itself　by　his　name。
  I　have　no　fear　here　of　being　misunderstood　…　of　being　supposed　to
  mean　too　much　in　this。　　If　there　ever　was　a　time　when　any　one　class
  could　of　itself　do　much　for　its　own　good；　and　for　the　welfare　of
  society　…　which　I　greatly　doubt　…　that　time　is　unquestionably　past。
  It　is　in　the　fusion　of　different　classes；　without　confusion；　in　the
  bringing　together　of　employers　and　employed；　in　the　creating　of　a
  better　common　understanding　among　those　whose　interests　are
  identical；　who　depend　upon　each　other；　who　are　vitally　essential　to
  each　other；　and　who　never　can　be　in　unnatural　antagonism　without
  deplorable　results；　that　one　of　the　chief　principles　of　a
  Mechanics'　Institution　should　consist。　　In　this　world　a　great　deal
  of　the　bitterness　among　us　arises　from　an　imperfect　understanding
  of　one　another。　　Erect　in　Birmingham　a　great　Educational
  Institution；　properly　educational；　educational　of　the　feelings　as
  well　as　of　the　reason；　to　which　all　orders　of　Birmingham　men
  contribute；　in　which　all　orders　of　Birmingham　men　meet；　wherein　all
  orders　of　Birmingham　men　are　faithfully　represented　…　and　you　will
  erect　a　Temple　of　Concord　here　which　will　be　a　model　edifice　to　the
  whole　of　England。
  Contemplating　as　I　do　the　existence　of　the　Artisans'　Committee；
  which　not　long　ago　considered　the　establishment　of　the　Institute　so
  sensibly；　and　supported　it　so　heartily；　I　earnestly　entreat　the
  gentlemen　…　earnest　I　know　in　the　good　work；　and　who　are　now　among
  us；　…　by　all　means　to　avoid　the　great　shortcoming　of　similar
  institutions；　and　in　asking　the　working　man　for　his　confidence；　to
  set　him　the　great　example　and　give　him　theirs　in　return。　　You　will
  judge　for　yourselves　if　I　promise　too　much　for　the　working　man；
  when　I　say　that　he　will　stand　by　such　an　enterprise　with　the　utmost
  of　his　patience；　his　perseverance；　sense；　and　support；　that　I　am
  sure　he　will　need　no　charitable　aid　or　condescending　patronage；　but
  will　readily　and　cheerfully　pay　for　the　advantages　which　it
  confers；　that　he　will　prepare　himself　in　individual　cases　where　he
  feels　that　the　adverse　circumstances　around　him　have　rendered　it
  necessary；　in　a　word；　that　he　will　feel　his　responsibility　like　an
  honest　man；　and　will　most　honestly　and　manfully　discharge　it。　　I
  now　proceed　to　the　pleasant　task　to　which　I　assure　you　I　have
  looked　forward　for　a　long　time。
  ＇At　the　close　of　the　reading　Mr。　Dickens　received　a　vote　of　thanks；
  and　〃three　cheers；　with　three　times　three。〃　　As　soon　as　the
  enthusiasm　of　the　audience　would　allow　him　to　speak；　Mr。　Dickens
  said：…＇
  You　have　heard　so　much　of　my　voice　since　we　met　tonight；　that　I
  will　only　say；　in　acknowledgment　of　this　affecting　mark　of　your
  regard；　that　I　am　truly　and　sincerely　interested　in　you；　that　any
  little　service　I　have　rendered　to　you　I　have　freely　rendered　from
  my　heart；　that　I　hope　to　become　an　honorary　member　of　your　great
  Institution；　and　will　meet　you　often　there　when　it　becomes
  practically　useful；　that　I　thank　you　most　affectionately　for　this
  new　mark　of　your　sympathy　and　approval；　and　that　I　wish　you　many
  happy　returns　of　this　great　birthday…time；　and　many　prosperous
  years。
  SPEECH：　　COMMERCIAL　TRAVELLERS。　　LONDON；　DECEMBER　30；　1854。
  ＇The　following　speech　was　made　by　Mr。　Dickens　at　the　Anniversary
  Dinner　in　commemoration　of　the　foundation　of　the　Commercial
  Travellers'　Schools；　held　at　the　London　Tavern　on　the　above　date。
  Mr。　Dickens　presided　on　this　occasion；　and　proposed　the　toasts。＇
  I　THINK　it　may　be　assumed　that　most　of　us　here　present　know
  something　about　travelling。　　I　do　not　mean　in　distant　regions　or
  foreign　countries；　although　I　dare　say　some　of　us　have　had
  experience　in　that　way；　but　at　home；　and　within　the　limits　of　the
  United　Kingdom。　　I　dare　say　most　of　us　have　had　experience　of　the
  extinct　〃fast　coaches；〃　the　〃Wonders；〃　〃Taglionis；〃　and　〃Tallyhos；〃
  of　other　days。　　I　daresay　most　of　us　remember　certain　modest
  postchaises；　dragging　us　down　interminable　roads；　through　slush　and
  mud；　to　little　country　towns　with　no　visible　population；　except
  half…a…dozen　men　in　smock…frocks；　half…a…dozen　women　with　umbrellas
  and　pattens；　and　a　washed…out　dog　or　so　shivering　under　the　gables；
  to　complete　the　desolate　picture。　　We　can　all　discourse；　I　dare
  say；　if　so　minded；　about　our　recollections　of　the　〃Talbot；〃　the
  〃Queen's　Head；〃　or　the　〃Lion〃　of　those　days。　　We　have　all　been　to
  that　room　on　the　ground　floor　on　one　side　of　the　old　inn　yard；　not
  quite　free　from　a　certain　fragrant　smell　of　tobacco；　where　the
  cruets　on　the　sideboard　were　usually　absorbed　by　the　skirts　of　the
  box…coats　that　hung　from　the　wall；　where　awkward　servants　waylaid
  us　at　every　turn；　like　so　many　human　man…traps；　where　county
  members；　framed　and　glazed；　were　eternally　presenting　that　petition
  which；　somehow　or　other；　had　made　their　glory　in　the　county；
  although　nothing　else　had　ever　come　of　it。　　Where　the　books　in　the
  windows　always　wanted　the　first；　last；　and　middle　leaves；　and　where
  the　one　man　was　always　arriving　at　some　unusual　hour　in　the　night；
  and　requiring　his　breakfast　at　a　similarly　singular　period　of　the
  day。　　I　have　no　doubt　we　could　all　be　very　eloquent　on　the　comforts
  of　our　favourite　hotel；　wherever　it　was　…　its　beds；　its　stables；
  its　vast　amount　of　posting；　its　excellent　cheese；　its　head　waiter；
  its　capital　dishes；　its　pigeon…pies；　or　its　1820　port。　　Or　possibly
  we　could　recal　our　chaste　and　innocent　admiration　of　its　landlady；
  or　our　fraternal　regard　for　its　handsome　chambermaid。　　A　celebrated
  domestic　critic　once　writing　of　a　famous　actress；　renowned　for　her
  virtue　and　beauty；　gave　her　the　character　of　being　an　〃eminently
  gatherable…to…one's…arms　sort　of　person。〃　　Perhaps　some　one　amongst
  us　has　borne　a　somewhat　similar　tribute　to　the　mental　charms　of　the
  fair　deities　who　presided　at　our　hotels。
  With　the　travelling　characteristics　of　later　times；　we　are　all；　no
  doubt；　equally　familiar。　　We　know　all　about　that　station　to　which
  we　must　take　our　ticket；　although　we　never　get　there；　and　the　other
  one　at　which　we　arrive　after　dark；　certain　to　find　it　half　a　mile
  from　the　town；　where　the　old　road　is　sure　to　have　been　abolished；
  and　the　new　road　is　going　to　be　made　…　where　the　old　neighbourhood
  has　been　tumbled　down；　and　the　new　one　is　not　half　built　up。　　We
  know　all　about　that　party　on　the　platform　who；　with　the　best
  intentions；　can　do　nothing　for　our　luggage　except　pitch　it　into　all
  sorts　of　unattainable　places。　　We　know　all　about　that　short
  omnibus；　in　which　one　is　to　be　doubled　up；　to　the　imminent　danger
  of　the　crown　of　one's　hat；　and　about　that　fly；　whose　leading
  peculiarity　is　never　to　be　there　when　it　is　wanted。　　We　know；　too；
  how　instantaneously　the　lights　of　the　station　disappear　when　the
  train　starts；　and　about　that　grope　to　the　new　Railway　Hotel；　which
  will　be　an　excellent　house　when　the　customers　come；　but　which　at
  present　has　nothing　to　offer　but　a　liberal　allowance　of　damp　mortar
  and　new　lime。
  I　record　these　little　incidents　of　home　travel　mainly　with　the
  object　of　increasing　your　interest　in　the　purpose　of　this　night's
  assemblage。　　Every　traveller　has　a　home　of　his　own；　and　he　learns
  to　appreciate　it　the　more　from　his　wandering。　　If　he　has　no　home；
  he　learns　the　same　lesson　unselfishly　by　turning　to　the　homes　of
  other　men。　　He　may　have　his　experiences　of　cheerful　and　exciting
  pleasures　abroad；　but　home　is　the　best；　after　all；　and　its
  pleasures　are　the　most　heartily　and　enduringly　prized。　　Therefore；
  ladies　and　gentlemen；　every　one　must　be　prepared　to　learn　that
  commercial　travellers；　as　a　body；　know　how　to　prize　those　domestic
  relations　from　which　their　pursuits　so　frequently　sever　them；　for
  no　one　could　possibly　invent　a　more　delightful　or　more　convincing
  testimony　to　the　fact　than　they　themselves　have　offered　in　founding
  and　maintaining　a　school　for　the　children　of　deceased　or
  unfortunate　members　of　their　own　body；　those　children　who　now
  appeal　to　you　in　mute　but　eloquent　terms　from　the　gallery。
  It　is　to　support　that　school；　founded　with　such　high　and　friendly
  objects；　so　very　honourable　to　your　calling；　and　so　useful　in　its
  solid　and　practical　results；　that　we　are　here　to…night。　　It　is　to
  roof　that　building　which　is　to　shelter　the　children　of　your
  deceased　friends　with　one　crowning　ornament；　the　best　that　any
  building　can　have；　namely；　a　receipt　stamp　for　the　full　amount　of
  the　cost。　　It　is　for　this　that　your　active　sympathy　is　appealed　to；
  for　the　completion　of　your　own　good　work。　　You　know　how　to　put　your
  hands　to　the　plough　in　earnest　as　well　as　any　men　in　existence；　for
  this　little　book　informs　me　that　you　raised　last　year　no　less　a　sum
  than　8000　pounds；　and　while　fully　half　of　that　sum　consisted　of　new
  donations　to　the　building　fund；　I　find　that　the　regular　revenue　of
  the　charity　has　only　suffered　to　the　extent　of　30　pounds。　　After
  this；　I　most　earnestly　and