The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-16

African race in Hayi is wholly incapable Of carry
ing out any Of the principles Of civilization to any
Practical and useful end, and il will be necessary
for the Ang o-Saxon race 10 step IN upon the soil
before can hope for any renovation of that COM
mercial prosperity which formerly distinguished
it. Men may fight against the order of nature, but
it will be to little purpose.
PUBLIC LECTURES The practice of delivering
lectures first originated in colleges and universe
ties, where the professors communicated the result
of their studies in science and literature to their
pupils, in the form of lectures In the course Of
time, however, it gradually passed from the halls
of the alma mater, and is now universally adopted
as a convenient method of conveying knowledge
and information 10 the great bulk of the people
Public lectures, when selected with discretion and
conducted with ability, are unquestionably accom-
panied with beneficial results to society in general
They offer advantages which otherwise could not
be easily enjoyed. They are a source of instruc-
ton and Internationally distribute intelligence
and enlightenment throughout the community;
and by doing so, conduce not only to elevate the
position of society, but ultimately to promote the
prosperity and welfare of the country. The subjects
of these lectures are generally of interesting and
varied character-s0metimes they consist in treat
ing OF the arts and sciences, of the improve
ments, discoveries and inventions of the age
sometimes they are selected from the field of
morality and religiOn-sometimes from past and
present history; and they unfrcqacntiy descend
into the arena of political controversy Critical dis
sertations upon the lives and actions of distn-
guished men, both in literature and statesmanship-
historical and geographical descriptions of coun-
tries, together with accounts Of the habits and pc
culiares Of the people, and host of other inter-
esting points of knowledge, are occasionally en-
ployed by the lecturer, subjects Of instruction
and information for the public Stretching, as
they do, such a vast field of scientific
research and investigation, these lectures offer
no common and nsig niicant advantages to the
great mass of the people, whose avocat0ns
and daily pursuits inevitably prevent them from
devoting a portion of their time to the study
of such interesting and useful branches OF
knowledge. BY attending these lectures, there
fore, the public derive great deal of valuable
Information, and if they do not obtain a complete
and accurate knowledge, they at least acquire a
general idea Of the subject expounded to them, and
OF which, until then, they were utterly ignorant;
and hence it is that the custom practice of giving
popular lectures, provided they are handled with
tact and ebility, should b. regarded as enc of the
sources Of public enlightenment and instruction, and
such should by all means be encoura aged and
supported.
Such being the nature, and such the immediate
object of all public lectures, let US now see with
what degree of talent they have been conducted
and with what success they have been attended
this sometime back. First of ali, with regard to
the manner mode in which they are treated. there
has sprung up within some years past, in this State
generally, but more especially in this city, which,
being the metropolis of the western world has be-
cSme the favorite resort and vast receptacle of all
kinds OF travellers-there has sprung up system
which may, with all propriety, be called an time
rant system Of lectures. They are of transitory
character, and are only calculated to attract public
attention for moment, without imparting any real
knowledge. The object Of these tinerant indivI-
duals, who are continually wandering about,
and lecture sometimes in this, and sometimes
in another city, is not so much a desire TO
instruct the public as to extract few dollars
rom their pockets. They are frequently mere
charlaisns, who are only half educated, and en-
iirey Incompetent to perform the task they so pre-
sumptuously impose upon themselves. Their lee
lures often consist in nothing than in an accu
mutation offacts, copied and compiled from books
without any reference to their nature, to the rela-
ons they bear 10 another, TO the operation of
the causes by which they have been produced. With
such character, added to such culpable ignorance
and incompetency, how can il be expected tina
their miserable compilations will meet with any
satisfactory degree ofsuccessl The idea 10 prepos
ferrous. The public may, at first, attend their lec-
tures; but they very soon discover that they have
been duped, and find tina, they can obtain a
great teal more aAd better information from books,
at far cheaper rate, than by paying the prices OF
admission to these discourses. Hence it Is that
popular lectures have completely fallen into disre-
pute; and that even those which are delivered by
men a usauestionable talent and ability cannot
now command a respectable audience. In speak
ing 81 this iiinersnt system Of public lectures, Of
course we do not mean TO include every lecturer
in the same category. There are unquestionably
some who are thoroughly educated, who are pos
sessed OF high literary attainments, and who de-
serve to be heard. But these are few indeed, in |
comparison TO the number Of those who impose \
upon the community, and whose object consists in /
maintenance.
During the winter season, we have had great /
many lecturers who disceursed upon subjects Of /
en- almost endless variety. We have had lectures |
on the social life Of SIR Thomas More, on bibli-
cal astronomy; on the decline Of Protestantism; on
the Jesuiis; on the crusades; the ventilation
and heating Of public buildings; on Italy; on
Java; on China; on Cranmer; on the Huguenots
and religious liberty; on the structure Of the eye:
on the process Of digestion; the American mind;
on the progress Of the age; on the Rochester
knockipgs; on spiritual rspPings; on mesmerism;
and a host 81 other subjects, Of every hue and
The greater part Of the lectures which 1
have been delivered during this season. have proved
to be unsuccessful. We have attended some OF \
them, and have frequently found that the audi
diences ranged from twelve to twenty in number.
The reason of this signal failure Is ONLY to be
found in the prevailing itinerARt - stem Of occurring
How can it be expected that the public will pairoa-