Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-01-13
wheel.
THE INTELLTGENCER.
DICKENS ON sELF-TAUGmT lIRN.

- I
The Institutional Association of lancashire
and Cheshire held its annual conference and
public meeting in Manchester on Friday An
address was delivered by Charles Dickens, on
his delivering the prizes to the successful candi-
dates, in tho Free-trade Hall The numerous
audience witnessed with obvious delight the
cordial and encouraging manner in which Mr.
Dickens performed the duties imposed upon him.
He allowed no one of the successful competitors
TO pass without hearty siiuke of the hand and
a kind and cheering word.
Mr.. Dickens, in the course of his lecture said:
LET ine endeavor 60 recall as well as my mem.
ory will serve me, from among the most inter
esting cases prize-hOlders and certicate-gain.
ers who will appear before you, some two or
three Of the most conspicuous examples. There
are Two poor brothers from near ChOrev, who
work from morning to night in c0alpit, and
who in all weathers, have walked eight miles a
night, three nights week, to attend the class
in which they have attained distinction There
are other two poor boys from Bollington, who
began life piercers at Is. or Is. I'd. per week,
and the father of one Of whom was cut to pieces
by the machinery at which he worked, but not
before he had himself founded the institution in
which this son has since come TO be taught.-
These two poor boys will appear before you to.
night to take the second class prize in chemis-
try. There is a plaSterer from Bury, sixteen
years Of age, who took third-class certificate
last year at the hands Lord Brougham; he is
this year again successful in competition three
times as severe. There is a wagon maker from
the same place, who knew little or absolutely
nothing until he was a grown man, and who has
learned all he knows, which is great deal, in
the local insttutiou. There is chain maker,
in very humble circumstances, and working
hard all day, who walks six miles night three
nights week, to attend the classes in which he
has famous place. There is mOulder
in an iron foundry, who, whilst he was wo king
twelve hours a day before the furnace, got upat
four o'clock in the morning to learn drawing
"The thought of my lads" he writes, in his
modest account of himself, sin their peaceful
Sumbers above nae, gave me fresh courage, and
used to think that it | should never receive any
personal benefit | might instruct them when
they came to be Of an age to understand the
mighty machines and engines which have made
our country, England, pre- -anincnt in the
worlds history" There is piercer at mule
frames, who could not read at is, who is now
man of little upwards Of 80, who is tho sole sup
port of an aged mother, who is arithmetical
teacher in the institution in which he himself
was taught, who writes of himself that he made
the resolution never to take up subject with
out keeping 10 it, and who has kept to it with
such nm astonishing will that he is now well
versed in Euclid, algebra, and is the best French
scholar in Stockport. The drawing classes in
that same Stockport are taught by working
blacksmith; aud the pnpilS of that working
blacksmith will receive the highest hOnOrs of to-
night. Well may it be said Of that good black
smith, aS it was written OF another of his trade
by an American poet;