3i8 Literary and Philosophical Society, 



' After establishing these works, Mr. Dyer returned to 

 England, and only visited France at rare intervals after- 

 wards. In conjunction with Messrs Edwin Baxter, John 

 Shuttleworth, J. B. Smith, M.P., and others, Mr. Dyer took 

 the first steps for founding a newspaper in Manchester, to 

 support the cause of enlightened Liberalism. The " Man- 

 chester Guardian " was the result ; the management, literary 

 and commercial, being entrusted to Messrs John Edward 

 Taylor and Jeremiah Garnett. The prosperity of the new 

 paper was such as to enable those gentlemen to pay out the 

 original subscribers in a very few years. About this time, 

 or somewhat earlier, he was concerned in the establishment 

 of the Bank of Manchester, of which he continued to be a 

 director till 1838, when severe and dangerous illness forced 

 him to retire from the board. This was a great misfortune, 

 alike to Mr. Dyer and many others ; for on his retirement 

 from the board, a reckless and speculative system of busi- 

 ness was commenced that in a few years resulted in disaster. 

 Mr. Dyer about this time was engaged with others, whose 

 names are too well known to need mention here, in the 

 formation of the Anti-Corn-Law League, and gave his best 

 energies to the protracted agitation for Free Trade. Before 

 this he was on the board of several railway companies, and 

 was especially active on that of the Manchester and Bir- 

 mingham line. He had been engaged in the foundation of 

 the Royal and the Mechanics' Institutions, and other useful 

 establishments and societies, and he was always an earnest 

 supporter of the Infirmary and Henshall's Blind Asylum, 

 &c. He was also active in founding the Liverpool and 

 District Bank, which falling into better hands had a very 

 different fortune from the Bank of Manchester. Of the 

 disasters of the latter bank little need bs said. It is 



