speeches-literary & social-第9章

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who；　in　the　time　to　come；　must　be　found　working　for　good　or　evil；

in　every　quarter　of　society。　　If　mutual　respect　and　forbearance

among　various　classes　be　not　found　here；　where　so　many　men　are

trained　up　in　so　many　grades；　to　enter　on　so　many　roads　of　life；

dating　their　entry　from　one　common　starting…point；　as　they　are　all

approaching；　by　various　paths；　one　common　end；　where　else　can　that

great　lesson　be　imbibed？　　Differences　of　wealth；　of　rank；　of

intellect；　we　know　there　must　be；　and　we　respect　them；　but　we　would

give　to　all　the　means　of　taking　out　one　patent　of　nobility；　and　we

define　it；　in　the　words　of　a　great　living　poet；　who　is　one　of　us；

and　who　uses　his　great　gifts；　as　he　holds　them　in　trust；　for　the

general　welfare　…





〃Howe'er　it　be；　it　seems　to　me

'Tis　only　noble　to　be　good：

True　hearts　are　more　than　coronets；

And　simple　faith　than　Norman　blood。〃







SPEECH：　　BIRMINGHAM；　FEBRUARY　28；　1844。







＇The　following　speech　was　delivered　at　a　Conversazione；　in　aid　of

the　funds　of　the　Birmingham　Polytechnic　Institution；　at　which　Mr

Dickens　presided。＇



YOU　will　think　it　very　unwise；　or　very　self…denying　in　me；　in　such

an　assembly；　in　such　a　splendid　scene；　and　after　such　a　welcome；　to

congratulate　myself　on　having　nothing　new　to　say　to　you：　　but　I　do

so；　notwithstanding。　　To　say　nothing　of　places　nearer　home；　I　had

the　honour　of　attending　at　Manchester；　shortly　before　Christmas；

and　at　Liverpool；　only　the　night　before　last；　for　a　purpose　similar

to　that　which　brings　you　together　this　evening；　and　looking　down　a

short　perspective　of　similar　engagements；　I　feel　gratification　at

the　thought　that　I　shall　very　soon　have　nothing　at　all　to　say；　in

which　case；　I　shall　be　content　to　stake　my　reputation；　like　the

Spectator　of　Addison；　and　that　other　great　periodical　speaker；　the

Speaker　of　the　House　of　Commons；　on　my　powers　of　listening。



This　feeling；　and　the　earnest　reception　I　have　met　with；　are　not

the　only　reasons　why　I　feel　a　genuine；　cordial；　and　peculiar

interest　in　this　night's　proceedings。　　The　Polytechnic　Institution

of　Birmingham　is　in　its　infancy　…　struggling　into　life　under　all

those　adverse　and　disadvantageous　circumstances　which；　to　a　greater

or　less　extent；　naturally　beset　all　infancy；　but　I　would　much

rather　connect　myself　with　it　now；　however　humble；　in　its　days　of

difficulty　and　of　danger；　than　look　back　on　its　origin　when　it　may

have　become　strong；　and　rich；　and　powerful。　　I　should　prefer　an

intimate　association　with　it　now；　in　its　early　days　and　apparent

struggles；　to　becoming　its　advocate　and　acquaintance；　its　fair…

weather　friend；　in　its　high　and　palmy　days。　　I　would　rather　be　able

to　say　I　knew　it　in　its　swaddling…clothes；　than　in　maturer　age。

Its　two　elder　brothers　have　grown　old　and　died：　　their　chests　were

weak　…　about　their　cradles　nurses　shook　their　heads；　and　gossips

groaned；　but　the　present　institution　shot　up；　amidst　the　ruin　of

those　which　have　fallen；　with　an　indomitable　constitution；　with

vigorous　and　with　steady　pulse；　temperate；　wise；　and　of　good

repute；　and　by　perseverance　it　has　become　a　very　giant。　　Birmingham

is；　in　my　mind　and　in　the　minds　of　most　men；　associated　with　many

giants；　and　I　no　more　believe　that　this　young　institution　will　turn

out　sickly；　dwarfish；　or　of　stunted　growth；　than　I　do　that　when　the

glass…slipper　of　my　chairmanship　shall　fall　off；　and　the　clock

strike　twelve　to…night；　this　hall　will　be　turned　into　a　pumpkin。　　I

found　that　strong　belief　upon　the　splendid　array　of　grace　and

beauty　by　which　I　am　surrounded；　and　which；　if　it　only　had　one…

hundredth　part　of　the　effect　upon　others　it　has　upon　me；　could　do

anything　it　pleased　with　anything　and　anybody。　　I　found　my　strong

conviction；　in　the　second　place；　upon　the　public　spirit　of　the　town

of　Birmingham　…　upon　the　name　and　fame　of　its　capitalists　and

working　men；　upon　the　greatness　and　importance　of　its　merchants　and

manufacturers；　upon　its　inventions；　which　are　constantly　in

progress；　upon　the　skill　and　intelligence　of　its　artisans；　which

are　daily　developed；　and　the　increasing　knowledge　of　all　portions

of　the　community。　　All　these　reasons　lead　me　to　the　conclusion　that

your　institution　will　advance　…　that　it　will　and　must　progress；　and

that　you　will　not　be　content　with　lingering　leagues　behind。



I　have　another　peculiar　ground　of　satisfaction　in　connexion　with

the　object　of　this　assembly；　and　it　is；　that　the　resolutions　about

to　be　proposed　do　not　contain　in　themselves　anything　of　a　sectarian

or　class　nature；　that　they　do　not　confine　themselves　to　any　one

single　institution；　but　assert　the　great　and　omnipotent　principles

of　comprehensive　education　everywhere　and　under　every　circumstance。

I　beg　leave　to　say　that　I　concur；　heart　and　hand；　in　those

principles；　and　will　do　all　in　my　power　for　their　advancement；　for

I　hold；　in　accordance　with　the　imperfect　knowledge　which　I　possess；

that　it　is　impossible　for　any　fabric　of　society　to　go　on　day　after

day；　and　year　after　year；　from　father　to　son；　and　from　grandfather

to　grandson；　punishing　men　for　not　engaging　in　the　pursuit　of

virtue　and　for　the　practice　of　crime；　without　showing　them　what

virtue　is；　and　where　it　best　can　be　found　…　in　justice；　religion；

and　truth。　　The　only　reason　that　can　possibly　be　adduced　against　it

is　one　founded　on　fiction　…　namely；　the　case　where　an　obdurate　old

geni；　in　the　〃Arabian　Nights；〃　was　bound　upon　taking　the　life　of　a

merchant；　because　he　had　struck　out　the　eye　of　his　invisible　son。

I　recollect；　likewise；　a　tale　in　the　same　book　of　charming　fancies；

which　I　consider　not　inappropriate：　　it　is　a　case　where　a　powerful

spirit　has　been　imprisoned　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　in　a　casket

with　a　leaden　cover；　and　the　seal　of　Solomon　upon　it；　there　he　had

lain　neglected　for　many　centuries；　and　during　that　period　had　made

many　different　vows：　　at　first；　that　he　would　reward　magnificently

those　who　should　release　him；　and　at　last；　that　he　would　destroy

them。　　Now；　there　is　a　spirit　of　great　power　…　the　Spirit　of

Ignorance　…　which　is　shut　up　in　a　vessel　of　leaden　composition；　and

sealed　with　the　seal　of　many；　many　Solomons；　and　which　is

effectually　in　the　same　position：　　release　it　in　time；　and　it　will

bless；　restore；　and　reanimate　society；　but　let　it　lie　under　the

rolling　waves　of　years；　and　its　blind　revenge　is　sure　to　lead　to

certain　destruction。　　That　there　are　classes　which；　if　rightly

treated；　constitute　strength；　and　if　wrongly；　weakness；　I　hold　it

impossible　to　deny　…　by　these　classes　I　mean　industrious；

intelligent；　and　honourably　independent　men；　in　whom　the　higher

classes　of　Birmingham　are　especially　interested；　and　bound　to

afford　them　the　means　of　instruction　and　improvement；　and　to

ameliorate　their　mental　and　moral　condition。　　Far　be　it　from　me

（and　I　wish　to　be　most　particularly　understood）　to　attempt　to

depreciate　the　excellent　Church　Instruction　Societies；　or　the

worthy；　sincere；　and　temperate　zeal　of　those　reverend　gentlemen　by

whom　they　are　usually　conducted；　on　the　contrary；　I　believe　that

they　have　done；　and　are　doing；　much　good；　and　are　deserving　of　high

praise；　but　I　hope　that；　without　offence；　in　a　community　such　as

Birmingham；　there　are　other　objects　not　unworthy　in　the　sight　of

heaven；　and　objects　of　recognised　utility　which　are　worthy　of

support　…　principles　which　are　practised　in　word　and　deed　in

Polytechnic　Institutions　…　principles　for　the　diffusion　of　which

honest　men　of　all　degrees　and　of　every　creed　might　associate

together；　on　an　independent　footing　and　on　neutral　ground；　and　at　a

small　expense；　for　the　better　understanding　and　the　greater

consideration　of　each　other；　and　for　the　better　cultivation　of　the

happiness　of　all：　　for　it　surely　cannot　be　allowed　that　those　who

labour　day　by　day；　surrounded　by　machinery；　shall　be　permitted　to

degenerate　into　machines　themselves；　but；　on　the　contrary；　they

should　assert　their　common　origin　from　their