The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-01 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Whilst the prevalence of temperance, a vice
which is rapidly sapping the foundation of the duties and
virtues of humble life, is deplored by the thoughtful and
philanthropic, and whilst the pulpit, the bench, and the
press censure, condemn, and satirise it, there exists in
the reflections they offer and the remedies they suggest
a wonderful sameness as regards the absence of imme-
diate remedy.
An evil tarnishing the lustre of bravery, chilling the
domestic hearth, and decimating the workshop to fill
the workhouse and the gaol, is most grave they say, and
must need a grave remedy.
By these, no doubt, excellent instructors, reforms,
social and educational, are pointed out, but it would
need at least the period of a generation to accomplish
them ; meanwhile the terrible evils of a career of gross
inebriety are less unchecked amongst the present adult
and rising generation.
Grave, however, as the evil is, its remedy does not
alone lie with the schoolmaster ; though an ample field
is open for his energy, it is not to his exertions alone
that we must look for reform, nor yet to the divine, the
moralist, or the legislator. Such directors are doubtless
essential guides in the actual business of life, but to
drink or to abstain is not the actual business of any

Drinking, understood in its obnoxious sense, is re-
sorted to as an amusement, a relaxation, or rather as the
miserable substitute for such ; not as the substitute of
evening classes, or other scholastic agencies, but of
amusement in its simple and primary meaning—viz.,
agreeable and diverting excitement. Excitement is a
want of our nature, and that required, while free from
vice, should be diverting, so as to call into p'ay the
livelier and lighter faculties of the human mind, and
agreeable because no exertion, or only such as is conson-
ant to a frame that has already accomplished a day of
toil as compatible with it.
If we would reclaim, we must amuse. The fact is,
in this respect, we are a dull people. With thrice the
population of Paris the people of London have not
half her recreations, whilst our public amusements want
largeness and grasp, both in conception and detail, being
hitherto, with but few exceptions, in the hands of in-
dividuals, who, touching them solely with pecuniary
motives, are content to follow each wayward move-
ment of the public taste.
In Greece, in Rome, in Europe, mediaeval and modern
amusements for the public have ever been held of such
national importance As to have their management in-
cluded in the domestic policy of the State ; whilst the
Olympic games furnished the epoch common to all
Greece, excellence in those contests conferred an honour
to be cited by after generations. Rome regarded equally
her games as national, confiding their management to
her lEdiles' patrician magistrates honoured with the dig-
nity of the Curule chair.
Amusements on a scale and in a spirit analogous to

these, but in unison with and subordinate to theaspira-
tions and sentiments of our era, are, in fact, the true and
ready antidote to this ghastly epidemic—intemperance.
To accord, however, entirely with our national charac-
ter these amusements must not be the offspring of gover-
mental interference, since our Anglo-Saxon habits lead
us to view with jealousy all that tends to trespass on
the domain of private enterprise. Their management
must combine so much of artistic excellence as shall
make them attractive—of commercial energy as shall
make them competitive and enterprising, and of dilettante
supervision as shall control and direct the other elements
—preserve to the undertaking its most important cha-
racteristic, the elevation and improvement of the public
taste.
Nor need such a combination be regarded as utopian,
since some of our purely philanthropic institutions pre-
sent in their professional staffs, secretaries and go-
vernors, all the elements as needful to insure the success,
both commercial and moral, of the class of entertain-
ments so much required ; and it is evident such combi-
nations could be directed to public relaxations.
The subject is a large one, but I confine myself here
to indicating the want, trusting that, in these days of
spirited and philanthropic enterprise, the means may be
found of supplying it.—l am, Sir, yours respectfully,
AULUS POSTUMIUS.

[We never urged so foolish an argument, and have
more than once recommended the panacea of our cor-
respondent as a likely remedy for the evil we, in common
with him and others, deplore.—ED. SUN.]

CO WES, ISLE OF IVIGHT.—Nov. 30.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE.—A general
meeting of the members of the R.Y.S. will take place
on Tuesday next, at the Thatched House Tavern, to
decide on taking, or declining to take, Cowes Castle for
their future club-house. The members are divided in
opinion. Their present club house will accommodate a
greater number than the Castle will. If the Castle is
taken a new ball and dining-room must at least lee built,
and more bedrooms ; besides which the old house has
a never-failing spring of water, frem which the whole
fleet is supplied—add to which that the present club-
house is i❑ the very centre of the Parade.
REMOVAL OF THE COURT TO THE ISLE Or WIGHT.—
Her Majesty and suite are expected to arrive at Osborne
on Saturday, the Bth Dec. The stay will not exceed a
fortnight.
A TURTLE CAPTURED WITHIN THE WIGHT.—Some of

our sailors have this week succeeded in taking a turtle
weighing 143 lbs. It was first seen off Osborne about a
fortnight since.
THE NATIONAL FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.—The
directors of this society have given notice of their inten-
tion to offer their estate at Gurnard, West Cowes, to
the members during the present mouth of De cernber, in
acre and half-acre plots.