The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-11-01
Lioniziug.

1t is expected that Kozsta will soon come
to America, and it can scarcely be Supposed
that fhe opportunity will be missed by the
people Of the Northern cities of indulging
their peculiar passion for Iionizing celebri
ties The fact OF celebrity is the claim which
is neve made in vain upon the cockneys of
the large American towns. Merit as great as
the world has ever seen, need not put on q
mask to escape attention in our huge hives
of humanity. Let it only show its own hon
est ard manly face. and no one viii know it
or care for it. Genius of the most exalted
order, if it's powers have not yet been recog-
niSed by the great world Virtue, the most
pure, lofty and dieinterested; Patriotism, as
brave, unselfsh, and devoted rs that of
George Washington-migh appear upon our
shores without eliciting single testimonial
of public or private admiration. But let No
toriety appear. and the cities open their gates
and pour forth their crowds to welcome and
worshipit Who does not recollect the ahject
and nauseating homage which WAS paid to
Dickens, Lord Morpeth, and host OF other
titled and untitled celebrities, and last Of all,
to Kossuth? OF this man, they made almost
u god; and in q month afterwards, there were
none so roor as do him reverence" They
neither knew nor cared whether Kossuth
was or was not man Of real merit. II was
enough for them that they had an opportunity
of exhibiting q live lion in the streets Of N.
York, and it was supreme felicity to dangle at
his tail. Kossuth, although q great orator
and great man, was himself deceived by
this splendid pageantry and idolatrous MN
worship.
When he looked upon the great, swelling
tide of humanity which rolled and h.aved
and roarod from ono end of Broadway to the
other; WHEN ne saw the windows of every
house filed with multitudes of ladies. show
ering bright chances and beautiful smiles up
On the Hungarian hero; when the huzzas of
the vast multitude rang like the stormy voice
of many waters III his ears, he thought this
was q genuine and overwhelming demonstra-
ton in favor ofthe independence of his native
land. Never was there more perfect delu-
sion. Not one individual in fifty thousand OF
that crowd had ever read half page Of the
history Of Hungary, or would have contribu
ted the value of continental dime to deliv-
er him or any of his people from the bottom
less Dit. Not one in o hundred thousand en-
tertained as much disinterested regard for
Kossuth himself as would have made the
smallest imaginable sac ifice to save him from
political and personal perdition. Kossuth
might go now through the same streets where
he once passed under triumphst arches. and
received moro than E honore OF Roman
conuueror, and he would not command as
much attention as Il prominent member CT the
Empire Club. Not one man In broadway
would turn to look back at him, and not one
woman would peep from the windows at
him. And whyf Not because there IS less
sympathy felt by those people for Hungary
or Kossuth, but because he has answered
their purposes. He is as much OF lion az
ever. but he is lion whom they have seen,
whom they have followed, whom they have
heard roar hundred times, and whom they
are tired Of The citizen of New York Ii mad
to see the hippopotamus, or the sea serpent
or anv Of BariIums collection 0f genuine and
manufactured prodigiee, when it appears for
the first time, but they do not walt even tor
nine days to Expire, before they give Mr.
Barnum the opportunity to show his curioSi-
ties To an audience composed exclusively OF
his country friends. So it is with foreign CO
Ieb,ities. While the novelty lasts, the lion
who hss lust landed is king OF the heaets in
Nev York; but, let him not await the arrival
of 4be next steamer. Ii may bring over an
other lion, with shaggier manc, tercer eye
n louder rear and q longer tail
The foreign celebrities, who receive in cur
LARGE cities 60 many demonstrations OF excts-
siye servi.ify and obseqliousness, sometimes
imagine that real reverencet for their character
and social position lies at the foundation OF
these exhibitions. The celebrities are naeh b
,o;.tak4n The eockneys love to HOMIE,
NOT m account OF the lion, bat for their
own satisfaction They are fond OF show aud
narod.. and, in erdsr 10 accomplish this OBJ
iect. it is a godsendifthey can press INTO Their
seryi,e lion. They ask no higher hunor
4ooct as snowman TO tbs nIsnarch Oh
The forest. They climb up b. his tail wh' Il
no IL in an atniable mood, in ,rder To exaii
their ,sitiou in so, i4ty. They feed him. even
when he snaps stvagely at ihe hand whieh
thrusts the meat between the bars OF bis cage
and they lilt up their children in th,!f arIas'
and tea, h them to look ut and 10 admire
real lion.
The vast, pruriens NAV OF New York
.oct ueydou,, ID now wide open to swallow