The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-01-18 00:00:00

him are we perhaps mainly indebted for its existence, and
certainly for much of its prosperity and usefulness; for

be was then considering. As an example of what one
person might do, by dint of activity and system, he stated
that an individual whom he knew (he would not state whe-
ther he was then in the room or not) had, during the past
year, taught daily for four hours and a half, preached
seventy-six sermons, written two octavo volumes, (one
of which had been published,) three pamphlets, and two
thousand letters; besides which, he had emb!-- -
hundred heraldic shields (a hobby of the person's
of whom he was speaking). In addition to this, he
was a member of about fifteen societies, committees,
&c., and from the meetings of two or three he had never
once been absent. His hearers might think that this wan
sufficient for one man, even if he continually stayed in the
house ; but so far from this being the case, the person of
whom he spoke had, during the year, sat at the tables, and
accepted the hospitality of his friends upwards of three hun-
dred times. The rev.gentleman concluded by paying some
deserved compliments to the society, whose members he
was addressing ; asserted, that if he required assistance in
carrying out any philanthrophic object, by visiting our

courts and alleys or otherwise, he could not wish for more
zealous assistants than a band of the active and enthusi-
astic young men whom he saw around him.—(Applause.)
Mr. JOHN D. FINNEY, one of the vice-presidents of the
society, then rose and addressed the meeting. He said
the rapid spread of similar societies is peculiar to the pre-
sent day. The sentence of divorce formerly pronounced
between literature and commerce is now being revoked.
We call this an age of improvement. and proudly boast of
the progress of science; but of far more importance is the
diffusion of a higher education and of thought among
classes who, a few years ago, barely knew their meaning.
It•will tend to ameliorate the most fatal disease of our cities
—the exclusive worship of money—and to aid the disse-
mination of a better feeling among the different classes of
the social state. Commerce has ever been the handmaid
of literature. Why should they not both claim the same
man for their votary ? The time will come when the
nobler traffic—the exchange of thought —will be united

with it. sinter_ The glorie-i of medieval Italy are not for-
gotten. Commerce will gain by its alliance with litera-
ture and liberal thought. By some the opposite is main-
tained • but they regarded men too much from the machine
point of view. Most men need some change of occupa-
tion, and in most instances if literature does not supply it,
sensuality will. And could such be judged a more befit-
ting alliance ? Literature will gain by its union with com-
merce. A more practical tendency will be given to it,
either by their association in one individual, who will carry
his experience into the closet, or by the mercantile man,
being fitted to associate with the literary. You will be
told that such societies as these breed a captious and
sneering spirit. Put no faith in it. The sheer philosophy
is incurably sick. Some men do oppose all established
truths and institutions because they are established ; but
culture does not increase bat rather diminish their num-
ber. All inquiry, conducted in a spirit of sincerity and
humility, will benefit yourselves and others. Some people
•" innv.iNtlr tri yourselves
in danger;

but heed it not. Hold fast the faith, that all the reve.-
tions of God will ultimately prove harmonious, and it will
meet with its reward. Hitherto it has been so.
Mr. BLENKINSOP, a member of the society, then rose,
and said it fell to his lot to advocate the pleasures and

advantages of mental culture to men of business

.oquence of antiquity was requested

orator, his reply was " ACTION, ACTION, ACTION." If
the question of " What are the chief objects of life ?"
were asked in our day, many of us would answer, `• GET
GET GOLD." We might not entertain

GOLD, GET GOLD

this opinion in the abstract, but, practically, such would
be our answer to the question. In a commercial commu-
nity like this, gold was the great inducement to honest
industry; but when it was obtained. the

Le proper performance of his

stewardship depended on whether or dot he had devoted
any of his time to mental cultivation. An entire devotion
to business warped the judgment and obscured the intel-
lect. They would recollect the story told in our school-
books, that when a certain town was threatened with
invasion, the sages met to consider the best means of
fortifying it. The mason extolled the suitable qualities of
stone for the purpose ; the carpenter preferred the hardy
oak ; hut the currier gravely shook his head, and insisted
that " there was ' 'ng ler." " TL -

~Ke leather. _..e speaker said
that there was much practical truth in this fable, shewing
as it did the extent to which the mind was biassed by pro-

fessional prejudice, unless these were counteracted by
mental cultivation. Again, there was great pleasure in
the acquisition of knowledge; and the thick clouds of
ignorance were as depressing to the mind as the smoky
atmosphere of towns was to the body. He gave some
instances, too, of the relief which change of occupation
afforded to the overwrought man of business, and scouted
the idea that clerks and others ere sure to be spoiled for
business, if they had literary pursuits. He appealed to
the ladies, as to whether such societies as those with which
they were connected were not calculated to make better
husbands of the members ? and concluded an excellent
and humourous address amidst hearty applause.
Mr. HARRY RAWSON, of Manchester, then addiessed

with which he was connected, for the honour done them.'
by the invitation of the Mental Improvement Society,
which he was happy to find, from the remarks of the
chairman, was doing so much good. Tn the course of his
address, Mr. Rawson mentioned that the society of which
he was a member had not yet got the length of admitting
ladies to their meetings ; but whether this was attributa-
ble to the modesty of the members, or to any other cause,
lie could not say. One circumstance he had observed;
namely, that they had lost many excellent memb
their society

marriage. Nov, he did not see why,
after marriage, gentlemen should cease to attend such so-
cieties. After paying a deserved compliment to the mem-
hers of the Mental Improvement Society for their efforts
in the cause of humanity, Mr. Rawson sat down amidst
much applause. _ _

AwsoN, one o

he counci

id that he had attend&

the meeting of the members of
the Mental Improvement Society with much pleasure;
but until he had heard the particulars of the efforts of the
society mentioned by the chairman, he had been by no
means aware of the good which it was effecting. He con-
trasted the past and the present state of Liverpool, and
shewed the improvement which had taken place in her
_ _

a bright ex-

"" merchant princes ; and 1.,-
RS R
the ample to the present and futur,
•ty on Mr.ILTQ President of the Athena ?um
Athenum
ROPF •
Discussion Society, in an amusing speech, which we re-
NCR, Bret we have not space to report at full length, recapitu-
lated the subjects which had lately been discussed by the
g•oing society of which he had the honour to be president, and
be
kieet sti tecf some of the advantages which such societies wer'

Manche

lculated to confer on their m
scribed the improvement whic

graphically

bad taken place in the
ne of our grandfathers
► discussion would take
better adapted to the
" '

and grandmothers.
place as to vvheti

tit that tin

a broken

of the f

proverb

irihood

I not only did he heattily assist the projecto:

strangers to each other) in its formation; but by the able
and kindly manner in which he presided over its meetings
for a considerable period—(a manner which, while it pre-
served the utmost deennim_ wog ,tdp.l.to,l to anmt ont

the latent 'acuities or the most diffident mem
was instrumental in greatly fostering, if not gen
that friendship and cordiality of feeling, which is so E._
sential to the permanency of such societies, and which,
I am happy to say, has ever characterised our own.
rrhncP nvor bes LI- 1 al,

3ers,)—he

world :—one in buying cotton in the Valley of the Nile ;
another in cultivating the sugar cane in Jamaica ; some
are pushing their fortunes in the far West; others are
flourishing in the distant island of Ceylon ;—and I am
•`' .

sure, if any one th
excite their regret at being absent from this brilliant as-
sembly, it will be, that they cannot join in welcoming Dr.
Hume once more amongst us, and publicly acknowledr-

ing is more a

aculated than anot

her, to

ing his past and present services to the Society. I
doubt not Dr. Hume has often, since he left us,
felt an interest in our efforts for mutual imprivement, and
I can assure him we have not been unmindful of his own
career ; but that whenever he has endeavoured, (in addi-
tion to his ordinary engagements), to delight or instruct,
and elevate his fellow-creatures, we have
, ,azoned four thised with his exertions, and in spirit bid

.im God

That he has done so on many occasions, I have only to
instance his interesting lectures at the Collegiate Insti-
tution. his researches into the geological structure of the
neighbouring Peninsula, his brief, but masterly expose of
the fallacies and inaccuracies of that remarkable book,
'• The Vestiges of Creation," his history of the learned
societies of the country, his generous aid to intended na-
tional school-teachers ; and lastly, his most laborious and
noblest work, the statistics of the Vauxhall district, the
publication of which cannot fail to be most beneficial to
the community at large. The resolution I have the honor
to propose, will be understood then, I trust, not as a
mere formal piece of complaisance, but as an emphatic

expression of our respect for his varied and never-ceasing
efforts for the common good ; and in conclusion, I venture
to express a hope that he will have the satisfaction of
finding, in after years, that the good seed, sown in this
society by himself, and his successors, Mr. Connon, and
our valued friend Dr. Hodgson (whose unavoidable ab-
sence to-night we must all regret), has not fallen upon
stony places, or among thorns, but into good ground,
and has sprung up and brought forth abundantly, some
thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred fold. Mr.
Haylock concluded by moving " The cordial thanks of the
meeting to Dr. Hume, for his able conduct in the chair
on this occasion, and for his services generally to the

world at large."
Mr. E. EDWARDS briefly seconded the motion, which
was carried amidst much applause.
Dr. HUME, in returning thanks, remarked that many
of the services alhided to had been matters of pleasurable
duty, and were not to be considered as arising altogether

out-Of the benevolent motives attributed to him

The first part of the proceedings being now closed, and
Dr. Hume having retired—the room was cleared for
dancing, and the company tripped on the " light fantastic
toe" till a late or rather an early hour. The ball-rocm
had a most animated appearance, the more so from the
great beauty of the fair sex who were present; the amount
of which, we must say, was much greater than we remem-
ber ever to have beheld on any similar occasion. The en-
joyment too, of the whole proceedings, was very_much
heightened by +1

which evidently existed among all those present. The
room was as full as it conveniently could be ; and the re-
freshments, which were most excellent, and we may add,
most abundant, were supplied by Mr. Horsfall, of Church-
street. Mr. Gribbins's was the band which played on
the occasion, and it gave every satisfaction. The arrange-
ments for the whole evening's proceedings were well and

judiciously arranged.
In conclusion we must say that this soiree is most cre-
ditable to the Mental Improvement Society ; and it is one
to which we shall look back with most pleasant reminis-
cences. We shall also look forward with pleasurable ex-
pectation to the next year's soiree ; and, if we are not
greatly mistaken, all who were present will feel as we do.

LORD PALMERSTON'S POLICY IN SWITZER-
LAND AND GREECE.

The Paris papers of Saturday are filled with a speech of
the celebrated Count de Montalembert, delivered in the
Chamber of Peers, during the debate on an address to the
Throne, in answer to the Royal speech- After alluding
to the disturbances in Switzerland, the Count went on as
follows :

" But since I have thus denounced to you the crimes
which have been committed in Switzerland, whom, do
you imagine, I consider as the principal offender ? The
Foreign Secretary of State of her Britannic Majesty !

(Sensation, agitation.) When noble peers stand up in tliis
tribune and speak what they think of the Emperor of
Austria, and of Prince de Metternich, I may surely declare
my opinion of Lord Palmerston. It is he who, in my
eyes, is the executioner of the independence of Switzer-
land ; it is he who, at the moment of making a manifesta-
tion in favour of the good right, insisted on a previous
understanding among the Cabinets, and so produced pro-
crastinations, during which he pressed on hostilities in
Switzerland. And at a later period, when the work of
iniquity was accomplished, it is he who declared in the
House of Commons that he had nothing to say to the ex-
cesses which were being committed ; it is he, in fact, who
enveloped by his patronage those who put down indepen-
dence and justice in Switzerland. I have always been a par-
tizan of the English alliance : I have defended it, under
many circumstances, against the attacks of its adversaries ;
moreover, I am a passionate admirer of that great English
nation who first presented to Europe the model constitu-
tional government; but these sentiments cannot stifle the
expression of my opinions and my judgment on the pre-
sent line of policy pursued—a policy everywhere the same.
Where is the great man who at this moment represents
England in Switzerland going when he quits Berne ? To
Constantinople—and why ? To_ promote a war on

monarch

of Europe, and one of the glorious works of the present
day. There can be doubt that the Minister who sends
him there has caused the death from grief of one great
Minister, M. Coletti, whose praise is in every mouth.
(Marks of adhesion.) There are no Jesuits in Greece.
(Laughter.) No, but there is French influence, and lie
cannot suffer that, and if he has opposed justice in Swit-
zerland, it is because the cause of justice is the cause of
of France. (Hear, hear.) Wqihave also had in our his-
tory many gloomy days, but never such sad pages.
We have had our days of despotism, but it was
a glorious despotism. Anarchy has also been, at
other periods, carried in Europe at the point of our
bayonets ; but then at least we preserved at home peace
order, security, and justice. (Hear, hear.) It
with impunity that England will have followed her po-
licy. The encouragements given to Anarchy in Greece,
in Switzerland, will not remain unpunished ; the flames
of that conflagration will cross the Channel, and will
show England that propriety, justice, and liberty are not
the privilege of one nation alone."

MR. LEVI, THE CinuopEmsT.—"ln referring to th,
advertisement of this clever extractor of one of th,

ueatest pests to which pedestrians are liable, we may sa
that it is necessary that parties wishing to avail them
rely es of Mr. Levi's assistance should be careful to notic
he address of that gentleman, or they may unconsciousl
Apply to another party
MRS. At

This wonderful lad'
initv of behold

MITAGE THE SULTANA
I afford to the public an opp

amount of development of which the human fort
is susceptible, without infringing the slightest degree upo
proportion. Mrs. Armitage, notwithstanding her gret

weight, is perfectly, and even gracefully, proportioned
anfl shows none of those accompanir
which are seen in ordinary case,
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