Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-11-01
From RecOIIectiOMs Of HO&sekeepeT.
A TEMPERANCE LECTURE.

IL seems 10 me 0TehHsS tnaL once
cIeansed and repIenished gin and brandy
decanicr every Saturday morning. NY
" swords are turned into ploughsl,areS, aud
my spears into pruning hooks :" for there
they stand, the pictures of innocence,
converted into water-crafis aud molasSeS
bottles.
Let every hOusekeeper seriously ln"k
back through her past experience, and ask
herself how many individuals (uninlenlion-
ally Of course) she has led into temptation
with these polished seducers and if she
has herself escaped a pit where so many Of
the bright and good have fallen, offer up
prayer Of thankfulness.
know not how others may have felt,
but my soul has often been wrung with an
guish at The utter hopelessness of prevent
ing any individual, who has betrayed "a
tendency to intemperance, from plunging
daily further and further into sin, when the
means were spread out before him, leaving
unchecked his vitiated taste.
My Husband, like others, provided liz
quors for his sideboard, but only drank
them as the compliment which society de-
handed with his guests. William lngols,
my cousin, an interesting young man,, en-
tered his office as student, and resided
with US. He was coniding and commune
cative, and soon began to love him as a
member ofour household. At his FIRST din
ner, my husband joined him in glass of
brandy and water; on succeeding days he
took it unsolicited in "a short time he
drank at the sideboard before dinner; and,
in a few weeks, repeated the draught a.
bedtime.
l ask'd my husbands advice on what
was to be done. He answered with "a smile,
IS You are woman, and can manage these
things better than /. Talk with Ingols on
the subject. You know my detestaiion Of
this gentle tipplcr, but have no authority
over him."
A fair opportunity offered, in my hus-
bands necessary absence at circuit court
fnr week, to speak Oh the subject without
duplicating him.
AS Ingols was visiting the sideboard as
usual, and (what seems to be an alarming
symphony covering the lower part Of the
tuInbler with his hand, ask'd him, with Il
little hesitation, il he drank brandy for his
health.
IS cannot say that do" said he, smil-
ing. Will you take a little for yours,
cousin :"
mo, thank you, said I II am afraid
oft" ...
"Afraid Of it, cousin? II will not hurt
you. You would be all the better for lit
tie tonic"
"A little tonic might not hurt me, cousin
William, but l fear being tempted. | dis
trust my own strength Of character"
"Pshaw you are not serious have
been drinking little several years."
"Why do you drink il r. l asked
"Your mind is naturally active, your con-
versation agreeable, you have no mental or
bodily suffering, and you have thousand
rational modes Of enjoyment. lfy"u will
only look into your own feeling, you will
find cormorant settling over them, whose
guilty cry is give, give ] :"
"You are sweet monitor, cousin Clara;
I believe must take little brandy, If it is
only to hear you scold 50 prettily."
ooh, Ingols," answered, do not. in
mercy to yourself, treat this subject so
lightly. Why society tolerates its abuse,
know not. I see already look directed
to that bottle when you are about to pour
out its liba,ions to your insipient sensual
desires, which speaks an awkward con-
seriousness. You are already screening the
quantity you take. Ifyou love my school
ing, hear it plainly. Your manly and
graceful form will soon begin to lose its
firmness, your brilliant eyes shine with a
drunkard's CLASSY inexpressiveness, AID
your mind,
" Where God has Get his seal
To give the world assurance OF q man"
reduced to childishness, worse than child
ishness, since its weakness will have no re-
deeming innocence"
"But, Mrs. Packard said Ingols, "you
forget how many indulge in ardent spirits
withou: injury"
81 do not forget that. William, but re-
member more wildly how many have been
destroyed, soul and body, while these mo-
derate drinkers, favoured perhaps by con-
stitutional resistance, have been unscathed
by the burning trial. Blu, they will not es-
cape, cousin William; they cannot escape
His eyes who watches motives rather than
deeds. They may be strong enough to
carry until death the unrighteous banner of
the drunkard without Keeling, while others
are falling on the right hand and on the left,
but they lead the way to the destruction Of
others, and they must answer for it,
"My dear cousin" said lngOls, you
take this matter too seriously. You make
bugbear of a trifie."
"a rife !" exclaimed; I" cali not that
a trifle which rifles the mind and body Of
their hes. gifts. &c were permitted, 1
would ga (not in the wilderness Of quixot-
ism, but in the spirit Of him who drove the
profaners from Gods temple) and destroy
every implemen, like tkGt before you,
which attracts you and others from the
simplicity of nature. They disgrace our
homes. they deform the purity Of domestic