5G ON THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH, without so much as the form of any spade, or club, or heart, ordia- mend drawn upon the chart or tablet. Some of these exercises and diversions, if happily contrived, may net only befit to entertain children in their younger years, but may usefully amuse them when they are grown tip toward manly age. For my part, I own myself to be so much unskilled in the various games used among us; that I am not fit to contrive, nor capable of inventing such useful pastime. But I wish some of the sons of ingenuity had science and virtue so much at heart, as to attempt such a service to mankind. And parents should seek some sort of delightful employments or recreations for the leisure hours of their sous and their daughters, when they are in the stage of youth, that they may be the more easily withheld from those diversions of the present age, which are so fashion- able and yet se dangerous. Among these dangerous and modish diversions, I cannot forbear to mention midnight- assemblies, play- houses, gaming - tables, and masquerades. Let parents who would willingly see their children walking in the paths of piety and virtue, endeavour to guard their inclinations from these enticing amusements. The religion and conscience of many a well - inclined youth, have been exposed to great and imminent danger among those scenes of - vanity and folly, to say no worse. My business is not to rail anthem, though some of my readers will hardly forgive me that Y deal with them so tenderly, and give them nnnies of so soft a sound. But this must be confessed, that if persons of piety fre- queuit them, they too much risk their character and their inno- cence, and expose their virtue and their piety to great and need- less temptations ; or at least by giving the sanction of their pre- sence at such places, and on such occasions, may make them- selves accessary to the ruin of those who may be less fortified against their insnaring tendency. Yet some of these diversions and amusements are so charm- ing to many a young thoughtless creature, that no risk is- thought too great to run, if they may but please their ears and their eyes, and gratify their idle and vain inclinations. Hence these houses of pleasure are filled and frequented: hence the theatres are crowded, and gaming -rooms attended by multitudes of youth, whose parents have enjoyed the blessing of a stricter education : and though their estate can scarcely support their irregular ex- pence, yet they gratify Their children in these hazardous recrea- tions, and take no pains to cure them of this pernicious folly. But the children of our age will pertly reply, " What, must we live like nobody? Must we turn old Puritans again? Must we look like fools in company, where there is scarcely any dis= course but of plays, operas and masquerades, of cards, dice, and anidnigbt- assemblies ? And pray what sin-is there in any of them ?"
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