Chap. VI.]

THEATRICAL AMUSEMENTS.

437

fears, excitements and depressions ; they live by a dependenceon the ever-shifting breath of popular applause ; — these must beamong the causes which tend to degrade them.' It is this de-gradation which has excluded them, for the most part, from thepale of respectable society. Occasionally, an individual has suc-cessfully resisted the natural tendencies and influences of theprofession, and has, by his talents and personal virtues, vindi-cated his claim to be admitted into the best circles of society.But these individuals have been few and far between, and are 'manifest exceptions to the general fact, which, when affirmed ofthe great body of the profession, admits of no question.

6. Again, the theatre is a school of corruption in respect to those,who attend on its entertainments. If none but the young, thegay, the wealthy, and the fashionable were to be seen there ;although good might not be expected, yet the hazard of muchevil might be avoided. But far other classes of persons areaccustomed to make the theatre their habitual place of resort.Of all places, this is the one in which evil communicationsmost emphatically, and most extensively, corrupt good manners.*To corrupt and to be corrupted is, with many who resort there,the order of the day. Opportunities and facilities of contamina-tion, of every kind, are at hand. The spendthrift is there; they“ that tarry long at the wine, and are mighty at -strong drink,”are there; the gamester leaves his habitual haunts to be there;the pickpocket is there. All “ the lovers of pleasure morethan lovers of God ” delight to congregate there.f Moreover,

“ the young man void of understanding,” | is there. Finally, thetheatre is the favorite resort of “ the strange woman, who for-saketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of herGod ; whose house inclineth unto death, and whose guests arein the depths of hell; who hath cast down many wounded ; bywhom many strong men have been slain ; whose house is the wayto hell, going down to the chambers of death.” § Such arethe chief objections, which the great body of serious Christianshave urged against theatres and theatrical amusements.

* 1 Cor. xv. 33. t 2 Tim. iii. 4.

§ Prov. ii. 16 - 18; ix. 18; vii.26,27.

t Prov. vii. 7.