The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-11-12 00:00:00

b ey bad not been denoslted many minutes b•fore s Sheriff's
'new *rites* who had followed them from tii.• eimnlry, and
seized the whole, and in Ms possession th-y now remain. •
This statement of Ditiferin's was eorrobora•al by his man,
anOteeonsiitratte, seeing nothing to thrrior suspicion on the
000.lset of either. they were bitit discharged; Roil Mr. Co-
nant tool' immediate m rrrrrr s to inform the Magistrates in
hienfordsitire wf a:I the above parieulars.

LONDON MECH %NON' nisrau
•
•
' -test nightcliere was a -Alerting at the Grown and An-
glify, Tavern, Strand, to which the Mechanics of the Me-
tropolis hod been invited, to take into consideration the
,propriety of establishing A Me. hashes Institute similar to
What has so tong existed in tilasgow. The Meeting was
held in the Large Room, and by half past seven o'clock it
Was eery crowd. d.
At that hoer, Dr. Birkberk, Mr. Sheriff Lactic, Mr.
Aid. 'Key, And the Committee entered the Room ; hut
owing to the anxiety, of all to press towards the table,
they had inoch difficulty to sake their way to-the few seats
• 7 herveit for them.
Dri liirkbee.c,on motion of Mr Piece, was called to thee
Chair. Heyrocreded to advert to the object of the present
► 'arming, +•t the same time noticing the rise of the Me-
chanics Institut«, in Glasgow, which had originated
with him about 20 years ago, a lien Professor of Natural
P. 00100 j and Chemistry, in Anderson's I netitutionin that
city. At that period, after leaving visited various rnanu-
fat iurie and u orkehops. he was for. ibly imp d with con•
viriien that a ould result to the men theineelves, and the
Seeirty generelly, if means could he adopted fur the mild.
'yahooot their reaaen—" He oven's lamp in man," and the
advancement of their scientific knowledge. He immediately
pauficeesi the formation of a Mel banks' Institute, and
•predfered to deliver Lectures illustrative and in.proniotieti
• of the objects lie hail in view. His projects sere derided
• by some, and others thought them unworthy even of
a sneer. It was stated that the Mechanics would
• Not tare about attending ; that if they did attend, they
• wiMhl not comprehend the reasonings and details of the
:proffered lectures, and that even if they understood
such Lectures, they would afterwards be disregarded. He
thieve% er persevered. The men attended, and very soon in
great numbers. They not only listened to what they
beard, but they comprehended, they persevered. and they
ronq vered.—(Applanre ) 'I he advantages of the Institute
were soon perceived and felt. The lectures were attended
by thousands of mechanics. It was seen•that they at once
• peomoteil the moral advantages and social comforts of the
men ; together o ith the trading and commerci el prosperity
of Glasgow. The lectures and the institution were then
supp irtril earnestly by all elaases ; and the maintenance
of the Institute, in a few years, was mainly in utagel, as
such an institution
.ought to be, by the mechanics them-
selves.— (Hear, hear, and applans-.) Though he hail long
ceased to give.lectures before the Institnte in GI isgow, as
lie had heretofore June, it gave his mind great satisfaction
to be able thus to speck of the rapid success and continuing
%prosperity of the parent Institution. On the even-
g on which they were met for the firm ition of en
Institute for the Metropolis, and at that hour too,
thousands of mechanics in Glasgow were proceeding to
• hear the lectures of their Institute. Thus far, and satis-
factorily, h it prospered that Institute, the criginal propo-
sition for %hide less treated as the impracticable ebullition
of youth !—(Applanse.)—lt was then his sincere wish to
see the Mechanics of the lira city in the world possess snch
an institution and risks), similar advantages: and he trnsted
the numerous audience which he lied then the, happiness
to address wool,' not be insensibte to the example which
their Scotch brethri n hail set them. It required bat their
determination to be accomplished. and their will would
be snfficient for that purpose. It had been well observed
by Degald Stealer, that when theoretical principle was
seen combined with practical knowledge, we witnessed
liftman intellect in its highest degree ofperfection•NowsOrnc•
trail knowledge was the peculiar possession of the mechanic,
vrhyshould lie not acquire the remaining requisite to this
grandelevation of mind ? It was from mechanical percep-
tion that all the splendid eliscoserice of science had
been made. It was from observing the oscillation of a Limp
bung from the ceiling that Gadd. o laid the foundations of
a new and important system relating to the laws of motion.
From die reflection ended by the falling of an apple, Sir
Isaac Newton had redured the laws which regulate our
planetary system, and which !tweedy the most distant parts
of space. In modern times be nerd only mention the names
of Watt, Bratnali and Perkins, to illustrate the important
cotinexioo of inrchanieal propertirs with the promotion of
science. The first Resolation which would be proposed,
declared that it was highly desirable that ao institution for
the advancement of mechanical knowledge in London
should be founded. To this he should only achl, that he
would give his utmost aid towards the completion of so
ext client an object.—Before he sat down, he bad to
s announce to diem that Mr. Brougham hid promised
himself the pleasure of attending the Meeting. but had
been prevented doing so by insuperable causes. lie had,
however, sent them a letter which would be read, and he
had promised them his best assistance throughout the
course of their esertions.
• The letter from Mr. Brougham was then read. It ex-
pressed his concrirrence in the propriety of the proposed
plan for establishiag a Landon Mechanics Institute, and
his warm wishes for its snecess ; anti pointed out the
necessity of its being tweintai fled strictly tinder the control
and ananagement •of the mechanics themselves. In the
letter was enclosed a donation of 201. It was also in-
• Booted, and received with much applause, that Dr. Birk-
beck bad presented a similar sum towards the interests of
the sieving.
Du. flinstercx said, that instead of having the peso
lotions, which were reposed to he submitted to the Meet-
ings put separately, with the approbation of the Meeting
ther•abould all be read ; by such means they would know
wbatet•was intended to propose to them.
• lebelleeretirmilen read the following Resolutions:—
I. Thal theAlliblishment of institutions for the instruction
of inectianics. atlasheap roc, in the principles of the arts they
practise. as segos to all other branches of useful knowledge,
h a immure well esteemed to improve extensively their ha-
bits sail conditions, to .advancs the arts and sciences, and to
aM dowdy to tke power. reilaurces, and prosperity of the