Marrying at length, not for the
enjoyment of domestic society, they and their children perpetuate the
same rounds of pleasure, and the same sentiments and notions.
To these instances many indeed might be added, by looking into the
family-histories of those, who are in the habit of frequenting theatres
in search of pleasure, by which it would appear, that such amusements
are not friendly to the cherishing of the domestic duties and
affections, but that, on the other hand, in proportion as they are
followed, they tend to sap the enjoyments of domestic life. And here it
may be observed, that of all the amusements, which go to the making up
of the round of pleasures, the theatre has the greatest share in
diverting from the pleasures of home. For it particularly attracts and
fascinates, both from the nature, and the diversity, of the amusements
it contains. It is also always open, in the season, for resort. So that
if private invitations to pleasure should not come in sufficiently
numerous, or should be broken off by the indisposition of the parties,
who give them, the theatre is always ready to supply any vacancy, that
may be occasioned in the round.
SECT. VI.
_Quakers conceive they can sanction no amusements, but such as could
have originated in christian minds--exhibitions of the drama could have
had, they believe, no such origin--early christians abandoned them in
their conversion--arguments of the latter on this subject, as taken
from Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Cyprian, Lactantius and others.
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