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The members of the Marylebone Literary and Scientific Institution assembled at the Lecture-room in Edward Street, Portman Square, on Wednesday evening. Lord Brougham, Patron of the Institution, was in the chair. After the business of the evening had been gone througia a vote of thanks to Lord Brougham for his patronage and services, was passed. rlis Lordship delivered along address in reply. The greater part of it consisted of a history of the origin of similar institutions in the Metropolis, and remarks upon the advantage arising from them to the higher as well as lower classes of society. The concluding obser- vations of Lord Brougham referred to some of his recent proceedings, and his secret services in promoting the diffusion of knowledge. We here quote the passage alluded to.
I have often been told that I went about voluntarily attending meetings of the public and that I was wrong in doing so. This is not the case. The story of my at- tending tending meetings voluntarily on my journey in Scotland is a positive fiction. I have attended but two of no: own accord,—one for the purpose of meeting my_friced Earl Grey, at Edinburgh; and the other to meet my friend Mr. Baunerman, aMbertleen. It has happened that in yahoo* towns the people have assembled, %hum I had serve5 by contributing to afford them the freedom of election, sad I could not refugia to acknowledge them, alien fatigue would have impelled me to decline ; but I have come here voluntarily to-day. and any man that pleases may it igmalize the uct as unworthy It was understood to be the business of is public man to meet the people sonietimea; but I have 'wen told that I have done so for self.glorifiration : but I will 6ay that, if have dotie some public service with my name, I have accomplished much morn privately, and iu a ulanuer that no one knows. in periods stolen from my professional avocations. Nur the thotiiandth port of what I hare written upon suljerts calculated to be of public benefit, is known or suyerted to be nine. WO 'Ken or twelve years ago. IL wrote courses of lectures which were theu delivered, and are now delivering, over the country, but which were anonymous; and the author was known but to one individual the person who directed their distribution. People may work in a good cause for the love of employ twat ; they may be actuated by enthusiasm; but it does not follow that the motive is a Hellish one. I merely state this in consequence of the allusion that has been made as to the espouse of lectures, and to show the possibility of my being abler to lecture anonymously. perhaps, for the nest twenty five years. This may be deemed to be fanaticism ; but I shall never mind what any man, or set of men, please to say of me: I shall just go on as usual, in the path I conceive to be the right, looking neither to the right nor to the left." [Lord Brougham does every thing. He wrote the King's Speech, the Address, the Amendment, and all the speeches on both sides in last week's debate. He prompts Mr. Hume, and advises Sir Robert Peel. He manages three daily and two weekly newspapers. He does all the Veraxes and Old Whigs, and is the Courier's Umbra. His was the famous article in the Edinburgh which enlightened the King, "who reigns in the hearts of his people," on the merits of Peel and the Duke as practical statesmen, and thus suggested the recal of the Tories to power.] At a meeting of the shareholders of the Thames Tunnel, held at the City of London Tavern on Tuesday, Mr. Hawes, the Chairman, communicated the fact that the late Government Lad placed in the hands of the Directors a sum sufficient, in the opinion of the engineer, to complete the tunnel. The Report of the Directors was read, stating that 247,000/. in Exchequer bills were to be advanced to the Company on the security of their property. Mr. Brunel's Report was read, and each gave great satisfaction. Mr. Bnmel had recommenced his opera- tions for completing the tunnel. That part which has been completed remains in a safe and secure state. Mr. Brunel expresses, in his Report, a perfect confidence that the tunnel will be completed without difficulty. The Reverend George Croly has been appointed to the living of St. Stephen's, Walbrook.
The congregation of St. Vedast, Forster Lane, have chosen the Reverend Mr. Meyers for their lecturer by a majority of 57 to 38 over Dr. Watson.
The Guildhall of Westminster, alias the Sessions-house, has been granted for the use of Election and other Committees, in compliance with an application from the House of Commons. There will thus be obtained five large Committee-rooms—the Court, the Grand Jury room, the Magistrates' dining-room, and two other rooms.
The twentieth half-yearly meeting of the City of London Literary and Scientific Institution, Aldersgate Street, was held on Wednesday evening. The chair was taken at eight o'clock, by W. G. Prescott, Esq. From the report of the proceedings of the last half-year, read by the Secretary, it appeared that the members had increased by 151 since last meeting : the present number is 857. The additions • made to the library have carried the number of volumes to nearly 6000. Lectures had been delivered upon the following subjects. Hydrostatics and Hydraulics, by Mr. Ileinming ; History of Super- stition, by Mr. Christmas ; Geology, by Mr. Finch; Thorough Bass, , by Mr. Valentine; the Study of the English Language, by Mr. ; Harris ; English Vocal Harmony, by Mr. E. Taylor ; Elocution, by Mr. Scare ; Medical Quackery, by Mr. Rymer Jones ; Zoology, by Dr. Grant; the Plays of Shakspeare, by Mr. Bridgman ; Architec- ture, by Mr. Wood; and Organic Chemistry, by Mr. Everitt. The classes for the study of language continued to be objects of great inte- rest; and in the French class especially the number of students had i very materially increased. The financial prospects of the Institution 0 are also very satisfactory; the income for the half-year amounting to 3 1088/. 15s. Id.; the expenditure to 735/. 12s. 3d.
It is intended immediately to widen the end of Newgate Street from Cheapside, so as to form a spacious carriage approach to the General Post- .F office. This is to be effected by pulling down two out of the three houses . which form the corner between Paternoster Row and the south-east side of Newgate Street, together with several other houses in the rear. The tenants have received notice to quit, and the materials of two of • the houses were sold a few days ago for pulling down.
Some attention has been drawn to the circumstance, in itself a very trivial one, of Mr. O'Connell having purchased such an interest in Bank Stock as will qualify him to take a part in the future meetings of the Proprietors. It is concluded that the learned gentleman, who has lately taken a deep interest in the banking affairs of Ireland, does not overlook the importance of placing himself in a position to watch over and take part in the proceedings of a corporation which has a direct influence on banking over the whole of the United Kingdom. Some occurrences since the last general Court, too well known to require specially adverting to, are thought likely to make the next meeting, which takes place in the course of the present month, an unusually im- portant one.— Times.
The Judges who presided at the Sessions at which the notorious Joseph Ady was convicted and sentenced to transportation, have re- commended that his punishment should be commuted to a term of imprisonment.
In the account of the trial in the Court of King's Bench of Mrs. Sargeaunt and two others for a conspiracy to swear falsely, which ap- peared in the Spectator of the '21st of February, Lieutenant Kitchener is called a defendant ; whereas he was only one of the witnesses. We regret to have committed this mistake, which was only pointed out to us this week.
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