Midland Institute.—­Suggestions of some such an institution, to take the place of the defunct Mechanics’, had several time appeared in print, but nothing definite was done in the matter until the subject was discussed (June 4, 1852) over the dinner table of Mr. Arthur Ryland.  Practical shape being given to the ideas then advanced, a town’s meeting on Dec. 3, 1853, sanctioned the grant by the Council of the land necessary for the erection of a proper building, and an Act of Incorporation was obtained in the following Parliamentiry session.  In December 1854, Charles Dickens gave three readings in the Town Hall, in behalf of the building fund, whereby L227 13s. 9d. was realised, the donations then amounting to L8,467.  The foundation stone was laid by Prince Albert, on Nov. 22, 1855, and the contract for the first part of the building given to Messrs. Branston and Gwyther for L12,000.  The lecture theatre was opened Oct. 13, 1857, when addresses were delivered by Lord Brougham, Lord Russell, and Lord Stanley, the latter delivering the prizes to the students who had attended the classes, which were first started in October, 1854, at the Philosophical Institute.  In 1859, the portrait of David Cox was presented to the Institute, forming the first contribution to the Fine Art Gallery, which was built on portion of the land originally given to the Institute, the whole of the buildings being designed by Mr. E.M.  Barry.  The amount subscribed to the building fund was about L18,000, and the coat, including furniture and apparatus more than L16,000.  Great extension has been made since then, on the Paradise Street side, and many thousands spent on the enlargement, branch classes bring also held at several of the Board Schools to relieve the pressure on the Institute.  In 1864, the members of the Institute numbered 660, and the students 880, with an income of L998; in January, 1874, there were 1,591 members, 733 family ticket holders. 2,172 students, and an income of L2,580.  At the end of 1833, the number of annual subscribers was 1,900, and lecture ticket-holders 838.  In the Industrial Department there were 4,334 students; the Archaeological Section numbered 226 members, and the musical Section 183. 108 students attended the Laws of Health classes, 220 the Ladies classes, and 36 the classes for preparation for matriculation.  The benefits derived from the establishment of the Midland Institute, and the amount of useful, practical, and scientific knowledge disseminated by means of its classes among the intelligent working men of the town and the rising generation, is incalculable.  These classes, many of which are open at the low fee of 1d., and some others specially for females, now include the whole of the following subjects:—­English language and literature, English history, French, German, Latin, Greek, and Spanish, algebra, geometry, mensuration, trignometry, and arithmetic, music, drawing, writing, English grammar, and composition, botany,