The New York herald., 1869-01-28
nalyosaL AuusErEsTs.


pedc-Pros and Cons Of the Theatre D'S
cussed-The Turf-Billiarsis-Base Ball nA>
Gymnasfics.
Last evening the second public lecture OF the win
ter season under the auspices OF the Plymouth Young
Peoples Association was delivered by the Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher in Plymouth church, which was
crowded to overnowng.
The reverend gentleman commenced by giving
heightened dissertation on the counteracting nau-
ences OF society and adverted to the tickle changes
which characterized its organization. showing the
consequences OF extremes Now, he proposed to
unite mtrth and morality. and who would forbid
the bans Amusement was the prerogative Of those
men me sx,h whose business was not amusement II ala
not belong 10 pleasure seekers but to the sober and
when men were mentioned Those who made plea
father was worm. (Laughter.) certain degree
OF happiness was necessary to the well working of
happy 6heerfuness, courage g a and physical buoy.
anct ana JOY were divine provisions for the body.
Life could not be economized without wholesome
enjoyment; Tor real amusement economical time
nicIohs results OF entirely occupying the mind with
ssns RATIONAL and 9sarsssas saea an
sssnoy sss 'TsssS TSs Ssus;y Ss,.sS sSd 6;
whistled and women who worked and sung would
live long. The face OF care was thin and sharp as
II. u
mans greatest enemies. 1t opened the door OF
disease and put secret poison IN the cup, and who
ever ca,o .tar nsc tnan he
had for mis- education and should therefore take the
necessary care OF his life to do so: Whoever made
life purer, increased harmony. made men more gen.
tie and society more beautiful promoted religion.
1t was not the religion IN church that marked the
must must be spread to be eflectaai greenhouse was
q good thing in winter but q greenhouse did not
change the climate The speaker here referred to
the errors In some not participating In those recrea
tons best suited to their occupation, disposition and
temperament, and animadverted on the uselessness
and weakness Of pursuing 1t necessarily. Nothing
could be more innocent than the moral dance under
ne summer es tn9 .se &c aSacss m IL
only for harmessness, but for their positive use
funess He advocated them as well as defended them
but the night rOuts and balls were to be condemned
for they sacrifice the end which amusement seeks
The indecacies and extravagances OF those fash
tonable dissipations which found men happy and
lett them Wretched-which found men pure and left
them vitiated-flled the mind with disgust In seek
Ing amusement one should not tax those faculties
which have already been at work. For instance,
sch0olboy after exhausting studies should not play
chess, for the brain was once again brought INTO
relief The engineer, the merchant, the lawyer goes
homo at night and 1nds unspeakable delight In
ns ss Ss bat d little eoor sas asn nsnse Ss q
founding hospital. daughter and applause) For
his own part he would like to run an express engine
for an hour or two as recreation. (Laughterl Now
II would naturally occur what were the amusenents
best calculated TO promote wholesome enjoyment.
sense an Instructors Was it an educator OF taste
Was 1t promotive OF good morass Was 1t an Inn
portant element Of public amusements He wished
spects. Assuming 1t not to be bad and the proies-
sion more respectable, he only inquired whether
and IN their natars they
reached but small class OF society. Theatres were
city and to strangers resortng there. they could
not be provided for the people. They were too
enormously expensive ,s., required drs an snn in
port twenty clubs, societies and lecturers. They
furnished only limited amusement; and they were
for the most part OF the lowest kind Of amusements
namely apastimes.n He Thought, therefore, that the
exaggerated claims for theatrical entertainments
could not be sustained Once Or twice IN lifetime
the actor gave the cultivated higher conception o.
more 6y reading. He might be asked whether he
sented; why not hear him reciteds and he answered
ing than in the representations on the stage.
Some Of the most remarkable portions OF
were coS sSss ed the stage Tag n waat tns
ing Of the witches scene In Macbeth What
was more ridiculous than the witches In the
stage. Uaughter.) To the second and third rate
dramas produced at the theatres he had far less OBJ
lection. The moral and mrthful dramas, he thought,
ere s6s ws s0 % Strength n n
but they we're good for nothing else. Theatres
had pot been able to sustain the drama. "hameW
s.Humpty Dumpty, has had three hundred nights OF
It. loud laughter.) The "White Fawn" triumphed
tRenewed laughIer and appause.j the theory OF
theatres was ell well enough-facts were the only
nnss against them the "a, n drama could not ee
resort to the others order to profits. Even
in Paris the drama could not be sustained unless as
mens NJ men sns Ike pr. Bellows that 4 Christian
men took the 5 matter & II hand, encouraged Sos sa
ma snq %
was 10 have no amusement that must frst go into
quarantine to cover up its beggarly defects. The
showed that IL demoralize and that was enough.
on the whole he considered the theatre failure;
nS nos % eooS a. Soss Who s
alleged. But there were other kinds OF amusements
to which he wished to draw attention-namely,
tie great Questions Of the day was IN relation 20
thought he was coming on elocpede-laughterp--
o new machine that was bound to play prominent
part In the category Of sen erssr ss .Gy y
others, He had purchased two for his own boys and
there WAS every probability OF him riding on one him.
he foped II would not be SAID that the veiocipede
was his hobby. daughter His AUDITORS were not
20 zoo od 70 ss me u hs hence
wheeling their machines to Plymouth church. ZAP
plause and aughter) The lecturer next referred to
the game OF billiards, which he highly commended,
but Considered that considerable danger was at
tached to II owing to the evil communications Of bill
lard saloons lie recommended tne use OF ouiiaIu
tables IN all associations Organized for social
enjoyment. Yachting was admirable, but owing
to its peculiar nature commended itself to only
few, while the oar was democratic and was pro-
duciiye OF good health and pleasure. Referring TO
walking he thought American men did not walk half
enough, and few, consequently, knew the exhilarat-
instrument OF amusement. and he commended trials
OF speed and endurance, for II was easy for every
animal TO do that for which God specially made IL.
The road was truly the domain Of the true horse.
man on horseback was q true monarch. He was,
however opposed TO the turf not because II wasted
time or tried the utmost speed OF fast horses.
bur simply because OF Its gambling. Its life was
gambling for the bet was the marrow OF the race.
Moreover all attempts reformation were hopeless,
ana those pleading the reformation were only play
Ing sharper game. The reverend gentleman con.
cluded by hoping that ail Young Mems Associir
tions-hitherto nothing more than mere ne
churches--would be thrown open for the wholesome
amusements Of youth, and ne felt satisfied tnat .ne
result would be most beneficial. Throughout the
lecturer was frequently interrupted with applause.