Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-25
The Element OF Horror.
EXTENT OF THE HUMAN TASTE FOR STARTLING SEN.
SATIoNS.

sATIoNs.
From the London Globe
Pre- icherS OF Sweetness and light" are always
intoxicating "a love FOR the beautiful" but there is
another love which needs no encouragement In the
average mankind. love OF the horrible. 1t is Gu.
r1ous how universal is thus taste. A display, not
Of strength or agility, but OF an aeronautical
feat which might have resulted in q terrible
aceiden,, attracts 10000 people 70 the Alexandra
palace TO witness Z. oIesSOr Baldwin's descent
.roin a balloon by means OF parachute. Rope
waking at perilous neigntS, wild beast tanning,
ali similarly dangerous exhibitions are as atlrac-
1--WE now ~ nlnet~enth-century crowd as were
the gladiator conflicts TO the citiZrnS OF ancient
Rome. The Old lady who begins her perusai Oh Tue
newspaper Dy turn ng 10 tn account of Tue Latest
muruer; the e ucated play -goer who Sits out
orLma, where death agonieS are faithfully repro
ducet on the st ge; tue ieaIers OF the most popu-
lar dread U.S." all acknowledge The same LasIe.
Even cai,dren snare 1t. "Davlds sworI was all
ulusgy, as buggy as any tAlns," repeat with
pleasing inciden. being that which their sunday
lesson ION the conflict with Gouatn) has most
nrny nAed In their memories. Little children
murders, though the recIti Marty irig ItenS them
Out o. their WIS. and schooi- BOYS Vorite itera-
lure is Always = medley OF tine adventarous aud
the horrlOlr. We grow ashamed OF this taste la
later lie, and Try 10 Conceal It; but IL remains
WIN Us ali the same. DID ever "scnsational" ex-
hlettion Ut drama, or BOOK lack spectators and
re.i'ierseveh among the most educated Classes Of
soc ETY..
y. ne people, the ancient Greeks appeared to
leas. degree; though they were by no means
wloly Iree ro.n Tue universal ointment. Their
pubic games had no annity win tne cruel eXhi.
DtiIn, v. Rome, or the human SACRIFICES OnereI W
other nations; out In thrir literature We nnd eIe-
IN entS Oh Y DOM aud tragedy Sufficient TO satisfy
amy ,over or tne horriole. As ior our medieval
iOreIatners, horrors appear to have been Jueir
delight. Tue art, The literature, the very religion
OF t.le middle ages is all Of terrifying cast.
Dante'5 great poem, Michael Angeles finest
rrescoeS, Tue teachings OF the greatest preachers OF
Tue day. AL deal Ia tue eletnent OF horrvra
AT The Same time, iovers or tue horilbie are ex-
treulely uncnaritaole TO each Other. We are all
apt " compound 1Or our own indulgence in this
"deprLved tdste" by blaming an exhibition VI II
in other people. ine man wuo goes again and
az ain TO see torture or death represented on tue
sage Is Disguised with his Trend VINO at.ends an
execution. The haunLer or wllu-beasJ exhibitions
pleasure people take In reading accounts OF rail-
way accidents and nu ders. Inc lew "amateurs
in horrors" VINO nave become historical were only
their ne1ghuOrs. George Seiwyn Was candid
enough 20 ackaOwledge that ne liked 70 behold
an execution. Hundreds OF other opie VINO
went 70 the spectacle shared his taSle without
confesSing IL. front place" was eagerly SOUGHT
Tor at any scene OF hOrr0r-even by women Eau
Gated ladies' still Iurong our law courts wnep any
peculiarly revolving case is being tried. and are
deaf 10 Tue requests OF the Juue that they should
witndraw. Were the atrocities enacted at Ken
ninslOn common after The "FOrty -nven the exc.
cuLiOns at Tower Hill at me same date to be re-
enacted among us, the specJacles would DOUBTLESS
uraw US nuiaerOus aud i.lsn onaUie an assemvlage
Many persons ingeniousiy disguise their taste
for Lne hurriOie They aLteud painful sights, read
sensational literature, purely On hign moral
grounds. That the norriOie was useful factor
IN education was long approved maxim. Juve-
nile Oooks OF even Some nlty years ago dealt
largely In "aaIui consequences" anu "tuIsmepIs'
Oh Dad children. "Don'L Care" VINO was variOu,,y
represented as Deing "eaten by lions" or with a
wagner terror as "cOming TO very Dad end" was
but a type OIL the .uSnty boy aud his late rs
set fOrLL In the cn.ldren's books OF the past
"a wholesome terror" (aS writers OF The aye
purasru lr Was tncucated Ia most moral stores
OF the last generation. In that IDLY popular
bOok, "History OF the Fairchllo Family" ~ Mrs
Sherwood, Is an Interesting narrative OF Visit
paid py a father Win his chi.uren to a p1Dbet
whereon was hung man VINO had murdered MS
brother. IniS terrible example or the result or "A
quarrel Is duly exhibited 10 the little ones who
are required 10 repeat one VI Watts hymns Wine
resting under the gDbet while the corpse sratlles
and swings" overhead. In the last century It WAS
q common practlce W grant schOoibOys a holiday
for the purpose OF attending AN execution the
sight being regarded as "morai" and impressive