To Colonel Bellville.
Sunday Evening.
OUR ramble yesterday was infinitely
agreeable; there is something very
charming in changing the scene; my Lord
understands the art of making life pleasurable
by making it various.
We have been to the parish church, to
hear Dr. H–– preach; he has that spirit in
his manner without which the most sensible
sermon has very little effect on the hearers.
The organ, which my Lord gave, is excellent.
You know I think music an essential
part of public worship, used as such by
the wisest nations, and commanded by God
himself to the Mews; it has indeed so admirable
an effect in disposing the mind to
devotion, that I think it should never be
omitted.
Our Sundays here are extremely pleasant:
we have, after evening service, a
moving rural picture from the windows of
the saloon, in the villagers, for whose
amusement the gardens are that day thrown
open.
Our rustic Mall is full from five till
eight, and there is an inexpressible pleasure
in contemplating so many groups of neat,
healthy, happy-looking people, enjoying
the diversion of waling in these lovely
shades, by the kindness of their beneficent
Lord, who not only provides for their
wants, but their pleasures.
My Lord is of opinion that Sunday was
intended as a day of rejoicing, not of mortification;
and meant not only to render
our praises to our benevolent Creator, but
to give rest and chearful relaxation to the
industrious part of mankind, from the labors
of the week.
On this principle, though he will never
suffer the least breach of the laws in being,
he wishes the severity of them softened, by
allowing some innocent amusements after
the duties of the day are past: he thinks
this would prevent those fumes of enthusiasm
which have had here such fatal effects,
and could not be offensive to that
gracious Power who delights in the happiness
of his creatures, and who, by the royal
poet, has commanded them to praise him in
the cymbals and dances.
For my own part, having seen the good
effect of this liberty in catholic countries, I
cannot help wishing, though a zealous protestant,
that we were to imitate them in this
particular.
It is worth observing, that the book of
sports was put forth by the pious, the religious,
the sober Charles the First; and the
law for the more strict observation of Sunday
passed in the reign of the libertine
Charles the Second.
Love of pleasure is natural to the human
heart; and the best preservative against
criminal ones is, a proper indulgence in such
as are innocent.
These are my sentiments; and I am happy
in finding Lord Belmont of the same opinion.
Adio!
A. Wilmot.
