Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-08-26
ON LIFE OF DISSIPATION.
:" All call aloud

-" All call aloud
&c For every bauble diivel'd DER by sense,
&c For rattes aud conceits of every cast,
&c For change of folles and relays of joys,
" To drag them through the tedious length
:" Of short winters day.
Man, intelligent but fallen being is the only IL
wing creature upon earth that acts absurdly The
lower animals OF every species guided by instinct and
always obeyins this iniable guide, are uniform in
their course and consistent in their actions seeing
and steadily pursuing the things that are betting
their respective natures But the lord of this lower
world, who walks majestic and shows countenance
that beams with the light OF reason, involves him.
self in maze of Inconsistencies and errors Hap
pness is the first wish of his heart and lies within
his reach but has aim being misguided by passion
and appetite, he perpetuaIly misses the mark
While preferring the fecting joys oftime to immor-
tai felicity, he even mars and DESTROYS the enioy-
ments OF time itself; sureitng instead of Teasing
upon the bounties of Providence, and rising from the
entertainment with safety, disgust and nausea
There is nothing perhaps in which mankind more
deceive themselves, than in the belief that life of
dissipated amusements isa happy life. The wisest
OF men VERY unwise however in this particularly tri-
edit, under all the advantages of YOUTH and health
and rank and riches; and has given the result OF
his own experience. "I said in mine heart Go to
now, will prove thee with mirth therefore enioy
pleasures and behold this also is vanity Such has
been uniformly the experience of votaries of plea
sure While life is new, fancy beguiles their hearts
with pictures Of happiness. They enter upon IL
with ardent expectations, with dreams of enioy-
ments that do not exist, with thousand delights,
anticipated and blooming in their imagination In
love with teasts, and crowds, and visits and late
hours, and strange faces"-their time passes in a
perpetual round OF amusements, diversified by
daily change of scenery and of company. Pleasure
is the study OF their youth and the dream of Their
age. Eagerly they run from amusement to ano-
ther-Whatsoever there is within their reach that
N ntat fLo., Il. "a
on. Whatsoever their eyes desire they keen not
from them their hearts they withhold not from any
JOY They turn day into night aud night into day
all Ter pieasure.--And do they find it Are they
satisfied and happy No they are the most rest
less, disconnected beings in the world for Unsuitable
avarice for pleasure is notess tormentng than nsaa
Bile ayarice for gold. BY and habit pleasure itself
becomes Indifferent, and ceases to charm it even
grows tiresome.
I'll all the year were playing hoydays,
To sport would be as tedious as to work.
The mind contracts a morbid scnsibity whims
and artificial wants multiply in it without end. A
perpetual series OF follows of course
Persons of this description would not enjoy then,
themselves, we're they even able TO pass all their
waking hours in Jovial company and high seasoned
amusements; for, by repetition such scenes become
stale and comparatively tasteess. They necessarily
must however spend some Of their time in retire
mcnt aud retirement is to them rksome, and soli-
tudc is CHASTITY.
Putting out of the question the solemn and aw-
full consideration of aceountabiltv and an rnnorta
hty OF bliss or woe, according 10 the deeds done in
the body yet then the sons and daughters of
dissipation would be not ia an enyable situation
Nay they would have but hard lot for usually
they suffer more and enjoy less than the sober and
temperate, They abhor being alone; which is
sure sign that they have no sources Of comfort in
| their own minds. Theiryery ainusemcnts at lensth
are used by them rather expedients to kill time
| than rs means OF real enjoyment As years multi
ply upon them, they grow more and more dissatisfied
with themselves aud with all about them existence
itself At last becomes burden. Hence many per
sons oFths character, hndug, after all their pursuits
olpleasurc, that they had been chasing phantoms
and obtained mere bubble, have put an end to
their earthly existence by suicide. Others though
they are atheists in principle, and had resolved 10
make the most OF the present life by drinking the
cup Of pleasure TO the very drcgs, have declared
n0leIisteec 60 be preferable TO the life they had
| led. Que eminent instance of this was Ninon dc
| LEncIos, French lady OF the 18th century, pre-
eminent for the brillanee of her wit and the charms
| Of her persons and who enjoyed uninterrupted
health and uniaded beauty, from youth even 60 the
vale OF years, and narcssed aud adored by the
prOiigatc codrtiers OF France TO the last She lad
no computations OF conscience dread OF fituIitv
for she was on atheist Yet toward the close of n
long life, Which she had devoted solely 20 ornusc
ments aud pleasures, under rs favourable circufn-
stances as perhaps any human being ever enioyed
she was known TO say, that she 1ooIld prefer ami
hiation TO the ifs she had 6ue even ffT mere in
| her po7cer 10 make 10 Immortal
lisa fact, that even it the present life were The
SUM total OF our existence, 10 would be folly IN
spend 4 IN dissipation Ia the light Of gospel truth
the Jolly and madness Of such life surpass all now