Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-12-11

"DUS vWMUs, NIv,NUs. There is much
said about the disposition that is exhibited
IN our cities TO make the most of the Passing
hour. and generally the tone adopted is cen
serious. The London Times has taunted us
with our love Of pleasure, and asked if we
had no feeling, that we could be Jolly while
a terrible war was going on, the issue of
which WAS involved in much doubt. The
Russian bail, in New York, revived the mo-
rallsts, and that affair Is spoken of as If it
were something Of shocking character.
Now, whether 1t be right or wrong for
Americans to partake Of enjoyment at cri-
sis like the present, it is the fact that men
are never 50 much disposed to live luxurious
ly, and to enjoy the present hour. as in the
midst Of grave crises. 1t has been 80 from
the beginning Of time, and probably it will
be 80 until time shall be no more Ii was
SO before the deluge when the antediluvian
pcople-an uncommonly fast generation
gave themselves up 10 mirth and indu lrence.
until the Hood came, and swept them all
away The clouds that were hanging over
them, and the spectacle Of Noah building the
Ark, had no effect on them. Bclshazzar
gave grand aud goddess entertainment
while the enemy were beleaguering Babylon.
and a visible hand that belonged TO an inti-
siblc body rebuked the jewellers bv writing
their doom on the palace wall. Thucydii,s
tells us that when the Great Plague was raw
aging Athens in the time of the Peloponne-
san War, men '. resolved 70 take their en-
i0yment quickly, and with a sole view to gra-
titcation regarding their lIyes and their
riches alike as things OF = day.
Everything that was immediately pleas ant
and that " which WAS conducive to II bv anv
means whatever, was laid down 10 De both
honorable and e1peiient. In Jerusalem.
at the time of her most terrible siege. epicu-
rean pleasures were not unknown, and the
knowledge that a man might be quaiiing his
last cup of wine, gave an additional flavor 10
the bright liquid. In other countries and IN
other days. IN times of war and pestilercc.
men have acted on the old idea,-.' Eat.
drink. and be merry, for Tomorrow We
die 80 W hen the Reign OF Terror was az it,
height in Paris. the dinners were At the
height of their excellence and the finest
wines oi Burgundy and Bordeaux were puuI-
ed down threats tnat were destined soon %
be cut by the guiilOtinc. Some of the worst
of the Tcrrorists were unc0mmonly fond of
pleasure, and used To have the most delicious
dinners with all the etccteras. The Ball of
the Victims came up alter the Terror was
over. but while the Revolution was still rlg-
ing, and when France was at war with half
the world No one could attend those balls
who had not been in great danger OF losing
his or her head Horace Walp0le's Letters.
and those of other men of the same time. al
ford evidence how much the English Of the
last century devoted themselves To pleasure
in times of war and public cOmmOti0n. IN
I745, when the Highlanders were marching
upon London, people made parties TO % and
see them 20 along the highway. as if the
whole thing was a show. instead OF a move
ment the success OF which must have inau-
gurated long and bloody struggle. There
were balls aud PARTIES in London at the time
of the war Of England with America, France,
Spain, and Holland and not even the hold
ing of the Channel by the French and Span
ish fleets, the British feet flying before them,
could keep people from their pleasure. At
the same time there were balls and parties
in America. Gen. Washington attended
balls. and 50 did other leading Americans,
statesmen as vel as soldiers. The English
forces in America had their seasons OF =eloic-
ing. and the Mschian=a, at Philadelphia, in
l77S, became historical, being in Its way
something like Belshazzar's Feast. Wei
lngton attended halls in the Peninsula, and
80 did hls officers. The Duchess Of Rich
mond's ball at Brussels, on the night Of the
18th of June, 1915, will be forgotten only
with Waterloo. and with the poetry of Byron
and the prose of Thackeray That - sound
of revelry by night " will be prolonged
through the ages There were balls and
feasts in this country during the last iwar
with England; and Mrs. Jackson's dancing
at New Orleans is a. famous as her husbands
fighting in defence OF that town. All these
facts do not prove that it is right IN Ameri-
cans to attend junketings, and To he gay un-
der difficulties, in these days and nights, bat
thev show that it is nothing new for men and
women TO seek pleasure, and TO find 1t. IN
times of great danger and difficulty. The
circumstance that there i danger around
people. and that they have difficulties to sur
mount, gives an additional zest to enjoyment,
as the comforts of a cosy room and a nice fire
and a GOOD novel are enhanced by the beat
ing of a heavy, cold rain against windows
that keep the storm without. All very
wrong. we must say, but then people are
prone to SIN, and obstinately r,fuse to
make themselves permanently and consis-
tently miserable.