which are indispensable to the industry and comfort of mankind; when genius and talent, guided by philosophy, prepare for the most effective application to useful purposes those materials; and when patient and enduring labour at home manipulates the gifts of nature grown in distant lands,-can the good and practical results of man's exertions be otherwise than beneficial to his fellows of every country? but when the telegraph, steamer, and mechanical wonders are rendered subservient to the benefit of man, no other than grateful homage to the ever present, though invisible, Power which sustains the universe, can animate those who would still advance and elevate the physical and intellectual condition of their species.

On the recent visit of our Sovereign to her loyal town of Leeds, the progress of our country and the pecuniary and accumulative prospects of commerce were referred to, and in those visions of brighter days and developments which were enunciated, may the gladdening aspirations predominate, that moral and mental endowments and attainments shall never be subordinate to mere material acquisitions. And may the British Association, in its migrations, scatter the seeds of progressive philosophy, aiding by its wisdom, correcting by its knowledge, and encouraging improvement by its discerning approbation, till the light of truth banish the darkness of error and ignorance; and thus may an enduring alliance of the advantages of science be cemented with the practical benefits of trade and commerce.

ADULT EDUCATION.

An Address delivered at Alnwick, Northumberland, to the Members of the Northern Union of Literary and Mechanics' Institutions, 1858.

BY

THE RIGHT. HON. SIR GEORGE GREY.

IN the age in which we live, it is useless and superfluous to dwell upon the advantages of the diffusion of education and knowledge. The time is happily gone by, when, to use the language of a great writer, "the arrogance of learning can condemn to ignorance the great body of the people." The time is happily gone by, too, I may add, when the fears or apprehensions of one class of society can stand in the way, or raise a barrier against the enlightenment and education of the great body of another. It is now universally admitted that knowledge is a blessing and the only question which is discussed,-the only thing upon which debates and differences of opinion arise,-is, as to the best means of effecting an object the value of which all concur in, and of promoting as widely as possible the blessings of education and of knowledge. I believe there is nothing more true than a sentence which I find in an appeal lately issued by the council of this association, namely, that it is in vain to expect any marked improvement in the moral and social condition of the people, without affording them the means of intellectual culture and relaxation. This association aims to extend widely those means of intellectual culture and relaxation; and therefore it is deserving

the cordial support of all who are interested in the best interests of their fellow-countrymen. The tavern and the alehouse will be frequented, whatever restraints you attempt to impose, so long as the tavern and the alehouse are the only resource which the working man has where he finds social relaxation and intercourse.

It is truly said, therefore, I think, that the best mode of proceeding is to establish a reading-room wherever a reading room can be established, accessible to the working-man, comfortably lighted, with a cheerful fire, and with other requisites which are necessary in order to make it attractive: and by so doing you present to him as a reasonable being-as a being accountable not only to the laws of his country, but accountable to GOD-you place before him. enjoyments and objects of interest which, when once appreciated, will withdraw him from those debasing pleasures in which so many, in the absence of other objects of interest, are disposed to indulge. This association appears to me to be one of the most useful in adopting varied methods for effecting this object, and for attracting people to higher and nobler pursuits than those to which they are naturally inclined. It has its reading-room; it has its itinerating libraries—most useful in the way of extending that knowledge which can be procured through books of a valuable kind, and placed within the reach of remote hamlets and villages; it has its lectures— admirable in their way; it has its evening classes and evening schools, and which I think are the most valuable efforts of this society; it has its system of examination, and it has also those prizes which I have seen awarded to-day-which stimulate rising genius, and which are sufficient to induce men to devote their minds and faculties to the attainment of high and useful ends.

Speaking of the evil effects of intemperance, I was struck the other day, in reading one of the works of

that lamented man, Hugh Millar (whose writings I have no doubt most of you are acquainted with), with the passage in which he records some of his earlier days, when he was working as a mason, but when his mind was at work upon higher objects than those on which his hands were engaged; when he had learned to appreciate the maxims and philosophy of Bacon, and to return from his day's work to his lodging to enjoy the intellectual feast which works of that kind presented to him. He says that on one occasion he was tempted, in his intercourse with his fellow-countrymen, to transgress the bounds of temperance, and to indulge with them in excessive drinking. He returned to his lodging, and opened his Bacon: but his intellect was clouded, and he was unable to appreciate and enjoy it; and from that day he made a resolve-a resolve which I believe he uniformly maintained afterwards-never again to cloud by intemperance that intellect which GOD had given him; because he felt that, in doing so, he was depriving himself of the inestimable pleasures and enjoyments provided for him by a gracious and merciful Providence.

Among the attractions of these places, there are requisites, besides a cheerful fire, which are essential to a good reading-room, to make it comfortable. I think the most important is a useful and judicious selection of books. Let there be books of all kinds in these libraries, but let the selection be a wise and judicious one, with the view to put in the libraries books which, while they attract (and there are many of this character), will also deeply interest, and will excite men to higher motives of action, and supply them with examples to guide them in their course, in whatever sphere of life they may be placed. I see rather a regret expressed that newspapers form the principal attraction in those reading-rooms. In some cases, even, it has been thought almost necessary to separate the newspapers from other books,

and to have an apartment for newspapers, and another for books, because newspapers diverted the people's attention from what was most useful and valuble. I think myself, that, looking to the character of the newspapers at the present day-looking at the variety of information which they contain-looking at the ability with which they are written, in their descriptions of facts occurring in all parts of the world-looking at the reviews of literary works which we find in them;-even if newspapers were the only literary food presented in these readingrooms, I would still advocate the reading-room being open provided it was confined to newspapers, which, however, it is evidently not desirable it should be: but I would not withdraw the newspapers from those reading-rooms, or attempt to divert men from the perusal of newspapers by excluding them from the room where other works are kept; because I believe that even from newspapers much valuable instruction and information may be gained-especially as they are conducted in the present day.

Let me for a moment advert to what I see alluded to in the report, viz., works of fiction. I see that a prize was offered for the best essay upon the expediency of admitting or excluding works of fiction from those libraries which are connected with mechanics' institutes. I think it most unfair to authors of works of fiction to class them altogether as a whole, and to draw a broad line of distinction between works of fiction and those works which are not works of fiction. Some works of fiction contain admirable morals; some works of fiction contain instruction of the highest character, and in a form in which perhaps no other work can convey it: and I think it would be most injurious to the interests of those connected with these reading-rooms, if works of this kind were excluded. I should, therefore, tender my humble advice to the council of this association, if they are called upon to lay down any rule