phoceedings of provincial societies. 153 



further in their formation than laying down a plan in perspective. 

 After reading the results, so beneficial, in every point of view, to 

 the morals, the intellectual improvement, and the quiet happiness 

 of as useful a class of men as any in the community, if these esta- 

 blishments do not become general, it will be a mark of inferiority and 

 a reproach, most unworthy of rational beings endowed with capa- 

 bilities and reason, and thus stimulated, too, to active co-operation 

 thy he force of example. 



At a general meeting, at which Lord Brougham was present, an 

 address was delivered by the President, B. Hey wood, Esq , and a 

 statement of the proceedings since the last report, was read by the 

 Secretary. From this report we learn that when the Institution had 

 been established five years, the number of members was 384, and at 

 the close of the last quarter, after an existence of eleven years, the 

 number amounted to 1232! In the year 1829 the receipts were 

 ^832. 10.9. 5</, and in 1835 they had increased to the very liberal 

 sum of £1960. 4.$'. 9c?. ! and after liquidating the whole of the ex- 

 pences of library, furniture, lecturers and teachers, and a variety of 

 other necessary items, on the 1 3th of July there was a balance in 

 the bank of £90. 16.9. Id. This is a most gratifying statement, and 

 proves what can be accomplished in undertaking measures of popu- 

 lar utilily in a right spirit and a well-adapted and corresponding sys- 

 tem. The projectors, the founders of these beneficial schemes for 

 the benefit of that important class, the artizans, are, undoubtedly, 

 the most munificent benefactors to the human race. To withdraw 

 useful citizens from demoralizing scenes of dissipation and vice, by 

 supplying them with sources of rational employment for their hours 

 of leisure — to diffuse useful knowledge, and afford them facilities of 

 instruction in those principles which regulate their respective occu- 

 pations — to increase their prosperity, by drawing out their mental 

 resources, and applying them usefully to the cultivation of the arts 

 and sciences, and the various embellishments of life — are objects in- 

 calculable in the amount of their consequences, and worthy of the 

 real friends of humanity ; for by these means are human improve- 

 ment and human happiness consolidated and made perfect. 



The remainder of the Secretary's report was also highly satisfac- 

 tory ; and at its conclusion a short examination of the first class of 

 the boys' day school, consisting of about twenty, took place. A 

 variety of questions in the elementary rules of integral and frac- 

 tional arithmetic, dictated by the teacher, were rapidly written on 

 slates and solved by the pupils ; and in answering, by mental calcu 

 lation, intricate questions in proportion, practice, and interest, they 

 evinced great proficiency and quickness. The President then re- 

 marking that the examination had proceeded far enc^ugh to convince 

 the meeting of the excellence of the system and the proficiency of 

 the scholars. 



Lord Brougham rose amidst the loud cheers of the assembly. — 

 After expressing his high gratification at the beneficial results of 

 these institutions, the success of which he had so much at heart, his 



