The Sun.
London, England, 1828-06-09 00:00:00

LO:\ DON MECHANIe'-S' INSTITUTION,

An annual dinner of the merNhers of this body
was held on Thursday at the Free'
masons" Tavern.
On this occasion there was a very
nun: Brous and re-
spectable attendance. At half after five, Dr. BIRK -
BECK took the Chair. When the usual toa;ts bad
been given, the chairman proposed " the healili of
Duke of Sussex," who was expected to presidef
but fejt:' :limbic to attend, in consequence of his deli-
tote state of !icalth, which would not permit him to
undetp the exertions of the evening. The toast
was drank *rith great applause.
The Cumnsi.fir4 then rose and said, that on the-
subject of the London INlechanics' Institution he had
only a few observtztions to make. The Institution
was little more than tior
years in existence, and they
had only celebrated three anniversaries. One celc-
bration had been omitted, frcazt regard to the feelings
of a large class of the commun;
connected with
themselves, its they thought that dtjing their
die-
tresses, all appearance of festivity should e'e avoided.
On tile continued flourishing state of the Institution.
he cordially congratulated them. Their number stili
consisted of 1,200, with little fluctuation, and the
meetitigs were uniformly well attended. In the
higher circles in this country, they were not honoured
with tench attention, but this appeared the result
rathtir of oversight than combination. He was happy,
on the other hand to allude to the mariner in winch
the King of France had lately borne testimony to
the adva;!tages derivable how popular instruction.
1n his addres3 to one of the Clambers, his Majesty
was reported to hart; said, that the education of the
working classes promoted theirreligion as Christians,
their morality as melt, and then...loyalty as citizens.—
(Hear, hear.)—He now proposed I.‘ Prosperity to
the London Mechanics' Institutiore"—(Cheers.)
Mr. BUOUGUAM next rose, and was received with
loud and long-continued acclamations. When
silence was obtained, the Learned Gentleman said,
he almost suspected, from their enthusiasm, that
they already guessed the toast he was about to pro-
pose,—(Laught er.)—He was not disposed to trouble
them with any introductory remarks, for if ever
there was a toast which, less than any other, stood
in need of a long preface, it was that which he
would offer to their notice. To Dr. Birkbeck they
awed the practical introduction of lectures and
libraries into England, for teaching every order of
the community. While he offered this rued of
praise where it was due, he was not ignorant of, or
inclined to overlook, the claims of others. When
any great discovery has been made, it invariably be-
came, after a short time, the property of mankind. ,
was only by gradual step that important inventions
were ever made and matured. Their founder was prece-
ded by several who had formed an outline andiketch
of the theory which he only put effectually in practice.
—Their individual merits it woulti4
.be unjust to
deny, but lie claimed for 'Dr. Birkbec.;.c• notwith-
standing,
those useful and benevolent design.,
standing, the honour of having been the first to
the
effects of which they that evening so gratefully i ex-
perienced. Nothing could have been productive ,Pf
more satisfaction to himself than the privilege of
proposing such a toast.
The health of Dr. Birkbeck, as founder and chairs
man was then drank with great applause.
Dr. BIRKBECK said that lie derived the greatest
delight from that cordial, general, and unintennittitg
support which they had given to his bumble efforts
in promoting the interests of society as connected
with education. He was but the organ of their
inclination, and had succeeded through the instru-
mentality of that power, whose influence was n01(7
acknowledged by all authorities, military and civil--
the school-inaster.—(Cheers.)—As his Learned
Friend had truly said upon a former occasion, " the
s cof h
raa sot:e er
erasw .a s r oat wa —d(C er.
In t s.he) —1 a
IT,
ghuca
gr
ce i !•n
of
Ettirtand!s greutes poet— •
• . . , Tie charm dissolves apace,
sacred morning with its radiant beam
Steals ottthis wutky solitude of night,
l*A,'..'rtttukilarkuess."
Exia:cesiitit,emt mud,
their labo

lUrs, It was natural that he should revert to
one who had been most active in promoting the in-
wrests of the tondo. A Z. , f.•
would content himself with proposing the health of
henry brougham, tile firltr, consistent, in ;(1 en-
ofuit:iiovset arsinlpetduurotzutsp
lightened friend ioanp.'67
us.Tehe toast
thewits drank w eh
Mr. llnoutittAx said that such an indicaticrn or
their feelings was not more nit honour to himself than
a testimony of their desire to show a due sense of
good intentions directed to a great object. (Hear,
hear.) Although the flesh was weak, the spirit
might be willing; and if deserving of, success, he
felt that he should merit the approbation bestowed
on him. In his judgment, no more edifying sight
could present itself than the spectacle then before
him,--the honest, ingenious, and industrious peopleof this vast metropolis, met to congratulate one
another on the success of their self-cds uhe m t
foionu.,(oc
thhaeet allrs.)
It gave him the more pleasure, as
the late distresses—and frightful they were—had not
tended to damp tbeirardour, or paralyze their exertions.
There had, indeed, been a trifling falling off in the
number enrolled on their books, but they were
again gradually increasing. It was now no longer
pretended that their operations were injurious to
the interests of Government, they wne charged
with an accusation of another descriptiom - They
were told—" You are making the people too con-
tented with the state of things as they are--
(Laughter)—and you may at last bring them to
such a degree of tranquillity, that they will cease
altogether to intermeddle in politics. "—(Laughter.)
—As to the first part of the charge, he entatained
little apprehension ; with respect to the second, he
feared still less. He desired to conclude with propos-
ing a toast in testimony to the services of one whose ef-
forts they all witnessed, and by whose operations many
a them had benefitted. He meant " the School-
master."-(Cheers, and laughter.) Nor did he see
any reason why his health should not be drank in
his absence, like others, with the honours of three
times three.

The toast was then drank with all the demonstra-
tions of cordiality usual on similar occasions.
The CHAIRMAN said that he wished to give the
health of a distinguished individual well known as
connected with the progress of popular education in
Scotland—he alluded to the Right Hon. James
Abercrombie.
The Right Hon. Gentleman returned thanlis,
The CHAIRMAN then proposed, " The health of
Mr. Ilobhouse."
Mr. lionnousE returned thanks.

EDWARD WELSH, and a female name d
HENLEY, absconded from their lodgings last Friday, at
Calmel-buildiugs, Marylebone, carrying off with theta
about 521. in gold and silver, and every portable article
they could lay their hands on.
Our readers cannot have forgotten the dread-
Ad calamity which occurred some days ago to a young
artist of great promise named LANE, who fell through a
skylight and was killed on the spot. He has left a widow
and two children in very distressed circumstances. The
genuine merit of the artist, and the destitute condition of
his bereaved family, have excited a more than common in-
terest ; and as English feeling is not accustomed to evapo-
rate in mere language, a plan for a subscription has been
suggested by none benevolent gentlemen, who have no
knowledge of the unfortunate deceased except through 114
professional works. The subscription is yet in its infancy,
but we are happy to learn that Sir THOMAS LAWRENCE
has benevolently
with
dotia
tion ohfisheyme
ginueinnteasn
aenadt
thatthe hihealvo
6t?l:re
Firzwaaro, who is a constant friend of art, has kindly
contributed a similar sum. Two brother artists, Mr. j.
B. LANE, the painter of the picture of Joseph, and Mr.
IsAiry, the painter of Mary Stuart's Farewell to France,
have also put down their names. The beginning is small
but what begins under such auspices, will we doubt not
terminate iu a handsome relief to such portion of the
widowed family's loss as money can relieve.— Times.
[We perfectly coincide with the good feeling that dictated
this paragraph : Mr. LANE was a very rising young artist.
ann bad he lived, would ne doubt have provided amply
bath for his own family and his own reputation. As it
is, they are left to the mercy of a generous ud discrimi-
nating- public.'