take　its　enemies　to　its　heart；　and　strike　its　best　friends　down　…
  powerful　to　fill　the　prisons；　the　hospitals；　and　the　graves　…
  powerful　for　blind　violence；　prejudice；　and　error；　in　all　their
  gloomy　and　destructive　shapes。　　Whereas　the　power　of　knowledge；　if
  I　understand　it；　is；　to　bear　and　forbear；　to　learn　the　path　of　duty
  and　to　tread　it；　to　engender　that　self…respect　which　does　not　stop
  at　self；　but　cherishes　the　best　respect　for　the　best　objects　…　to
  turn　an　always　enlarging　acquaintance　with　the　joys　and　sorrows；
  capabilities　and　imperfections　of　our　race　to　daily　account　in
  mildness　of　life　and　gentleness　of　construction　and　humble　efforts
  for　the　improvement；　stone　by　stone；　of　the　whole　social　fabric。
  I　never　heard　but　one　tangible　position　taken　against　educational
  establishments　for　the　people；　and　that　was；　that　in　this　or　that
  instance；　or　in　these　or　those　instances；　education　for　the　people
  has　failed。　　And　I　have　never　traced　even　this　to　its　source　but　I
  have　found　that　the　term　education；　so　employed；　meant　anything　but
  education　…　implied　the　mere　imperfect　application　of　old；
  ignorant；　preposterous　spelling…book　lessons　to　the　meanest
  purposes　…　as　if　you　should　teach　a　child　that　there　is　no　higher
  end　in　electricity；　for　example；　than　expressly　to　strike　a　mutton…
  pie　out　of　the　hand　of　a　greedy　boy　…　and　on　which　it　is　as
  unreasonable　to　found　an　objection　to　education　in　a　comprehensive
  sense；　as　it　would　be　to　object　altogether　to　the　combing　of
  youthful　hair；　because　in　a　certain　charity　school　they　had　a
  practice　of　combing　it　into　the　pupils'　eyes。
  Now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　turn　to　the　report　of　this
  Institution；　on　whose　behalf　we　are　met；　and　I　start　with　the
  education　given　there；　and　I　find　that　it　really　is　an　education
  that　is　deserving　of　the　name。　　I　find　that　there　are　papers　read
  and　lectures　delivered；　on　a　variety　of　subjects　of　interest　and
  importance。　　I　find　that　there　are　evening　classes　formed　for　the
  acquisition　of　sound；　useful　English　information；　and　for　the　study
  of　those　two　important　languages；　daily　becoming　more　important　in
  the　business　of　life；　…　the　French　and　German。　　I　find　that　there
  is　a　class　for　drawing；　a　chemical　class；　subdivided　into　the
  elementary　branch　and　the　manufacturing　branch；　most　important
  here。　　I　find　that　there　is　a　day…school　at　twelve　shillings　a
  quarter；　which　small　cost；　besides　including　instruction　in　all
  that　is　useful　to　the　merchant　and　the　man　of　business；　admits　to
  all　the　advantages　of　the　parent　institution。　　I　find　that　there　is
  a　School　of　Design　established　in　connexion　with　the　Government
  School；　and　that　there　was　in　January　this　year；　a　library　of
  between　six　and　seven　thousand　books。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　if　any
  man　would　tell　me　that　anything　but　good　could　come　of　such
  knowledge　as　this；　all　I　can　say　is；　that　I　should　consider　him　a
  new　and　most　lamentable　proof　of　the　necessity　of　such
  institutions；　and　should　regard　him　in　his　own　person　as　a
  melancholy　instance　of　what　a　man　may　come　to　by　never　having
  belonged　to　one　or　sympathized　with　one。
  There　is　one　other　paragraph　in　this　report　which　struck　my　eye　in
  looking　over　it；　and　on　which　I　cannot　help　offering　a　word　of
  joyful　notice。　　It　is　the　steady　increase　that　appears　to　have
  taken　place　in　the　number　of　lady　　members　…　among　whom　I　hope　I
  may　presume　are　included　some　of　the　bright　fair　faces　that　are
  clustered　around　me。　　Gentlemen；　I　hold　that　it　is　not　good　for　man
  to　be　alone　…　even　in　Mechanics'　Institutions；　and　I　rank　it　as
  very　far　from　among　the　last　or　least　of　the　merits　of　such　places；
  that　he　need　not　be　alone　there；　and　that　he　is　not。　　I　believe
  that　the　sympathy　and　society　of　those　who　are　our　best　and　dearest
  friends　in　infancy；　in　childhood；　in　manhood；　and　in　old　age；　the
  most　devoted　and　least　selfish　natures　that　we　know　on　earth；　who
  turn　to　us　always　constant　and　unchanged；　when　others　turn　away；
  should　greet　us　here；　if　anywhere；　and　go　on　with　us　side　by　side。
  I　know；　gentlemen；　by　the　evidence　of　my　own　proper　senses　at　this
  moment；　that　there　are　charms　and　graces　in　such　greetings；　such　as
  no　other　greeting　can　possess。　　I　know　that　in　every　beautiful　work
  of　the　Almighty　hand；　which　is　illustrated　in　your　lectures；　and　in
  every　real　or　ideal　portraiture　of　fortitude　and　goodness　that　you
  find　in　your　books；　there　is　something　that　must　bring　you　home
  again　to　them　for　its　brightest　and　best　example。　　And　therefore；
  gentlemen；　I　hope　that　you　will　never　be　without　them；　or　without
  an　increasing　number　of　them　in　your　studies　and　your
  commemorations；　and　that　an　immense　number　of　new　marriages；　and
  other　domestic　festivals　naturally　consequent　upon　those　marriages；
  may　be　traced　back　from　time　to　time　to　the　Leeds　Mechanics'
  Institution。
  There　are　many　gentlemen　around　me；　distinguished　by　their　public
  position　and　service；　or　endeared　to　you　by　frequent　intercourse；
  or　by　their　zealous　efforts　on　behalf　of　the　cause　which　brings　us
  together；　and　to　them　I　shall　beg　leave　to　refer　you　for　further
  observations　on　this　happy　and　interesting　occasion；　begging　to
  congratulate　you　finally　upon　the　occasion　itself；　upon　the
  prosperity　and　thriving　prospects　of　your　institution；　and　upon　our
  common　and　general　good　fortune　in　living　in　these　times；　when　the
  means　of　mental　culture　and　improvement　are　presented　cheaply；
  socially；　and　cheerfully；　and　not　in　dismal　cells　or　lonely
  garrets。　　And　lastly；　I　congratulate　myself；　I　assure　you　most
  heartily；　upon　the　part　with　which　I　am　honoured　on　an　occasion　so
  congenial　to　my　warmest　feelings　and　sympathies；　and　I　beg　to　thank
  you　for　such　evidences　of　your　good…will；　as　I　never　can　coldly
  remember　and　never　forget。
  ＇In　acknowledging　the　vote　of　thanks；　Mr；　Dickens　said：…＇
  Ladies　and　Gentlemen；　…　It　is　a　great　satisfaction　to　me　that　this
  question　has　been　put　by　the　Mayor；　inasmuch　as　I　hope　I　may
  receive　it　as　a　token　that　he　has　forgiven　me　those　extremely　large
  letters；　which　I　must　say；　from　the　glimpse　I　caught　of　them　when　I
  arrived　in　the　town；　looked　like　a　leaf　from　the　first　primer　of　a
  very　promising　young　giant。
  I　will　only　observe；　in　reference　to　the　proceeding　of　this
  evening；　that　after　what　I　have　seen；　and　the　excellent　speeches　I
  have　heard　from　gentlemen　of　so　many　different　callings　and
  persuasions；　meeting　here　as　on　neutral　ground；　I　do　more　strongly
  and　sincerely　believe　than　I　ever　have　in　my　life；　…　and　that　is
  saying　a　great　deal；　…　that　institutions　such　as　this　will　be　the
  means　of　refining　and　improving　that　social　edifice　which　has　been
  so　often　mentioned　to…night；　until；　…　unlike　that　Babel　tower　that
  would　have　taken　heaven　by　storm；　…　it　shall　end　in　sweet　accord
  and　harmony　amongst　all　classes　of　its　builders。
  Ladies　and　gentlemen；　most　respectfully　and　heartily　I　bid　you　good
  night　and　good…bye；　and　I　trust　the　next　time　we　meet　it　will　be　in
  even　greater　numbers；　and　in　a　larger　room；　and　that　we　often　shall
  meet　again；　to　recal　this　evening；　then　of　the　past；　and　remember
  it　as　one　of　a　series　of　increasing　triumphs　of　your　excellent
  institution。
  SPEECH：　　GLASGOW；　DECEMBER　28；　1847。
  ＇The　first　Soiree；　commemorative　of　the　opening　of　the　Glasgow
  Athenaeum　took　place　on　the　above　evening　in　the　City　Hall。　　Mr。
  Charles　Dickens　presided；　and　made　the　following　speech：＇
  LADIES　AND　GENTLEMEN　…　Let　me　begin　by　endeavouring　to　convey　to
  you　the　assurance　that　not　even　the　warmth　of　your　reception　can
  possibly　exceed；　in　simple　earnestness；　the　cordiality　of　the
  feeling　with　which　I　come　amongst　you。　　This　beautiful　scene　and
  your　generous　greeting　would　naturally　awaken；　under　any
  circumstances；　no　common　feeling　within　me；　but　when　I　connect　them
  with　the　high　purpose　of　this　brilliant　assembly　…　when　I　regard　it
  as　an　educational　example　and　encouragement　to　the　rest　of　Scotland
  …　when　I　regard　it　no　less　as　a　recognition　on　the　part　of
  everybody　here　of　the　right；　indisputable　and　inalienable；　of　all
  those　who　are　actively　engaged　in　the　work　and　business　of　life　to
  elevate　and　improve　themselves　so　far　as　in　them　lies；　by　all　good
  means　…　I　feel　as　if　I　stand　here　to　swear　brotherhood　to　all　the
  young　men　in　Glasgow；　…　and　I　may　say　to　all　the　young　women　in
  Glasgow；　being　unfortunately　in　no　position　to　take　any　tenderer
  vows　upon　myself　…　and　as　if　we　were　pledged　from　this　time
  henceforth　to　make　common　cause　together　in　one　of　the　most
  laudable　and　worthy　of　human　objects。
  Ladies　and　gentlemen；　a　common　cause　must　be　made　in　such　a　design
  as　that　which　brings　us　together　this　night；　for　without　it；
  nothing　can　be　done；　but　with　it；　everything。　　It　is　a　common　cause
  of　right；　God　knows；　for　it　is　idle　to　suppose　that　the　advantages
  of　such　an　institution　as　the　Glasgow　Athenaeum　wil