The Washingtonian., 1845-09-06


placed before him, that he leaves the simple
walks of nature, and treads in the luxurious
mazes of vice. The mother of our race was
pure and holy as the angels, but the fatal
apple was placed in her view, and the voice
of the tempter, musical, yet devilish, whisper
ed in her ear of life immortal; she yielded,
and fell. And SO has it ever been since. Feel
ings and passions, which would otherwise
have laid dormant for years. perhaps never
been awakened, by an object or word that has
appealed to them in a moment of thoughtIess-
ness, have broken forth in ungovernable fury.
We know not the powers and capacities of
to the passions is defended by strength of
reason that battles all resistance; at another,
weak, timorous, and unressting, thousand
| capricious passions rush in, and revel at their
WILL What strange compound is man !!
Reason and passion, power and weakness,
stern world-defying will and nfantie caprice,
the smiling face and the angry knit brow-all
are congregated, incongruous, and discordant,
each waiting for some answering circumstance
without to call it into activity. To bring into
subsection all the evil elements of his nature,
is the most difficult task he finds to perform.
With all his watchfulness, the tempter may,
with his smiles and sin, allure him from the
path of rectitude. "Deliver us from tempta-
ton! !" All! that is prayer which should be
not only on his lips, but in his heart.
But will that prayer-the great universal
prayer offered up by Chrisendom, that the
world may be delivered from temptation-be
available, when every device is used to make
new objects of temptation, and those OF the
most fascinating character?
But we do not intend to write homily up
on this subject. Our object is only to show
that thousands, who might have been useful
members Of society, are led to destruction by
the temptations which are set before their
eyes at almost every corner Of the streets in
our city.
Who can doubt that almost every drunkard
is made SO by the beautifully arranged bars Of
our hotels and coffee houses, the glistening
bottles, that seem to whisper of every thing
that is delightful, and the merry laugh that
resounds in the midnight revel. Let any one
observe the neighborhood in which coffee
house has lately been started, and he will see
scores, who perhaps never before drank half
dozen glasses of intoxicating drinks in their
lives, now become daily visiters and daily
drinkers. What is the cause of this? Is it
because they are fond of ite No; but because
every day the temptation has been before
them; they have tasted once, and again, and
they would flee it if they could, but there it
stands-a vitiated taste has been contracted
and still it stands, beckoning them to their
ruin. How many who now revel by day and
night round these sinks Of pollution, would
thank God if they were removed. We recol-
lect reading some years ago an article upon
this subject, by one who shared largely in the
esteem of the world, but who, alas felt bit
tery the truth of what he wrote. 81 have
often started from my home in the morning,
(said he,) with solemn vow that would
taste no ardent spirits on that day, but at the
first square saw the painted screens and bur-
nished glasses, with the beautifully colored
liquor within, and my resolution almost failed
me; two squares further the same sight met
me, but, unfortunately, my old habit proved
the stronger, and drank. Further along ano-
ther greeted me, and al. the compunctions of
conscience were gone, and | returned to my
home-drunk. My resolution was strong, but
it was not proof against temptation at every
point"
How many could give this experience! And
yet it is said by those whose voices are ever
ready to increase these temptations, if they are
not placed there, men will drink at home. If
you wish to preserve your child from the vice
of gambling, would you bring him in daily
contact with all the allurements of the gaming
table? would you place him before the excited
countenance of him who, just triumphant in
his evil work, is filling his pockets with the
golden treasure? or would you keep his heart
uncorrupted with the maddening scene? Why
is it, that in every city there is more vice than
in the peace and retirement of the country?
Is it not because the temptations to crime are
more rife? But suppose the argument were
true, that men would drink at home, if no
public resorts were provided What follows?
Nhxrf &c. thot e