such as the expansive forces of certain gases and metallic bases. In exhibiting a section of the figure of the earth, with reference to its shape, comparative insignificance of its highest mountain ranges, increase of temperature, now ascertained to proceed in a known ratio, in proportion to the distance below the surface, and the fused state of some of the primitive rocks, he inferred the probability of the interior of the globe being a mass of incandescent matter, in full accordance with the high authorities of the most distinguished philosophers of the present day, who advocate this theory of central heat. By referring to specimens on the table of the gigantic ferns, palms, and other vegetable and animal productions now limited to warmer climates, but found imbedded, not only in the rocks of our latitude, but within the polar regions, he pointed out the certainty of a material change in the temperature of this, compared with that of former ages. The lecturer next proceeded to direct the attention of his audience to a series of drawings on a large scale, representing the various gradations of animal life, from the saurian or lizard tribes to the winged monsters and singular quadrupeds, which geological investigation had brought to light. He then entered, at some length, into the anatomical and physical peculiarities of each of the fossil remains, explaining in detail the peculiar fitness of their apparently distorted and unnatural construction for the situation in which they were placed; which at the same time gave him an opportunity of shewing how strongly what might be termed the most trifling facts in science may be brought to bear upon other and more important points, and afford light and information upon distant and, at first sight, unconnected branches. The reverend gentleman, in conclusion, briefly recapitulated the hints he had thrown out respecting the probable structure of the globe; and from them inferred, on the joint authorities of revelation and science, its probable termination. From a tabular view of the appearances of nebulæ, or those misty forms which modern astronomical observations have so abundantly placed before the scientific world, he assumed that, under circumstances by no means improbable, a similar expansion of its material particles might await our own system. And then, quoting a variety of those striking passages from the scriptures, referring the end of all things to fiery irruptions and convulsions, by which all matter might pass from its solid to a fluid, and finally a gaseous state; when the elements might melt with fervent heat, the earth quaking and the heavens trembling, he anticipated that awful consummation of all things, when, amidst signs and wonders in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, the sublime language of the Apostle might be literally verified, and in a mysterious mantling of clouds Deity may return again for the final completion of his work.

MACCLESFIELD MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.

WE are happy to observe that the county of Chester has taken its place in the intellectual and moral progress so rapidly extending itself over the whole kingdom, and, we are convinced, with the fairest promise of success and benefit to all classes of the community. Macclesfield had the honour of setting the example, in the formation of a society for the acquirement of useful knowledge, in December, 1834; an example which was followed by the establishment of a Mechanics' Institution in Chester, in March, 1835. The former had, however, to struggle with difficulties, and contend with

VOL. IV. NO. XV.

I

prejudices, if not opposition, which, for a time, materially impeded its progress, and had well nigh stifled it in its birth. But there is every reason to believe that it will now maintain its ground, and insure that patronage and encouragement it so well deserves from all parties. The management of this Institution is vested in a committee of twenty persons, one half honorary members, and the other half members belonging to the working classes; and the object is to instruct the latter in the principles of the arts they practice, and in other branches of useful knowledge: all party politics and controversial theology being strictly prohibited.

The committee of managers examine the candidates for admission, and they allow no individual to become a member that "does not, at the least, bear a good, steady, sober, moral character;" and each member, on being enrolled, is required to sign a declaration, solemnly avowing that he "believes in the principles of Christianity."

Exclusive of its official managers, the Institution consists of nearly one hundred members, with every appearance of an increase. A house was engaged and fitted up for the society, early in 1835; but it is already found to be on much too limited a scale for the accommodation of the members, and the committee are taking measures for procuring a building sufficiently large to admit of reading, class, and lecture rooms, on a considerably larger scale. Only two lectures have hitherto been delivered: one by Dr. Lardner, in December, on Steam, chiefly with reference to its locomotive powers; and another by the Rev. Edward Stanley, rector of Alderley, one of the vice-presidents, in the latter end of January, on Geology and Fossil Natural History. Both lectures excited considerable interest, and were very respectably attended. A professional lecturer has since been engaged to give a regular course on chemistry, and various other subjects connected with art and science. The attention of the members to their mental improvement may be collected by the following enumeration of the numbers who have sought instruction:-arithmetic, 68 members; grammar, 46; drawing, 41; geography, 12; chemistry, 11. Many of the members attending two, three, or more, of the above classes. The individuals who have thus, with so much credit to themselves, devoted their leisure hours to the cultivation of their minds, instead of giving themselves up to the degrading pursuits which vice and sensual indulgences hold out, are entitled to the highest commendation; and the advantages they are deriving from this excellent establishment-in the formation of which they were in a great degree instrumental-will no doubt induce many others to follow their example.-Both in Macclesfield and Chester, Temperance Societies have been established, with equal success and benefit. We allude to this point for the purpose of throwing out a hint as to the mutual advantages these societies would, in all places, derive by co-operative union. The objects of both may be said to be similar-reformation implying improvement, and improvement reformation. By a community of interests, the funds of each might be rendered more extensively useful. Tempe

rance 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 occasional 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 ATHENÆUM.

A public meeting took place at Manchester in October last, for the purpose of establishing an Institution combining the several attractions of an extensive reading-room, news-room, and library. To these advantages it was proposed to add a theatre for the delivery 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 improvement, 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 literature and science, anxious to promote the mental cultivation of young men engaged in commercial and other pursuits, and to withdraw them from those snares and temptations which unfortunately abound in all large communities. The intelligent and public-spirited merchants and manufacturers of Manchester, of all 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 afterwards subscribed. Although much confined for space, we cannot resist making a few brief extracts from the admirable address delivered 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 Athenæum, 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 Athenæum 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

mining to pursue, in the spirit of cordial union and co-operation, those objects only that are calculated to bind men together, and to still the warring elements of interest and passion into peace.'

The Honourable Poulett Thomson, and Lord Francis Egerton have likewise transmitted liberal donations: the latter states, in his letter, that he "considers this Institution of a class which he should hope to see very generally established in the towns and districts of the country which can afford the means of supporting them; for he is confident that were the means exist, the expediency of that establishment must be coexistent."

A committee, composed of individuals of different shades in political sentiments, was appointed to select newspapers, periodicals, and books, adapted to the taste of the subscribers; and in three weeks after the directors were impowered to commence their operations for opening the library and news-room, "the Athenæum rose into sudden and permanent existence, like one of those tall luxuriant palms of southern climates, which fix their roots firmly in the ground, and then spring up rapidly to spread abroad the refreshing shade of their branches, and to increase the comfort and the happiness of all around them."

The greatest care has been taken in selecting such works for the library, (which already consists of 3,000 volumes), as are calculated to be perused with advantage by the members. In alluding to the introduction of the classics and foreign literature, it is observed

"It will be a source of pleasure to the directors to introduce these works into the library, if the subscribers should wish to follow out within these walls the classical pursuits of their early youth, or the more important study of the French, German, and Italian languages. When the dry introduction to the ancient languages is once mastered, there are many rich and rare gems to be found in the dark evergreen groves of Athenian and Roman literature, many brief sententious precepts and descriptions of high actions and high passions, which will be remembered amidst the busy scenes of the world, and will afford a solace and a support, far inferior, indeed, to the animating and glowing words of the Holy Scriptures, but still valuable at times even in the practical affairs of life. But may not many of the other boasted advantages of classical learning, the power of literary criticism, and the knowledge of the grammatical niceties of language, be derived more easily and more profitably from the study of French, German, or Italian? To commercial men in Manchester, as their trade extends with the continent, a knowledge of these living languages is daily becoming more indispensable."

The address then alludes to the vast and rapid improvements which have taken place in Lancashire-to the facility for transmitting passengers and merchandize by means of rail-roads and canals, which now intersect the country-to the gigantic increase, during the last fifty years, of the cotton trade, at the present time annually exporting manufactured goods to the amount of £33,000,000, forty times greater than in 1785, and employing, in Manchester and its neighbourhood, a population of 300,000—a state of prosperity attributable to the original inventions of that eminent individual Mr. Watt, whose literary acquirements and amiability of character is thus descanted upon

·

Mr. Watt was not only minutely and extensively skilled in chemistry and the mechanical arts, but also curiously learned in many branches of antiquity, metaphysics, medicine, and etymology; and perfectly at home in all. the details of architecture, music, and law. He was well acquainted, too, with most of the modern languages, and familiar with their most recent literature; and with all these vast acquisitions of knowledge, no man could be more social in his spirit, less assuming or fastidious in his manners, or more kind and indulgent towards all who approached him. He had in his character the utmost abhorrence of all sorts of forwardness, parade, and pretension; and there was a finer expression of reposing strength and mild selfpossession in his manner than his friends ever recollected to have met with in any other person. Shall we then subscribe to place the statue of this great benefactor of the commercial world within our town, and not endeavour to imitate his virtues? Shall we gaze with admiration on his image, and not fix his noble example in our hearts? Whatever,' says Dr. Johnson, withdraws us from the power of our senses, whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future, predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings.' With this end in view, history and biography are given to young commercial men, that they may learn to dwell with pleasure on those characters which are most distinguished for their intelligence, the excellence of their lives, and the permanent good they have actually effected among their own neighbours, and in their own land. In this enlightened age, the temple of fame has opened wide her gates to the rising generation of commercial men. Already they possess the bold, active, vigorous spirit, which is formed by the jostling competition of the world; but the steep before them is still rough and toilsome; they can only progress by slow degrees; and the dazzling rewards of scientific discovery and literary distinction will probably fall to the lot of few among the numerous aspirants who crowd the portals. Fortunately for the advancement of society, the pursuits of science and literature have their own intrinsic pleasures, their own ennobling rewards. 'Is it nothing,' said Mr. Roscoe, that science has opened our eyes to the magnificent works of creation? That she has accompanied us through the starry heavens? Descended with us to the depths of the ocean? Pierced the solid rock? Called in review before us the immense tribes of animal and vegetable life; and from every part of the immense panorama of nature has derived an infinite source of the most exalted pleasure, and the truest knowledge ? Is it nothing that she has opened to our contemplation the wonderful system of the moral world? Has analyzed and explained to us the nature and qualities of our own intellect? Defined the proper boundaries of human knowledge? Investigated and ascertained the rules of moral conduct, and the duties and obligations of society? Whatever is wise, beneficent, or useful in government, in jurisprudence, and political economy, is the result of her constant and indefatigable exertions-exertions which always increase with the magnitude of the object to be attained. And literature has also departments of her own, the variety and importance of which need only to be stated to be universally acknowledged. It is to her that we are indebted for the record of the institutions and transactions of past ages. Those lights and land-marks which enable us to steer with greater confidence through the difficulties that may yet surround us. It is she who has embodied and preserved in immortal language those splendid productions of fancy and imagination, which for so many centuries have been the delight and the glory of the human race; and it is still her peculiar province 'to catch the manners, living, as they rise,' and to hand down to future ages the true form, and features, and characteristic traits, of the present day.'

6

"Such are the objects, such are the advantages, of literature and science; and there are not wanting many individuals in this town to whom these objects and advantages are already familiar. Henceforward they will be inseparably united in the Manchester Athenæum, with the enterprising vigorous spirit of commercial life. Like the three graces of antiquity, these three fair sisters, science, commerce, and literature, will mutually assist and sup