Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-07-14
RICHMOND. July "a.
Resolution Of the Episcopal Conrentioi.
no THE EpIToR or THE KNQuIRER.


| plays have been discouraged or restrained by
the state.
The Athenians deemed a comedy so disrepu.
!anie aperiormance. that their law forbade any
lndge OF tie Areoragus To compose one. The
, LicedemoniaUs would not suffer the stage in
any form, or under amy regulations whatever.
The Romans, in theirbttttr times connied the
stage so diseraceful, that il Roman became an
actor, he was degraded and disfranchiSed by
the Censors
| In England, IN act of Parliament was passed
| dnrn. the reign of Queen Elizabeth, dcnOmi
| mating players "royncs vagahonaS and sturdy
| heggars. In tie year 1850, petition was pre-
| :enttd TO The Queen 10 supiress ali play houses
| Ia the City OF London, which was accoidimgiy
| done.
| Judge BnstIode in his charge TO the grand
! jnry Of Mddiesex. uses these strong and me.
mo'aSle words: One play house ruins mole
souls than City churches can save"
Chief Justice Hale says. Gaming and plays
as they are pr:uicious and corrupt Youth So
| - II tael had rU other fault they are iusti> TO
! " be d."iineu ia respect 10 Ia, IL excessive ex
| . pcisc OF Tine and habiinatiug men 10 idle
ness and vain thoughts. and disuI bins. passi
"ons and symptoms. when they are past as
well a. Willie they are used"
he Prince of Cont sass, "Those dcreiFe
| " themselves extremely who think that plays
: make no al iinpre s>iUn Oh them. PLAYS and
r"niaices no; only ihdispose the soul for all
acts Of Teiig ION and piety, but they eve il a
disgust IA soRe measure 10 al. serious and
binary actions The soui ahanGo..s itselft TO
4
" ii,ual ones. These are those sour grapes of
! winch the prophet saws they henunlb aud set
| on edge lie teeth of those who eat them.
| nat II to say, VIXEN one feeds himself with
! " the va'n pleasures Of The world the spi.
! "riinai senses become Stnpified and incapabia
| " OF IeiiSiing or understanding the things Of
| Sod Now among the pleasures OF the world
| which eXt'ngn,h The love OF the word OF God
=; may be sad thai plays and iomances held
| " the first rank"
Read what the philanihropic statesman, Mr..
| Wherefore, member of the British Parlia-
| ment. says ou this subject: "1hrre has been
! " much al grment concerning Tie Law ful.ncss of
| theatrical 2mnseGentS. Letit he smfncient TO
| '" remark that the controversy would be short
| indeed, II The question was TO nc tried by the
"crIierion OF love 20 the Supreme Being. |.
| there were any thing OF that senSibity for
| " The honor OF God. and OF that zeal III his SER
vice which we shew in behalf of our earthly
=" Trends orof our political conaco toDs, should
| we seek our pleasure in that place which the
" de- banchee ,infiamed with wine or bent on the
grailhcation OF other iceniious az petites finds
most congenIai 10 lis state or temper of mind.
| IN that place from iie nei.hborood of which
| "decorun and modesiy and regularity retire
"whiie RIOT and iewdueSS areinyited 10 the spot
| and invariably select it for their chosen resi-
uence; where the sacred name Of God is of
] Ten pfoiahed where sentiments are often
" heard with delight, aud motions and gestures
often aPpiaudod, which would not he tolera.
| tea IN piitate company.
| 1T is an undeniable fact, for the truth of
| WHICH we MAY appeal 10 every are and natl
| on, that the situation OF the performers par
| "hcuiary OF those of The female sex is remark.
ably untavorabie to the mainie namce s. growth
of The religious and moral principle, and of
| course highly dangerous TO their eternal in
teresis. Might il not then be fairly asked
now lar III all who confess the truth OF this
| position, IT Is consistent with the sensbility
" oi clrIst'an benevclence, merely fer the en-.
| teitannei't OF an idle hour, 10 encourage the
" continuance of any oitl.eir fellow creatures
IN snch a way OF life, and to take a part in
| temriiNg any others to enter il how lar, by
considering That by their own concession,
they ave EMPLOY ing what they spend in this
way III sustaining and advancing the cause of
| wee ana consequently III promoting misery;
" how far also they are acting conformably 10
Z" that golden principle OF dOins TO others as we
"weud they should do 10 u.s."
Ii must appear evident 10 every sober and
unpieIudiced mind, that the sentiments { these
viitnons and enlightened men against such dan
| gei0nS ways of spending our iiYne are indeed
| sofia and awak euing iruihs. Let us therefore
as rational beings, christians who are travelling
| towards better country, and are called to re.
! nounca the Vaiiiiies OF this perishing world,
| assert the dignity of our nature, and act con-
| formally 10 the excellence of OUT destination.
| few teetihS years will bring us all TO The
verge of am awful scene, where The vain
| diversions and paStimes of this world will
| appear th tieir trne light, most laInentable
| abuse OF our precious time and talent which
| were given us for FAR better PURPOSES
| Al that solemn period, the great business OF
! religion pl0us ard cirtu0HS life dedicated 10
| tie sGIriceot G0d, tciU appear Ot inestiinabe va
| lne. Happy therefore will il be forusif we he
| come wise III Time, take upsOur Cross 10 ali en-
| sEaringipleasnres, for the few years we have TO
live, and persevereundeTt The divine AID in nliil-
| ling The various duties assigned us. We shall
| then ahhOT the pTetence of acquiring moral and
refined Sentiments, from such polluted mi Atures
| and fesoursclves deeply concerned to disccun
| tenance by our example and precept those
| splendid engines of i'm iety and dissipation
1t is even practicable 10 bring the testimony
I OF player against himsefaud his profession.
| celebrated comic performer Oil Tie English
| stage meeting with Clergyman whom he had
once known, q who had been tor some time en-.
| gagged iii preaching iB London, bni who mad
| been obliged to leave IL for the benefit Of his
| health, said, And have been acting Sir John
| FalSiafi so often, that thought should have
" died. aud the physicians advised me 10 come
into the country for the benefit Of the air.
| Had yCn died, II wonId have been IN serving
| " the best NJ DsasterS. But had died, il wonld
have been in the service Of Tie derH. q s soon
as leave tins. shall play kIng Richard. -.
| :" this IS what ihey cali a good play acknOw.
ledge there are some stirling and moral
things i'll il :; tut after, shall come in again
2" with my farce OF dish Of all sorts, and knock
| Z" the whole on the head. Fine reiormers We"
| Styles'S Essay, -. 81, O2.
| IL is related Of the Rev. MIR. Heryey, that
travelling once in a stage coach, the theatre
| became the topic of conversation. Lady in
| company, WHO was much attached TO this
| aElngeBicTt, eXpatiated largely OH the plea
! sures attending 1T. She observed that she
I found much pleasure in anticipating the per
! Torrance, much IN witnessing II aud mnci in
recoIieeiing il and cOuversimg upon il afteg-
wards. Mr.. Hervey listened with respectful
attention, aud when she had done, said
| madam, there is one pleasure growing out Of
| the theatre which you have omitted 10 men
ton" Delighted to think of her opinion be-
| ing confirmed By person OF his respectable
| appearance, she asked him with eagcruess, TO
what he referred " ! refer, madam" said be
gra'ely, " TO the pleasure which the rcmem-