Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-11-19
John Quincy Adams Lecture at the Ly-
last evening".

tioh, last evening, Win an audience OF the nigheU
respeetability to hear the Introductory lecture OF
the New York Lyesum Society, delivered by John
Quincy Adams. There was at least $500 persons
present. and numbers left the doors unable Il obtain
admitianee.
Previous to the lecture, DIR. Griscom read an ad-
dress descriptive of the past and present state and
the future prospects of the society, and then intro
duced Mr.. Adams to the audience The " oil man
eloquent" looked remarkably well, and but for the
singular marks ofage around the eyes, did not lock
over 50 years age.
In oommen cling the lecture, he did not des ignate
Thy any distinctive title; bat it may be not inapt-
ly termed discourse on ''The Primitive State of
Man, and his Progressive Improvement in Civiliza-
ton
MIR. Adams said
Ladies and Gentlemen-Al history necessarily
refers to the existence and condition of man. An
history necessarily refers to the succession Of time
and IN the created universe man is the only being
known to man to whom the succession OF time is an
object Of perception In the lefty vault of air, in
this congregated ball. in the stars ia their rise and
fall, in all the visible wonders Of the universe,
far as the human senses can be stretched, we per-
ceive mass Of inert matter.
The fixed stars and tie planets, reasoning from
analogy, are all inhabited worlds; and in all there
| may be one or more beings, composed of mind and
mat err On this earth there is only one, and that
one is man TO him belongs the succession of time.
The laws Of self preservation and proc belong
to the brute creation; the one Is dali called into
exercise by the necessity existing for supplying the
wants ofnature, and the other by the stimulus of the
animal passions. But, besides these powers, which
also felt and exerted to greater or lesser de-
gree in every age and state Of society," there
are other and higher impulses constantly operating
upon and influencing his actions, and he yields to
is led by these, SO he advances in various grades
of civilization
When we turn with reflective mind to the natu.
raj and political history Of our species, we cannot
fail to be struck with the influence which the social
condition of man exerts on his progress towards
| civilization and refinement. All animated nature
| is gregarous alone can be social. The beasts
of the fields and Of the forests are drawn together
in herds, by the instinct of nature the fowls OF
the air in focks the fishes of the sea in shoals
| and the insect tribe sooner teen into life from
their chrysalis than they people the sunbeams in
| swarms
This propensity Of the animal and insect tribe,
and of the myriads Of earth's living things 20
gregate in multudss together, is Instituted by an
all wise and all bene6cent Ruler of nature, beyond
question for wise, but TO us, yet mysterious par-
poses. 1t is different from taat instinct which
prompts and produces the sexual union 1t is neither
necessary TO the existence Of the individual the
continuance Of the species. There is no accession
of strength gained by these gregarious movements
the pigeon surrounded by riads OF others is jus.
as defenceless in solitude from the alons Of the
hawk. There are, however, few instances, eyagge-
rated undoubtedly by human wonder, where some
animals are found associated in a state Of common
union for the purpose Of common labor in the
case of the beaver and the ant these unite for
ual progress in labor, but not for progressive i'm
provement. They exercise powers untaught by
civilization, and no vivified by mind than the
tendrils of the vine clingng to the branches fer pro-
lection, or the ivy encircling the oak.
What causes animals to congregAte together, is
no doubt different from that which causes man to
cengrcgate together. OF all created beings, man
comes into the world the most helpless. Abandoned
but for few hours after his birth, his existence
would soon be Terminated. The feeling of parental
affection is common to as TO all animals but as
adapted to him, is totally different from that which
is exercised in the brute creation With the brutes
tceaes as soon as the ofspring is capable Of prov-
ding for and taking ofItself with it ceases
only with life; and in its influence upcn the success
sive periods OF mis- life, il forms the stone
Of civil society. In society alone the natural
and intellectual faculties If man b, developed
A solitary human being loses every principle of
action but that of self.Preservation. Speech can
only be developed by being taught or learnt from
others. Speech 10 the instrument Of reason; speech
is the vehicle Of intelligence and is only acquired
by communion with others AID it is used only in
communion to others.
There are four different modes, in the divers re-
gions and in the divers ages of the earth, in which
men have been associated together
lst-The Hunters state,
2d-The Shepherds state,
3d-Tbe Tiller's OF the earth
4h-The Civilized, or the Inhabting Of the Cities.
These have progressed in this order. The han
ter's state is that in which human association was
first formed. At the disper sion Of mankind, which
succeeded the building Of Babel, in folks wisg the
impulses Of nature, being like man would natural
10 supply his wants. The first want that Of food
for his subsistence the next is clothing to meet
the variety Of the seasons; and third, hahitaton.
For these the hunting condition could very zeffec-
tuslly provide.
We are told in Scripture that, after the fall Of
man God sent him forth from the gars en- Of Eden to
till the ground the ground TO be cursed fer his
sake; and in the sweat Of his face he TO eat his
bread Since then, the earth has ed TO prodace
spontaneously, for the existence Of man The bread
by which he is destined TO live only be drawn
fro 49, .a~sk L. A
of his face In the hunting state there was tillins
oftn ground; the forest dell, and wood, and gle n
were the only field Of mans exerions, his only par
suit was the wild game. To the hunter belonged no
habitaion for as soon "a one region depopula-
ted, he had to seek another; his tribes celd
be numerous. The charm Of human life in this state
was individual independence; the only charm OF
the society OF the hunters state was tkat the
were consregated in tribes for protestion and not
Tor welfare. The destruction of beasts, and OF
man, was the only pursuit Of those in this savage
OF violent activity and demoralisihg Incidence.
The second state is the pastoral state This fol. |
lowed the discovery Of man, that the beasts Of the
field might be tanned to his will; that by the use
much laber and mach peril The hrst Of the AMI |
mails thus tanned, were the ball and the ram these |
were the chief by these man bred multitudos sf |
their species, which served him in various WAYS;
they supplied him with food by their flesh ard their
milk; they supplied him with rsi'nent by means &C
their fleece; and they supplied him with habita,icn
from their hide for the skins Of beasts then formed
the dwellings ofthc greater portion Of mankind -
But the moment man became shepherd the forest
ceased TO be his abode. Hisdweling, howe ver was
not as yet permanently fixed for as fast the herb
in one spot was consumed, he had TO remove to
another; he pitched his tent bat for time, and DIV cit
in tabernacle in the presence Of his bretbfes.
Thus the pastoral state became the foundation ef
all civilized society, and tne ram and the bull be-
the first distinct constellation figured forth by
his imagination in the sky. In this pastoral state
was that multitudes eopeentered together, and
strengthened the ties Of human society. A full
supply Of food, and q comparative life % ease,
and quiet, AID tenderness, and love, and ahee-
continuance II our species, and which form the
best portion Of the kAPPiness Of man. In this
state woman ceases TO be the slave that she was 10
he uuts - ho<. Shcs~ N