tions, defires, and powers; and why fhould we not act according to the bent of our nature?

To pursue the ends of nature, according to the order of nature, is fo far from being criminal, that it is virtue. But excess and irregularity are directly contrary to nature's views. This is seen by every man, in every cafe where paffion and appetite do not blind him. We have a natural appetite, for example, to food. How comes it then, that we do not as often over-gorge our stomachs with plain bread as with dainties? The one would be as irregular and vicious as the other. Yet we should see a strange abfurdity in the former, while we can excufe ourselves in the latter. If we are formed with a natural appetite for food, why do we make such a difference in the indulgence of our appetite in delicacies, from plain food? The truth is, that excess of all kinds is indefenfible, and unnatural. If it were natural, we should be as apt to eat too much bread, as too much pasty. It is the deplorable weakness of our nature, that we yield to appetite and panion, till they become too powerful for us, and lead us captive in fpite of ourselves. While we pretend, we only follow nature, we are indulging a falfe and vitiated tafte. And in no indulgence is there. more shameful excefs committed, nor greater deviations from the intention of nature, than in that which is the fubject of this paragraph. Were the above apology for excefs

of

of any weight, that is, were it proper we should do every thing we have power or inclination to, we might by the fame plea throw ourselves down a precipice, because we have power to do it. The thief may fteal, because he has a natural defire to ease rather than labour; the drunkard may drink himself to death, hecause it is natural to quench thirft; the paffionate man may kill his enemy, because he has a natural disposition to repel injuries; in fhort, if this plea be good for any thing, it renders all exceffes, which take their first rise from a natural appetite, innocent.

Such an indulgence in fleep, in leifure or inaction, and in relaxations or amufements, as may be neceffary for the refreshment and health of thefe frail vehicles we now inhabit, is allowable. And the just measure of fuch indulgence is different according to different conftitutions and ways of life. But it is to be feared, that hundreds exceed the bounds of moderation, for one, who reftricts himfelf too much. Let every reader lay his hand upon his heart, and think what loft time he will have to answer for hereafter. The fafe fide is, to indulge rather too little than too much. A tolerable conftitution will hold better with eight hours fleep, in the twenty-four, than with more. And as to relaxations or diverfions,, the plea of their neceffity is wholly groundless, except for those who live a laborious, or ftudious life. What neceflity for thofe, whose whole exif

tence is one continued course of indolence and relaxation, for relaxation? Relaxation from what? Not from bufinefs; for they never do any. The proper relaxation from idlenefs, would be to do fomewhat. And there is no mortal, who is one degree above an indiot, that is not capable of doing fomething worth living for.

Whoever can perfuade himself, that it was the intention of his Maker, in placing him in this ftate of discipline, that he fhould pafs an existence as ufelefs as that of a stock or a ftone (fuppofing him innocent of all pofitive crimes) muft have ftrange notions of the Divine oeconomy, and of his own nature. If that fort of life be lawful and proper for for one, it is fo for all. And where would then be the bufinefs of life, the improvement of ourfelves, the care of our children, the government of kingdoms, the advancement of the fpe-cies toward a preparation for a future ftate of happiness? Let no one pretend, that he cannot find employment, till he has at least performed all that is prefcribed in this book.

I will here throw together a few remarks on fome of the modern fashionable amusements.

Gaming is an amufement wholly unworthy of rational beings, having neither the pretence of exercifing the body, of exerting ingenuity, or of giving any natural pleasure; and owing its entertainment wholly to an unnatural and vitiated tafte; the cause of infinite lofs of time; of enor mous destruction of money, of irritating the paf

fions, of stirring up avarice, of innumerable sneaking tricks and frauds, of encourageing idlenefs, of disgusting people against their proper employments, and of finking and debafing all that is truly great and valuable in the mind *.

* Cards being now become fo univerfal, as to be the nuifance of almost all companies, it may seem necessary in oppofing the general practice of the polite, to fupport what is above faid againft card-playing by fome authorities, which will, I believe, appear at leaft equal to thofe of any of the most eminent modern defenders of that stupid and mischievous amusement.

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"Play, wherein perfons of condition, efpecially ladies" [in our times all ages, fexes, and ranks] "wafte so much of their "time, is a plain inftance that people cannot be idle; they " must be doing something," [if it be mischief] "For how "elfe could they fit fo many hours toiling at that which gives generally more vexation than delight to people, while they are engaged in it? It is certain, gaming leaves no fatisfaction "behind it to those who reflect when it is over, and it no way "profits either body or mind. As to eftates, if it ftrike fo deep "" as to concern them, it is then a trade, and not a recreation, "wherein few thrive; and at beft, a thriving gamefter has "but a poor trade on't, who fills his pockets at the price of "his reputation."

LOCKE on Educat. p. 366.

And afterwards, page 368.

"As to cards and dice, I think the fafeft and beft way is never to learn any play upon them, and fo to be incapaci "tated for thofe dangerous temptations and incroaching wafers " of useful time."

What would this great man have faid, had he lived in our times, when it is common for people to spend five or fix hours every night at cards, Sunday not excepted; which amounts to

M 4

a fourth

As for the theatrical diverfions, they are managed in fuch a manner, that a fober person may be ashamed to be seen at many of them. It is notorious that the bulk of our English plays are not fit to be seen in print. The tragedies are, generally speaking, a heap of wild flights and bombastic rants, and the comedies of fcandalous impurities; neither of which can be thought worthy the attention of a people who value themfelves either upon their taste or their virtue. There may be found, perhaps, in the English language, about twenty or thirty pieces, espe-' cially fome of Shakespear's, which, if subjected to pretty severe caftigation, and properly reprefented, might be faid to make a noble entertainBut these ferve only as traps to draw in the innocent and unwary to a delight in the diverfions

ment.

a fourth or fifth part of the whole time of life, and comes in all to perhaps ten or a dozen years in a long life?

Let us now hear Mr. Addison on the fame fubject. SPECT. N°. 93.

"I must confefs. I think it is below reasonable creatures to "be altogether converfant in fuch diverfions as are merely innocent, and have nothing elfe to recommend them, but "that there is no burt in them. Whether any kind of gaming "has even thus much to fay for itself, I fhall not determine; "but I think it is very wonderful to fee perfons of the best

fenfe paffing away hours together in Shuffling and dividing a "pack of cards, with no other converfation, but what is made "up of a few game phrafes, and no other ideas but those of "black or red fpots ranged together in different figures. Would

not a man laugh to hear any one of this fpecies complaining "that life is short ???