The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-10
Eehtos or the Tight Kope.

The satirist Of human nature would have
found ample scope for his cynical medltations
could he but have been present at the extra
ordinary exhibitions which, for the past three
or four days, our usually impassive city has
afforded. A crowd estimated at not less than
10000 persons Of all ages, sexes, sizes and
colors," according to the public prints, block
ing up the streets and sidewalks, to gaze for
hours upon the performances Of a man with @
balancing pole upon wire stretched some fifty
feet above their heads, is certainly spectacle
caculated to arouse some wonder and not a
little curious reflection. To tho question.
''What went they out for to see ?" can any ade-
quate answer be given? What is the principle
underlying the popular passion for excitements
Of this sort? We are in the habit of telling
ourselves, and tor the most part of believing
the assertion, that this nineteenth century is
infinitely more civilized. moro refined and en-.
ightened than any previous age of humanity.
The dogma fits in with what we conceive to he
law OF being and the natural order of things.
and is undoubtedly, on the face Of it. plans.
ible hypothesis. But if civilization means
anything, it must mean civilization OF the
inner and not solely Of the outer man. If re-
hnoment and enlightenment moan ANYTHING.
n.
tive-principlo Of humanity, not simply an I'M
provement in the method OF manifestation.
Otherwise, we are ut once involved in the old
antagonism between seeming and being, and
the most perfectly to assume the virtues which
we least possess will become at onca the tess
Of progress.
The bull fights aud gladiatoral conflicts OF
the past have gcaerally been admitted to point
arrf l.1e.- 4
tho apoloaist for the spectator Of Professor
Bonds performances point out the precise line
or demarcat tlon between the characteristics of
the ancient and the modern exhibitions ? The
interest Of the former hinged on the fact of
the deadly peril Of the combatants. Beautiful
women, with lips apart and bated breath.
watched thrust and counter-thrust, attack.
feint and retreat, and when the catastrophe
came, which camc SO of1en, soon learned 10
check unwomanly tremors, and, even in later
days, TO- turn down the fatal thumb. On what
does the interest OF Professor Bonds gymnas-
tics turn2 Simply and solely on the fact that
only hairs breadth divides him from hor
rible death. If this be doubted, apply a prac-
tical test. Let Professor Bond lower his rope
to within ten feet OF the ground and cover the
stones below with sawdust. Will he get his
crowd OF 10,0OOa Will he get 1060p Will he
get 100? No one pretends to suppose that he
will. The fascination is gone. If he falls he
VIII not be hurt. But" say our apclo-ists.
I'VE have confidence in him; we are convinced
that he willnot fall" Mighty power OF faith
IN one Of whom. q week ago, no one in Charles.
ton had ever heardl Surely sceptics must be
mistaken in supposing that human nature
hnds 1t SO hard to accept the marvellous.
The simple fact is, that the whole affair ia an
example OF nental intoxication; Of that fatal
impulse towards unnatural excitement whose
prevalence among a people is one OF the surest
signs OF popular decentralization. The best
thing Professor Bond can do to please the
thousands who flock to his daily exhibitions.
would be to fail and break his neck. Not one
OF those who have gazed spell-bound upon his
exploits but would forever regret being absent
from such catastrophe. Meanwhile, thor
ougnfares must be rendered impossible, traffic
must be suspended, and the world in general
must f'stand agaze like Joshuas moon in
Ajalon." to allow this pleasant eA '@,ment Of
being ST bruUe Gvpc la Denu d,n,.tr,,, tN