
hx,
gratitude and satisfaction, to that
m Israeli which has been the main promoter of this move-
denounced,cannot help re-
influenced' in all their actions by an earnest desire to
inent for amelioration, in what
ro
ote the well-being of the people. Mr. D
with withering effect, the narrow, exclu• may be called the
sive, sectarian feeling which has hitherto, more or domestic politics of the nation. No very long time
Ifss, largely characterised the various factions into has elapsed since we gave our cordial support to
the recommendations contained in a pamphlet I
which the politicians of the day hare divided them- let by