Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-09-20
ALEXANDRIA,:
SATURDAY. SsprsNsss 90. 1917.

luSuTN, IL hust NC NSi e''"S"s wa" "
connect with them The common notions
Of ease and pleasure.-But this IS de-
plorahle error and think that very
lew remarks vii be sufficient to prove
tina there is nothing nj the austerites OF
whici. | have been speaking that is not
far exceeded BY the voluntary Penances
and notifications OF the slaves OF luxury,
aad the voluptuaries, high aud low, OF
our tines. In word, it will be fOun3
that the latter exceed the former as far
as pain Of mind, fen aggravated by cor
porea: anguish and disease, exceeds pain
Of body only. How much that is, let e.
very man make his estimate from his own
experience.
By way Of exemplifying the appetite
we have for notifying and making our
selves mis- rabe, under pretext 0! plea
sure, will begiu with all sorts Of pub
lie spoctac!es-a leading article of luSu
ry. No one that has seen prodislous
concour,e Of people squeezing into a
theatre already much crowded-no one
that has seen The boxes illed in summer
~ith ladies, (many of whom are delicate
even to feebleness, and so intoleraEt of
heat and inconvenience that in their own
roomy parlou,s, extended upon couches,
they fret at and complain of the heat,)
tanning themselves and shifting and wag-
g ing and toiling and melting in an atmos-
phere of 90o BY Fahrenheit, but must have
some idea of the vast tendency those
persons must have to pain and mortifca-
ton and sufferins-uOt a nun Of bit OF
nuns flesh being at the same time among
them: and indeed so sympathetic is the
general feeling for them, so contagious
this passion for pensnces and poRlsh-
ments, that we doubt whether there is a
person Of common sense present who
would not agree to their being INDUCED
with fagelialion and self inoictlon to
their hearts content. Now, that it is
for the mere love OF peuance they do
this, is eyident.-For it is not The spec
tacle they go to see-to that they are so
indifferent that they scarcely attend to
but keep looking all the time not at
the stage; but at the audience-at each
other, and at each others clothes at
the sentlemen-a little; and then at
their own hab liments, TO see if they are
eve worthy. 10 them it does not signify
whether it be one of Shakspeare's plays
or the Fyrty.Thieve>Nr Blue Beard that
is 10 be performed- they think bout:
is being pressed most painfully in
crowd: these. however, ave small mortifi-
cations & comparatively unproductive Of
torture with others that are much in fash
ion, Of which am yet to speak.
The old monks thought great deal
and were indeed quite fond Of their
whippings, which to be sure were severe
enough But what were they to our
modern deNotees, who for whole years
together continue to swallow poison & to
lay up for them elves, with the most in
defatigable industry, aches, pains, souts,
rheu,ns. tone, gravel, debility, tremors,
Palsies, aud every species of nervous dis
ease a. pi0Hs mother Cole says" to
rack, rack. guaw, gnaw--in bed or up"
nd leave them no rest Tor the remainder
OF their days What are all their an
Gent igtliCtions of Pcnance compared
with the total devotion of the under
standing 10 this terrible fsnaticism of
luxury, in which its yotares sprawl sense-
less on the soor, and from their wiliul
temporary insanity, ri.e into the most
agohizins pains ofhead and stomach and
boz else | repeat it-what we've all the
monkish peDances-What, all the whip
pinss Of the flageIiants themselves, CON-
pared with this f-Nothins.-No, No
thing But while am upon the sub
jec,, let me do entire Justice TO our CO.