Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-10-03
9ailg Iirainiau.
FOR THE yIRCINIAN.
Barbarian in tho United States.


The old Greeks and Romans were celebrated for
their enthusiastic admiration OF physical beauty,
anu their devotion to exercises that develop the
muscles aud give precision and suppleness 10 the
limbs. Tho Oympian and Pythan games were
not only exhibitions of strength and skill. where
marvellous ieats of agility were performed. but in
some respects, they calculated to elevate and
rehne the taste of the people. or late, there has
been manifested decided propensity to revive and
foster these physical exercises among the Ameri-
can people; and it is the wish of sensible, benev-
oient men to devise and promote recreations for
the masses that will add to the general stock of
'heerfulness and robust health. Superior skill in
manly pastlmes is at once high enjoyment and
desirable accomplishment. While it is eminent
ly proper to encourage gymnastic training and ath-
letic dcxterity within suitable bounds, yet there
are speciaces Of this nature. the demoraizing Of
tect OF which on the spectators it Is almost impos
sible to magnify. Those public exhibitions where
human life is rashly and wickedly put in peril
where men deliberately coquete, rs it were, with
horrible death, and behave with the utmost levi
ty on the brink of destruction--such scenes are
worthy of nll ubhorrence and cannot DO consured
too severely. One would naturally suppose. that
to see man risk life in fearful manner, would
on excite pain and terror. To DO l,lcdsurdby
affected certainly proves great coarseness ut organ
ization, and brutality of feeling.
These remai ks have been suggested by reading
ll' NuTI1us accounts VI lne uisEfucelul
mcnt extended to Monsieur Blnndn in the enlight-
ened State 1T NewYork. TO continue bis pcrilous
walking across the Niagara river On II tightrope.
Monsieur Blondins life is. perhaps. utterly worth
less. His tumbling into the boiling abyss Of the
river would b, an event of the very smallest con
scquencc-except to Monsieur Bondin. But such
performances, like public executions. excite the
spectators to the most inauspiclOus emotions.
They accustom the multitude to regard with cal
luusness, and treat with lightneSs and familiarity,
the "vcrpowerng mystery aud sanctty of human
htc. Where thercexlNs Il contempt of human life
there Is likely to exist contempt of social ties and
terucity of manncss. In savage societies the sa-
credness Of life is seldom recognized. The Turk
orders uif the head Of slave almost without seri
Gus thought. Reeklessncss, in this particular, is
one Of the snrest symptoms Of barharism.
As men grow civilized, human life grows sacred.
That thousands of civilizcd men and toomtH in
Christian community are found admiring, arplaud-
ing. and nlnging incense on this infatuated Quixo-
tie Frenchman. is fact sufficiently suggestive to
inspire thinking minds with solemn reflections as
to the future destiny of country. in II moral
point of view. Such rash exhibitions engendcr
and cultivate spirit Of cruelty hardness Of henrt
and nhumuniv. The savage bull ghts of Spain,
and the brutal cock pits of Havana are humane
ahd tender hearted rerreations in the comparison.
1t is the Inference in the value of the lie and sui.
icrings OF brute. and the life and suferu. of
human being. Let the all powerful Press. as the
enlightened guardian Of public morals and man
ners, express its earnest di-approIntion Of such
wicked and senscle-s sights. and vehementy re-
monstrate again.t this unparalleled tr1ng with hu
man life $. b. ii.