The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-03
CITY TOPICS.

II may seem q very huma.ng thing for Is oil
the South to acknowledge the superiority OF our
Yankee brethren to Us in any way, yet there are
certainly many things in the North and West which
we would do well to initiate. One OF them Is the
system of lecturing Ia the northern States and
10 most of the western States. every town. every
village. however humble. can boas. its lycenm or
public hsll, wherein at intervals the population
assemble to listen to discourses upon subjects lite
rary and otherwise of general interest. The lec'
turers may not be men Of marked ability, and may
not have many new things to say, but as rule
thew are ant 10 know more than do their audience,
and can generally impsrt certain amount OF IN
formation 10 their hearers These lectures are
attended by all classes, the poor as well as the
rich. The result of the system is that ayast
amount of information, both general and special, IS
disseminated, some of which, it is true, falls on
stony ground, bat some of which terminates and
bears fruit We have nothing Of this sort Ia the
sos,h. Occasionally some one man will attempt
lecturing tour, but the lislessness with which he
is everywhere greeted and the little interest which
he can excite, demonstrate to him speedily how
narrow is the field for his labors and how meagre
the results must be. The war did wonders for the
Southern people in teaching them what they could
do for themselves. Since then we have become
every day more and more self sustaining. Before
1861 no literary magazine succeeded South; now
1.-The Land We Love" is published, and there are.
we believe, two literary weeklies. Our farmers
have learned to make their own supplies instead
of buying them at Cincinnati and st. Louis. The
smoke from factories now rises from many q
Southern town to tell that we have been taught
that New England not the only climate favorable
to mechanical industry. And since the war schools
have multiplied. But We are still without that
system Of instruction to adults which is so neces-
sary and so useful, of which the lecturer is the
representative. There are many things worth the
knowing which our people could thus Learn. We
think that now is good time 70 inaugurate such
q system here. The year that has Just closed was
so gloomy a one IN every respect that men could
not be blamed for giving their every thought TO
the solution Of the problem how to live. But now
our prospects are brighter. The earth has yelled
her increase plentifullY. The pecuniary embar-
easements of last year are slowly being cleared
away. If we can believe what we hear from the
North, we will be let alone by Congress to work
out our own political salvation. Why then should
we not make this year of mental improvement,
as well as Of commercial prosperity? There Is a
pioneer here ready to take the first step in the
path. On Monday night, at Lyceum Hall, will be
given the first of a series of lectures on "The
True Philosophy of Man, or His Seven fold Ma
ture and Character" also, 1.-THE Minds Influence
on the Body in Health and Disease, philosophi'
cally considered" The course will embrace
twelve lectures on the sub ect, to be delivered
weekly. The first lecture free; admittsnce to the
rest fifty cents, to be devoted to the aid Of the
city library. The lecturer will be DR.. A. Crane,
gentleman of whom report speaks highly. We
advise full attendance at the first lecture. The
subject is ore of general interest. and proper
consideration of which would give much informa-
ton. We in no way youch for the lecture in al
vance, for we know nothing of what it will be
but we say to all our readers that they will proba
bly, be benefited by listening to It, and we there.
fore urge them 70 attend it.