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At their Printing Office, N° 56, Srave-Srreet, at Two
- at this Office.
THE
“- worthy offering mado to the Deity, nor one that in my o-
' @ certain kind cf mufic. that is more particularly adapted to.
" his fervice, chearful yct folemn, that lifts the thoughts a--
_ pal grace.
“| potentate in the unmeaniny familiar language of a roman-
tic girl, as to cffer praifes and thank{givings to-my God,
“their feats as foon as the clergyroan had finifhed reading
ir4x
ee gta
‘
KLY MAGAZINE. ~
Vol VJ
” SATURDAY EVENING, YUNE 25, 1803.
“TN? XXXV.
“BOSTON WEEKLY MAGAZINE :
: . DEVOTED TO .
‘Morality, Literature, Biography, Hiftory,
., The Fine Arts; Agriculture, Se. Few.
‘° PUBLISHED BY. GILBERT.& DEAN, |
Dollars per annum, one half paid inadvance. -¢ Sub-
“ fcriptions received by the Enztors, and. by the Poft
: Matters ig New-Englandi. « +3
Complete §gs,.from No. I,,may be had on application.
*,* Printing elegantly and promptly executed
snORDERS SOLICITED, :
“... MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. ‘:
vis. \ forthe Bostom Weexty Macazing.
*.. Tis GOSSIP——N° XXXI..
. -Desine pervicax. ° ‘
Referre sermones Deorum, ek ;
* Magna modis tennare parvis,
Non bec jocose conveniunt lyre. : -
fober minded Crarissa,iscertainly right in think--
ing that the praifes of the Creater fhould not be uttered in
alight manner by prefane lips, or on trifing occafions;1
have myfclf a ftrong objection tc hearing a jumble of fongs;.
“dancing tunes, and facred mufic, performed withina few
féconds of each othey, merely to amufe a company. It argucs
a mind but little impreffed with a fenfe of the divine pre-
fence, and however the lips may utter hallelujahs to his:
name, who reigns in infinity ; who called by his fiat mul-
titudinous.worlds into exiftence, and by his power fupports
and governs the amazing whole ; the heart muft be cold
and infcnfible to the grateful enthufiafm fuch a contcmpla-
tion would excite, that can make an inflant tranfitien from
fo elevated a theme, toa flippant jig, or an infipid Jove
ditty. . There is a time for all things,” faysa wife mo~
narch sand ifthe fentiment of the mind. leads to facred J
harmony ; if the warm glow of the heart accompany the
accents which ow from the Hips, there cannot be ‘a more
pinion will be more likely to find acceptance. But there is-
boveallfublunary thingsnd bears it to the foot fool of cter--
I fhould as foon think of addreffiing an.carthly
accompanied by airs more fuitable ta the celebration of bac:
cfanalian rites, than the adoration cf the. King of Kings—
‘There is no part of public worfhip fo congenial to my feel~
ings as thet'of the choral, brt then Iam no friend to-thofe
new mejheds of having it all performed by 2 fet of perfons
who make a bafine?s of it, and are more intent about the
time and tune, than the werds they fing. I like the good
old fafhioned cuftom, wi:n all the congregation arefe from
the pfalm, and joined the fall toasd organ; (which fhould
always be played by = perfon_of talent, and fcientific mu-
fical knowledge) the folenin and univerfal peal rofe in full
chorus and feemed to lift the very fouls of the cangrega-
tion above earthly cares and anxicties—But the: prefent
mode of having a few young people placed in a particular
feat, who fing new fangled tunes which it is impoffible fer -
énz tenth part of the congregation to underftand, mach
lefs join in, is ridiculous, as well a$ difagreeable to thofe
who really feel their minds elevated, and wih to offer their
tribute of praife. I can fully comprehend the feelings of my
interching correfpondent in refpe to an evening fingin
fchool. It is ene among the many things which is in my
opinion, very prejudicial to the morals of fociety in general,
Such meetings bring a great number of young perfons to-
gether, and where there is a large fociety, it confequently
follows, that there will he fome rotten members ; the of-
tenfible reafon alledced for tKefe mectings being to im-
prove the molt delightful partiof public worfhip. . Few pa-
rents or heads of families, cajhave refolution to refufe their
young people the benefit of{learning, efpecially as it is at-
tended with very little expence. But I greatly fear that
nightly conventions—and for my own part, I would rather
not have quite fuch five mufic, than run the rifk of having
one. fair chorifter led. into indifcretion, or one promifing
youth drawn intoaa intprudent connection—I ama great
‘friend to good inftrumental mufic im churches or meeting~
houfes ; 1 think the organ particulerly beautiful for facred
mufic's its grand and folemn founds are finely adapted ta
awaken the moft’ lively feelings of devotion; but where
the fances of the parifh will not allow the purchafe of fo
softly an inftrument, or to pay the falary of the organift, a
band may fupply its place, which may be formed by young
men “belonging to the parifh, and who practice mu-.
fic as anamufement.’ .Thefe can mect for practice of.
.aB evening, or any other time, without profanity or impro-
.pricty, a there will in that cafe be no mixture of fexcs—
} which, (whatever fome philofophic writers may alledge to
the contrary) ever. was, and ever will be, productive of
evil... Nor are there any words ufed in the performance of
| the airs they with to make themfelves perfe@ in—and by
confining themfelves to. fimple airs, all the congregation
would be enabled to join: for it fhould be remembered,
that it is not the excellence of the harmony, but the fince-
rity of the heart which makes this part of devotion accept
able—And to fing pfalms er hymns, with an idea of dif-
playing our knowledge of mufic, our tate or execution is
mere lip fervice ; or in fact, fecking the admiration of man,
more than the approbaticn of God.
Mj young friend, Eznd Lovecoon, jur. feems alfo of'a
very ferious difpofition, and has very proper and laudable
example, will have power. to fhake thofe well founded
principles, nor weaken the attachment he now feels for re-
ligion. I moft heartily join ‘with him. in regretting the
very hittie regard paid to the Sabbath ; but while the laws
-in this effect are fo lightly, or more accurately fpeaking,
tention fhould be paid-tothem, while houfes of public re-
fort are kept open in. all the eavirons of populous towns
on the Sabbath; idle and unprincipled pecple will confc-
quently refort to: them. | Butit is not idle perfons alone,
nor the frequenters of taverns and public gardens only, that
break this command: cf their Maker, perfons of refpecta~
large families, not only negle& private worthip in their
own houfes, but alfo fet the dangerous example of totally
omitting all public reverence to the day, {pending it either
in floth or diffipation.; each equally culpable, equally ini-
mical to the caufe of religicn, ‘
_ Afather. of a family, or a-perfon whofe rank and fitu-
ation in life, occafion them to be looked up to as fomething
fuperior, has much to anfwer for, when he fets fuch a bale-
ful example... If his children are undutiful end ungrateful,
whom has he to thank.for it but himfelf? For has he not
taught them, that the greateft, moft extenfive benefits con-
gratitude nor refpeét, or he coulf not live fo totally inat-
tentive to the fervice required by the Creator, as the only
return man can make, for the manifold bleflings received at
his hand. * If his fervaats are indolent, is it not his own ex-
ample corrupts them 2. Is he not equally acgle@ful of the
commands of his divine mafter ?—-I aim not fo rigid as to
.wifh to debar all focial intercourfe pn a Sabbath; I think
friends may meet, ‘after having properly performed the du-
ties of the day, pafs an hour or two in rational converfa-
tion—may walk out, and enjoy the frethnefs of the evening,
witheut offending either decorum or religion ; but noily
‘mirth, idle prattle, finging, gaming, &c. are notonly of-
fences ggain& moral reQitude,but a difgrace to any fate or
p nation, where they are permitted tobe practifed. -
~ What can be amore beautiful or intercfting fight, than
to fee the. principal of a fanily, {urrownded by bis chile
dren, and all'the various perfons of which his houfehold is
formed, from the humble domeftic, to the valued friend or
relative, feated on a fabbath evening, with the book of
the holy law before him, reading and expounding to them
its contents 5 deterring them from evil by its aweful threat-
nings, encouraging to virtne and piety by its delightful
promifes. I have frequently been witnefs to fuch a fcene,
and as I looked witl?veneration on the charming group, me+
thought the countenance of the principle object had fome-
thing angelic about it, and it feemed that its benign afpect
maany imprudent connedfiens, owe their origin to thefe
indicated that-his foul felt the keavenly aTuraace that ks
notions concerning facred things. , I-hope neither time nor,
arenot enforced at all, . it czncot be expectedthatmuch at--
bility,.in the opinion of the werld ; Mafters and Parents of.
ferred,theterdercft paternalaffe@ion fhewn,demandsneither-
fhould in futurity, reap the reward of his faith and qbe-
dience. sof .d
It may be argued by the oppofers of religion, that read~.
ing or preaching to our domeftics, is feldom followed by
any good confequences, thatthey attend family duty unwil-
lingly, and fet uneafily, counting’ the minutes with impa-
too often the cafe, but’ if by perfeverance only one perfori
can be brought to love their duty, to pradtice it cheerfully,
and feek and find the way to eternal peace, how infnitely
great is the reward, how tranfcendently beyond any thing
our weak and imperfect efforts can deferve.
Oh, ye pious, ye friends of religion and virtue, Mack not
your hands, tire not in the courfe ;—lead by your equanim-
ity of temper, your’ charity, and undeviating example, all
with whom you are connected, to follow your fteps, and ke
,affured that peace will ret upon. your foulin this world ;
and in that which is to come, your reward will be bli
unutterable, -
PLL LL LDL LL PLD
For the Boston Weexry Macazine.
PLEASURES OF SOCIETY.
THE mind of man is:cminently calculated for focial
life ; he pants after a friend to-whom he may communicate
his forrows,. and who may partake his joys.« Without 3
confidant who will fecl his gricf as his own, and by fym-
pathifing with him, alleviate his diftrefs, his bofom would
‘almoft burft, utterly unable to bear the: tharpnefs of its
pinefs, his pleafures would lofe-half their relith.
Zimmeiman and Petrarch} may write. volumes to in=
duce men to believe, that the life of an hermit, imparts the
greateft poflble blifs ; but the tefimony of our own hearts,
which recoil at the thoughts of paffing the whole cf our
lives without fociety, fecluded from the world, in the here
rid gloom of an hermitage, indulitably proves the contrary 5
what pleafure can books afford, and of what advantage can
Literature be, when we have no perfon nezr us, to whora
wecan commynicate cur ideas, and without whefe enliv-
ening converfationand remarks, even learning would lofe
all its charms.~
Man is not naturally fclfith, his mind is repugnant to
the principle, of living folely for his own enjoyment, he is
dcSrous of pleafing others, and contributiag as much ashe
iy able to their happinefs; but the moc felfith man that
ever exifted, if he were to confult only his own intereft,
4 independantly of the advantages his company and conver~
fation would afford to others, would find that the greater —
felicity which he could poflibly realize in this world, arofe
from fociety... "The molt cruel flavery, with companions,
with whem I could lament my fate, and in whofe fympa-
thifing bofoms I could peur all my forrows; from whom f.
could be fure of obtaining pity, and from whofe advice I
might receive confolation, and acquire fortitude faffcient
to bear my misfortunes, I fhould efteem infinitely prefera-
ral antipathy of man to folitude, he feels a vacuum in his
after fomething more, he fearcely knows what. This was
the condition cf cur firft parent, even in Paradife he felt
the want of a companion. ; PS Ney
In a word—Solitude may be pleafing to men ef gloomy’
and morofe tempers, whofe contra@ed minds are unable to
enjoy the delights of focicty,“and who eagerly feek after
folitude, that they may unditturbed gratify their felfith dif-
pofitions and live for themfelvcs alone; but with the gens
erality of men, friend{bip and happinefs. are fo clofely cons
net the other.’ i H,
2 err rrr rrr rrr
|.) os. For te Boston Weexty Macazine.
PICTUREOfMATRIMONIALFELICITY.
CLEON snd Catisra,had lived together inall the har-
mony of married minds for the {pace of feventeen months,
during which time they had fhared tegether an infinite va~
riety of changes in their fortune. “But, asif they were ori-
ginally defigned for one another, every action ef live aford-
tendernefs of this attachments
ience until’ the wearifome tafk is finifhed ; this is, I believe, |
need, that it is impofible for them to poffefs the one, and:
pangs; and-without a companioa who will enjoy his hap- *
ble to an hermitage, furrounded with every other conve-
nience and delight of life—Such 1 am affured is the natu- |
breaft,whichallhis other enjoyments cannot fillup; heyearns |
ed both of them fome beautiful inQarce of the Regagtharcd
. nee