Daily national Democrat., 1859-04-21
Barnum i'll the Old Country.

Under this heading, there appears in late
number of the Philadelphia Press, somewhat
lengthy article from which it would seem,
that the writer is pretty we'll posted in rela-
ton to the dongs ofBarnum, whom he shows
up as being the very Prince of humbugs
Barnum at the time of the publication of
his autobiography, was reputed milliona-
ire-the proprietor ofthe celebrated Museum
in New York city, and the much talked of
Iranistan. His first blunder appears to have
been in printing too many copies of his book
for the public to purchase. The next blum
der, was that of having it translated into
German, so that it might sell largely in Eu-
rope, az well as among the German popula-
ton of this country Lastly, according to the
writer, there was the blunder of making a
clean breast of it-showing the people how
absurdly they had been duped. We quote as
follows:
"a neat little illustration of humbug is
Barnum's getting paragraph into the En-
glish journals, saying that be had refused
twelve hundred pounds (S6,000), which Mr.
Routlege, the cheap book publisher of Lon
don, had offered him for his Lecture, to bring
out in book form. OF course, Mr.. Routlege
never made any such offer-but it was not
worth while for him to contradict it, so it
floats on the surface of the English press, and,
no doubt, is quiet advertisement.
That Mr.. Barnum really drew large houses
in London is fact. That his Lecture was
only very generally described is another
Perhaps, with his usual tact, he influenced
the reporters, and got them not to give the
marrow of his Lecture, and thereby destroy
its freshness. In provincial paper, how
ever, we find pretty full report, which gives
very adequate idea of what he said
AS regards the art of money making, Mr..
Barnum's exposition is not half so explicit as
that we find in a volume (just published by
Messrs. Lippincott, of this city, entitled "Op-
portunities for Industry and the Safe Invest
ment ofCapital or, A Thousand Chances to
Make Money This work, said to have been
written by a Retired Merchant, Ga thousand
times more honest than that notorious "retir-
ed physician whose sands of life" have so long
been running out really does show numerous
means of honestly making money, and expo
ses the mysteries of trade, commerce, and
speculation in very minute and thoroughly
pleasant as well as profitable manner"
The writer then goes on to say that Bar
mum explained to his English auditors how he
purchased the Museum from those to whom
it brought no revenue at all, and made it pay
by puffingit. How by this means, he was
able in one year, to pay off the purchase
money. How he kept an elephant to plough
field within sight of railway line, and how
the beast was in itself walking advertise
ment. How after this, he showed the autual
Fejee mermaid. Its like was never oeen.-
The writer closes as follows:
owe have here given an idea of Mr. Bar
NUNS lectures in England and our readers
can judge whether, for such raw material anv
publisher, not fit for Bedlam, could offer So
600. Yet he certainly draws good audiences,
though, with his usual tact, he does not
wholly rely upon himself In the country
cities and towns, between the first and sec
ond acts of his comedy, Hungarian musi-
clan, named Krasky Baschik played grand
fantasia on novel instrument made by him
self The Derby Reporter says: The silence
which preceded the commencement was stri-
king-not a movement or a whisper was
heard. The first low notes made by the
Hungarian artist resembled those of the ac-
Gordon but as they assembled, the quality of
sweet and rich. resembled the full lthroated
notes ofthe tniest of all woodland songsters.
The fantasia proceeded charmingly for awhile
We were filled with wonder at the skill and
execution of the performer on this unique in
strument, but were thoroughly perplexed to
account for the great variety of notes it pro-
duced, forit appeared to be only between two
and three inches long. 1t sung by turns
plaintively and sweety, merrily and loudly,
and all on sudden fell into a violent pas
sion, and for u time nothing could pacify it.
1t ragged most musically We had never
heard such melodious wrath at any of our
musical entertainments in Derby. When this
singularly beautiful fantasia terminated it
was succeeded by chorus of laundering ap.
plause Long, long did it continne."
The result was, as we learn, that "the Hun
garian musician carried off the greatest share
of the glory of the evening, Specialization
has little chance with soul inspiring music.
Mr.. Barnum's lecture was we'll received; but
the countryman of Kossuth enjoyed the tri
umph."