Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-04-07
Viye la Humbug

before the encrOacuments OF ulssituuiatiOH
science is hustled out of the arena en-
piricism impudently seeks to sway the
sceptre of authority over the popular mind;
and solid worth and reliable skill are dis
oarded for plausible novelties and unknown
but fattering adventures. They who are
troubled with fewest scruples, and can pull
wool over the eyes of credulous COM
munity with the greatest adroitness, seem
most likely, as a general thing, to become
lords of the ascendant, and reap full
harvest of peeuniary emoluments. And
if their triumph is sometimes short, they
find ample compensation on this score, in
larger rewards than are generally realized
by the honest industry of life time.
But people love to be humbugged and
will greedily swallow any pill, however
noxious, if it is only blessed with sugar
coat, aud presents tempting appearance.
The popular belief in the maxim Man
never as but always to be blest is so
strong, that marvellousness is continually
sent out wool gathering, and sober judg
ment and common sense kept locked up
at home, when they should be keeping
watch and ward at the portals. So rksome
does the beaten track and measured tread
of real life become, that imaginary bless
ings are sought after with feyerish eager
ness, and every clumsily disguised emissary
of Satan that presents himself is greeted
with cordial welcome, and with or with
out credentials is hailed with undoutting
confidence as a commissioned angel OF
/ light. Blinded by their own credulity,
their mental vision fails to pierce the thin
veil Of hypocricy, and discover in some
cases, what was apparent from the first to
the most casual glance of judges Of human
nature-the ignorance and chicanery and
fraud, lurking in ambush beneath. Or,
again, responding with the alacrity of be-
traycd self love to fulsome adulation,
sycophantic and servile-heedlessl mis-
taking the glitter and gloss of inflated pre-
tension for the genuine metal happily
unconscious Of the substratum of innate
and irredeemable vulgarity which may
chance to enter largely into the compound
How else could it be possible for one ad-
venturer after another to warm himself
into the confidence and purses of the com
munity, and after brief sojourn, quietly
retire from the field flushed with victory
and spoils, and leaving nothing but ,peedi
/ ly-dissolving bubbles as mementoes of his
visit One noisome vulture scarcely lost
sight of in the distance, before another
appears in the horizon, fastening to the
scene Of action from no one knows where
and guided by no one knows what instinct,
but always sure of t-hold and wei
come, provided he does not approach from
the same point of the compass, or present
the same identical aspect Of his predeces
sor,2 How else, for Illustration, could it
be possible for self-evident quack, and
ignorant and reckless dealer in herbs and
nostrums, sheltered only by veil of
hypocricy thinner than the gauze of a
model artist a stranger at public hotel,
without references or single acquaintance,
to succeed by self-laudation, glozing words.
words of fa;tery, and the loud prayers of
the Phsrisee, in gaining the confidence of
hundreds, and in few months acquiring
heavy practice at Ugh charges, from far
and near; getting credit freely in quarters
and to amounts that reputable citizens
might in vain aspire to ; running up heavy
bills and procuring large endorsements, As
well as obtaining speculative prices for
imaginary services, and then departing in
broad day light, with ample funds and
handsome equipage, to explore the YER
dancy Of some other part of the United
States, without a suspicion being excited
in the minds of his victims that he was
not the man of wealth and character he
professed to be? Verify, if the world is
not fond of humbug, how does it come
that it swallows such monstrous doses with
such wonderful complacency, and with an
appetite that seems well nigh Unsuitable?
1t might naturally be supposed that a
few such lessons would leave moral that
would not pass unheeded. But in the
face of the homely proverb "a burnt
child breads the fire." we confidently ven
turc the conjecture that twelve month I
will not elapse, before some similar giraffe /
will attempt to show up as big an ele-
phant, of somewhat different complexion
perhaps, and will be equally successful.
So, stick pin there.
CnDING V,J IJ(,TTONvC