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summary； which shall be as concise and as correct as my information
and my remembrance of it may render possible； I desire to lay
emphatic stress。 Your institution； sixteen years old； and in which
masters and workmen study together； has outgrown the ample edifice
in which it receives its 2；500 or 2；600 members and students。 It
is a most cheering sign of its vigorous vitality that of its
industrial…students almost half are artisans in the receipt of
weekly wages。 I think I am correct in saying that 400 others are
clerks； apprentices； tradesmen； or tradesmen's sons。 I note with
particular pleasure the adherence of a goodly number of the gentler
sex； without whom no institution whatever can truly claim to be
either a civilising or a civilised one。 The increased attendance
at your educational classes is always greatest on the part of the
artisans … the class within my experience the least reached in any
similar institutions elsewhere； and whose name is the oftenest and
the most constantly taken in vain。 But it is specially reached
here； not improbably because it is； as it should be； specially
addressed in the foundation of the industrial department； in the
allotment of the direction of the society's affairs； and in the
establishment of what are called its penny classes … a bold； and； I
am happy to say； a triumphantly successful experiment； which
enables the artisan to obtain sound evening instruction in subjects
directly bearing upon his daily usefulness or on his daily
happiness； as arithmetic （elementary and advanced）； chemistry；
physical geography； and singing； on payment of the astoundingly low
fee of a single penny every time he attends the class。 I beg
emphatically to say that I look upon this as one of the most
remarkable schemes ever devised for the educational behoof of the
artisan； and if your institution had done nothing else in all its
life； I would take my stand by it on its having done this。
Apart； however； from its industrial department； it has its general
department； offering all the advantages of a first…class literary
institution。 It has its reading…rooms； its library； its chemical
laboratory； its museum； its art department； its lecture hall； and
its long list of lectures on subjects of various and comprehensive
interest； delivered by lecturers of the highest qualifications。
Very well。 But it may be asked； what are the practical results of
all these appliances？ Now； let us suppose a few。 Suppose that
your institution should have educated those who are now its
teachers。 That would be a very remarkable fact。 Supposing；
besides； it should； so to speak； have educated education all around
it； by sending forth numerous and efficient teachers into many and
divers schools。 Suppose the young student； reared exclusively in
its laboratory； should be presently snapped up for the laboratory
of the great and famous hospitals。 Suppose that in nine years its
industrial students should have carried off a round dozen of the
much competed for prizes awarded by the Society of Arts and the
Government department； besides two local prizes originating in the
generosity of a Birmingham man。 Suppose that the Town Council；
having it in trust to find an artisan well fit to receive the
Whitworth prizes； should find him here。 Suppose that one of the
industrial students should turn his chemical studies to the
practical account of extracting gold from waste colour water； and
of taking it into custody； in the very act of running away with
hundreds of pounds down the town drains。 Suppose another should
perceive in his books； in his studious evenings； what was amiss
with his master's until then inscrutably defective furnace； and
should go straight … to the great annual saving of that master …
and put it right。 Supposing another should puzzle out the means；
until then quite unknown in England； of making a certain
description of coloured glass。 Supposing another should qualify
himself to vanquish one by one； as they daily arise； all the little
difficulties incidental to his calling as an electro…plater； and
should be applied to by his companions in the shop in all
emergencies under the name of the 〃Encyclopaedia。〃 Suppose a long
procession of such cases； and then consider that these are not
suppositions at all； but are plain； unvarnished facts； culminating
in the one special and significant fact that； with a single
solitary exception； every one of the institution's industrial
students who have taken its prizes within ten years； have since
climbed to higher situations in their way of life。
As to the extent to which the institution encourages the artisan to
think； and so； for instance； to rise superior to the little
shackling prejudices and observances perchance existing in his
trade when they will not bear the test of inquiry； that is only to
be equalled by the extent to which it encourages him to feel。
There is a certain tone of modest manliness pervading all the
little facts which I have looked through which I found remarkably
impressive。 The decided objection on the part of industrial
students to attend classes in their working clothes； breathes this
tone； as being a graceful and at the same time perfectly
independent recognition of the place and of one another。 And this
tone is admirably illustrated in a different way； in the case of a
poor bricklayer； who； being in temporary reverses through the
illness of his family； and having consequently been obliged to part
with his best clothes； and being therefore missed from his classes；
in which he had been noticed as a very hard worker； was persuaded
to attend them in his working clothes。 He replied； 〃No； it was not
possible。 It must not be thought of。 It must not come into
question for a moment。 It would be supposed； or it might be
thought； that he did it to attract attention。〃 And the same man
being offered by one of the officers a loan of money to enable him
to rehabilitate his appearance； positively declined it； on the
ground that he came to the institution to learn and to know better
how to help himself； not otherwise to ask help； or to receive help
from any man。 Now； I am justified in calling this the tone of the
institution； because it is no isolated instance； but is a fair and
honourable sample of the spirit of the place； and as such I put it
at the conclusion … though last certainly not least … of my
references to what your institution has indubitably done。
Well； ladies and gentlemen； I come at length to what； in the humble
opinion of the evanescent officer before you； remains for the
institution to do； and not to do。 As Mr。 Carlyle has it towards
the closing pages of his grand history of the French Revolution；
〃This we are now with due brevity to glance at； and then courage；
oh listener； I see land！〃 I earnestly hope … and I firmly believe
… that your institution will do henceforth as it has done hitherto；
it can hardly do better。 I hope and believe that it will know
among its members no distinction of persons； creed； or party； but
that it will conserve its place of assemblage as a high； pure
ground； on which all such considerations shall merge into the one
universal； heaven…sent aspiration of the human soul to be wiser and
better。 I hope and believe that it will always be expansive and
elastic； for ever seeking to devise new means of enlarging the
circle of its members； of attracting to itself the confidence of
still greater and greater numbers； and never evincing any more
disposition to stand still than time does； or life does； or the
seasons do。 And above all things； I hope； and I feel confident
from its antecedents； that it will never allow any consideration on
the face of the earth to induce it to patronise or to be
patronised； for I verily believe that the bestowal and receipt of
patronage in such wise has been a curse in England； and that it has
done more to prevent really good objects； and to lower really high
character； than the utmost efforts of the narrowest antagonism
could have effected in twice the time。
I have no fear that the walls of the Birmingham and Midland
Institute will ever tremble responsive to the croakings of the
timid opponents of intellectual progress； but in this connexion
generally I cannot forbear from offering a remark which is much
upon my mind。 It is commonly assumed … much too commonly … that
this age is a material age； and that a material age is an
irreligious age。 I have been pained lately to see this assumption
repeated in certain influential quarters for which I have a high
respect； and desire to have a higher。 I am afraid that by dint of
constantly being reiterated； and reiterated without protest； this
assumption … which I take leave altogether to deny … may be
accepted by the more unthinking part of the public as
unquestionably true； just as caricaturists and painters；
professedly making a portrait of s