Welsh Journals

fat JtatMg Jmnpl OF THE NEWPORT ATHENiEM & MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. The Institute was Established in 1841, for the diffusion of Useful Knowledge amongst its Members ; and was admitted into union with the Society of Arts, Ibth of August, 1852. Vol. 1—No. 10. OCTOBER, 1864. Gratis to Members. NEWPORT, OCTOBER 1, 1864. It is commonly the case with popular Institu¬ tions, properly so called, that their Directors are expected to tread in the well-worn track beaten out by their predecessors. A certain routine programme is drawn out year by year, and as strictly as possible adhered to. New members become indoctrinated with the habit, and the great object of all is to see that the tra¬ ditions of the past are not departed from, but observed with good faith and completeness. It would almost seem amusing to refer to the " traditions " of Institutions^ whose records go no further back than some twenty five years; but men of the world, and thinkers, will realize the truth of the expression. In these times, when great events are passingly alluded to to¬ day and forgotten to-morrow, or at furthest served up with the 'latest intelligence" by the weekly newspapers, an Association of twenty years standing may have its " traditions." To¬ day the building is bright and new, brick-walls, freestone front, and very imposing. Who shall say what it may be twenty years hence ? The erstwhile attractive structure will perhaps hide itself under the shadow of some heavy ware¬ house, hall, or mansion, and factory smoke, per¬ chance obscure the white freestone with a a dingy coat So with all things; as with the building, so with the man, the machine, the newspaper : and if this be so, we may well say that Institutions like men, who regulate their actions by the musty past, regulate those actions by their traditions. Well, the traditions of the Newport Athenaeum taught that it was- a good thing to give the working-man, and all others who chose to pay for it, plenty of liter¬ ature, plenty ol good lectures, good music, and good entertainments; and to cultivate better and higher tastes, by the thousand modes open to those who combine to secure those desiderata. So good and wise a tradition was this, that it only remained for the present generation, as it will for the next, to bear these objects in view, and make it their study simply to improve the mode of carrying them out. Passing over the period anterior to the establishment of this Journal, we may deal briefly with the opera¬ tions of the Newport Athenaeum and Mecha¬ nics' Institute since that time. Beginning with New Year's day, this year, the Directors gave this publication to the members, and it proved an appropriate inauguration of the stirring sea¬ son that was to follow. With a happy boldness that would perhaps have horrified the first 'Committee of Management, the Directors es¬ chewing a "penny wise and pound foolish" policy, swept away several Entertainments of the cheap and inferior class which were for¬ merly in vogue, and in their place secured some of the best talent Of the day, at a heavy outlay. As an experiment, it would undoubtedly have " paid" the Institution, to have lost a few pounds on the balance-sheet of their season's programme ; but even as " fortune favours the brave," so did the public appreciate the spirit shown by the Directors, and the result was a not inconsiderable profit. So much for the past season. What shall we say for the future ? We will offer no comment, but simply leave the following programme to speak for itself, believing that such names as are there retained need no remark at our hands. There will, first, be a lecture by our genial friend the Kev. J. W. Lance; then an Elocutionary Enter¬ tainment by the Elocution and Discussion Class; next we have the Rev. J. C. M. Bellew for two nights—the Mr. Bellew whose words transport the hearer to the scenes they pourtray. Mr. Basil Young, the "truly inimitable Basil Young " will next demand our attention, and Mr. George Dawson, whose eloquence never falters, swells the list. Walter Rowton will