Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-03-16

of decay. when its senators and rulers
exchanged their native simplicity Of man
Liners for the pomp eftiaxurious elegance
the feast, the dance. the song and thus
set the example of RIGHTEOUSNESS before
the inferior ranks Of the people.
! While her consuls, tribunes. aud die
tatars practiced temperance and sobriety,
and inflexible public virtue, she flourish
ed and gave laws to the world.
True greatness and honor were not
then confined to palaces; they shnne in
the village, the cottage and the field.
Cincinnatus at the plough was fat
more exalted and praiseworthy charac-
| ter. and exam ,le of usefulness and vr-
| tue. than Cae sar at the circus, the thea
ire or the triumph.
But no sooner-had the governors broke
through those rules on which the preser-
walton and safety of the empire depend
ed, than the contagion spread with rre-
sistibIe violence through all the subordi-
nate ranks Of the body polite.
The freemen and plebeians soon extern
ded the breach their rulers had made.
and followed them in everything condu-
Give to public ruin.
Thus it was with ancient Greece snd
Rome. once the glory of nations; now,
in great measure, the seat of ignorance.
superstition and slavery; and, as the
same causes naturally produce the same
effects, there is reason to fear that every
great empire will meet with the same re-
suits.
Luxury and dissipation is a ; kind of
general disease, and almost epidemical.
Sew, indeed, there are who have nerve
enough TO retain their proper senses a.
midst the general delirium, so as to be
perfectly free. that their examples. shall,
shine with distinguished Iustre. With
what eaeerness do the gay and giddv
pursue pleasure in all her varying forms!
The opera. theatres ,masquerades. balls,
races, gambling houses, &c, principally
divide their time and their money, and
constitute perpetual round of unproit-
able and Often of ruinous folly. n
While the great spend their time and
fortunes in the eiddy round of expensive
amusements, others, excited by the pre-
vaIence Of their example, will initiate
them to their ruin.
BY such conduct innumerable evils
have been introduced to all ranks, even
to the private tradesman. Every class
has caught the infection, and no sooner
does one rank step out of its proper sta
ton, than the next succeeds it, and fills
up the chasm. =
The number OF public places of diver
sions in and about the metropolis, has
been long and Justly. complained Of as
nuisance. as being highly prejudicIal to
the morals and fortunes of the people.
1t is well known that many uncuar,l-
ed and inexperienced youth have beer
excited to commit acts OF injustice to sup
ply wants occasioned by the pursuit of
expensive diversions ; and proceeded
from. enc degree of guilt to another. until
the loss of liberty or life has put peri
cd to their crimes. e. I
Let-it be remembered that every spe-
cies of pleasure, however lawful. under
proper restrictions, becomes unlawful
and hurtfuI when immoderately indulg-l
ed.
There is a fixed point at WHICH We
ought to terminate enjoyment, By retreat
ing from the influence Of its immediate
cause, If we wish to preserve unininred
the faculties, tht ough which that enjoy
ment is communicated.
When extended beyoml this point. the
perceptive faculties and moral powers
become relaxed: our finest feelings are
destroyed: kind of lis:less languor en-
sues; and we become unfit for the exer-
ton of that fOrtituhe which is necessary
to repeI the insiIious as we'll as open at
tacks Of vice.
thus a constant round of diversions.
even admitting them to be innocent, en-
ervates the mind, throws it off its guard.
and renders it more liable to receive in
furious impressions, thar, while it remains
protected by the rules of sober reason
and intiexible virtue.
1t was probably for this reason that
the Lacedamonians kept so strict a
guard over their youth. lest by occasion
al indulgence the desire after and pursuit
of pleasure should become habitua!. +
They knew the authority of reason o.
YER the passions was'more easily preser-
we'd than ,egained when lost; aud. there
fore, under the government OF tie wise
Lycurgus, almost every species Of luxu-
ry, intemperance and vain amusement
were prohibited.
It,was a maxim among this sagacious
people, that frugality and temperance
preserved the faculties of the mind free
and uninterrupted. and rendered the bo-
dy most fit for vigorous exertion in a re-
gular course Of useful action.
The history. past ages. the natura'
course of human events. and the testimo-
nv of sound reasoning on established
all concur to show us the fol-
ly of not keeping within the strict rules
of proprietv in every transaction of our
lives. particularly in all public places of
diversion, in which there are SO many
+ en- nations