The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-12-17
A.ANcnBuRo, DECEMBER II, Ieas
IoR TN VIRGINIA.
AN ESSAY

feetions nf oihrIs, which had either some
where seen or sumow here head. Orlgt-
nally, bad no thought of, publishing them,
but. as they assumed form, with the natu-
raj Partially Of an author, conceived they
might impaft 10 Others some portion oi The
satisfaction | had myself received IN en-
bodyiBg them. They were occasoncd by
the frequent aud unqualified Remuneration
/ had heard fnlmnatni from the pulpit
land which may sill bcheard from the sa-
cred repository against an amusement
winch had been accustomed 10 think, and
still think. inoa.nsi,e. ! deemed the 81
verify with which tins gay pasi.me was
condemned SO much disproportioned To IFS
offences, that was Involuntary led 10 re-
fce, upon what might be SAID IN It's defence,
and the result was the declarations which
may be read below. could not help
thinking that clerical zeal had, IN these in
stances. exceeded its dae bnunds--and that,
in attacking with 80 much yirulence an a
mnsement ~ old ms the world, which is
the nstural effect of our sensbility to bar
mony. which is sanctioned by the most en-
iightened circles of society, aud which is
approved by the most liberal among the
clergy themselves, they had been deserted
by the good policy which is usually 0bser
we'd 10 accompany aud 10 temper their re-
ligious zeal ! could not avoid thinking,
that in this instance, their anaihcmas had
been directed rather against the shadow
than the suhsiance--and that, whilst this
amusement, which can, in truth, only be
enjoyed by the young and innocent, and
which would seem from this circumstance
alone, 10 be harmlessln itself, was rcproach-
ed as tue most alarming aud dangerous
vice OF the age, the more serious offences,
ensendercd by the worst passions of the
human heart, and which rarry death to the
best interests OF society, were permitted 10
escape with censurc disproportoned to
their magnitude. II seemed 10 me that
these modern Nimrods, in hunting down
the offspring of human depravity, pursued
with savage aud unrelenting Eruciiy and
hate their more feeble and unieslsting foes
while their hrrcer enemies, whose conquest
would add celebrity IL their proves, prowl-
ed unmolested, protected IN their rayagos
equally by their own strength and the
weakness of the huntsman. The linorous
hare, whose inroads ale limited to the gar
den, and whose only offence is the mincing
Vi n tnHdIu tal VI bhl htiS " al apple
tree, is chased with full pack and open cry,
and hunted without remorso to death, whilst
the bloody wolf the hungry bear and the
savage boar, who invade villages, and lay
waste whole fields and herds, escape with
impunity, aud triumph in their dens over
the possession of their spolls, and the inn
potencc Of their for But thus thought
has II ever been with faat class who have
been entrusted with or have assumed To
themselves the protection of religion, and
the guardianship of morals. They rail at
external appearances, whilst substantial
@ice cludcs their vigilance OF escapes their
indignation The yenial excuses, the oc-
.easioual Irregularities, and the sanctioned
amusements Of YOUTH which flow f,om
their natural thoug htlessness. or are proper
to their age, are reprehcnded in colurs of
glowing Indignation, as criminal offences n
gamst God, religion and society, W hist the
rogue, the liar and the hypocritc, too formi-
dable to be attacked, derives his security
from the enormity of his offences. But,
lest our preface exceed the limits Of the es-
say, we will return 10 the Peiul whence we
set out.
Dancing, says one, is thc art Of gesture,
as Logic is The GH etthsnking and the dc
fnition OF a syllogsm, may be applied to
a step; az qua qubgsaGm poSiiiS, diperSunt
qitid poSiiis, ptopter en- qua poSitG sum-,
aeceSsdrio ssglatar. Logic teaches Us SO
to order and arrange our thoughts, as to
give them perspicuity aud proprlety OF CON
nection and ny dancing We are taught TO
direct our motions N such manner, as 10
But the art of dancing is even more necessa-
ry to gestit alaton, than the arr of logic is
TO thinking. To think elegantly and sub
timely is the effect of genius alone; and the
art of thinking clearly and justly may be
attained by habit and observation. We
see the exemI LITIGATION Of the first in the
poet, whose conceptions are beyond III,
reach Of ordinary thought and yet, under
the inspiration of genius, They are conform.
BILE To nature, and every man, Nhen he
reads them, wonders that they had never
occurred to himself. An example of III,
second may be found in any man of ordi
nary capacity, who, from interest, or an OBJ
serving temper, is accustomed TO reason
upon COZ anon events, and deduce infercn-
ces from premises. Thus ITO continue tn,
paralleI [ would seem that the power %
thinking Justly may be acquired withou
extraneous aid but il is questionable if M
elegant and graceful carriage was eve oh
14ned withoutthe aid OF dancing Mechan
.ral, how eyer,as the art OF daneing may see,n
genius is far from being out OF the ques
rion. The initiative arts are specially tn,
PROVINCE of genius aud no art can witt
more proprety be termed initiative, THAI
dancing. 1t is a copying of those IDEAS 0
'graceeulness and hann0Ay, which we Dor
row from nature; aud in this. as the othe
initiative arts, the closest imitation of grace
full nature, is the happiesteNecu.ion. If i
he asked, if dancing be ncthing mare thar
A.nx.inr the native. hruIties OF mn1lnn Mh,