Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-02-23

whoever reads the history o. ne pIoasur,
dance. viii find that it has been u..,. E,r n.
lowest and basest Of purposes, by the yilest O.
the human race. They will see that The dance
has beer employed. and il still. BY the most
WreIehed offemales. as a mode OF advertising
Their profession and Of inaaming the passions
OF their miserable victims. They will see that
even in heather Rome, a woman who made
any claim to modesty. scorned the common
dance OF amusement, and abandoned Il wholly
to those who had no character to lose. Cicero
said, chat no man in his senses would dance. ,
And tire conclusion to which the mind is unyoI-
unfairly led, is that the lewd and the sensual
would not be so exceedingly fond ofthe dance
and employ it so iueess1u.ly, did they not find
in it something peculiarly fitted to their pur-
poses.
We confess that, to our mind, the connex-
ion in which the dance has so often been found
in its history, necessarily throws strong suspi-
cion upon it. We wonder not that the modest
condemn and the wise avoid it.
But should it be declared illogical to con-
denim the dance because of its discredtable
connexions in time past, still we are not pre-
pared to take it into favour. We come down
to modern times, and charge upon the dance,
as it now exists, that it is productive of great
evils. On this point, we rely not on mere
theory. We appeal to the strongest of all ar
guments, the testimony of those who have had
The light of experience.
Listen to the learn ei and good DR.. Adam
Clarke Il learned to dance. grew passion
ltely fond of it would scarcely walk but in
n measured time, and was constantly tripping,
moving, and shutting, in all times and places.
grew inpatient of control, was fond of COM
amy, and wished to mingle more than l had I
yer cone with young people. l also got Ii
assion for better clothing than that which W
I'll to my lot in lie and was dscontented "
hen found neighbours son dressed better n
ian myself. | lost the spirit of subordination; h
ID not love work: imbbed the spirit of idle e.
ess, and in short, drank in all the brain-srck- r,
hing efiuvia of pleasure. The authority of m
y parents was feared, indeed, but not res m
scted, and few serious impressions could w
'evail in mind imbued now with frivolity.- ~
IN no case ever kept any improper company; OF
ST -g.st. M
auence, an unmixed moral evil 1t drown. q
the voice of we'll instructed conscience, III
d was the first cause ofimpelling me to seek ma
7 happiness In this life. And | can testify ~
At as far as my own observations have ex- ma
lded (and they had pretty wide range,) l tro
We known tito produce in others the same mao
Is that it produced in me. consider it, boil
refore, as branch of that aoorldly education Co.
ich leads from heaven to earth, from things ,,.0
'tual to things sensual, and from God to ma,
an. Let them plead for it who will, know iso,
} be evil and that only. They who bring Of
their children in this way, or send them to tbe
Sc schools where dancing is taught, are con- ia
" 'D' ''' : 'O'O'H' brou
10 man in his senses will dance, said Cicero d;so
'athen Shame on those christians who ad- on1
'cate cause by which many sons have are
me prohigate, and many daughters have at II
ruined" Life, vol, 1, 81. These are the bv Il
Is of truth and soberness-the testimony stan,
le who knoNs what he says. But more nose
is "nnocent amusement in our next. Az
D. p. MITCHELL. ,no