Year: 1859

dinners.


DICKSON ON sELF-TAUGHT MEN.


The Institutional Association of Lancashire and
Cheshire, held its annual conference and public
meeting in Manchester, recently An address
was delivered by Char. Dickens, on his distributing
the prizes to the successful candidates, in the
Free Trade Hall. Thenumerous audience witnessed
with obvious delight, the cordial and encouraging
manner in which MIR Dickens performed the dutio s
imposed upon him. He allowed no one of the
successful competitors to pass without hearty
shake of the hand and kind and cheering word.
Mr. Dickens, in the course of his address, said


Let me endeavor to recall as we'll as my memo
ry will serve me, from the most interesting cases
Of prize holders and certificate gamers who will ap-
pear before you, some two three Of the most
spicuous examples. There are two poor brothers
from near Chorley, who work from morning to
night in a coal pit, and who in all weathers have
walked miles q night three nights week, to at
tend the class in which they have attained dis
tnction. There are other two poor boys from
Boington, who began life as piercers at Is. or Is
| Cd. 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 instiu-
ton in which this son has since to be taught.


These two poor boys will appear before you to-
night, to take the second class prizes in chemistry
There is pasterer from Burg, Is years of age,
who took a third class certificate last year at the
hands of Lord Broug gham; he is this year again
successful in a competition three times as severe.
There is wagon-maker from the same place who
knew little or absolutely nothing until he was
grown man, and who has learned all he knows,
which is great deal, in the local institution.


There is chain-maker, in very humble circum-
stances, and working hard all day, who walks six
miles u night, three nights week, to attend the
classes in which he has won so famous place
There is a moulder in iron foundry, who whilst
he has worked twelve hours a day before the fur
mace got up at o'clock in the morning to learn
drawing. THE thought of my lads he writes
in his modest account of himself Sin their peaceful
slumbers above me, gave me fresh courage, and L
used to think that il should never receive any
personal benefit, might instruct them when they
came to be of age to understand the mighty
machines and engines which have made
try, England, pre-eminent in the worlds history"


There is piercer at mules frames, who could
not read at Is, who is a man of little more
than 80, who is the sole support of an aged mother
who is an arithmetical teacher in the institution in
which be himself was taught, who writes of HIM
self that he made the resolution to take up
resolution without keeping to it, and who has kept
to it with such an astonishing will that he is
we'll vcrscd in Euclid and algebra, and is the best
French scholar in Stockport. The drawing classes
in that same Stockport, arc taught by working
blacksmith; and the pupils of that working black
smith will receive the highest honors Tonight
Well may it be said of that good blacksmith, as it
was written of another of his trade by American
poet:


"Toiling rejoicing, sorrowing,


Onward through life he goes;


Each morning sees some task begun


Each evening its close;


Something attempted something done,


Has earned nights repose."


Ladies and gentlemen-to pass from the success
full candidates to the delegates from local societies
now before me- and to content myself with one in
stance from among them. There is among their
number a most remarkable man, whose history |
have read with feelings that could not adequately
express under any circumstances, and least of all
when [ know he hears me; who worked when he
mere baby at hand loom weaving until he
dropped from fatieue-who began to teach himself
as soon as he could earn IS. week-who is now a
botanist, acquainted with every production of the
Lancashire Vaey-who is a naturalist, and has
made and preserved collection of the eggs of Bri
tish birds, and stuffed the birds-who is a
concholist, with very curious, and in some re-
spects an original collection of fresh water shells,
and has also preserved and collected the moses of
fresh water and of the sea-who is worthily the
president of his own local literary institution, and
who was at his work this time last night as fore
man in mill. So stimulating has been the in
Auenee of these bright examples and many more,
that notice among the applications from Black
burn for preliminary test examination papers, one
from an applicant who gravely fills UP the printed
form by describing himself 10 years age, and
who, with equal gravity, describes his occupation
as nursing little child. r


ear Stephen Girard, the Philadelphia millionaire
said: .


Gn bava alvavs considered dyertisinp-liberally