The Sun. — 1847-01-05 (London, England)

FINSBURY MUTUAL INSTRUC TION SOCIETY.  Mr. T. Cooper (authot-471-'urgtttory of Suicides") delivered a lecture last evening, in the Finsbury Ilall, Bunhill-row, St. Luke's, " on the Conquest of Difficulties in Learning and Science," as examples to the working classes. As may be supposed, a subject full of such interest to those whose lot it is to toil for their daily bread, and who have hitherto, from some cause or other, been debarred the acquisition 01 knowledge, commanded a crowded audience, and the lecturer was listened to throughout with great and deserved attention. Mr. Cooper acquitted himself of his task with ability and credit to himself. Independently of his know. ledge of ancient and modern literature, as well as science, he is possessed of consHerable oratorical powers, and w as, therefore, enabled to impress upon his hearers, not only his own estimate ef the importance of attaining knowledge by the working man, but the great and permanent value which such acquisition must give to that class in their position in society. Knowledge is power, said the philosopher. and thi refore the attainment of such knowledge mu-t give its possessors an advantage calculated to raise their position in the great social scale of human exister.ce. Mr. Cteipe r having adverted generally to the acquisition of niectill acquirements, he proceeded to show how futile was the idea that a working man could not if he pleased—and even at what was called an advanced ate—obtain a thorough acquaintance with at least the elements of the Greek and Latin languages. By that means the treasures of ancient classic lure would be opened to them, and what was of equal importance, it would enable them to trace the derivation of words from their original source. He then enumerated many instances of great and learned men—aye, and of the humble or working classes too—who had attained the ages of forty and fifty before they commenced the study of the dead languages, and 3 et, by perseverance and resolution, not only obtained a perfect acquaintance with them, but translated the writings of the must celebrated facts of antiquity into the English tongue. The possibility of acquiring a thorough knowledge of mathematics followed, and was, we shall take leave to say, the most practical part of the lecture, as addressed to his audience. We are not going to deny but that a knowledge of the anciert languages has been acquired by men in the humbler walks of life, many of whom have adorned the countries which gave them birth; nor do we say that such an acquisition is not an advantage, but with the generality of artisans and working men it may be a question whether the time and labour lost in the pursuit would be eventually repaid. It is not so with science. There an artisan has an opportunity of testing his knowledge by the very employment in which he is engaged, of advancing, by his ingenuity and skill, that great mechanical power which has made this country what she is in arts and manufactures, and of acquiring daily a practical knowledge which he may apply to the great business of life, and in the tulFlment of those duties and objects in which all men are individually engaged. It is in this that the study of mathematics affords the greatest benefits to the working man and to society ut large, and which no pursuit after mere ancient or modern literature can ever bestow. And, talking of modern literature, it did occur to us that the lecturer was rather  " hard" upon works of fiction as forming a portion of the working men's library. It may be quite true that those employed at manual labour have little or no time for reading novels, or works of a similar nature ; and it may be quite true also that that time might.be better devoted to the attainment of mechanical knowledge ; but surely, at seine period or another, there can be no error in making themselves acquainted with the beauties of their own language, wiar the works of men, though novelists, whose genius will ever shed a lustre on the land which gave them birth. The reading of such works, to the exclusion of all others, way indeed be an evil of great magnitude, but as a part of a course of literary instruction it must confer vast benefits on those who do so judiciously. interest toct r eated containb y the The room where the lecture was given is very small, and,many who lecture absorbed all other considerations. At the • cone thiton Mr. Cooper was loudly cheered. soughtw e admission,rgret to baudtdbi ec  Tux NEW PUBLlCATlllo::vB‘.—yukl\kist:. reiLinhabsjubset bpaudbloisfhaeldl bthoeekls'oellili:•‘;'s.ii:ll. Vol 6 ut l'hiees' History of the Consulate and Empire, the only authorised Erignsh cditi'an, translated by D. Forbes Campbell, Esq., 8v.)., ss. 2. Vol. 7 of Al;elrinie D'Arblay's Mary and Letters, completing the work. 3. A second edition of Hochelaga, edited by Eliot Warburton, E,q., 2 vols., 21s. 4. A sixth edition of the Crescent and tile Cross, by Eliot Warburton, Esq., 2 vols, 21s. 5. Lid Brougham's Live, of IVli.n ‘,l i ~.t v, lunge the second. U. ttiull:l' t.O • 1.;.;, Lives of the Queens of England, comprising Maly of Moder,a, consort of James IL 7. Canada and the Canadians in 1846, by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir R. Bonnycastle, 2 vols., 21s. 8. The English Matron, by the authoress of " The English Gentlewoman," small Bvo., 7s. 6d. 9. Mary Anne Wellington, the Soldier's Daughter, Wife, and Widow, by the Rev. R. Cobbuld, M.A., 3 vols., with illustrations. Also now ready, 11. Part I. of the cheap re-issue of The Nelson Letters and Dispatches, price only ss. 12. Part I. of the re-issue of Burke's History of the Landed Gen!r), ss. EATiI Lit, Y., .'r•L_iy goon after dayligLe, Le , !ad of rain, and in the course of the day the thermometer roseto 40. The roads are in a shocking state, but the temperature is now much more agreeable to the feelings thin it has been for some weeks past.