The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-11
On Loafers-By Professor Patton.

Last Tuesday evening, Rev. William Patton, Of
Hartford. Conn, delivered of the series of the
peoples lectures, in Broadway Tabernacle. Subject
1.-THE natural history Of that numerous class Of BIZ
pcds 'yclept loafers."
He promised his discourse by saying that, aftcr
the lectures delivered before lyceums and institutes
for tho last twenty years, numerous the leaves Of
the forest in autumn, and sometimes as dry, it is
somewhat difficult to find novel subject History,
geography, astronomy, geology, Shakespeare, the
Crusades, Oliver Cromwell, Bonaparte, and all other
subjects are exhausted in lectures. Genius has been
described and philosophical on the Anglo-Saxons
have been traced back to q nude pair who lived a
long time ago. in a garden in Asia revolutions
have been descanted on and our own country lauded
and glorifed Our Union, too, has been saved from
total destruction, in five hundred speeches and lee
lures; and the age has been historically and phrenolo
gically examined. Where, then, should he find a
topic? Natural history opens wide its portals, Civ
ing great variety Of subjects to the lecturer: in
stead Of wandering with poets and transcendcntal-
lists, youth proceeds now on tour of observation in
astronomy or geology but what subject in natural
history should he adopt He would select some
thing as close to ourselves as possible He would
select the genuS homo, in the class Of Mammalia
He had higher duty to perform than the classical
tion Of races and families by skulls. hair, or skin; but
he would investigate the distinct habits Of the species
He proposed therefore, to discuss very remarkable
and extensive species Of the genus homo, called
being pure Anglo Saxon-it was supposed to be de-
rived from the German dufen (o run). If the
statement of peculiarties common to this genus be
rightly apprehendcd, there would be difficulty of
recognizing the species in any country The raiment
has in reality nothing to do with loafcrsm than
brass collar round dog sneck signifies what breed
he is. The two reliable marks are in disposition
and in life. A feature of the loaers character is
unwillingncss to work he loves idleness, and would
vastly prefer that others should support him; hc
would wonderfully enjoy Eden, where fruits grew
without cultivation, and he would have nothing to
do but enjoy himself. The probability is, ii he
could have directed his own creation, he would
have had himself made vegetable, not animal,
ard that he should be planted in deep soil. 1t is
thought. indeed, that laziness is the true original
sin depravity Of the human race. 1t is said that
there is caudatcd in Africa, whs have
rudimental tail few inches long, but they
must not on that account be brought down to
the level Of the monkey The second popularity
scendental philosopher, believing in the beauty
Of life ger SC. 1t sufices that he lives, that
he has in himself the sublime fact ofexstence These
two traits will identify the species wherever you
meet it. AS wherever through the world you would
see the upstretched ears and the descending tail,
and hear the bray, you would recognise the donkey,
10 matter whether starved or well fed, 20 can the
loafer be recognized either in rags or broadcloth.
He adapts himselfto the most contradictory circum-
stances of wealth and poverty, ignorance and cduca
ton. 1t is through ignorance of this that natural
philosophers do not always caegorzc in the species
luOse nave right 10 place IN the class.
The lecturer then proceeded to analyze and exhibit
very wittily the various characters of oafers-the
youthful and adult vulgar oafer; the musical oafer
who is generally brawny Swiss or Italian; the
fashionable loaier, very exquisite end highly
finished Variety the wealthy and retired loafcr; the
military and naval loaier, who may be termed the
loafer in uniform (the army and navy nurseries
of oaferism, and the greatest blessing would result
from the general and contemporaneous disarmament
of the armies and navies of all natons) tho political
loafer great variety i'll this favored land-not the
statesman. but tho adventurcr on the Of politics
Congress Is the Paradise of such loaiers; the ars
tocratic oafer variety principally found in the old
world. and existing not by the grace but the pa
thence Of God and the suferance Of the people.
In this country there is no perfect speci-
men Of this variety though there were some
approaches to il in the South, where society is COM
posed Of workers, and those who own them The lat
ter are the arstocratc loaers somewhat resembling
the European species. Sustained applause, COM
mingled with Kisses from al parts OF the house)
The last species of oalers. which he could not pass
by, were the ecclesiastical loafer'-a variety pecu-
]iar to the church. Their numbers increased i'll pro-
portion to the poverty Of the people, till in Italy they
numbered one tenth Of the population. In bringing
his lecture TO close, he would warn his bearers
against the fundamental principle Of loaferism-un
Willingness to work. Labor is never vile its evils
great end of life be secured only by taxing our
energies, manual or Intellectual Be street sweeper,
be asoaycnger, if need be, but do not be a oafer,
vulgar or musical, fashionable or wealthy, ecclc.
siastical or military. God never made an ider; that
was The creation of the devil.
" Life Is not an idle ore,
Brit iron dug from central gloom
And heated hot with burning tcaTs.
Aud battered with the shocks Of DOOM,
To shape and use.N