No　central　association　at　a　distance　could　possibly　understand　them
  as　this　local　association　does。　　No　central　association　at　a
  distance　could　possibly　put　them　in　that　familiar　and　easy
  communication　one　with　another；　as　that　I；　man　or　boy；　eager　for
  knowledge；　in　that　valley　seven　miles　off；　should　know　of　you；　man
  or　boy；　eager　for　knowledge；　in　that　valley　twelve　miles　off；　and
  should　occasionally　trudge　to　meet　you；　that　you　may　impart　your
  learning　in　one　branch　of　acquisition　to　me；　whilst　I　impart　mine
  in　another　to　you。　　Yet　this　is　distinctly　a　feature；　and　a　most
  important　feature；　of　this　society。
  On　the　other　hand；　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　these　honest　men；
  however　zealous；　could；　as　a　rule；　succeed　in　establishing　and
  maintaining　their　own　institutions　of　themselves。　　It　is　obvious
  that　combination　must　materially　diminish　their　cost；　which　is　in
  time　a　vital　consideration；　and　it　is　equally　obvious　that
  experience；　essential　to　the　success　of　all　combination；　is
  especially　so　when　its　object　is　to　diffuse　the　results　of
  experience　and　of　reflection。
  Well；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　the　student　of　the　present　profitable
  history　of　this　society　does　not　stop　here　in　his　learning；　when　he
  has　got　so　far；　he　finds　with　interest　and　pleasure　that　the　parent
  society　at　certain　stated　periods　invites　the　more　eager　and
  enterprising　members　of　the　local　society　to　submit　themselves　to
  voluntary　examination　in　various　branches　of　useful　knowledge；　of
  which　examination　it　takes　the　charge　and　arranges　the　details；　and
  invites　the　successful　candidates　to　come　to　Manchester　to　receive
  the　prizes　and　certificates　of　merit　which　it　impartially　awards。
  The　most　successful　of　the　competitors　in　the　list　of　these
  examinations　are　now　among　us；　and　these　little　marks　of
  recognition　and　encouragement　I　shall　have　the　honour　presently　of
  giving　them；　as　they　come　before　you；　one　by　one；　for　that　purpose。
  I　have　looked　over　a　few　of　those　examination　papers；　which　have
  comprised　history；　geography；　grammar；　arithmetic；　book…keeping；
  decimal　coinage；　mensuration；　mathematics；　social　economy；　the
  French　language　…　in　fact；　they　comprise　all　the　keys　that　open　all
  the　locks　of　knowledge。　　I　felt　most　devoutly　gratified；　as　to　many
  of　them；　that　they　had　not　been　submitted　to　me　to　answer；　for　I　am
  perfectly　sure　that　if　they　had　been；　I　should　have　had　mighty
  little　to　bestow　upon　myself　to…night。　　And　yet　it　is　always　to　be
  observed　and　seriously　remembered　that　these　examinations　are
  undergone　by　people　whose　lives　have　been　passed　in　a　continual
  fight　for　bread；　and　whose　whole　existence；　has　been　a　constant
  wrestle　with
  〃Those　twin　gaolers　of　the　daring　heart　…
  Low　birth　and　iron　fortune。〃
  I　could　not　but　consider；　with　extraordinary　admiration；　that　these
  questions　have　been　replied　to；　not　by　men　like　myself；　the
  business　of　whose　life　is　with　writing　and　with　books；　but　by　men；
  the　business　of　whose　life　is　with　tools　and　with　machinery。
  Let　me　endeavour　to　recall；　as　well　as　my　memory　will　serve　me；
  from　among　the　most　interesting　cases　of　prize…holders　and
  certificate…gainers　who　will　appear　before　you；　some　two　or　three
  of　the　most　conspicuous　examples。　　There　are　two　poor　brothers　from
  near　Chorley；　who　work　from　morning　to　night　in　a　coal…pit；　and
  who；　in　all　weathers；　have　walked　eight　miles　a…night；　three　nights
  a…week；　to　attend　the　classes　in　which　they　have　gained
  distinction。　　There　are　two　poor　boys　from　Bollington；　who　begin
  life　as　piecers　at　one　shilling　or　eighteen…pence　a…week；　and　the
  father　of　one　of　whom　was　cut　to　pieces　by　the　machinery　at　which
  he　worked；　but　not　before　he　had　himself　founded　the　institution　in
  which　this　son　has　since　come　to　be　taught。　　These　two　poor　boys
  will　appear　before　you　to…night；　to　take　the　second…class　prize　in
  chemistry。　　There　is　a　plasterer　from　Bury；　sixteen　years　of　age；
  who　took　a　third…class　certificate　last　year　at　the　hands　of　Lord
  Brougham；　he　is　this　year　again　successful　in　a　competition　three
  times　as　severe。　　There　is　a　wagon…maker　from　the　same　place；　who
  knew　little　or　absolutely　nothing　until　he　was　a　grown　man；　and　who
  has　learned　all　he　knows；　which　is　a　great　deal；　in　the　local
  institution。　　There　is　a　chain…maker；　in　very　humble　circumstances；
  and　working　hard　all　day；　who　walks　six　miles　a…night；　three　nights
  a…week；　to　attend　the　classes　in　which　he　has　won　so　famous　a
  place。　　There　is　a　moulder　in　an　iron　foundry；　who；　whilst　he　was
  working　twelve　hours　a　day　before　the　furnace；　got　up　at　four
  o'clock　in　the　morning　to　learn　drawing。　　〃The　thought　of　my　lads；〃
  he　writes　in　his　modest　account　of　himself；　〃in　their　peaceful
  slumbers　above　me；　gave　me　fresh　courage；　and　I　used　to　think　that
  if　I　should　never　receive　any　personal　benefit；　I　might　instruct
  them　when　they　came　to　be　of　an　age　to　understand　the　mighty
  machines　and　engines　which　have　made　our　country；　England；　pre…
  eminent　in　the　world's　history。〃　　There　is　a　piecer　at　mule…frames；
  who　could　not　read　at　eighteen；　who　is　now　a　man　of　little　more
  than　thirty；　who　is　the　sole　support　of　an　aged　mother；　who　is
  arithmetical　teacher　in　the　institution　in　which　he　himself　was
  taught；　who　writes　of　himself　that　he　made　the　resolution　never　to
  take　up　a　subject　without　keeping　to　it；　and　who　has　kept　to　it
  with　such　an　astonishing　will；　that　he　is　now　well　versed　in　Euclid
  and　Algebra；　and　is　the　best　French　scholar　in　Stockport。　　The
  drawing…classes　in　that　same　Stockport　are　taught　by　a　working
  blacksmith；　and　the　pupils　of　that　working　blacksmith　will　receive
  the　highest　honours　of　to…night。　　Well　may　it　be　said　of　that　good
  blacksmith；　as　it　was　written　of　another　of　his　trade；　by　the
  American　poet：
  〃Toiling；　rejoicing；　sorrowing；
  Onward　through　life　he　goes；
  Each　morning　sees　some　task　begun；
  Each　evening　sees　its　clause。
  Something　attempted；　something　done；
  Has　earn'd　a　night's　repose。〃
  To　pass　from　the　successful　candidates　to　the　delegates　from　local
  societies　now　before　me；　and　to　content　myself　with　one　instance
  from　amongst　them。　　There　is　among　their　number　a　most　remarkable
  man；　whose　history　I　have　read　with　feelings　that　I　could　not
  adequately　express　under　any　circumstances；　and　least　of　all　when　I
  know　he　hears　me；　who　worked　when　he　was　a　mere　baby　at　hand…loom
  weaving　until　he　dropped　from　fatigue：　　who　began　to　teach　himself
  as　soon　as　he　could　earn　five　shillings　a…week：　　who　is　now　a
  botanist；　acquainted　with　every　production　of　the　Lancashire
  valley：　　who　is　a　naturalist；　and　has　made　and　preserved　a
  collection　of　the　eggs　of　British　birds；　and　stuffed　the　birds：
  who　is　now　a　conchologist；　with　a　very　curious；　and　in　some
  respects　an　original　collection　of　fresh…water　shells；　and　has　also
  preserved　and　collected　the　mosses　of　fresh　water　and　of　the　sea：
  who　is　worthily　the　president　of　his　own　local　Literary
  Institution；　and　who　was　at　his　work　this　time　last　night　as
  foreman　in　a　mill。
  So　stimulating　has　been　the　influence　of　these　bright　examples；　and
  many　more；　that　I　notice　among　the　applications　from　Blackburn　for
  preliminary　test　examination　papers；　one　from　an　applicant　who
  gravely　fills　up　the　printed　form　by　describing　himself　as　ten
  years　of　age；　and　who；　with　equal　gravity；　describes　his　occupation
  as　〃nursing　a　little　child。〃　　Nor　are　these　things　confined　to　the
  men。　　The　women　employed　in　factories；　milliners'　work；　and
  domestic　service；　have　begun　to　show；　as　it　is　fitting　they　should；
  a　most　decided　determination　not　to　be　outdone　by　the　men；　and　the
  women　of　Preston　in　particular；　have　so　honourably　distinguished
  themselves；　and　shown　in　their　examination　papers　such　an　admirable
  knowledge　of　the　science　of　household　management　and　household
  economy；　that　if　I　were　a　working　bachelor　of　Lancashire　or
  Cheshire；　and　if　I　had　not　cast　my　eye　or　set　my　heart　upon　any
  lass　in　particular；　I　should　positively　get　up　at　four　o'clock　in
  the　morning　with　the　determination　of　the　iron…moulder　himself；　and
  should　go　to　Preston　in　search　of　a　wife。
  Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　these　instances；　and　many　more；　daily
  occurring；　always　accumulating；　are　surely　better　testimony　to　the
  working　of　this　Association；　than　any　number　of　speakers　could
  possibly　present　to　you。　　Surely　the　presence　among　us　of　these
  indefatigable　people　is　the　Association's　best　and　most　effective
  triumph　in　the　present　and　the　past；　and　is　its　noblest　stimulus　to
  effort　in　the　future。　　As　its　temporary　mouth…piece；　I　would　beg　to
  say　to　that　portion　of　the　company　who　attend　to　receive　the
  prizes；　that　the　institution　can　never　hold　itself　apart　from　them；
  …　can　never　set　itself　above　them；　that　their　distinction　and
  success　must　be　its　distinction　and　success；　and　that　there　can　be
  but　one　heart　beating　between　them　and　it。　　In　particu