Smyrna times., 1877-02-28
NZISc e/IUzz e OMS.
The AmuSementS of the Rich.

The following is from an article by DR..
Holland, in Scrj5ner for March:
True amusement is Of two kinds, viz:
active and passive. The active and weary
man and wOman-those who exhaust every
day their vital energies in work-take
naturally to passive amusement. A lady of
our acquaintance, engaged daily in severe
intellectual tasks, says that nothing rests
heF like seeing other people work. For
this she goes to the theater, and the play
upon her emotions there rests. and
recreates her. Indeed, it is the emotional
SIDE OF the nature, and not the active.
which furnishes play to those who are
weary with the use OF their faculties. This
TACT covers the secret of the popular success
OF what Is called emotional preaching.
People who have been engaged all the
week in exhausting labor Of anv kind do
not take kindly to high intellectual feast
on Sunday. They want to be moved and
played upon. This rests and interests
them, while the profound discussion of
great problems in life and religion wearies
and bores them. They are not up to it.
They are weary and jaded in that part of
their nature which such a discussion
engages. The emotions which have been
oiunted and suppressed by their pursuits
are hungry. 30 every form of amusement
that truly meets their wants must be
emotlve, and must leave them free to rest
IN those faculties which are weary.
On the other hand, the young, who are
trimming with animal life, and who fail to
exhaust 1t IN study, call for active amuse-
ments, and they must have them. And
mere the parent is in danger of making a
great mistake. Unless boy is a milk SOD,
ne must DO something or die. If he cannot
10 something IN his home, or in the homes
oi MS companions, he will do something
eISe"here. 1t Is only within few years
that parents have begun to be sensible upon
thlS matter. The billiard-table which a
x" years ago was only associated with dis
siPatlon, now has an honored place and the
largest S room In every rich mans house.
me card-ta0le, that once was a synonym of
@lckedness, Is part of the rich mans
IurnIture, which his children NAV use at
WILL IN the pursuit of harmless game. A
good many manufactured sins have been
oethroned from their fictitious life and
emlnehce, and put to benehcent family
service on behalf Of the young. Athletic
sports, such as skating, boating, shooting,
Dall'playlng, running and leaping, have
sprung INTO great prominence within the
past Ie" years-amusements of Just the
character for working off the excessive
vitality oi young men, and developing their
physical power. This is all well-a reform
IN the right direction. Much of this is
uohe before the public eye;' and in the
presence OF young women, which helps to
restrain all tendencies to excesses and to
dissipation.
The activities of young women take
another direction, and nothing seems to
US more hopeful than the pursuits in which
they engage. The rich young woman in
these days, who does not marry. busies
herself in tasteful and intellectual pursuits.
The readingclub, the Shakspere-club, the
drawingclass, and kindred associations.
employ her spare time; and now there is
haTdly more busy person living than the
ilch young woman who is through with her
o.oarding-schoOl. The poor, who suppose
ina Ita' The rich young woman leads an idle
are very much mistaken. The habits
Voluntary industry now adopted and
'"UNceo by the young women of America,
eocu circumstances, are most gratefully
Uprising. d One of them who is not so busy
hg the winter that she really needs a
o,upefatlng ~, summer, is an exception.
~. 1lu IDEAS OF the lazy, fashionable girl
must be set aside. They are all at work al
b,,s q - may uOb DTluS Lnefn money,
out 1t brings what is much better to them
f-lee f'ne content that comes of an earnest and
fruitful pursuit. 1t may take the form OF
ssaIIls9sement, saIs but it results in a training for
H'heipfulness and industry.
90, while not much can be done for the
auuit In this matter of amusement, much
~ Tone TOR the young, and much that will
p 10 give US generation of older men
sh hu women, who will not be content with
n e poor business of killing time. For il
,o VEL oe remembered that while the young
~ "onen assist at the athletic games of the
ig men, the young men are indispensa
s 70 the intellectual associations of the
s,g lung women. They meet together, and
nat 4iale and help each other; and it doe:
ags seem possible that either party should
bser sa6side into those time.kiliers who
th thanne the clubs established for men, ol
su snose yaded women who drag themselye,
tbDu ouno 70 dinners and lunches and