unquestionably　true；　just　as　caricaturists　and　painters；
  professedly　making　a　portrait　of　some　public　man；　which　was　not　in
  the　least　like　him　to　begin　with；　have　gone　on　repeating　and
  repeating　it　until　the　public　came　to　believe　that　it　must　be
  exactly　like　him；　simply　because　it　was　like　itself；　and　really
  have　at　last；　in　the　fulness　of　time；　grown　almost　disposed　to
  resent　upon　him　their　tardy　discovery　…　really　to　resent　upon　him
  their　late　discovery　…　that　he　was　not　like　it。　　I　confess；
  standing　here　in　this　responsible　situation；　that　I　do　not
  understand　this　much…used　and　much…abused　phrase　…　the　〃material
  age。〃　　I　cannot　comprehend　…　if　anybody　can　I　very　much　doubt　…　its
  logical　signification。　　For　instance；　has　electricity　become　more
  material　in　the　mind　of　any　sane　or　moderately　insane　man；　woman；
  or　child；　because　of　the　discovery　that　in　the　good　providence　of
  God　it　could　be　made　available　for　the　service　and　use　of　man　to　an
  immeasurably　greater　extent　than　for　his　destruction？　　Do　I　make　a
  more　material　journey　to　the　bed…side　of　my　dying　parent　or　my
  dying　child　when　I　travel　there　at　the　rate　of　sixty　miles　an　hour；
  than　when　I　travel　thither　at　the　rate　of　six？　　Rather；　in　the
  swiftest　case；　does　not　my　agonised　heart　become　over…fraught　with
  gratitude　to　that　Supreme　Beneficence　from　whom　alone　could　have
  proceeded　the　wonderful　means　of　shortening　my　suspense？　　What　is
  the　materiality　of　the　cable　or　the　wire　compared　with　the
  materiality　of　the　spark？　　What　is　the　materiality　of　certain
  chemical　substances　that　we　can　weigh　or　measure；　imprison　or
  release；　compared　with　the　materiality　of　their　appointed
  affinities　and　repulsions　presented　to　them　from　the　instant　of
  their　creation　to　the　day　of　judgment？　　When　did　this　so…called
  material　age　begin？　　With　the　use　of　clothing；　with　the　discovery
  of　the　compass；　with　the　invention　of　the　art　of　printing？　　Surely；
  it　has　been　a　long　time　about；　and　which　is　the　more　material
  object；　the　farthing　tallow　candle　that　will　not　give　me　light；　or
  that　flame　of　gas　which　will？
  No；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　do　not　let　us　be　discouraged　or　deceived
  by　any　fine；　vapid；　empty　words。　　The　true　material　age　is　the
  stupid　Chinese　age；　in　which　no　new　or　grand　revelations　of　nature
  are　granted；　because　they　are　ignorantly　and　insolently　repelled；
  instead　of　being　diligently　and　humbly　sought。　　The　difference
  between　the　ancient　fiction　of　the　mad　braggart　defying　the
  lightning　and　the　modern　historical　picture　of　Franklin　drawing　it
  towards　his　kite；　in　order　that　he　might　the　more　profoundly　study
  that　which　was　set　before　him　to　be　studied　（or　it　would　not　have
  been　there）；　happily　expresses　to　my　mind　the　distinction　between
  the　much…maligned　material　sages　…　material　in　one　sense；　I
  suppose；　but　in　another　very　immaterial　sages　…　of　the　Celestial
  Empire　school。　　Consider　whether　it　is　likely　or　unlikely；　natural
  or　unnatural；　reasonable　or　unreasonable；　that　I；　a　being　capable
  of　thought；　and　finding　myself　surrounded　by　such　discovered
  wonders　on　every　hand；　should　sometimes　ask　myself　the　question　…
  should　put　to　myself　the　solemn　consideration　…　can　these　things　be
  among　those　things　which　might　have　been　disclosed　by　divine　lips
  nigh　upon　two　thousand　years　ago；　but　that　the　people　of　that　time
  could　not　bear　them？　　And　whether　this　be　so　or　no；　if　I　am　so
  surrounded　on　every　hand；　is　not　my　moral　responsibility
  tremendously　increased　thereby；　and　with　it　my　intelligence　and
  submission　as　a　child　of　Adam　and　of　the　dust；　before　that　Shining
  Source　which　equally　of　all　that　is　granted　and　all　that　is
  withheld　holds　in　His　mighty　hands　the　unapproachable　mysteries　of
  life　and　death。
  To　the　students　of　your　industrial　classes　generally　I　have　had　it
  in　my　mind；　first；　to　commend　the　short　motto；　in　two　words；
  〃Courage　…　Persevere。〃　　This　is　the　motto　of　a　friend　and　worker。
  Not　because　the　eyes　of　Europe　are　upon　them；　for　I　don't　in　the
  least　believe　it；　nor　because　the　eyes　of　even　England　are　upon
  them；　for　I　don't　in　the　least　believe　it；　not　because　their　doings
  will　be　proclaimed　with　blast　of　trumpet　at　street　corners；　for　no
  such　musical　performances　will　take　place；　not　because　self…
  improvement　is　at　all　certain　to　lead　to　worldly　success；　but
  simply　because　it　is　good　and　right　of　itself；　and　because；　being
  so；　it　does　assuredly　bring　with　it　its　own　resources　and　its　own
  rewards。　　I　would　further　commend　to　them　a　very　wise　and　witty
  piece　of　advice　on　the　conduct　of　the　understanding　which　was　given
  more　than　half　a　century　ago　by　the　Rev。　Sydney　Smith　…　wisest　and
  wittiest　of　the　friends　I　have　lost。　　He　says　…　and　he　is　speaking；
  you　will　please　understand；　as　I　speak；　to　a　school　of　volunteer
  students　…　he　says：　　〃There　is　a　piece　of　foppery　which　is　to　be
  cautiously　guarded　against；　the　foppery　of　universality；　of　knowing
  all　sciences　and　excelling　in　all　arts　…　chymistry；　mathematics；
  algebra；　dancing；　history；　reasoning；　riding；　fencing；　Low　Dutch；
  High　Dutch；　and　natural　philosophy。　　In　short；　the　modern　precept
  of　education　very　often　is；　'Take　the　Admirable　Crichton　for　your
  model；　I　would　have　you　ignorant　of　nothing。'　　Now；〃　says　he；　〃my
  advice；　on　the　contrary；　is　to　have　the　courage　to　be　ignorant　of　a
  great　number　of　things；　in　order　that　you　may　avoid　the　calamity　of
  being　ignorant　of　everything。〃
  To　this　I　would　superadd　a　little　truth；　which　holds　equally　good
  of　my　own　life　and　the　life　of　every　eminent　man　I　have　ever　known。
  The　one　serviceable；　safe；　certain；　remunerative；　attainable
  quality　in　every　study　and　in　every　pursuit　is　the　quality　of
  attention。　　My　own　invention　or　imagination；　such　as　it　is；　I　can
  most　truthfully　assure　you；　would　never　have　served　me　as　it　has；
  but　for　the　habit　of　commonplace；　humble；　patient；　daily；　toiling；
  drudging　attention。　　Genius；　vivacity；　quickness　of　penetration；
  brilliancy　in　association　of　ideas　…　such　mental　qualities；　like
  the　qualities　of　the　apparition　of　the　externally　armed　head　in
  MACBETH；　will　not　be　commanded；　but　attention；　after　due　term　of
  submissive　service；　always　will。　　Like　certain　plants　which　the
  poorest　peasant　may　grow　in　the　poorest　soil；　it　can　be　cultivated
  by　any　one；　and　it　is　certain　in　its　own　good　season　to　bring　forth
  flowers　and　fruit。　　I　can　most　truthfully　assure　you　by…the…by；
  that　this　eulogium　on　attention　is　so　far　quite　disinterested　on　my
  part　as　that　it　has　not　the　least　reference　whatever　to　the
  attention　with　which　you　have　honoured　me。
  Well；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　have　done。　　I　cannot　but　reflect　how
  often　you　have　probably　heard　within　these　walls　one　of　the
  foremost　men；　and　certainly　one　of　the　very　best　speakers；　if　not
  the　very　best；　in　England。　　I　could　not　say　to　myself；　when　I　began
  just　now；　in　Shakespeare's　line　…
  〃I　will　be　BRIGHT　and　shining　gold；〃
  but　I　could　say　to　myself；　and　I　did　say　to　myself；　〃I　will　be　as
  natural　and　easy　as　I　possibly　can；〃　because　my　heart　has　all　been
  in　my　subject；　and　I　bear　an　old　love　towards　Birmingham　and
  Birmingham　men。　　I　have　said　that　I　bear　an　old　love　towards
  Birmingham　and　Birmingham　men；　let　me　amend　a　small　omission；　and
  add　〃and　Birmingham　women。〃　　This　ring　I　wear　on　my　finger　now　is
  an　old　Birmingham　gift；　and　if　by　rubbing　it　I　could　raise　the
  spirit　that　was　obedient　to　Aladdin's　ring；　I　heartily　assure　you
  that　my　first　instruction　to　that　genius　on　the　spot　should　be　to
  place　himself　at　Birmingham's　disposal　in　the　best　of　causes。
  ＇In　acknowledging　the　vote　of　thanks；　Mr。　Dickens　said：…＇
  Ladies　and　gentlemen；　as　I　hope　it　is　more　than　possible　that　I
  shall　have　the　pleasure　of　meeting　you　again　before　Christmas　is
  out；　and　shall　have　the　great　interest　of　seeing　the　faces　and
  touching　the　bands　of　the　successful　competitors　in　your　lists；　I
  will　not　cast　upon　that　anticipated　meeting　the　terrible
  foreshadowing　of　dread　which　must　inevitably　result　from　a　second
  speech。　　I　thank　you　most　heartily；　and　I　most　sincerely　and
  fervently　say　to　you；　〃Good　night；　and　God　bless　you。〃　　In
  reference　to　the　appropriate　and　excellent　remarks　of　Mr。　Dixon；　I
  will　now　discharge　my　conscience　of　my　political　creed；　which　is
  contained　in　two　articles；　and　has　no　reference　to　any　party　or
  persons。　　My　faith　in　the　people　governing　is；　on　the　whole；
  infinitesimal；　my　faith　in　the　People　governed　is；　on　the　whole；
  illimitable。
  SPEECH：　　BIRMINGHAM；　JANUARY　6；　1870。
  ＇On　the　evening　of　the　above　date；　Mr。　Dickens；　as　President　of　the
  Birmingham　and　Midland　Institute；　distributed　the　prizes　and
  certificates　awarded　to　the　most　successful　students　in　the　first
  year。　　The　proceedings　took　place　in　the　Town　Hall：　　Mr。　Dickens
  entered　at　eight　o'clock；　accompanied　by　the　officers　of　the
  Institute；　and　was　received　with　loud　applause。　　After　the