New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-18
MANS INHTM1NITY no NAN.

The fate of the young woman who was
bitten by a rattesnakc on Sunday at the
museum Of which she had been one Of the
principal attractions ought to be instru-
mental in putting stop to exhibitions of that
character Many fcats involving more or less
personal danger are permitted, if not in every
case justiiiable, because they arc intrnslcally
mcritorous and gratifying to tastes which
arc not at all dcpravcd. Thus the eyolutions
of an expert performer on the trapcze are
fascinating primarily on account of the skill
and discipline Of mind and body which they
require, and the grace Of pose and motion which
they display The peril of the performer con-
tributes to the allurcment only in slight de-
gree in the minds of only few of the spec
tators Indeed the risk of serious accidents
has been generally reduced to minimum by
legal restrictions compelling the use OF a net,
without diminishing the popularity OF this
species of entertainment. The exploits OF
snake charmer, on the other hand, are at
tractiyc only because they arc repulsive, to
Use terms which are contradictory in sound
but not in sense. 4 minute minority OF in
teligcnt persons undoubtedly do not share the
common aversion TO scrpentS. Perhaps they
are more sensible than the rest of the race for
ophdans are often extremely beautiful III
color and generally marvcls Of grace in action,
and most of them suffer unjustly in reputation
from the evil propcnsltles and capabilities OF
a few. But the fact remains, and Is likely To
remain for long time to come, that men and
women of the Caucasian race instlnctyely ana
almost universally lcathc the whole snake
family.
1t follows that the feats of snake charmcr
are interesting TO those who watch them. not
because they are beautiful and winning, but
because they are performed with creatures that
are ugly and repellant To the beholdcrs and
presumably dangerous. In reality there is no
charming at all. 1t i, matter of adroit-
ness and strength, as the recent misadveniurc
clearly shows Some adj iniration may perhaps
be honestly bestowed on the performer whose
nerves have been reduced to complete sub
lection. and whose eyes and muscles have been
perfectly trained for an unworth! use. But
the demand which makes such exploits profit
able is a demand which ought not TO be sup
piled. The taste which Is gratiEcd by them Is
depravcd. The disposition which finds pleas
ire in doing utterly irrational things simply
because they are difficult and dangerous is
never cStmablc. 1t is an arduous and
hazardous and dsagrecabc task to cross the
Atlantic in dory. but we could never see any
glory in it, The Country ParSon" long ago
shattered fond ideal when he pointed out
that the hero of " Excelsior" was an ass, hay
ing no object T. gain by turning from house
hold fires to spectral glaciers except the dis
tnction of doing an extremely silly thing with
great labor and suffering. And yet there II
nothing loathsome in an Alpine ascent or an
ocean voyage even under the most unfavor-
able conditions and for no good purpose what
socvcr In comparison with the vulgar and
brutal instinct which supports the vocation of
snake charming fruitless and foolish achieve
mcnt Of that description is highly respectable.
1t is high time for the Law To forbid per
formanccs for money which are profitable only
because they supply vicious demand and in
proportion TO the degree in which they are
per lous and horrible. Indeed the Indifference
of Legislatures and the public to the essential
brutality of many spectacular featS has long
discrcditcd civilization. We are not ready to
believe that the United States can be justly
accused Of greater inhumanity than other ma
tons but certainly this is one of the dircc-
tons in which we ought to make prompt and
consD cuOus progress.