Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-08-31
For the Port Tobacco Times.
DANCING.

Whatever amusement leads TO dissipation
and thereby units one for calm and serious
thought, and The performance of rational and
religious duties, becomes sinful. Whatever
seriously interfefes with hesl.hful and ne.
cessary repose Of body and mind, is injuri-
Gus to the constitution Of body and mind
Whatever unduly exci,es the vital forces Of
the human system, is followed by cores
ponding depression, throws the system of
its balance, inlerferes with The machinery of
health, interrupts its functions, and is con-
sequenly dangerous.
]. is the opinion Of The writer of this ar
licle tia, Dancing, as practiced in our midst,
is fraugh! with evil tendencies. Changing
night into day thereby reversing one of ma
lures laws, loss Of necessary rest, dsap-
pointmen's in selecting partners and conse-
qknt eslousies, Qualification Of love of
display and vanity, are only small part of
its ills; but it sffords fruitful soil for the
seeds OF disease both Of body and SOUL
Many Of our premaiurely old ladies and
gentlemen might if they choose trace The
cause and find il in The ball room. MANY
of our diseased, enfeebled and broken con-
stilulions have been caused indirectly by
diss'paled habits, which have originated in
attending dancing parties. And the seeds
Of death have taken root in the ball room.
1t is argued that dancing in itself is inno-
cent, and that it is lis abuse that constitutes
The evil. Granting this, Tie question arises
| Where is the line Of demarkalion between
It's innocent enjoyment and lis abuse ? Is
it al the usu5l hour of retiring, midnight,
day break or is ii when WEAKNESS and ex.
haus,ion, and often vexation Of spirit, COM
pei the relu1nan. dancers to leave the hall of
dissipation +: ! appeal to any unbiased mind
whether, in majority of cases, this "inno-
cent recreation" is not abused, even by those
who profess moderation. Who has the
courage or inclination to leave the dancing
circle in the midst Of its Doymen,s al a
seasonable hour, or at the usua! hour Of re-
| f1I1Tg ; fS-s-~I--c---~.l-..-,.~-e.
who raise "hue and cry" agains. abuse,
and endeavor TO quiet the warnings OF friends
and the dictates Of conscience by saying "It
lis abuse alone that constitutes The evII.'
appeal TO dancers themselves whether there
is not something in the very nature Of this
amusement so fascinating as 10 make them
unconscious of the passage of time, and for
The time being regardless of suffering, sick
ness, death and mourning prevailing con-
slanlly around them. Many young persons
attend dancing parties al first with compare
lively little inclination, merely spectators,
and with a full determination not TO parlici
pate under any circumstances. But the
pleasure of meeting friends, The sociabilty
of the occasion, smiling faces, enlivening
music, and the fascinating dance almos; in
loxica,e the novice with pleasuIable sensa-
tons. II lady, some dear friend requests
the pleasure Of being her partner in ''mak-
ing up SET" She at first, remembering
her previous determination, reluctantly asks
to be excused. Upon being urged, however,
and perhaps sanctioned by her mother, and
the example of friends whom she highly re-
spects, the chances are in favor of her yield
ing. The ''ice is now broker,' she dances
moderately until the company are about 10
disperse, and generally afterwards upon
similar occasions. If the novice be gen.
,leman. the result is the same, attained how
ever by slightly different process. Then
follow the passion fos dancing aud its con-
sequences an inability 10 enjoy social ga
lherings where there is no dancing, undue
excitement followed by ennui, depression,
languor, pale cheeks, dsordered functions,
and dlslaste for the performance of ration
al and religious duties; in fact, almost blank
until another party begins to dawn upon
their horizon. Who has not known de-
licate young lady dance almost all night Sc.
veral times in week ? and who has not
known this identical lady after dancing, say
Friday night, too much indisposed to attend
church the following Sabbath !? /, may be
said these are extreme cases and unusual re-
suits but they are drawn from real life and
appear to be natural consequences of dane
ing parties as coming under the writer's OBJ
servatlon.
1t is favofte saying with some, sit is
better TO dance than to scandalize ;" and
they really appear TO appeal TO this as tr-
umphsnt argument in favor of dancing.-
When friends are drawn together to spend
a social evening must they necessarily scan
dalize, cr;sicise, or indulge in any unchari-
table remarks or feelings against their neigh
bors, or any less gifted, or more fortunate
than themselves? If so, materials for con-
versation must be scarce, their powers of
observation end experience limited, or The
standard of society must indeed be low
Besides, if such were the case, would dane
ing puffy aud proven. ,his ATTENDING dis
position? !, would be just plausible aud
reasonable for ,hc rogue To say!t is better
80 steal than l. commit murder, Offering