the world, before witnesses whofe counte nance and good opinion they are aware that it would be unwife to forfeit; they are left, exempt from the curb of difgrace and fear, unknown and irrefponfible, to indulge whatever shameful levity the scene and the hour may favour, to carry on whatever dark machination their intereft and their paffions may fuggeft. What confiderate parent would expose his daughter to the risk of having her ears infulted by the mirth and jests of the unprincipled? What confiderate parent would teach her, even if no further mifchief could poffibly ensue, to seek for diverfion in a theatrical affumption of fictitious language and fentiment, and in familiarity of conversation, and contests of snip-snap repartee, with strangers? What confiderate daughter would wish a parent to lead her, or to admit of her being led, into fuch meetings?

Parents, who on the whole disapprove of thefe diverfions, from a conviction of their

pernicious tendency, are fometimes known to be the very persons who introduce their daughter to an acquaintance with them. They profefs to introduce her on principle; affirming, that they design merely to let her be prefent at a masquerade, once or twice, in order that the may know what it is. Spontaneously to introduce their daughter into a fituation of danger which there was no neceffity that she should ever experience, is, in truth, a fingular species of wisdom. Is this the way to inspire her with a perfuafion that the amusement in question is one from which it becomes her to abstain? Or is it rather the very method to kindle à fondness for thefe revels of midnight and concealment; revels, which she never knew until initiated into them by a parent; revels, which, but for that initiation, the might never have known; revels, into whofe worft exceffes fhe may hereafter plunge in confequence of that initiation, when the force of parental authority shall be decayed, and a change of circumstances

shall leave her at liberty to gratify her defires?

A plea which we shall perhaps hear advanced in behalf of these entertainments by perfons who, though far from inwardly approving them, cannot easily perfuade themfelves to decide in favour of confcience against fashion, and ftudy to deceive themfelves by fpecious pretences for doing wrong, is this that masquerades do no very great harm, because they recur but feldom. In reply to fuch a plea, it furely cannot be requifite to fay much. Indeed, it would not be neceffary to add a fingle word to the general obfervations already made, if they to whom this plea may be addressed would at once bring it to the test of reafon, instead of being difpofed to allow it, as may not improbably be the cafe, on the authority of thofe who urge it. It may be fufficient, however, to remark, that, although in matters of indifpenfable neceffity we may be obliged to take a large portion of evil with the good, and to be content if on the whole the

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the latter fhould preponderate; it is not fo with respect to any particular species of amufement. The amusement, whose chief praise is, that it occurs but seldom, ought manifeftly to recur never.

It is from a thorough conviction that public entertainments of this nature ought, on moral confiderations, to be laid afide, that I have been led to speak thus at length on the subject. At prefent, they are confined to the precincts of the metropolis, and are not very frequent. But from their eftablishment in the capital, from the countenance of people of rank, from the splendor and the very expensiveness with which they are attended, they feem to poffefs the powers of attraction which may be likely to win more and more on what are called polite circles; and by degrees on those perfons who, however unable to contend in politeness with their fuperiors, are willing, though at the risk of final ruin, to vie with them in extravagance.

If a public entertainment be of such a nature and tendency that it ought on moral confiderations to be laid afide, every person is bound, in point of moral duty, to dif countenance it. A truth fo plain might, without prefumption, look for general acquiefcence. "But what," I hear it replied,

can be done by an individual? If I attend "the scene of amusement, I am unnoticed in "the crowd: if I refrain, my abfence is un"known. My example is unperceived, or if "perceived, is difregarded: it neither ftrengthens, nor could invalidate, what has the fanc❝tion of general practice. To think that I << can reform the world, would be arrogance "and folly." This language, which on many occasions is adopted by persons who are in fearch of apologies for continuing to indulge themselves in a reprehenfible gratification, is sometimes also the answer of diffident fincerity. The diffident and fincere may, perhaps, be led to fufpect the justice of their mode of reasoning, when they reflect, that there is fcarcely an enormity