Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1773-11-08 00:00:00, page 2

To th patter ft!c Pennsylvania Packet.
SIR,'
Ton are reliefcdlo puiffo the following txtraff from
an excellent sermon cabled, The Lotic of I%fere
inconjiftent with Reason, and with the peculiar
Spirit ofChrifi^nity. Preached in the new church
of Dumfries, in theyear—— F
find fine said, what toill this ba'Per fy?
Acts, xvii, 18.
TH E foft thing I world recommend to you
as an antidote against the love of pbahire
is— marriage. If St, Paul's afiertion be a just
one, that it is better to marry than to burn; then
certainly it is much better to marry than to do
mifehief. But I would not be thought to recom
mend marriage merely as being the least of two
evils. It is an honourable inMtntion in itfelf.
It is appointed by God for the wife purposes of
preferring the order, and continuing theexiftence
of society. As such, I now ferioully mention it.
It can never be generally neglected in any date
without the most pernicious consequences. Dis
order, dishonour, and debauchery, never fail to
fuecced it. And if this be the case, what have
thbfe to answer for to God and loetety, who either
wilfully or peevishly negleA this institution ? Who
trifle away the precious leafon of youth in solitude?
Who, because perhaps they may have met with a
disappointment or two, take a prejudice against the
whole amiable sex, and make a horrid vow of ce
libacy? Ah my friends! let not revenge possess
your boforos, when gentler affections call you.
Make no rai'h resolutions, I beseech you. The
sex are under our protection, we ought to make
allowances for them, and toview their condugin
the best light. It was certainly weak in them to
refufe vou ; —I grant it, — but at the very time
they did it, did they not acknowledge your merit,
and lament the caprice or depravity of their own
taste which obliged them to rejed you? Why,
then, will you give way to resentment, and punish
yourfdves on account of their weakness? Supposing
you to be now after a long warfare, mailers of
your passions, and that you have attained to the
monkish virtue of abstinence in its perfection; will
you, can you cruelly resolve to rest there? What
an injury is this 'to society? What a pernicious ex
ample to the riling generation? What a manifeft
refitting of the ordinance of God? I would not
have people ruffi together inconsiderately; but I
would have them always marry when it is not ab
solutely inconvenient, —when there is not feme
thing, in foort, in the case which renders it posi
tively imprudent.
The second thing I would recommend as an
antidote against the love of pleafcre is, that a man
would takethe pains to convince himTelf thoroughly
of the truth of the Chriflian religion. The argu
ments drawn against this vice from the fide of
reason may be evaded, or encountered by other
arguments taken from the.fame source. The
mind will never be at a loss to find topics in flip
port of any argument, and human ingenuity often
fltines mod upon the wrong fide of a question.
This will fyll be the case when the conclusion de
pends upon the mind itfelf. There will always
be various opinions, according to the different
tempers cf minds, and all ofthem will be ingeni
ously defended. But the Christian religion de
cides the matter at once, and excludes all private
reasoning upon thelubjed. It expressly condemns
both adultery and fornication. It condemns these
vices by the authority of God. No man, then,
who believes that this revelation is from God,
will reason in their defence ; no man whose mind
is properly impreded with this belief, will be, at
lead, habitually, guilty cf them. This is really
a circumHahte in cur religion which distinguishes
it from every religion which exists, or has existed
in the world. All the eastern religions allow la
titude to this paffi°n, But this is not the case cf
cur religion. Christianity is really express.—And
the reason of the difference between it and other
religions, in this refpeH is obvious. At the time
of our Saviour's appearance, licentiousness was
arrived at its greatest height. This was the great
point in morals which called for a reformation.
Our religion was, therefore, particular upon this
point; and every man, who wants to be rightly
informed upon the subject, ought to be at pains to
examine the truth of the revelation itfelf which
treats of it.—ls he finds that falfe, he may give
up Christianity. Ifhe means to be a Christian,
he must relinquish licentiousness.
The directions I have hitherto suggested chief
ly regard those whose underHandings are fuffici
ently confirmed by years, or who are established
l in the World. But there is another part of m,
Rdienee who are in a more helpless condition,
TCd for whom I would willingly do something.—
I mean that part of them who, on account of their
drouth and other eircumftances, are averse to think,
yet find it inconvenient to marry. The fitu
;ation of these perlons is truly deplorable, and I
fincereluympaihife with them. Their case is
^ot but critical, and has a serious de
miu^^roh us. Ihe :ki:d thmg, therefore,
which I w^.G rrcommcM as an antidote against
tl^fpityt of licentiousness is, that every young
man, a^the time he firft feels the foft sentiments,
attach himfclf to some virtuous young woman,
jß^make her the miftrefsof his affections. This
ratidote is of more universal use than the forego
ing. Everybody has not abilities Sufficient to
enable him to.examine the evidences of chriftiani
ty ; but every body has it in his power to look
out forfome actable female, and, at lead for feme
time, to fix his heart on her. I would not, in
deed, have him, (in this case) always marry, or
even mention his p^ffion to her. This might be
imprudent, and ruinous.to them both. Let this
be deferred to a proper reason. But I would
have him confider her in his own mind as the cen
ter of his wiles and pursuits. This will effectu
ally prevent his defines from straying. He will
regard every act of licentiousness in himfclf as
treason against the idol ofhis heart. He will eh^
deavour to purchase her esteem by a noble con
duct, and be fearful to forfeit irby baseness. In
hiort, a pafliou like this ennobles the mind, exalts|
the chara^er, refines the affeftions, and is, in eve
ry view, a moH excellent preservative against dif
hpation.
The fourth thing which I would recommend at
an antidote against licentiousness is— action. There
is not a stronger prompter of the evil affections
t^m idlenrf. It is the great source of all loose
thoughts, vain defines, whimfieal fancies, wander
ing visions, and peccant motions. It engenders
curiosity, it produces vapours; it is the cause of
languhhments, depression's, low spirits, palpitati
ons at the heart, heats in the blood, fltfhes, flut
ters, flurries, the spleen, the hysterics. It brings
on low pulses, weak nerves, ftartings, swimmings,
wishes, Hretchings, cards, dice, fchemeifog of all
kinds, rompings, routs, balls, masquerades, vio
lent passions, and all the other notable symptoms
which distinguish the great world. It leads to
drunkenness, dozing, stupidity, tasdor, foolifh
talking, idle jelling, fuperfluous company, ridi
culous frolics, drams, fnuff, ftfong waters, loose
houses; which end in dropsies, retchings, {ba
kings, loss of appetite, invincible habits of pri
vate drinking, quarrels, bruisings, diseases, doc
tors, incapacities, with a total loss of industry
and application, " Ye are idle," said Pharaoh to
the children oflfrael, “ ye are idle, therefore ye
“ fay let us go and do facrifee." In like manner,
though with more reason, may <we fay to the de
bauchees of the present age, ye are idle, therefore
your thoughts wander after i^w^. Go, there
fore, now, and work. I fay go work, —Labour,
toil, fw.eat, brace your nerves, give play to your
lungs, and drive out these vain cogitations. If
you follow any particular business, give applicati
on to it ; —be regular in your hours of attendance,
make it not a by-work, be systematical in your
tranfa&ions, be mechanical in your motions, go
to bed early, that you may be able to rife in the
morning. Only—guard against one thing—fuf
fer not yeurfelves to be seized with the Spirit of
avarice, for this is a worse spirit than the other.
If your fortune places you above business, —ride,
walk, run, hunt, fifh, fence, swim, you may
even dance ; inure yourfelyes to the rigours of
the weather, to chid, to heat, to fading, to fa
tigue; find, invent, create employment for ycur
felves ; have always some point in view ; drive it,
urge it, be earned about it; when, by the united
powers of ability and perseverance, you have car
riedit, fix upon some other point, (he is unhappy
who has not a point in view,) and let it be such a
one as is attended with difficulties, that you may
have the plcafure of surmounting them.—ls you
possess capacity, lay plans for the good of your
country. Study to understand commerce, manu
factures, navigations; enter into the theory of
flocks, of annuities, of the balance of trade, cf
. free ports, of exclusive companies. See if you can
difeover the north-weft passage. Provide your
felf with an apparatus ofPhilofophical inftrumepts.
Examine the mechanical powers, the properties
of air, of water, of steam ; learn the construction
and use of fire engines, and ventilators, and thun
der rods; make yourfcif acquainted with the his
tory of electricity, study astronomy, get telescopes,
take a voyage to the south, and observe the tran
ft of Venus. Or turn your attention to the art
of ^war; —to fortification, to encamping, to en
trenching, to gunnery, to attack and defence, to
marches, countermarches, battles, lieges, advan
tageous posts, paying, feeding, eloathing your
troops subsisting them in an enemy's Country,
intercepting retreats, cutting off convoys, puffing
rivers, making treaties, amusing them with falfe
movements, and whatever else a consummate Ge
neral ought to be acquainted with. It would be
strange if yen could not find some method of em
ploying your thoughts, and keeping them from
running upon nonsense. If this be Rill too little,
gointo the cabinet; study the intefeff of the dif
ferent Rates, form alliances, plan revolutions,
(only be not guilty of treason) preserve the balance
of power, commence poli ician, in short, rather
than ,be idle.— & lf your, genius or inclination do
not carry you into those trades, yet Lill a man of
fortune can never want noble employment in a do
mestic sphere. Is not the field ofagri culture open ?
May he not set a great example of improvement
to the country? May he not cultivate his grounds,
plant his trees, divide his gardens? May he not
advance money for these purposes, at moderate
interest, to thole who want it ? Is it not in his
power, by proper encouragement, and lotting an
example of industry, to make the country assume
a new appearance; to covert it from savage to ci
vilized, from a defart to a paradise ?—Or is there
no field for the nobler exertions of generofty and
compassion ? Can he not relieve the distressed and
protest the weak ? Are there not widows to be
comforted, and orphans to betaken home ? Are
there not industrious families who want a stock to
begin with ? Is there not many a lovely young
woman whose charms wopld be improved, by a lit
tle fortune? And is there not many an honest
young man who would enter into the honourable
state of matrimony if he had but a small matter to
set up upon ? How many families might you make
happy? From how many foft eyes might you
draw the tear of gratitude? What smiles of com
placency would meet you wherever you went ?
What looks of joy, what silent prayers, what
blessings would attend your progress ? He muR
have a ftrarige foul who can live only for himfclf.
Would not this be better than Daggering through
the Greets at midnight, or spending your money
in a bawdy-boule? Or is the immortal mind of
man capable of no nobler enjoyment than rattling
the dice, er (wearing at a gaming-table ? Would
it not even be better than foueezing your depend
ants, and forcing them to curse you? Are you
rich ? Do you possess influence ? Aft your heart,
then,, how you havp employed it. Where is the
man who blesses you ? Where is the family who
calls you their benefactor? Is there none—none ?
What, then, has the.-gregt man been doing with
his fortune? He has.been purchasing girls, hiring
barbers, paying French cooks," bribing voters,
maintaining taylors, pampering valets, and lac
queys, ^rid Waiting men, and waiting women,and
blacks, and dogs, and eunuchs; hehasgiven balls
and assemblies, and Rialqueradcs, and seen plays,
&hd roots, ^nd borfe. rates, and bear baitings,
and cock fights— ** * * " Good Heaven !
This is a fubjeß worthy of the indignation of elo
quence. I feel my spirits rife, and would expa
tiate upon it as it deserves, had 1 not confined jpy
felf in these directions, to plainness.
Another thing I would recommend as an anti
dote against licentiousness is a simple method of
living, efpeciallya simple diet. One great cause
of licentiousness among us is undoubtedly that
rage of luxury and high livingwhith has infatua
ted all ranks, and thrown tire nation into a fever.
The passions and the animal economy are closely
connected, and what pampers the one, must in
flame the other. From what proceed those he&ic
affections, those tumults of the blood, and high
tide of the spirits; which intermit and rife, and
sicken and swell by intervals; but from high food,
high seasonings, strong meats, Wronger drinks,
wines, fpiceries, and foreign infufions ? I (hall be
fllort upon this article, because I would not invade
the province of the physician. But if we would
confine ourselves to a plain diet, and the wholesome
beverages of our own country, (not to be more
particular) oar inclinations would be more tem
perate, nor would the carnal mind be so pampered
as we find it is.
Lastly, and above all, — Let us beseech God
that he will give us the assistance ofhis Holy Spi
rit to enable us to subdue this, and every other
irregular affection. Our own strength, God
knows, is not to be depended on. " Lead us
not into temptation," is part of that excellent
prayer which" was composed as our model. The
more I confider this petition, the more I admire
it. It difeovers the mos fintimate knowledge of
human nature. It supposes that much 7 , if not
every thing, depends upon the temptation. Con
feious, therefore, of our own Weakness, let us
incefl'antly pray that we may not be led into temp
tation. Let us not two hardily expose owrlelves
to it. Certain defeat is the general consequence.
Farther, let us watch our hearts in their firft mo
tions; Let us even, ifit be neceffafy, make a co
venant with oureyes. Finally, let him that ftand
eth, take heed left he fall ; and, if lie has already
fallen, let him repent and fin no more. Amen.
To the Printer ^/^Pennsylvania Packet.
Be pleased to insert in your next paper the following
obfervdtions, ^hicb will oblige divers of jour cus
tomers.
IT is matter of real sorrow and distress to many
sober inhabitants of different denominations,
to hear of the return of those Trolling comedians,
who are travelling thro' America propagating vice
and immorality. And it is much to the disrepu
tation of this city, that more encouragement
Gould be given them here, than in anyother place
on the continent. It appears to me to be the in
cumbent duty of the magistrates to suppress them,
by proceeding against them as vagrants, for such
they are Coniidered in the eye of the law, and I
do not apprehend .the Governor's licence can le
gally or ought to exempt them, or be an excuse
to the magistrates (who are under oaths and af
firmations to execute the laws of the country) from
dealing with them as the law directs. It would
be well for the magistrates to examine parrowly
the nature and meaning of their oaths of office,
and how the law Hands in this particular. Is not
vagrancy an offence, and a breach of the criminal
law? Are not strolling comedians considered as
vagrants ? I believe they are. Is not the play
house a public nuisance ? I believe it is, and ofthe
worst kind, andought to be presented by the grand
jury. Can the licence of a , Governor of a province
legitimate that which is against law? It is clear it
cannot. Some Kings of England formerly by non
obflante clatfa did undertake to dispense with laws,
but we know such 'difpenfations were determined
to be illegal and deftru&ive of government. These
players probably know the light the law views
them in, and therefore seek protection under the
Governor's licence, but I know of no law of this
province or extending here, by which such licence
is warranted. The present mode in England of
granting letters patent and licences is, I suppose,
founded upon an aft of parliament made in the
10th of Geo. 2d, cap. 28, part of which it may
be ufeful to recite, and is as follows:
" Whereas by an aft of parliament made in the
tv elfih ye^r of the reign of her late Majesty Queen
Anne, intituled, An aft for reducing the laws re
lating to rogues, vagabonds, furdy beggars and va
grants into one ael of parliament% and for the more
effectual purifying such rogues, vagabonds, furdy
beggars and vagrants, and fending them whither
they ought to be sent, it was enaded that all perlons
pretending themselves to be patent gatherers or
collectors for prifon^, gaols or hospitals, and Wan
dering abroad for that purpose; all fencers, bear-
Wards, common players of interludes and other
persons therein named, Gall be deemed rogues
and vagabonds: And whereas some doubts have
arisen concerning so much of the said aft as relates
to common players of interludes, now for amend
ing and explaining the fame, be it enacted, &c.
that from and after the 24th day of June 1737,
every pe'rfon who shall for hire, gain or reward,
a&, represent or perform, or cause to be afted any
interlude, tragedy, comedy, opera, play, farce
or other entertainment of the Hage, or any part or
pprts therein, in case such perlon shall not have any
legal fettiement in the place where the fame ffiall
be aried, &c. without authority by virtue of let
ters patent from his Majesty, his heirs or fuccef
fory, or without licence from the Lord Chamber
lain for the time being, shall be deemed to be a
rogue and a vagabond, &c. (vid. the a#)
The aft goes on diteding how licences are to
be obtained, with this proviso:
Provided always that no person or persons Gall
beauthorifed by virtue of any letters patent from
his Majesty, his heirs, fucceflors, or predeceffor^,
or. by the licence of tlie Lord Chamberlain, to act,
represent or perform for hire, gain or reward, anyl
interlude, tragedy, comedy, opera, play, farce 1
or other entertainment, of the Hage, in any part l
of Great-Britain, except in the city of Weftminfterl
and within the liberties-thereof, and in fach places|
where his bhjefc, his heirs or successors, (hall,
in their royal persons rehd@, and during such re
sidence only.
From the words of this Hatute it appears, that
these exhibitions are considered as mala prohibits
though the ancient fathers, and many moderns,
take them to be mala in fe, giving to the King and
his Chamberlain, and to them only a difpenhog
power in a very guarded and restricted manner
which imply a negative upon all others, this
power is of the inseparable regalia of the crown
and cannot be delegated, besides this ad.of Par
liament is local, made since the fettiement of these
provinces, and consequently not in force here. I
cite it to obviate the argument, that because the
King has a dispensing power in this case, his de
puty has also, and as 1 take it and the statute of
Anne to be declarative of the common law as to
those who are deemed vagrants ; these , statutes
prove to me, that common players, &g\ are va
grants and sturdy beggars in general legal accepta
tion.
Hawkins in his pleas of the crown 80. I C. 75
S. 6 and 7 fays thus “ Also it hath been said,
" that all common stages for rope dancers, and
“ also all common gaming houses, are nuisances
“ in the eye of the law, not only because they are
" great temptations t o idleness, but also because
“ they are apt to draw together great numbers of
“ disorderly persons, which cannot but be very
" inconvenient to the neighbourhood.
S. 7 “ Also it hath been holden that a common
" play-house may be a nuisance, if it draw toge
“ ther fitch numbers of coaches or people, &c. as
" prove generally inconvenient to the places aja
“ cent; and it seems to be a proper diftin&ion
“ between play-houses and the nuisances mentions
" ed in the foregoing fe&ion, that play-houses
" having been originally instituted with a lauda
" ble design of recommending virtue to the imi
" tation of the people, and exposing vice and folly,
" are not nuisances in their own nature, but may
“ only become such by accident." But what is
here said that play-houses are not nuisances in their
own nature, seems contrary to the language of
the forecited ads of Parliament, and I take it not
to be law, when applied to the modern stages, yet
admitting it to be so, it does not exculpate the
players from the crime ofvagrancy, &c. and with
in the express words of Hawkins, the phy-houfe
in this city is a nuisance, because great numbers
of coaches and people are drawn together, &c. to
the disturbance of the neighbourhood; and it is
notorious that so far from virtues being recom
mended to the imitation of the people, that vice
and immorality are there exhibited in such pleas
ing colours as to induce many giddy and unwary
youth to realize and reduce to practice what they
fee there displayed under fictitious characters, be
tides many other evils; so that the play-house
without exaggeration, may be called the school of
vice and debauchery. And what ourfirft worthy
Proprietor William Penn fays of them is well found
ed, when speaking of some of the pernicious
p&ftimes people are too much engaged in, he
adds.
" But of all these wretched inventions, the
" play-houses, like so many hellish seminaries, do
“ most perniciously conduce to these fad and mi
" ferable ends; where little besides frothy wan
“ ton, if not directly obfeene and prophane hu
“ mours are represented; which arc of notorious
" ill consequence upon the minds of most, efpeci
“ ally the youth that frequent them. And thus
" it is that idle and debauched Hagers are encou
" raged and maintained ; than which scarcely a
“ greater abomination can be thought on of that
" rank ofimpieties, and truly nothing but the ex
“ ceffive pleasure people take therein could blind
“ their eyes from feeing it.
“ Gfoffer impieties are so big, they are plainly
" seen ; so dirty, they are easily detected; which
" education and common temperance, as well as
“ constitution in many, teach them to abhor; and
“ if they ffiould be committed, they carry with
“ them a proportionable conviction. But these
“ pretended innocents, these supposed harndefs
“ fitisfadions, are more surprising, more dcHruc
“ tive, for as they easily gain an admission by the
" senses, so the more they pretend to innocency,
“ the more they secure the minds of people in the
“ common use of them, till they become so infen
“ fible of their evil conferences, that with a
“ mighty confidence they can plead for them.".
Select Works of William Penn, so. 9.1, 9^.
And in order to shew the sense of the firft set
tlers of this province upon the fubjeft, it may be
profitable to recite part of the 37th of the laws'
agreed upon by the Governor and Freemen in
England, shortly after obtaining the provincial
charter, which is as follows.
" That as a careless and corrupt Adminiftrati
" on of Justice draws the wrath of God upon
" Magistrates, so the wildness and loofnefs of
“ the people provoke the indignation of God
“ against a country, therefore that all such offen
“ ces against God, as fweariog, cursing, lying,
“ prophane talking, drunkenness, drinking of
" healths, obfeene words, &c. all prizes, ftag@
" plays, cards, dice, May-games, masques, re
" vels, bull baitings, cock fightings, bear bait
“ ings, and the like, which excite the people to
“ rudeness, cruelty, ioofenefs and irreligion, shall
" be refpe&ively difeuuraged and severely punish
“ ed according to the appointment of the Gover
", nor and Freemen in Council and General As
" fembly, &c.
And afterwards in the fame year, at an Aflem
bly held at Chester, alias Upland, ,an a& was
made against riotous sports and practices, as plays,
&c.
From what has been said, I think it appears,
Ift. That common Flayers &c. are vagrants
and sturdy beggars.
cd. That the play-house in this city is a pub
lic nuisance.
3d. That a licence or protection granted to
the players is void, being without, and against
law.
All which is submitted to the cool and seri
ous confederation of the reader, by
PHILADELPHUS.