for the future of the arts, which were born with the birth of
civilisation and will only die with its death--what on this side of
things, the present time of strife and doubt and change is preparing
for the better time, when the change shall have come, the strife be
lulled, and the doubt cleared: this is a question, I say, which is
indeed weighty, and may well interest all thinking men.

Nay, so universally important is it, that I fear lest you should
think I am taking too much upon myself to speak to you on so weighty
a matter, nor should I have dared to do so, if I did not feel that I
am to-night only the mouthpiece of better men than myself; whose
hopes and fears I share; and that being so, I am the more emboldened
to speak out, if I can, my full mind on the subject, because I am in
a city where, if anywhere, men are not contented to live wholly for
themselves and the present, but have fully accepted the duty of
keeping their eyes open to whatever new is stirring, so that they
may help and be helped by any truth that there may be in it. Nor
can I forget, that, since you have done me the great honour of
choosing me for the President of your Society of Arts for the past
year, and of asking me to speak to you to-night, I should be doing
less than my duty if I did not, according to my lights, speak out
straightforwardly whatever seemed to me might be in a small degree
useful to you. Indeed, I think I am among friends, who may forgive
me if I speak rashly, but scarcely if I speak falsely.

The aim of your Society and School of Arts is, as I understand it,
to further those arts by education widely spread. A very great
object is that, and well worthy of the reputation of this great
city; but since Birmingham has also, I rejoice to know, a great
reputation for not allowing things to go about shamming life when