Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-09-06

anu ioul'hlJ, theie Is no hirg in these
pursuits, or :" in the solu ion of m.
tblem, or the investigation metapbyiI;o.,
TRUTH" which is incOmpatib with tho u
mands of our morality, "stern &. ascesc, /
AS your correspondent may wish it ia /.
considered. A due regard to usefM s.;
,nce and useful secular avocations W.
not deemed by Us, inconsistent gitba 5n Inc
regard tor our spiritual benefit.
..' One eye on earth, and one full fisea .,
Is Becomes a mortal and immortal man "
| Let Genius, meditating in the sror..
Iof Acadenlus, or soaring far above IT,
AOnian mount, return enr ched with III
the spoils Of time, and having exhau.tsa
worlds, let him imagine new-.but -.
him bring these trophies of his intelocm
al greatness, and lay them on the altar as
his God. $ Let not the Use man olors
ia his wisdom, but let him that gIoIie,t'
glory ia this, that he knoweth aud upJr,
>tandeth me, saith the Lord"
Oar system OF virtue is not y,
friendly to science as YOU correspondents
lsupposes much less is it & rigorous and
gloomy" 1t labors to inspire and pr",
note that cheerfulness watch is the trna
,rerosatlveof virtue, and to give relish IA
| IL the real enjoyments of life. There 10
indeed " laughter that is mad" and
Iieasure which is poisono "There ;S
. way which seems right 10 q man. tba
eud whereof is DEATH" Ia slew US !,
midst the dangers that SD round US. tEa
,ath Of peace, religion came down from
Heaven. Her design is to carry US up
!fhither again. For this purpose she train,
as by a 4 alutary, though perhaps, in de-
gree, painful discipline. She makes rs
% deny our hayward appetltes in those
Things which are pernicioos to our wei.
Fare; but she gives US in their place n,sre
IsoId and substantial joys. She p'ucks
40 harmless flower from the waste OF life,
but rather scatters them thr0u h all our
path, making them to spring upunder our
fleet in the desert, and to bloom with re.
|freshing fragrance in the valley Of deaths
shade. Her joys are not tumnItuoas but
calm, not blazing out ike the eruptiOns
fof volcano, but burning with the qqua-
|b'e, steady and invigorating warmth Of
THE sun. Her pleasures are sweet, be-
|causc they are pure and innocent--they
iare permanent, because they are derived.
mot from shallow and turbd streams. but
from that high fountain which God makes
ito flow in perennial streams through
well regulated mind--a mind at peace
with itself, with man, and with It's God.
In all we have said with regard to the
theatre, we have no expectation that We
shall have any effect on the gay and dis
solute, on those, who are " lovers OF
pleasure more than lovers of God" ara
who consequently will deny tie principles
lon which we reason But the hope is
|induIged that they who embrace tie doc
,rines of the Gospel, in their humbIing,
seif-dcnying, and purifying tendencies,
sho profess to be seeking better
country, even a heavenly one" who have
|prOmlsed to renounce the devil with all
his works, and all tie pomps AID vanities
of a world lying in wickedness, who wish
to be found watching unto prayer when
death shall call them to their account;
that these will discountenance an amusc-
ment, where every object is calculated to
extinsuish in them the sentiments and
feelings which it IS their interest, their
doty. and their happiness, both as cit
zens of the world and as candidates Ter
to cultivate.
Shall we SO soon forget the lesson
taught US by the sad catastrophe of Sis
ter city? Shall our tears SC soon dry on
,ur cheeks ? Shall our VOWS 50 soon be
obliterated While their ashes are
cold beneath their bcaconed mo-
nument ,--whiie their groans still vihrate
on the ear.--sball we III neglect OF 50 pal
pable admonitions, still continue to attend
the designations Of the theatre Are these
such vespers as we would ohusc, to cheer
our funeral scene The subject Is wor-
thy of consideration; since this night
our souls may be required Of Us"
If the infde! Rousseau was induced by
love of country to oppose the establish
ment Of theatre a, Geneva, shall not The
additional and weishty motives Of rei'-
zion prevail with Christians to aiscouhte-
aance this enemy to the best interests Of
society, and to the highest and most da-
rable pleasures OF our nature
AMOR PATRlN.