1799] THE KOYAL INSTITUTION. 145 



plaining to him how much the arts would gain by intelli- 

 gent operatives, I overcame a few political scruples which 

 he had. At last all objections were silenced, and everyone 

 seemed to rejoice in the prospect that opened of adding to 

 the Royal Institution a decided proof of liberal feeling. 

 The general idea and intention with respect to this school 

 were published in the Journals of the Institution ; l and 

 the news reached every corner of the kingdom that the 

 managers of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, among 

 whom were persons of the highest rank, instead of being 

 adverse to the diffusion of knowledge, had actually formed 

 a school for the instruction of mechanical classes. 



It is saying little to assert that the Institution acquired 

 some popularity by this measure. It gained much not only 

 here but all over Europe ; and in June 1801 Professor 

 Pictet, of Geneva, the well-known and learned editor of the 

 1 Bibliotheque Universelle,' in his published account of a 

 tour which he made through England at this time, speaks 

 of it as one of the most important branches of the Institu- 

 tion. It is unnecessary to enter into a detailed account of 

 my plan, which was, in fact, intended as an experiment. 

 It was generally to educate a number of mechanics sent by 

 the proprietors of the Institution. At first all were to 

 learn the same elementary principles, but afterwards they 

 were to branch off according to their several trades. My 

 first intention was to instruct bricklayers, joiners, tinmen, 

 and ironplate workers, as those were the trades most con- 

 nected with our improvements at this time. In a large 

 room on the ground floor we built up for practising the 

 men chimneys and fire-places of all kinds in a slight 

 manner, pulled them down, and built up others. We fitted 

 up improved fire-places within, models of old-fashioned 



1 No notice of workshops exists in the first number of the Journal, 

 dated April 1 800. In the second number, containing the report to the 

 managers on May 25, 1801, it is said that eighteen or twenty young men 

 are to be boarded and lodged in the house (p. 27, Journal). 



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