PROCEEDINGS OP PROVINCIAL SOCIETIES. 131 



ranee hotels, with public rooms, are now erecting in many towns, 

 as well as premises for Mechanics' Institutions. Why might not 

 both be accomodated under the same roof? And there can be little 

 doubt that considerable emolument might be derived from the occa- 

 sional meeting of friendly societies, and other similar clubs, in their 

 rooms, instead of, as is too frequently the case, to their serious cost 

 and disadvantage, moral as well as pecuniary, in public houses. 



MANCHESTER ATHENAEUM. 



A public meeting took place at Manchester in October last, for 

 the purpose of establishing an Institution combining the several at- 

 tractions of an extensive reading-room, news-room, and library. 

 To these advantages it was proposed to add a theatre for the deli- 

 very of lectures, and rooms for young men to pursue, in classes or 

 sections, various literary and scientific studies, through the medium 

 of competent teachers. With these facilities for mental improve- 

 ment, it was resolved to appropriate an apartment for refreshments, 

 where tea and coffee might be obtained by those whom a taste for 

 social converse might induce to resort, at the close of their daily 

 avocations. The proposition met with the hearty concurrence and 

 zealous support of numerous individuals imbued with a love of lite- 

 rature and science, anxious to promote the mental cultivation of 

 young men engaged in commercial and other pursuits, and to with- 

 draw them from those snares and temptations which unfortunately 

 abound in all large communities. The intelligent and public-spi- 

 rited merchants and manufacturers of Manchester, of «// parties, 

 came forward promptly and liberally to supply the necessary funds, 

 and, in less than three weeks, shares to the amount of £7^000 were 

 taken towards the sum of £10,000, required to erect a suitable 

 building for the purpose, and the whole amount was shortly after- 

 wards subscribed. Although much confined for space, we cannot 

 resist making a few brief extracts from the admirable address deli- 

 vered by James Heywood, Esq., the President of the Institution, at 

 the first general meeting, held at the lecture-theatre of the Royal 

 Institution, on the 11th of January, 1836. After alluding to the 

 success which had attended the establishment of the Athenaeum, the 

 president adverted to a communication received from Dr. Henry, 

 (expressing his intention of becoming a contributor to the funds) in 

 which the learned physician remarks— 



" It is vitally important that the Athenaeum should never be perverted to 

 the purposes of party politics, either local or general. It should never cease 

 to be held inviolate as neutral ground, upon which no one must be permitted 

 to enter, without first casting aside all hostile weapons, and without deter- 



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