Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-12-17
Professor Bancroft's Lecture at the Tabs y
Haele, on Universal History.

Professor Bancrsft's Lecture at the Tabsr-
| Haele, on Universal History.
Last evening was wet, cold, and snowy, dirty and
sloppy under foot and witha excessively disagree
able; yet, time before the appointed hour, the
body ofthe Table was filed with a highly
| spectacle audience, TO hear Professor Bancrofts
lecture; and large number also in the gallery
The Lecture was " the Idea Of a Universal His
tory"
MIR. Bancroft is gentleman Of the middle age and
middle size; thin, dark complexioned, with sharp
features, and wears spectacles His style Of speak
ing is earnest, and slightly impassisned; he has
sharp, angular tone of voics which is not, by any
raeans, well moda!ated; but his manner is So tho
roughly devoid that besetting SIN Of most lecur-
ers-conceit and afectaticp, (twin children of inn
pidence and ignorance, and has such broad stamp
of sincerity and research, intelligence and truth,
impressed thereon, that it carries conviction to all
The lecture was not read from manuscript, but de-
livercd apparently extempore.
He said:-Ladics and Gentlemen, l have been re-
quested by the gentlemen connected with this nsti-
tuition, who preferred mo the honour Of addressing
you this evening, to speak upon the Idea e forming
Universal History. To speak Of the uses Of his
tory is broad theme but shall limit it to single
~
Universal History, embracing the fortunes and the
destinies ofth whole human race.
In this view Of the subject, do not mean mere
ly the abstract or aggregate histories o: individual
nations; de net mean the mere keeping up
uected train Of striking erents relating to eminent
individuals Of various nations and OF all ages OF tie
world. But the subject involves the higher more
important and noble enquiry as to whether the real
| true Of he rare VIII he
progression towards the development Of Abe i'm
mortal faculties, and the perfection of tha human
race-whether these points Of view, the Idea has
been dis covered that guide the htstorika in de
veloping the true universal history of the human
family.
Look at the records Of bGrbsrous tnan in past ACES
filled with warfare aad the destruction OF his spc-
cies There is no history there. History implies
devclopment-a change from ignorance 10 know
| ledge, and a progressive advancement OF the rea-
soning faculties &C man.
TWAS beautiful idea Of an cid writer, that vir-
tue never cond be overwhelmed; but that, like the
fountain Of Are;hsss, If suppressed in ons SPOT, il
would gush forth anew in another. And has there
not been constant increase cf the virtues eveloped
iRrhe human race Z IL suppressed in one spot, or
one period, they have bgrst forth brighter and
stronger in another. And these tend to tue unity
and to define the end and object OF the existence Of
| the human
But it will be said, ass this possible Is there
| such a tendency IA the hi4tsry Of man - Look
abroad into the natural world. Do yoa not reeog.
nize order and design and general laws which r. GU
late and determine the movements Of phys cal exis
tsnee7 DO not these general laws pervade moral
life also We are proud OF liboriy-of the
freedom Of our will. And yet, take thu. vast city
4 1. =. "a 80
whether he shall come 20 rket or rot 7 And yet
its 3ooses inhabitants are daily supplied IN their
every want What appears more free than the ara.
LITIGATION Of the affections Aud yet the statistical
writers, with their p,les Of figures will define 10
you the laws and rEies which regulate the all c.
tions and which coEtrol the routine Of marriages
and births in Europe and throughout the world.
What is more uncertain and beyond human control
than the duration of individual life And yet al
cuaticns are made IN relation TO the tern Of ess-
tenee Of the m0i;iirde in genera, n as mach
certainty as those Of any business eansse what
ever
We thus see that there are ain oyer.re,,
laws which oeu,rc tte will Of individuals; aud hal
| wenot bciievet the Sspreme Beng had orSiz' ned
immutabIo laws which costro the o. oa dessiaie.
of the whole human inily. ia sparrow cannot die
without tso Intervention Of Prs,ideacs; IL one hair
cannot fsH TO the ground without vt5rs,n, through
creation II not certain that Col raidcs the uhole
family by his decrees, and leads the tn to one csaad
! result
To every individual sie object Of Gi. existence i.
the full de.sloPsment " the poweEsae pessenos-
The ana,omist when he examines tsn hunas fts me
80 that Of an mails seeks the uses Of each meni or
fer IL is an u.errns law IT indictios that all have
their uses; s.d so all msr have power, TO be DIESEL
| N.s.-
prr cipal ons&dcration Of mankind 10 the deveIsp
men Of that rsason which lifts them above all OF =
ward creation; which lifts khem above the world vi
the s.sses to tho world wh,sh i, unseea
The power tosrrive at the truth is She comma.
sit Of humanity and lie cut on Stom the upi
versal iahertanoc. Truth loves the lisat Of day -
Away with the <fe fable ths truth lies hid in the
bottom q well. Truth is NO TO be f.. ad in th,
dark places of the Earth Trsd love, not the hole,
and corners Of creation Truth Is a soea .piri. :
Truth loves to gsps.l and mix nthe innocent sport,
Of ehildhoosi Tratk Is stamped upon the broad
brisLt brow at the uaxuied youth rising iao man
God, Truth beams most beautifully in the virair
blush of the maiden, Truth walks over the fasrow,
bv the side of the ploughnrn, Truth tolls daily in
| the worn shop Of the artr,nl Truth is the stead,
support Of the laborer' Truth rests her head a
night sereaey upon the broad bosom OF Humanity, =
| (Cheers.)
But still none can cultivate aH truth none csp
grasp IL aH Thus see the reason that perfe ctio'
cannot be reached ia the indi vidual we can rsscl
IL only in the race-in successive agss Individual
are not free from errsr; but error is doomed 10 bu
4 transient existence. II soon passes away II j,
not an individual or age that oaa omsnsipste Of
free huns nifty from error. Those who live in al
age csnnot discern the errors q that age. Like
cloud. the outlines only can be dscernod at DIS
lance We must seek perfection not in the indi
A-S6rzsl bat IN lhs race. lHere thers vas ncch APP