degenerate　into　machines　themselves；　but；　on　the　contrary；　they
  should　assert　their　common　origin　from　their　Creator；　at　the　hands
  of　those　who　are　responsible　and　thinking　men。　　There　is；　indeed；
  no　difference　in　the　main　with　respect　to　the　dangers　of　ignorance
  and　the　advantages　of　knowledge　between　those　who　hold　different
  opinions　…　for　it　is　to　be　observed；　that　those　who　are　most
  distrustful　of　the　advantages　of　education；　are　always　the　first　to
  exclaim　against　the　results　of　ignorance。　　This　fact　was　pleasantly
  illustrated　on　the　railway；　as　I　came　here。　　In　the　same　carriage
  with　me　there　sat　an　ancient　gentleman　（I　feel　no　delicacy　in
  alluding　to　him；　for　I　know　that　he　is　not　in　the　room；　having　got
  out　far　short　of　Birmingham）；　who　expressed　himself　most　mournfully
  as　to　the　ruinous　effects　and　rapid　spread　of　railways；　and　was
  most　pathetic　upon　the　virtues　of　the　slow…going　old　stage　coaches。
  Now　I；　entertaining　some　little　lingering　kindness　for　the　road；
  made　shift　to　express　my　concurrence　with　the　old　gentleman's
  opinion；　without　any　great　compromise　of　principle。　　Well；　we　got
  on　tolerably　comfortably　together；　and　when　the　engine；　with　a
  frightful　screech；　dived　into　some　dark　abyss；　like　some　strange
  aquatic　monster；　the　old　gentleman　said　it　would　never　do；　and　I
  agreed　with　him。　　When　it　parted　from　each　successive　station；　with
  a　shock　and　a　shriek　as　if　it　had　had　a　double…tooth　drawn；　the　old
  gentleman　shook　his　head；　and　I　shook　mine。　　When　he　burst　forth
  against　such　new…fangled　notions；　and　said　no　good　could　come　of
  them；　I　did　not　contest　the　point。　　But　I　found　that　when　the　speed
  of　the　engine　was　abated；　or　there　was　a　prolonged　stay　at　any
  station；　up　the　old　gentleman　was　at　arms；　and　his　watch　was
  instantly　out　of　his　pocket；　denouncing　the　slowness　of　our
  progress。　　Now　I　could　not　help　comparing　this　old　gentleman　to
  that　ingenious　class　of　persons　who　are　in　the　constant　habit　of
  declaiming　against　the　vices　and　crimes　of　society；　and　at　the　same
  time　are　the　first　and　foremost　to　assert　that　vice　and　crime　have
  not　their　common　origin　in　ignorance　and　discontent。
  The　good　work；　however；　in　spite　of　all　political　and　party
  differences；　has　been　well　begun；　we　are　all　interested　in　it；　it
  is　advancing；　and　cannot　be　stopped　by　any　opposition；　although　it
  may　be　retarded　in　this　place　or　in　that；　by　the　indifference　of
  the　middle　classes；　with　whom　its　successful　progress　chiefly
  rests。　　Of　this　success　I　cannot　entertain　a　doubt；　for　whenever
  the　working　classes　have　enjoyed　an　opportunity　of　effectually
  rebutting　accusations　which　falsehood　or　thoughtlessness　have
  brought　against　them；　they　always　avail　themselves　of　it；　and　show
  themselves　in　their　true　characters；　and　it　was　this　which　made　the
  damage　done　to　a　single　picture　in　the　National　Gallery　of　London；
  by　some　poor　lunatic　or　cripple；　a　mere　matter　of　newspaper
  notoriety　and　wonder　for　some　few　days。　　This；　then；　establishes　a
  fact　evident　to　the　meanest　comprehension　…　that　any　given　number
  of　thousands　of　individuals；　in　the　humblest　walks　of　life　in　this
  country；　can　pass　through　the　national　galleries　or　museums　in
  seasons　of　holiday…making；　without　damaging；　in　the　slightest
  degree；　those　choice　and　valuable　collections。　　I　do　not　myself
  believe　that　the　working　classes　ever　were　the　wanton　or
  mischievous　persons　they　were　so　often　and　so　long　represented　to
  be；　but　I　rather　incline　to　the　opinion　that　some　men　take　it　into
  their　heads　to　lay　it　down　as　a　matter　of　fact；　without　being
  particular　about　the　premises；　and　that　the　idle　and　the
  prejudiced；　not　wishing　to　have　the　trouble　of　forming　opinions　for
  themselves；　take　it　for　granted　…　until　the　people　have　an
  opportunity　of　disproving　the　stigma　and　vindicating　themselves
  before　the　world。
  Now　this　assertion　is　well　illustrated　by　what　occurred　respecting
  an　equestrian　statue　in　the　metropolis；　with　respect　to　which　a
  legend　existed　that　the　sculptor　hanged　himself；　because　he　had
  neglected　to　put　a　girth　to　the　horse。　　This　story　was　currently
  believed　for　many　years；　until　it　was　inspected　for　altogether　a
  different　purpose；　and　it　was　found　to　have　had　a　girth　all　the
  time。
  But　surely　if；　as　is　stated；　the　people　are　ill…disposed　and
  mischievous；　that　is　the　best　reason　that　can　be　offered　for
  teaching　them　better；　and　if　they　are　not；　surely　that　is　a　reason
  for　giving　them　every　opportunity　of　vindicating　their　injured
  reputation；　and　no　better　opportunity　could　possibly　be　afforded
  than　that　of　associating　together　voluntarily　for　such　high
  purposes　as　it　is　proposed　to　carry　out　by　the　establishment　of　the
  Birmingham　Polytechnic　Institution。　　In　any　case　…　nay；　in　every
  case　…　if　we　would　reward　honesty；　if　we　would　hold　out
  encouragement　to　good；　if　we　would　eradicate　that　which　is　evil　or
  correct　that　which　is　bad；　education　…　comprehensive；　liberal
  education　…　is　the　one　thing　needful；　and　the　only　effective　end。
  If　I　might　apply　to　my　purpose；　and　turn　into　plain　prose　some
  words　of　Hamlet　…　not　with　reference　to　any　government　or　party
  （for　party　being；　for　the　most　part；　an　irrational　sort　of　thing；
  has　no　connexion　with　the　object　we　have　in　view）　…　if　I　might
  apply　those　words　to　education　as　Hamlet　applied　them　to　the　skull
  of　Yorick；　I　would　say　…　〃Now　hie　thee　to　the　council…chamber；　and
  tell　them；　though　they　lay　it　on　in　sounding　thoughts　and　learned
  words　an　inch　thick；　to　this　complexion　they　must　come　at　last。〃
  In　answer　to　a　vote　of　thanks；　Mr。　Dickens　said；　at　the　close　of
  the　meeting　…
  〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　we　are　now　quite　even　…　for　every　effect
  which　I　may　have　made　upon　you；　the　compliment　has　been　amply
  returned　to　me；　but　at　the　same　time　I　am　as　little　disposed　to　say
  to　you；　'go　and　sin　no　more；'　as　I　am　to　promise　for　myself　that　'I
  will　never　do　so　again。'　　So　long　as　I　can　make　you　laugh　and　cry；
  I　will；　and　you　will　readily　believe　me；　when　I　tell　you；　you
  cannot　do　too　much　on　your　parts　to　show　that　we　are　still　cordial
  and　loving　friends。　　To　you；　ladies　of　the　Institution；　I　am　deeply
  and　especially　indebted。　　I　sometimes　＇POINTING　TO　THE　WORD　'BOZ'
  IN　FRONT　OF　THE　GREAT　GALLERY＇　think　there　is　some　small　quantity
  of　magic　in　that　very　short　name；　and　that　it　must　consist　in　its
  containing　as　many　letters　as　the　three　graces；　and　they；　every　one
  of　them；　being　of　your　fair　sisterhood。
  A　story　is　told　of　an　eastern　potentate　of　modern　times；　who；　for
  an　eastern　potentate；　was　a　tolerably　good　man；　sometimes
  bowstringing　his　dependants　indiscriminately　in　his　moments　of
  anger；　but　burying　them　in　great　splendour　in　his　moments　of
  penitence；　that　whenever　intelligence　was　brought　him　of　a　new　plot
  or　turbulent　conspiracy；　his　first　inquiry　was；　'Who　is　she？'
  meaning　that　a　woman　was　at　the　bottom。　　Now；　in　my　small　way；　I
  differ　from　that　potentate；　for　when　there　is　any　good　to　be
  attained；　the　services　of　any　ministering　angel　required；　my　first
  inquiry　is；　'Where　is　she？'　and　the　answer　invariably　is；　'Here。'
  Proud　and　happy　am　I　indeed　to　thank　you　for　your　generosity　…
  'A　thousand　times；　good　night；
  A　thousand　times　the　worse　to　want　your　light。'
  SPEECH：　　GARDENERS　AND　GARDENING。　　LONDON；　JUNE　14；　1852。
  ＇The　Ninth　Anniversary　Dinner　of　the　Gardeners'　Benevolent
  Institution　was　held　on　the　above　date　at　the　London　Tavern。　　The
  company　numbered　more　than　150。　　The　dessert　was　worthy　of　the
  occasion；　and　an　admirable　effect　was　produced　by　a　profuse　display
  of　natural　flowers　upon　the　tables　and　in　the　decoration　of　the
  room。　　The　chair　was　taken　by　Mr。　Charles　Dickens；　who；　in
  proposing　the　toast　of　the　evening；　spoke　as　follows：…＇
  FOR　three　times　three　years　the　Gardeners'　Benevolent　Institution
  has　been　stimulated　and　encouraged　by　meetings　such　as　this；　and　by
  three　times　three　cheers　we　will　urge　it　onward　in　its　prosperous
  career。　　＇THE　CHEERS　WERE　WARMLY　GIVEN。＇
  Occupying　the　post　I　now　do；　I　feel　something　like　a　counsel　for
  the　plaintiff　with　nobody　on　the　other　side；　but　even　if　I　had　been
  placed　in　that　position　ninety　times　nine；　it　would　still　be　my
  duty　to　state　a　few　facts　from　the　very　short　brief　with　which　I
  have　been　provided。
  This　Institution　was　founded　in　the　year　1838。　　During　the　first
  five　years　of　its　existence；　it　was　not　particularly　robust；　and
  seemed　to　have　been　placed　in　rather　a　shaded　position；　receiving
  somewhat　more　than　its　needful　allowance　of　cold　water。　　In　1843　it
  was　removed　into　a　more　favourable　position；　and　grafted　on　a
  nobler　stock；　and　it　has　now　borne　fruit；　and　become　such　a
  vigorous　tree　that　at　present　thirty…five　old　people　daily　sit
  within　the　shelter　of　its　branches；　and　all　the　pensioners　upon　the
  list　have　been　veritable　gardeners；　or　the　wives　of　gardeners。　　It
  is　managed　by　gardeners；　and　it　has　u