Go to the cock-pit, and see gentlemen of education and property, spending their time and money, in the very rational en tertainment of seeing one fowl spur and tear to pieces another. Is this the business of man? Go to the race-ground, and behold whole counties collected to see which of two horses can run a few feet or a few inches further than the other in a given time, and note the sums of money laid upon the issue of the mighty contest! Is this the business of man, and the proper money? race, it is melancholy to observe how large | suit of a stag or a hare! Yes, a man, a raa portion of men have devoted their talents tional being, and a company of dogs, chaand their property to illegitimate purpo- sing a little timorous, helpless animal! ses. My friends, what have been the The hungry savage must seek his food principal objects of pursuit, among men of among the wild beasts; but what sort of wealth and distinction, in every nation and sport is this for a civilized man? in every period of the world? In the rude ages of society, tribes of men have almost always been making war upon each other, for dominion and plunder. Disdaining the cultivation of the earth as an employment fit only for women and slaves, they have considered that glory was to be acquired only in the field of battle, and property to be sought in depredations on their neighbours. And whatever modifications may have been introduced into the modes of warfare, by refinement and the union of men in kingdoms and empires, war still use of wears its savage character. It almost always springs from savage principles, the Go to the circus, and behold an immense love of power or glory, and the love of plun-concourse of rational beings, assembled, der-And what a large proportion of the to see a man ride round in a circle, standpopulation of every kingdom and state, is ing on two horses, or standing on one leg, constantly employed in manufacturing and or leaping upon a horse at full speed! Is using instruments of destruction! What this the business of man? an enormous amount of money is annually Go to the gaming table; behold a cirappropriated to purchase arms and provi- cle of gentlemen, and of ladies too, insion, and to hire men to destroy lives tensely employed, for hours together, to and property-to slaughter, impoverish, win money from each other, by dexterity subdue or enslave those who are brethren or by fraud--or see the bold adventurer, of the same family! Yes, men, rational stake his fortune and the subsistence of his beings, the offspring of a common father, family, on the cast of a die, or a stroke possessed of the same powers and rights, of a mace! Is this the proper employment entitled to the same privileges and bles- of rational beings, and the legitimate use sings, capable of the same enjoyments, of money? and destined to the same end; are often exerting their utmost powers, and wasting their substance, to inflict misery on their own species! Is this the business assigned to man by his Creator? And what is the state of civil society, in peace, and among men not personally engaged in the work of havoc and desolation? Is not the pursuit of pleasure, power, and distinction the principal employment? And when men have acquired riches, wrung perhaps from the toils and oppression of their fellow men, and are able to riot in luxury, and "Roll the thundering chariot c'er the ground," to what purposes has their wealth been applied? How large a portion of it has been squandered on the most contemptible sports, and the most degrading vices! See a prince, a nobleman, a gentleman, for none but gentlemen are entitled to the privilege-See him mounted on his steed, with a pack of hounds, leaping ditches, and hedges, and five-barred gates, in pur Then go to the theatre, and witness the proud distinction of a player-the bursts of applause bestowed on the man who can most exactly dress, and speak, and act, and laugh, and strut, like the person he represents-who can best mimic a prince, a fop, or a clown! Is this the proper employment of man? To complete a view of human folly, go to a bull-baiting-yes, a bull-baiting, in a civilized, a Christian country! and what is the entertainment, and who the spectators? Why, princes and nobles, gentlemen and ladies, assembled by thousands, to see a rational being tease and fight a bull! What sort of employments are these for intellectual beings? What is the loss of time and the expense of money, in these diversions? Sufficient perhaps, every year to convert a wilderness into a garden, or to Christianize a whole empire of pagans! My friends, men have wandered from the path of their duty--they have abandoned the employment assigned to them by their Maker. Let men of wealth and distinction resume their proper employ ment, and instead of leaving the cultivation of the earth to peasants, and slaves, let them devote their time, and their capital to agriculture; let them enrich their country by their improvements, and dignify the occupation by their influence and example. The proper business of man is to enlarge the powers of his mind by knowledge, and refine it by the culture of moral habits; to increase the means of subsistence and comfort; to supply the wants and alleviate the distresses of his brethren; to cherish the virtues and restrain the vices of society; to multiply the rational enjoyments of life; to diffuse the means of education, and the blessings of religion; and to extend his benevolence and charities to the whole human family. In a word, the duty, the whole business, of man, is, to yield obedience, to his Maker; and just in proportion to that obedience, will be the private happiness, and the public prosperity of a nation. Miscellaneous Department. “MAN—PLEAS'D WITH VARIETY, MUST BE indulg'd. ORIGINAL. THE SOCIAL COMPANION. June 15th, 1819.-Paper VI. "He that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end, shall be a fool." IT is the privilege of a periodical writer, not only "to catch the manners living as they rise," but to select his motto where he chooses. The subject of my sixth Paper, was suggested by reading a portion of sacred writ, and my text is the language of an inspired penman. The sentiment is introduced by a figure, as is very common with the charming, and we may say, captivating writers of the East. He compares the man who "getteth riches, and not by right," to a "partridge who setteth upon her eggs and hatcheth them not ;" and although the position laid down, may admit of some exceptions, they rather go to confirm than to destroy the truth of it. Riches, in the common accepta. tion of the term, is understood to mean a superabundance of temporal possessions. When they happen to fall into the hands of a good and benevolent man, by fair and honourable means, it not only augments his happiness, but it enables him, to diffuse it amongst his neighbours. The tears of pungent sorrow are wiped away by his benevolent hand, and the eyes that refused them from excess of grief, are made to swim in tears which once existed is almost deof joy. The manner of bestow.stroyed; and its destruction has ing his numerous favours, enhan- been effected by the grasping ces the value of them. Shrinking and grinding hands of those who from that ostentation which indu-" getteth riches and not by right." ces many to pour out their wealth The sordid miser, has always in in public donations, that their his neighbourhood many whose names may be blazoned abroad losses, sickness, and misfortunes in public prints, he seeks out the render them unable to retain the secret recesses of human misery; little property out of which a comand the children of wretchedness petence might be produced. He and sorrow, are relieved by him, has others, who with a laudable without knowing from what boun- view to advance their estates tiful hand the relief came. Truly, have contracted debts. With the such benevolence is twice bles- fawning hypocrisy of a Shylock, · sed—it blesseth him who gives and the "money changers" pretend him who receives." I can al- to advance the helping hand of most see the spirit of JEREMIAH friendship; and, in the artless. WADSWORTH, the HOWARD of ness of honest worth it is acceptConnecticut, descend, and claimed. From that moment commenthis imperfectly drawn character ces the slavery of many of our woras his own. I can almost hear thy and industrious farmers, merhundreds of voices in unison, "i-chants, manufacturers, and mesing up and calling him blessed." chanics, in the middling and humI can hardly repress my vexabler walks of life. Heis compelled tion at the capricious whims of not only to mortgage his whole esfortune, that she does not always tate, but he is put under bonds for bestow her favours upon such his "good behaviour"—that is, to men-nor can I find language suf- bow submissively to all the wishficiently indignant to describe the es of his Jewish creditor. The host of avaricious misers, who vicissitudes of this changing world compose the reverse of this cha-often render them unable to meet the demands against them. But racter. Although in Connecticut, there at the very period, when a little is a more equal distribution of pro- forbearance would enable them perty than in many portions of the to rise above the army of calami. world, that happy mediocrity ties that have assailed them, their "destruction cometh like an armed man." upon them not by right," if it is not true. The man With a jesuitical cant, he will tell who "getteth riches and not by you, that he has bestowed some right," with his adamantine heart, of these " riches" in charitable places himself at the head of a and pious uses. procession of sheriffs and constables, and advances to the habi. tation of the debtor. The furniture of the young and interesting wife, the gift of an indulgent parent, is forced from their apartments. The cow and the swine lating the perfect principles of the are often surrendered to save some article of less value. In a short time the man who "Impious purity, and pure impiety !!" What! are the benevolent principles of charity, and the sublime doctrines of christianity, to be supported by departing from the plain dictates of the one, and vio other? Charity not only "covers a multitude of sins," but it soothes the sorrows of the sorrowing. Christianity not only commands us" To do as we would be done by" upon an exchange of circumstan "getteth riches," has the little well cultivated farm, and the neat and commodious habitation, attached to his already over-grown estate ces, but it also enjoins upon men, at half its value-the personal property of the former proprietor is sacrificed under the hammer of the sheriff-and to complete the scene of depredation and sorrow, the husband is torn from the arms of his weeping wife and beseeching children--immured in "To love their neighbours as themselves." And now, ye, who "getteth ask you, if you wonder why you riches, and not by right," let me should often "leave them in the It is not for me to trace the judgments of heaven. a dungeon—and may there be kept as long as the means of his re"Let not this weak and erring hand Presume thy bolts to throw, lentless creditor, enables him to Nor deal damnation round the land expel him from his home, his But to me, it appears like just On each I judge thy foe." friends, and the scenes of his retribution treading upon the former industry, usefulness and heels of outrageous transgression. happiness. The last and most dreadful deThis is no coloured scene-it nunciation against him "who is plain, unvarnished truth. Ask getteth riches, and not by right," the man" who getteth riches, and is that," at his end he shall be a a fool." The life that began and winds of heaven, in the "midst was spent in extortion and oppres- of the days" of the miser; and sion, is to end in folly and idi- when he shall have become " ocy! Let then the wise decree be fool" by his own cruelty, let the executed. Let then, "riches"" slow unmoving finger of scorn" which were acquired "not by be perpetually pointed at him. right," be scattered by the four P. THE SOCIAL COMPANION. June 30th, 1819......Paper VII. "Oh! come, and let us worship." scription lags behind reality, and its powers are feebleness itself. My motto is selected from a tion of their solemnity, can be Portuguese Hymn. It has the so- communicated by language. Delemn simplicity of a Scots Peasant, so admirably described by BURNS, in his "Cottager's Saturday night." The reader must imagine a caThere are feelings of devotion pacious hall, crowded with a silent as well as those of joy and hilari- motionless, and thoughtful assemty, which set the powers of de- bly of both ss--Upon the walls, scription at absolute defiance. We at proper distances, are suspendremember the impressions made ed lamps trimmed and burning. upon us, at the time, but it is in The messenger of divine truth envain to revive them in our own ters the room, tottering under the bosoms, or to make others feel as debility of years, disease, and apwe felt when we enjoyed them.proaching death. Every eye in This remark is made from call- the assembly is fixed upon him. ing to recollection an "Evening He ascends a platform, a little eleMeeting," conducted by one of vated above the level of the floor, the most shining lights upon the upon which is erected a small, walls of Zion, the late Doctor plain desk. Supporting his trembNATHAN STRONG, of Hartford. Toling frame upon it, he reads an those who never saw this emi- hymn appropriate to the subject nent divine officiate upon these of his evening address. While the occasions, no adequate concep- audience are singing it, he seems |
