The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-25 00:00:00

than to have their fill of it, was to risk a terrible derange-
ment of the body social.—(Loud cheers.) With the success
of your Institution made as clear as the sun, it is amusing,
it is more, it is instructive' to remember the prophecies of
certain men, who predicted that the very light that would
play about instruction guch as yours would only herald what
to them appeared the total destruction of what they consi-
dered the best foundations of society.—(Cheers.) These
men have reminded me of a story I have read in one of
Captain Parry's voyages of a certain bear.—(Cheers and
laughter.) The poor beast had drifted upon a loose piece of
ice into the sun. And as he was borne into a yet warmer
and warmer latitude, he felt his footing melt and melt away ;
and then, the story says, he growled and roared as though
heaven and earth were coming together.—(Loud cheers and
laughter.) And so was it with these men—and the species, I
fear is even now not wholly extinct—(Cheers)—they could
not conceive that the very current of time that was bearing
them yet nearer to the sun of knowledge, was not bearing
them to destruction. But it is not so, for it is not with men
as with bears.—(Cheers:) The tide that carries us on in
knowledge, which is power, gives to us that best, that noblest
element of power—gentleness, which, in the fullness of its
teaching, will bear all men to that happy end, ,of which
institutions like yours are the most hopeful beginning.—
(Loud and continued cheering.)
Mr. M. GIBSON congratulated them on the improving
prospects of the Athermum. They heard in other places of
panics, and of stock being down in the market ; but, judging
from that meeting, lie might say the Athenreum stock was
at a high premium. It was an excellent investment; a per-
manent investment, which if it did not give a direct pecu-
niary return, offered one which money could not purchase,
but which all could attain in the advantages of true mental
culture. It was natural to found such an institution in a
commercial community. The genius of commerce was
diflitsion, and not content with extending the material co:n-
forts of life, they were combined together for the purpose of
diffusing intellectual and moral blessings. The first English
printer, Caxton, was a merchant, and that great mercantile
community was now engaged in extending through all its
members the blessings which the printing-pi ess had
bestowed on society.—(Cheers.) Their friend Mr. Bright had
referred to Oxford and Cambridge ; he might also have
dwelt on the powerful influence which such societies
as this had on those older institutions, the universities
of the land. There was a time when it was thought dero-
gatory to men of noble birth to possess the commonest rudi-
ments of knowledge. They were told by Mr. Southey, in
Iris work on " The Progress of Society," that the time had
not long gone by when a nobleman would think it a test of
his high birth that he should be totally ignorant, and not
even be possessed- of the pewer of reading and writing.
Was it possible to believe that such a state of things existed?
Such undoubtedly was the fact; and at our national univer-
sities degrees were conferred on men of high birth without
preliminary examination. But knowledge was becoming
spread through all classes of society, and the consciousness
that knowledge is power had brought on the necessity of
giving a sound education to men of all ranks and condi-
tions. He congratulated them on the success of their insti-
tution, and hoped that kindred societies would spread over
the length and breadth of the land, confident that with an
improved mental culture there would come happiness and
prosperity, and, with general education carried into practice,
additional force and effect would be given to those words of
Scripture, " Honour all men."—(Cheers.)
Mr. LOVER, who had often appeared before the members of
the Manchester Athenmuin as a public servant, was proud at
the invitation to come among them as a guest. He bad tra-
versed every quarter of England, and had never met with so
intelligent an audience as in the manufacturing districts.
Many a time and oft, when, before the titled audiences of
Hanover square, he had ventured to utter what he thought a
pleasantry to the cold simper of the "reserved seats," had he
longed for the generous laugh and ready sympathy of the
back seats of the Manchester Atheneum.—(Cheers.) Ile
had always found that the circles of society were like the
circles of the atmosphere—the higher, the colder they were.
—(Cheers.) He rejoiced that he had been enabled to be pre-
sent en.that occasion to see so brilliant an assembly, which
was large enough to make half-a-dozen good audiences; for
at one time he much feared he should have been prevented
by his engagements in another part of the country, for indeed
he might say he was almost in the same predicament with
Mr. C. Dickens, for the place he was very nearly detained at
was called Beddicomb.—(Cheers and much laughter.)
Mr. COBDEN proposed a vote of thanks to the Directors of
the Athenaeum, to whom they were all so largely indebted for
providing that delightful meeting. They were the first to
set the example of drawing from their privacy literary men
to take the lead in assemblies of that sort ; and in so doing
he thought they were placed in their proper sphere.—
(Cheers.) When Mr. Dickens two years ago crone forward
from his closet to preside at their meeting, and when he saw
assembled around him all the wealth and intelligence and
influence of the district, he felt that there was an era in the
social history of the country.—(Cheers.) Literary men had
not held their true position in this country. While in France
the leading men, the natural leaders of the country, were
those renowned for their genius and intellect, in England
they held no social position, but were like hermits living in
their cells. The reason, he believed, was they did not know j
the literary men of their country.—(lfear, and cheers.)
They were indebted to their Committee for making them
better acquainted with their literary men, and he
had little doubt that among other contributions to
public usefulness that institution had made, it would
be recorded that it had been instrumental in produc-
ing a new estimate of literary men, which would not stop in
their appreciation of them as the leaders and champions of
a large section of the most intelligent portion of the middle
classes ; but they would, ere long, see the men of science and
literature holding that rank which they did in France—
(Cheers)—and proud indeed:they would have reason to be
when they thought that the course of the Manchester Athe-
mum had contributed to so desirable a result.—(Loud
cheers.) They had Mrs. Caudle with them that night—
(Cheers and laughter)—and, therefore they must not forget
that the hour was getting on, and there were other amuse-
ments in store for some of them ; he would not, therefore,
detain them with any further observations.—(Cheers. )
Mr. HEYWOOD seconded the motion, which was carried by
acclamation, and responded to by Mr. E. Watkins.
After a vote of thanks to the and three cheers
for his lady, the seats were removed, and dancing corn
menced

Tw•o military bands were in attendance, and played during
ie evening many favourite overtures and grand selections of

music,

IMPORTAN RAILWAY AMALGA