you　and　the　pleasure　we　all　anticipate　in　hearing　other　gentlemen；
  and　in　enjoying　those　social　pleasures　with　which　it　is　a　main　part
  of　the　wisdom　of　this　society　to　adorn　and　relieve　its　graver
  pursuits。　　We　all　feel；　I　am　sure；　being　here；　that　we　are　truly
  interested　in　the　cause　of　human　improvement　and　rational
  education；　and　that　we　pledge　ourselves；　everyone　as　far　as　in　him
  lies；　to　extend　the　knowledge　of　the　benefits　afforded　in　this
  place；　and　to　bear　honest　witness　in　its　favour。　　To　those　who　yet
  remain　without　its　walls；　but　have　the　means　of　purchasing　its
  advantages；　we　make　appeal；　and　in　a　friendly　and　forbearing　spirit
  say；　〃Come　in；　and　be　convinced　…
  'Who　enters　here；　leaves　DOUBT　behind。'〃
  If　you；　happily；　have　been　well　taught　yourself；　and　are　superior
  to　its　advantages；　so　much　the　more　should　you　make　one　in　sympathy
  with　those　who　are　below　you。　　Beneath　this　roof　we　breed　the　men
  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　Creator；　at　the　hands
  of　those　who　a