University of Virginia Library

Thursday, L. M.
AMUSEMENTS.

“Amusement is impatiently desired,
and eagerly sought by young ladies in general.
Forgetful that the noblest entertainment arises
from a placid and well cultivated mind, too many
fly from themselves, from thought and reflection
to fashionable dissipation, or what they call
pleasure, as a mean of beguiling the hours
which solitude and retirement render insupportably
tedious.

“An extravagant fondness for company and
public resorts is incompatible with those domestic
duties, the faithful discharge of which ought
to be the prevailing object of the sex. In the
indulgence of this disposition, the mind is enervated,
and the manners corrupted, till all relish
for those enjoyments, which, being simple and
natural, are best calculated to promote health,
innocence, and social delight, is totally lost.

“It is by no means amiss for youth to seek
relaxation from severer cares and labours, in a
participation of diversions, suited to their age,
sex, and station in life. But there is great danger

of their lively imaginations' hurrying them
into excess, and detaching their affections from
the ennobling acquisitions of moral improvement,
and refined delicacy. Guard, then, against those
amusements which have the least tendency to
sully the purity of your minds.

“Loose and immoral books; company, whose
manners are licentious, however gay and fashionable;
conversation, which is even tinctured
with profaneness or obscenity; plays, in which
the representation is immodest, and offensive to
the ear of chastity; indeed, pastimes of every
description, from which no advantage can be derived,
should not be countenanced; much less,
applauded. Why should those things afford apparent
satisfaction in a crowd, which would call
forth the blush of indignation in more private
circles? This question is worthy the serious attention
of those ladies, who, at the theatre, can
hardly restrain their approbation of expressions
and actions, which, at their houses, would be intolerably
rude and indecent, in their most familiar
friends!

“Cards are so much the taste of the present
day, that to caution my pupils against the too
frequent use of them, may be thought old-fashioned
in the extreme. I believe it, however, to
be a fascinating game, which occupies the time,
without yielding any kind of pleasure or profit.
As the satirist humourously observes,

“One thing at least is certain; it entirely
excludes all rational conversation. That delightful
interchange of sentiment, which the social
meeting of friends is calculated to afford, and
from which many advantages might be derived,
is utterly excluded.

“Reading, writing, drawing, needle-work,
dancing, music, walking, riding, and conversation,
are amusements well adapted to yield pleasure
and utility. From either of these, within proper
bounds, there is no danger of injury to the person,
or mind; though to render even our diversions
agreeable, they must be enjoyed with moderation,
and variously and prudently conducted.
Such as are peculiarly exhilarating to the spirits,
however innocent in themselves, should be more
cautiously and sparingly indulged.

“When once the mind becomes too much relaxed
by disspating pastimes, it is proportionably
vitiated, and negligent of those nice attentions
to the rules of reserve and decorum, which ought
never to be suspended. Intoxicating is the full
draught of pleasure to the youthful mind; and
fatal are the effects of unrestrained passions.

“Flavia was the daughter of a gentleman,
whose political principles obliged him to leave
his country, at the commencement of the American
revolution. At that time she was at nurse
in a neighbouring village; between which and
the metropolis, all communication being cut off,
he was reduced to the necessity of leaving her
to the mercy of those to whom she was entrusted.
Having received her from pecuniary motives
only, they no sooner found themselves deprived
of the profits of their labour and care,
than they fought relies by an application to the
town for her support. A wealthy farmer in
the vicinity, who had often seen and been pleased
with the dawning charms of Flavia, pitied
her condition; and having no children of his
own, resolved to shelter her from the impending
storm, till she could be better provided for.
At his house, she was brought up in a homely,
though comfortable manner. The good man
and his wife were excessively fond of her, and
gave her every instruction and advantage in their
power. Plain truths were liberally inculcated,
and every exertion made to give her a habit of
industry and good nature. Flavia requited their
kindness by an obliging and cheerful, a docile
and submissive deportment. As she advanced in
years, she increased in beauty. Her amiable
disposition rendered her beloved, and her personal
accomplishments made her admired by all the

village swains. The approbating smile of Flavia
was the reward of their toils, and the favour
of her hand in the rustic dance was emulously
sought.

“In this state, Flavia was happy. Health and
innocence were now her portion; nor had ambition
as yet taught her to sigh for pleasures beyond
the reach of her attainment.

“But the arrival of her father, who had been
permitted to return, and re-possess the estate
which he had abandoned, put a period to the
simplicity and peace of Flavia's mind. He
sought, and found her; and though sensible of
his obligations to her foster-parents for snatching
her from want and distress, still he could
not prevail on himself to make so great a sacrifice
to gratitude as they wished, by permitting
his daughter to spend her days in obscurity.
The lively fancy of Flavia was allured by the
splendid promises and descriptions of her father;
and she readily consented to leave the friends of
her childhood and youth, and explore the walks
of sashionable life.

“When she arrived in town, what new scenes
opened upon the dazzled eyes of the admiring,
and admired Flavia!

“Wealth, with its attendant train of splendid
forms and ceremonies, courted her attention, and
every species of dissipating amusement, fanctioned
by the name of pleasure, beguiled the hours

and charmed the imagination of the noviciate.
Each enchanting scene she painted to herself in
the brightest colours; and her inexperienced
heart promised her happiness without allay.
Flattery gave her a thousand charms which she
was hitherto inconscious of possessing, and the
obsequiousness of the gaudy train around raised
her vanity to the highest pitch of arrogance and
pride. Behold Flavia, now, launched into the
whirlpool of fashionable folly! Balls, plays,
cards, and parties engross every portion of her
time.

“Her father saw, too late, the imprudence of
his unbounded indulgence; and his egregious
mistake, in so immediately reversing her mode
of life, without first furnishing her mind with
sufficient knowledge and strength to repel temptation.
He endeavoured to regulate and restrain
her conduct; but in vain. She complained of
this, as an abridgment of her liberty, and took
advantage of his doating fondness to practise
every excess. Involved in expenses (of which
losses at play composed a considerable part) beyond
her power to defray, in this embarrassing
dilemma, she was reduced to the necessity of accepting
the treacherous offer of Marius to advance
money for the support of her extravagance.
Obligated by his apparent kindness, she could
not refuse the continuance of his acquaintance,
till his delusive arts had obtained the reward he

proposed to himself, in the sacrifice of her honor.
At length she awoke to a trembling sense of her
guilt, and found it fatal to her peace, reputation,
and happiness.

“Wretched Flavia! no art could conceal thy
shame! The grief of her mind, her retirement
from company, and the alteration in her appearance,
betrayed her to her father's observation.
Highly incensed at the ingratitude and baseness
of her conduct, he refused to forgive her; but
sent her from the ensnaring pleasures of the town,
to languish out the remainder of life in solitude
and obscurity.”