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

orator, his reply was

•as %Al./ 1 y wount answer, .• tiET
GOLD, GET GOLD, GET GOLD." We might not entertain
this opinion in the abstract, but, practically, such would
be our answer to the question. In a commercial commu,
pity like this, gold was the great inducement to hones
industry-

but when it was obtained, the man's responsi-
me greater, and the proper performance of his
ship depended on whether or not 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-
book, 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

oak ; but the currier gravely Eliook hi

preferred the hardy
s head, and insisted

lowing like leather." The 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
_ . .
there was great pleasure in
and the thick clouds of

the acquisition of knowledge

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. llAnatic RAwsoN,of Manchester, then addressed
_

behalf o

,e SOCIE

with whiclihe 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. In 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,
he could not say. One circumstance he had observed;
namely, that they had lost many excellent members of
their society by marriage. Now, he did not see why,
after marriage, gentlemen shouldcease 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
uith of the members of
much pleasure;
much applause.
Mr. DANSON, one of the council of the Roscoe Club,
but
atietd
uAt
teaintl h
he iiiaateddpabrteetvaeerndudiect :net
theparticulars
tSocietymeetingcuiars 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, arif
shewed the improvement which had taken place in he
merchant princes ; and mentioned Roscoe as a bright ex
ample to the present and future generations.
Mr. ROBERTS, President of the Mane),
Discussion Society, in an amusing. P-

iter Athenwur
eech, which we re
ace to report at full length. recapitu
subjects which had lately been discussed by th
y of which he had the lion?tyto be president, an,

have not

ted some of the

ivanta

1 to confer on their_ met*

bed the improvement V

the time of ou

dfather

.00 would take
dapted to the

:0 whether

t Metier

ussioii