Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-09-20
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

S.os ,ba, every oas of you will carefully read
49, ,ruthfol, sensible remarks that follow
Tbsv will do you more good thao half doz-
- 1--we tales. If this intellectual food does
-, prove too hearty and strong 10 suit the
...,s Of our readers. we shall venture TO make
.drI further innovations on the fashion OF
,.uspapers, by publishing something occa.
.ioually on the first page, besides silly roman
-. and ridiculous love stories, written by the
,.cnc.a-liners for the corrupt presses OF the
,hv. TO sa,iaie morbid appetite which those
,,ssses themselves are by this very means
constantly creating all over the United States.
READ AND REFLECT.
.r,oxrRy DECEPTION AND HuMBue OF THE AGE.
The character of the Age in which
we live is a subject TO US of considera-
ble interest and importance. Every
ace has some lines of demarcation,
some peculiar traits which mark its
disslmilarity from all others. But in
many points we see sameness oil
character. continuing for CENTURIES
Even in circumstances that at first
glance are apparently disagreeing, we
find no originality or change. This
is mos. true Of the different kinds of
nopular delusion. In some form or
other it is ever existent. Could we
look beneath its various masks, we
should see the same spirit and the same
countenance.
Every age has its hobby and hum
bug--iis seven-days wonder--;ts week
OF witchcraft- popular delusion--
lis reign of quackery. The Charatan
and Empiric--the false prophet-the
miracle worker--in what age of the
world has not history recorded their
false and arrogant pretensions; aye,
full as wonderful and fully as much
believed by credulous public, as at
the present day.
Imposters have ever practiced their
decets witches have rode the air on
broomstcks; prophets have ever been
brawling the end Of the world; reli-
gous enthusiasts building up fanatcal
sects: the sick have been miraculously
cured; and the self-pufing quack has
promised an eternity ofyouth and Wig
or TO mankind.
The history of the past is strewn
with the ashes of departed delusions.
In a flew wears time we see them spring
up, bud, blossom and decay. Ours has
been the day of Grahamism, of Nor
monsm, of Millerism, Of Come-outer-
ism, of Thomsonianism, Of Animal
Magnetism, and Empricism in many
shapes. But the Grahamite has left
his sawdust and sand: the Mormon has
lost his Prophet; the Millerite has not
floated upwards in his robes of white,
but still with the wickid treads on
terra frma; the Mesmeriser has put
the world to sleep upon theme but
in their downfall, quackery and folly,
deceit and superstition have not ceased
to exist. Charlatanry has P.o!ean
countcnance; exploded to-day, it comes
out with new face tomorrow.
The arrogant pretender, has always
feasted on the credulity Of the world.
The multitude are dazzled by show
and barefaced presumption and gaudy
trappings; but Virtue, Truth and Mer-
it, make no use ofthese. Vice is ever
bedeckcd with glittering robes and al
Turing. baubles. Falsehood and pre-
sumption ever sound their own brazen
trumpets. The Quack boasts his mir
raculous cures, and the Imposter wraps
his mystery about him. But Virtue
in her virgin robes shuns the gaze OF
the world. Truth receives the hum
BILE worshiper at her pure and humble
shrine. Merit waits for her hour of
triumph. nor forces her claims abroad.
To Judge by the noise, the superb
cial observer would suppose that Vice
and Quackery were lords in the tri-
umphant: that Humbug was the order
Of the day; that imposture had millions
of followers. The Age has all these.
1t has many evils and many errors,
many folles and absurds.ies. They
NAV not be so extensive or so pro-
found as may be imagined. The fur
face of the ocean is ruffled by every
passing breeze, while its depths re-
main still and undisturbed. The igno-
rant, trifling and unrehecting, are
moved by every wind Of doctrine /;
the weak and thoughtless float upon
the popular current.
1t is too true, that if anything is said
on this subject, the cry of interest and