Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-03-01

of imparting knowledge but by beating pupils. Illus
bands OF decent station ashamed 10 beat then
wives. The impacablity of hostile faction such
we can scarcely conceive. y hgs disposed 10
because Stafford suffered 10 die without seeing
his bowels burned before his face. As little mercy was
shown BY the populace sufferers Of humber rank II
an offender was put into the pllIy. il well he es
capped with life from the shower Of brick bats and paving
stones Ii he was tied 10 the carts tail the crowd press
ing around him mplorei the hangman to give it ii the
fellow well. and make HIM howl Gentlemen arranged
parties Of pleasure to Brdewell days fr tie
purpose OF seeing the wTeched who beat hemp
there whipped. man pressed 10 death for refusing to
plead, woman burned for coming excited less sympa
thy than is felt for gallant horse OF driven
OK. Fights, compared with which boxing match is
refined and humane spectacle, were among the tavorte
DIVERSIONS OF large part of the Town. Nultndes as
sembed 10 gladators hack each other pieces with
deadly weapons, aud shouted with delight when Of
the conbaants lost finger eye. The prisons
hes on earth OF every crime and of every dis
ease. AT the asszeS the lean and yellow cupnts brought
with them from their cells to The docks atmosphere Of
stencil and peSence which sometimes avenged them sig
naIly ON bench, bar and jury But on all this misery
society looked with profound indifference. Nowhere
could be found that sensitive and restless compassion
which has IN our time, extended powerful protection
10 the factory child to the HlHdoo widow the negro
slave which prizes into the and casks of
ry emGInt ship which Winces at every lash laid on the
back OF drunken soldier which viii suffer The thief
In the hulks 10 be i'll led worked and which has
repeatedly endeavored to save the life Of The
derer Ii IS true That cUInpaSSun like all other feelings
ought 10 be under the government Of and has for
want Of such government. produced ridiculous and
some deploraDe effects But the more Study the
mails OF the past The more shall rejlce thai we live
IN mcrcliul age IN an age IN which cruelty abhored
and IN which pain, when deserved. is Inflicted
ucantly and from of duty Every class, doubt
less has gained largely by this great moral chang but
the class which has gained Tie poorest the most
dependents. and the deienceless.
HE general effect OF the evidence which has been sub
mltted to the reader seems hardly admit OF doubt vet
in spite of evidence, many still image themselves the
England OF the otuarIs pleasant country than
the England IN which we live
1t may al first strange that society, while con-
stantly moving forward with eager speed should be con-
stantly looking back with tender regret. But these
popenStles Inconsistent as they may appear, easily
be resolved into the same principle. Boh spring from
our Impotence OF The state in which actually are
That Impaence while it stimulates surpass pre-
ceedng generations disposes uverrae their happi-
ness. ii is,In sense unreasonable and une raefu
US 10 be constantly discontinued with condition which
constantly improving Bat, in TRUTH there is constant
improvement precisely because there is constant dscon
tent. If we We're p;etectly satisfied with the present
should cease TO conlrlve To labor and to with
view to the furtue. And it IS natural thai, being dssa
lSfied with the present, we should form too favorable
estimate Of the past.
In truth, we under deception similar TO tina
which nlsleads the traveller in the Arabian desert
Beneath the all is dry and bare but fa in advance
and far in the is the scmbance Of refreshing waters
The pilgrims hasten forward, and find nothing but sand
where hour before, they had seen lake; they
their eyes, and see lake where hour before, they
were tOIllng through sand.
! similar illusion seems to haunt nations through
every Stage Of the long progress Of poverty and barbarsu
to the highest degree Of opuence and civilization But
resUutely chase the mirage backward we shall fin
II Tecede beiuIe the regions of fabulous anliqul
ty.
II is now the fashion to place the Golden Age Of Eng
land In times when nObemen destitute Of comforts
the want Of which would be inoIerace modern foot
man;when farmers and shopkeepers breakf4sed oaye
the very sight Of which would raise riot IN a noden
wOrkhouse; hen died faster in the purest c,untr
air than they die in the most peslientia lanes
towns; and when died faster in the lanes of gu
towns Than they now die on the Of Guinea. w
too SHALL IN our turn be outstrpped, and III b
envled.
1t may well be, in the twentieth century, that Ill
peasant Of DJrsetshire may think himself mserahy pa
with fifteen shlilngs week that the carpenter at Green
may be as little used to dine without ~ they nov
to eat rye Bread that sanitary police and medical dis
cOvereS may have added several years the aver
age length of human life; that numerous c,murts an
luAnrleS which are ROW unknown, confined to few
may be within the reach OF every dlllgent and thrift
working man. And yet 1t may then be the mode as
that the increase Of wealth and the progress Of scenc
have benefited the few al the expense of the many
to talk Of the reign Of Queen Victoria as the time whe
England was truly merry England; when all class
were bound together by brothery sympathy; when til
rich dId not grind the faces of the poor, and when til
poor did not envy the splendor otthe rch.-.uacauey