n

lent farcafm. What pity to bears hard on any one' perfon! It is ungenerous and unmanly of steagh And, on the contrary, none should be difpofed to put an ill conftruction on what another haftily fays. Or if the language is pointed, the edge of it should be! blunted by the good nature of him to whom it is di-i rected; at least prudence should teach him to conceal the pain he may be supposed to feel rather than undu- ly refent it. And it is happy when thofe who are by know how to throw in a word, which like oil may fmooth the ruffled paffions before they burst into a form. Such a command of people's tempers will pre vent animofity and confufion, contribute mightily to eafe and harmony, and open the way to all the innocent pleafures of convivial intercourfe. In short, it fhould be the wish of every one to make the rest hap-py; and not only ill-humour, but wit itfelf, fhould be facrificed to that object.Which leads us,

4. To point out the amusements proper to be adopted on these cheerful occafions.

In mixed companies, fuch as these are supposed to be, it will require fome ingenuity to adjust matters for as that all may be entertained and improved: and yet upon reflection we shall find this to be no very difficult bufinefs. With refpect to the younger part of the company there are devices enough to be contrives ed to please their imagination, and exercife their wits nor will it be unamufing to the elder, who cannot for-¿ get that they too were one day children, to be fpecta tors of thefe diverfions, if not actors in them. Hu-de man: nature is the fame in every age, and an infpived prophet. in order to exprefs the future profperity of the Jews in a ftriking manner is allowed to hold up tong

4

their view the lively and pleafing idea of ** Jerufalem "being full of boys and girls playing in the streets "thereof *" But, entertaining as it must be to the most sensible people to share a while in the innocent paf times of children, friendly discourse should no doubt be the main employment of grown people during these hours of relaxation. To lay how fuch discourse should be managed will require fome attention. This however we fhall attempt.

> In the mean time give me leave to proteft against all amusements that are enfnaring, pernicious, and of ill-report. Perhaps it may be deemed an argument of too great precifenefs and inflexibility to the custom of the times, to rank among these the prevailing amufement of cards. And indeed he must have little knowledge of the world, who fhould expect, that the confiderations which may be mentioned, will have any effect upon the generality of people to diffuade them from it yet they may have their use with fome fober people, who have hitherto confidered the epithets just now adopted as fevere and indefenfible in this application of them.

"Enfnaring! you will fay,So are many other amufements that are yet acknowledged to be innocent and lawful." But is not this, I afk, peculiarly fo Has it not made encroachments upon the hearts and time, to fay no worse of it, of thousands? Suppofing therefore, it were ever so innocent in itself, would it not be prudent in perfons who are anxious about their best interefts, to forego a practice, the infinuating bewitching influence of which they cannot be fure they hall have refolution enough to prevent? Is no felf denial required of a Chriftian? And in questions

of a doubtful kind, is it not an argument of wisdom to take that side which is upon the whole the safest?

But to go a step further. Will any one deny that this practice has been followed with the moft perni cious confequences to an infinite number of people? Has not an eager defire of gain, with all the restlefs and turbulent paffions which accompany it, been thereby excited? Yes it hath, and to a degree, in fome instances, which will not allow us to doubt that if Satan were asked (as he was in the course of the story we have been relating)," Whence comeft thou" his anfwer would be," From going to and fro in the houses "where gaming is practifed." "But, fay you, the moment I find this eager defire of gain excited, or feel myself disturbed with peevishness, ill-humour, or anger, I will throw afide my cards." That is right. But can you be sure you will have so much command over yourself? Be advised then. It is better not to play at all, than, to hazard the decifion of this question. So you will be fafe. Obfta principiis." Well, but if there is fo much danger of your paffions being unduly engaged, you will prevent the evil by refolving henceforth that you will risk nothing, or at least nothing that shall be an object with you." Very well! But to venture nothing, or what is no object, is to deprive the game of its principal allurement, to make lit dull and infipid, and to degrade it to a rank with the molt trifling amufements. 1595 54 31

And now, the question brought to this point, what can you fay more in favour of this practice, but that it is with you an affair of indifference; for fo that must be confidered which does not at all intereft the paffions. And if it ftands thus in your mind, may you not as well have nothing at all to do with it?

But

16 But to give the scale a turn, and determine y you to a negative, let me collect what has been said in a few words, and add fome other reasons of a collateral kind, which, I think, a man of prudence and ferious piety. must acknowledge, have at least fome weight in them. It is admitted, that it is an enfnaring diversion that multitudes have been effentially hurt by it, in fot much, that in fome cafes it is laid under a legal res ftraint; that many who do not reprobatelit as abfolutely criminal, yet think it wrong to countenance what bath been upon the whole the occafion of much evik; that among a great number of serious people it is confidered as of ill repute; that felf-denial even in indifferent matters, and a caution not to give offence to our Christian brethren, are strongly recommended ia fcripture and laftly, that he who upon thefe con. fiderations abitains is by no means chargeable withguilt; but on the contrary, efcapes entanglements, fecures to himself leifure for profitable and manly amufe ments, and is fure of having the pleasant reflection, that if he has erred, it has been on the fide that isi leaft hazardous. All this, I prefume, will be admitted. And if so, I ask, Is there no weight in these confiderations, to induce a prudent and good man to decline this practice which fo generally prevails?

Should it be faid, as indeed it often is, that it is better to be thus employed than in flandering our neighbours, or fuffering our children to go into the indecent and noify levities to vial occafions we are difcourfing of all I have to reply is, that if the alternative is unavoidable, no doubt the leaft evil of the two thould be chofen. But this

common on the convi

is not the only alternative, as we are now to fhew, by

giving fome directions refpecting the management of convivial discourfew fallo em 191,9′′itagɔ0 &

Cheerfulness is the main thing on these occafions, but no one, methinks, can object to the mingling profit with pleasure. Converfation resembles commerce, and a little party collected around a winter's fire may be confidered as a company trading upon one joint stock of knowledge, wit, and virtue. Mutual freedom, confidence, and good nature, are neceffary to the right management of this bufinefs. Nothing fhould be forced, but all flow on with ease and pleasantry.

But here we must beg leave again to put in our caveat against that illicit kind of commerce just now referred to, I mean the wantonly meddling with the characters and affairs of other people. This is a trade that can bring no profit, though it may fome pleasure -a fort of pleasure, if it may be called fuch, that is procured at an enormous> expence. The dealer in this contraband bufinefs must have a very depraved heart; and if detraction and malevolence can make him happy, for that happiness he must be content to part with the good opinion and esteem of the com

pany.

*The Spectator gives us the following little anecdote of Mr Locke.. Being invited to dine with the then Lords Hallifax, Anglefca, and Shaftsbury; immediately after dinner, instead of converfation, the cards were called for, where the bad or good fuccets produced the usual paffions of gaming. Mr Locke retir ing to a window, and writing, my Lord Anglesea "defired to know what he was writing: Why, my Lords,' answered he, ' I could not fleep last night for the pleafure and improvement I expected from the converfation of the greatest men of the age. This fo fenfibly ftung them that they gladly compounded to throw their cards in the fire, if he would his paper, and fo a converfation enfued fit for fuch perfons." No. 533.