The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-12

HE GREAT CITY CIVILIZkil-Nn have h6Ar1
for many years great deal OF utter nonsense
sbcus the civilization Of the nineteenth cen
fury. snd have found the facts 30 entirely op-
posed to the theories OF the philosophers, whs
foDdiy think that everything is going we'll, b.
cause they are walking about the world Win
their eyes tbut ard so cannot see anything
wrong, that We bad pretty nearly lost our fAita
In tie "progress Of the age" 30 far Us toe
diminution of crimes against society is con-
cerned. The tact of the matter ia, that crime Of
all kinds has been steadily increasing in the
metropolis, notwithstanding the efforts of the
Tract Society, the parsons ana philau.bropisx
generally. The religious world hoped 70 pa
rify the body polite with good, strong doses Of
theological blue pill So, rs the city progressed
ia wealth, the fine churches multiplied. Dives
came down literally, and splendid religions
edifices were erected n fashionable locsiitas
White mari BILE and brown stone toos toe place
of the red bricks Of old time, the light Of uss
ven shope on the faithful through rose
tinted windows, the parsons drowsy nam wac
borne through an atmosphere redoieSb Vi
Paris perfumes, the genius OF the csbiues-
maker ana upholsterer was taxed TO its aincss
TO devise rare aud curious psttefas for iss
sacred furniture, the Bibles, hymn and prayer
books we're resplendent In Turkey morocco
and gold, the pe~ cushions were luxurious ~
road TO heaven was built on q down grade, AID
| through champagne country
But notwithstanding all this-not outstanding
the fact that we paid the parsons twice as ma ID
a. before, and consequently shey were in da,y
bound to rave double the former number II
souls things have grown no better very fast
| We still hear of murders, midnigh. assaliss,
rowdy brawls among the lower classes, and Al
occasional dsialeston higher ia the SOFIA,
scale On the one hand the poorer classes are
deworaiized by drink, by being crowded into
holes in which no gentleman would put hi4
DOG, by being shut out from the light OF
Heaven, and deprived Of the pure air God's
free gift to sl-and on the other, the struggle TO
place, position, and, above all, money, oress
down all the safeguards of moral prissile,
and sends the victim hesdlong into the yyss
| Of crime.
In this state Of things We look aboy for
| new civizer, something to refine sndAevAte
all classes, the rich and the poor alike ard We
dud 1t In the Central Park. That spls6'd
public work. nov just beginning to inooA'e
the full glory Of its future, Is working silent
| revolution among us--a revolution o wnicn
| the merely superficial observer can ave NO
idea. The work Ii an art monume< In itself
Its broad roads, tasteful bridges delightful
promenades, delicious views, m,Se up aa en-
senNe not to be equalled in the world. On
fine sunday the Park il graz church, where
tens Of thousands Of the ov<worked popais-
tion Of the metropolis assemble to worship the
Deity through the sinceres form Of sdorAtiou,
homage to the besutihi In Its grandest de-
velopement Here we may see all classes Of
society represented, sDphases Of city life typi-
0ed; but there il nc invidieus distinction.
Liberty, equality and fraternity reign There
II no rowdy Ism, no Hshting, NO misconduct OF
any kind There Is cheerful gayety, the prAss's
of children, the silver laughter OF women, the
merry shout of the young man, and the self
satisfied chuckls of the veteran The eye rests
on the nineteenth century shepherdssses aud
modern cavaliers, moving dgures In splendid
landscape which the pencil Of Claude or
Vatican would have loved to paint The
senses are soothed, the heart delighted. and
the man, woman or child leaves the Park vita
thousand sweet regrets and the conscious
ness Of having been made better and purer BY
it's Influences. Decidedly the true city civilizr
ia the Central Park
1