aside　one　sixpence　weekly。　　I　do　look　upon　the　reduction　of　the
  subscription；　and　upon　the　fact　that　the　number　of　members　has
  considerably　more　than　doubled　within　the　last　twelve　months；　as
  strides　in　the　path　of　the　very　best　civilization；　and　chapters　of
  rich　promise　in　the　history　of　mankind。
  I　do　not　know　whether；　at　this　time　of　day；　and　with　such　a
  prospect　before　us；　we　need　trouble　ourselves　very　much　to　rake　up
  the　ashes　of　the　dead…and…gone　objections　that　were　wont　to　be
  urged　by　men　of　all　parties　against　institutions　such　as　this；
  whose　interests　we　are　met　to　promote；　but　their　philosophy　was
  always　to　be　summed　up　in　the　unmeaning　application　of　one　short
  sentence。　　How　often　have　we　heard　from　a　large　class　of　men　wise
  in　their　generation；　who　would　really　seem　to　be　born　and　bred　for
  no　other　purpose　than　to　pass　into　currency　counterfeit　and
  mischievous　scraps　of　wisdom；　as　it　is　the　sole　pursuit　of　some
  other　criminals　to　utter　base　coin　…　how　often　have　we　heard　from
  them；　as　an　all…convincing　argument；　that　〃a　little　learning　is　a
  dangerous　thing？〃　　Why；　a　little　hanging　was　considered　a　very
  dangerous　thing；　according　to　the　same　authorities；　with　this
  difference；　that；　because　a　little　hanging　was　dangerous；　we　had　a
  great　deal　of　it；　and；　because　a　little　learning　was　dangerous；　we
  were　to　have　none　at　all。　　Why；　when　I　hear　such　cruel　absurdities
  gravely　reiterated；　I　do　sometimes　begin　to　doubt　whether　the
  parrots　of　society　are　not　more　pernicious　to　its　interests　than
  its　birds　of　prey。　　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　such　people's　estimate
  of　the　comparative　danger　of　〃a　little　learning〃　and　a　vast　amount
  of　ignorance；　I　should　be　glad　to　know　which　they　consider　the　most
  prolific　parent　of　misery　and　crime。　　Descending　a　little　lower　in
  the　social　scale；　I　should　be　glad　to　assist　them　in　their
  calculations；　by　carrying　them　into　certain　gaols　and　nightly
  refuges　I　know　of；　where　my　own　heart　dies　within　me；　when　I　see
  thousands　of　immortal　creatures　condemned；　without　alternative　or
  choice；　to　tread；　not　what　our　great　poet　calls　the　〃primrose　path〃
  to　the　everlasting　bonfire；　but　one　of　jaded　flints　and　stones；
  laid　down　by　brutal　ignorance；　and　held　together；　like　the　solid
  rocks；　by　years　of　this　most　wicked　axiom。
  Would　we　know　from　any　honourable　body　of　merchants；　upright　in
  deed　and　thought；　whether　they　would　rather　have　ignorant　or
  enlightened　persons　in　their　own　employment？　　Why；　we　have　had
  their　answer　in　this　building；　we　have　it　in　this　company；　we　have
  it　emphatically　given　in　the　munificent　generosity　of　your　own
  merchants　of　Manchester；　of　all　sects　and　kinds；　when　this
  establishment　was　first　proposed。　　But　are　the　advantages　derivable
  by　the　people　from　institutions　such　as　this；　only　of　a　negative
  character？　　If　a　little　learning　be　an　innocent　thing；　has　it　no
  distinct；　wholesome；　and　immediate　influence　upon　the　mind？　　The
  old　doggerel　rhyme；　so　often　written　in　the　beginning　of　books；
  says　that
  〃When　house　and　lands　are　gone　and　spent；
  Then　learning　is　most　excellent；〃
  but　I　should　be　strongly　disposed　to　reform　the　adage；　and　say　that
  〃Though　house　and　lands　be　never　got；
  Learning　can　give　what　they　canNOT。〃
  And　this　I　know；　that　the　first　unpurchasable　blessing　earned　by
  every　man　who　makes　an　effort　to　improve　himself　in　such　a　place　as
  the　Athenaeum；　is　self…respect　…　an　inward　dignity　of　character；
  which；　once　acquired　and　righteously　maintained；　nothing　…　no；　not
  the　hardest　drudgery；　nor　the　direst　poverty　…　can　vanquish。
  Though　he　should　find　it　hard　for　a　season　even　to　keep　the　wolf　…
  hunger　…　from　his　door；　let　him　but　once　have　chased　the　dragon　…
  ignorance　…　from　his　hearth；　and　self…respect　and　hope　are　left
  him。　　You　could　no　more　deprive　him　of　those　sustaining　qualities
  by　loss　or　destruction　of　his　worldly　goods；　than　you　could；　by
  plucking　out　his　eyes；　take　from　him　an　internal　consciousness　of
  the　bright　glory　of　the　sun。
  The　man　who　lives　from　day　to　day　by　the　daily　exercise　in　his
  sphere　of　hands　or　head；　and　seeks　to　improve　himself　in　such　a
  place　as　the　Athenaeum；　acquires　for　himself　that　property　of　soul
  which　has　in　all　times　upheld　struggling　men　of　every　degree；　but
  self…made　men　especially　and　always。　　He　secures　to　himself　that
  faithful　companion　which；　while　it　has　ever　lent　the　light　of　its
  countenance　to　men　of　rank　and　eminence　who　have　deserved　it；　has
  ever　shed　its　brightest　consolations　on　men　of　low　estate　and
  almost　hopeless　means。　　It　took　its　patient　seat　beside　Sir　Walter
  Raleigh　in　his　dungeon…study　in　the　Tower；　it　laid　its　head　upon
  the　block　with　More；　but　it　did　not　disdain　to　watch　the　stars　with
  Ferguson；　the　shepherd's　boy；　it　walked　the　streets　in　mean　attire
  with　Crabbe；　it　was　a　poor　barber　here　in　Lancashire　with
  Arkwright；　it　was　a　tallow…chandler's　son　with　Franklin；　it　worked
  at　shoemaking　with　Bloomfield　in　his　garret；　it　followed　the　plough
  with　Burns；　and；　high　above　the　noise　of　loom　and　hammer；　it
  whispers　courage　even　at　this　day　in　ears　I　could　name　in　Sheffield
  and　in　Manchester。
  The　more　the　man　who　improves　his　leisure　in　such　a　place　learns；
  the　better；　gentler；　kinder　man　he　must　become。　　When　he　knows　how
  much　great　minds　have　suffered　for　the　truth　in　every　age　and　time；
  and　to　what　dismal　persecutions　opinion　has　been　exposed；　he　will
  become　more　tolerant　of　other　men's　belief　in　all　matters；　and　will
  incline　more　leniently　to　their　sentiments　when　they　chance　to
  differ　from　his　own。　　Understanding　that　the　relations　between
  himself　and　his　employers　involve　a　mutual　duty　and　responsibility；
  he　will　discharge　his　part　of　the　implied　contract　cheerfully；
  satisfactorily；　and　honourably；　for　the　history　of　every　useful
  life　warns　him　to　shape　his　course　in　that　direction。
  The　benefits　he　acquires　in　such　a　place　are　not　of　a　selfish　kind；
  but　extend　themselves　to　his　home；　and　to　those　whom　it　contains。
  Something　of　what　he　hears　or　reads　within　such　walls　can　scarcely
  fail　to　become　at　times　a　topic　of　discourse　by　his　own　fireside；
  nor　can　it　ever　fail　to　lead　to　larger　sympathies　with　man；　and　to
  a　higher　veneration　for　the　great　Creator　of　all　the　wonders　of
  this　universe。　　It　appears　to　his　home　and　his　homely　feeling　in
  other　ways；　for　at　certain　times　he　carries　there　his　wife　and
  daughter；　or　his　sister；　or；　possibly；　some　bright…eyed
  acquaintance　of　a　more　tender　description。　　Judging　from　what　I　see
  before　me；　I　think　it　is　very　likely；　I　am　sure　I　would　if　I　could。
  He　takes　her　there　to　enjoy　a　pleasant　evening；　to　be　gay　and
  happy。　　Sometimes　it　may　possibly　happen　that　he　dates　his
  tenderness　from　the　Athenaeum。　　I　think　that　is　a　very　excellent
  thing；　too；　and　not　the　least　among　the　advantages　of　the
  institution。　　In　any　case；　I　am　sure　the　number　of　bright　eyes　and
  beaming　faces　which　grace　this　meeting　to…night　by　their　presence；
  will　never　be　among　the　least　of　its　excellences　in　my
  recollection。
  Ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　shall　not　easily　forget　this　scene；　the
  pleasing　task　your　favour　has　devolved　upon　me；　or　the　strong　and
  inspiring　confirmation　I　have　to…night；　of　all　the　hopes　and
  reliances　I　have　ever　placed　upon　institutions　of　this　nature。　　In
  the　latter　point　of　view　…　in　their　bearing　upon　this　latter　point
  …　I　regard　them　as　of　great　importance；　deeming　that　the　more
  intelligent　and　reflective　society　in　the　mass　becomes；　and　the
  more　readers　there　are；　the　more　distinctly　writers　of　all　kinds
  will　be　able　to　throw　themselves　upon　the　truthful　feeling　of　the
  people　and　the　more　honoured　and　the　more　useful　literature　must
  be。　　At　the　same　time；　I　must　confess　that；　if　there　had　been　an
  Athenaeum；　and　if　the　people　had　been　readers；　years　ago；　some
  leaves　of　dedication　in　your　library；　of　praise　of　patrons　which
  was　very　cheaply　bought；　very　dearly　sold；　and　very　marketably
  haggled　for　by　the　groat；　would　be　blank　leaves；　and　posterity
  might　probably　have　lacked　the　information　that　certain　monsters　of
  virtue　ever　had　existence。　　But　it　is　upon　a　much　better　and　wider
  scale；　let　me　say　it　once　again　…　it　is　in　the　effect　of　such
  institutions　upon　the　great　social　system；　and　the　peace　and
  happiness　of　mankind；　that　I　delight　to　contemplate　them；　and；　in
  my　heart；　I　am　quite　certain　that　long　after　your　institution；　and
  others　of　the　same　nature；　have　crumbled　into　dust；　the　noble
  harvest　of　the　seed　sown　in　them　will　shine　out　brightly　in　the
  wisdom；　the　mercy；　and　the　forbearance　of　another　race。
  SPEECH：　　LIVERPOOL；　FEBRUARY　26；　1844。
  ＇The　following　address　was　delivered　at　a　soiree　of　the　Liverpool
  Mechanics'　Institution；　at　which　Mr。　Dickens　presided。＇
  LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN；　…　It　was　rather　hard　of　you　to　take　away　my
  breath　before　I　spoke　a　word；　but　I　would　not　thank　you；　even　if　I
  could