linefs of amufement, it is ever liable to be furprized and overcome. This intermiffion of vigilance and care is the more dangerous becaufe fo feldom regarded as a fault. Men abandon themfelves without fufpicion to the fweet neglect, and, through the unguarded avenues enter a multitude of enemies who were only lying in wait for this decifive moment.

Thefe dangers affect even lawful and temperate indulgences in plafure. Ifpeak not here of thole who make the house of feafting a scene of riot-who defignedly renounce reflection-who f.t down to fullnefs and intoxication, and who rife to lewdnefs and diforder. On fuch inftruction would be loft. To them diffolute pleasure has done more than break down the fences of the heart, it has deflroyed the heart itself. On the other hand, I fpeak to those who enter the house of fcafting with the most innocent intentions-who are not yet prepared to make war upon piety and decency; but, who are not fufficiently acquainted with the frailty of the heart, and the force of the paffions. Them I would warn of fnares that they do not fufpect, and of dan

gers that

aware.

may furprise them before they are

II. Pleasure not only impairs the guard which a wife man fhould conftantly maintain over his heart, but often lays it open to too ftrong temptations.

Temptation, always dangerous to the imperfect virtue of man, is peculiarly so in the houfe of feafling. There the fenfes, and the paffions become excited, and furround their objects with a feductive colouring. The glow of imagination raises a fpecies of inchantment around the votary of pleasure, and his paffions are growing every moment more impetuous and ungovernable.

A good man, who would preferve the purity of his mind, fhould, as far as is poffible for human prudence, avoid thofe fcenes where temptation acquires unufual force; or if, fometimes called to enter them, it becomes him to fummon to his aid reason, experience, and all the power of pious fentiment, to prevent the firfl incautious wandering of the heart and fancy, and to keep

them clearly within that dubious limit that feparates vice from virtue. Approaching this critical point, they often kindle with a fudden and unexpected ardor, and hurry him beyond the moderation which he intended to obferve. One imprudent indulgence invites another-The gates of the citadel are thrown open, and in rufh.an hoft of enemics. Of this David affords us an inflructive and affecting example. And we ftill read with fympathy, and commiferation for his deep affliction, the hillory of that pious and amiable prince whose latter days were filled with bitternefs and tears for having only once incautioufly courted a temptation, and once indulged a pleasure, to which he was ftrongly invited by the profperity of his fortune.

How much more certainly will pleafure corrupt thofe who enter its purlieus without circumspection, and expofe themselves to all the dangerous force of thofe temptations that meet the young and unwary in the houfe of feafting? Here example, fympathy of feeling, the arts of feduction, all the allurements of ingenuity, all the decorations that wit can give to vice, unite their influ

ence to betray the heart. Here it is that youth fo often lay afide their early fimplicity and modefty, and turn apoftates from virtue. Do you behold a proiligate young man? Afk, where was he firft corrupted? It was probably in the midft of the pleasures and amufements of the houfe of fealling. Where did his pallions firit kindle with a new, and unknown ardor, and his heart form the loofe purpofe? Was it not in the house of feafting where temptation invited, where appetite impelled, and where the licentious ftrain of converfation encouraged his with? Where did he firit hear those principles defended that favour the diforders of the paffions, and remove from them all the reftraints of religion? Where did he learn at length to fport them himself, while, perhaps, his heart yet fmote him for his impiety, and falfhood? Was it not in the houfe of feafting whence diffipation had banished wisdom and prudence? where the fons of folly were ambitious of fhining by an impious and impertinent wit, and fought admiration from one another by the most frivolous qualities? Where, at laft, did principles become totally perverted, and no longer impofe any curb upon the licen

Was it not in the

tioufness of manners? midft of thofe fcenes of grofs pleafure where the mind, inveloped in the mifts of paffion, fees falfhood as truth-where reason, bribed by the heart, defends the innocence of every indulgence-and where the example of others contributes to render it confident in error? Ah! temptation acquires a dangerous, and often a fatal power in the house of feafting-It lurks in all the avenues that lead to it. Youth, who incautioufly expofe themselves to its fnares, or yield to its impreffions, are haftening to ruin.

On the other hand, does not wisdom require that we fhould occafionally enter into the house of mourning, and grow familiar there with thofe ferious and thoughtful fcenes that prefent to us inflructive leifons on the vanity of the world? There every object contributes to abate the immoderate ardor of the paffions, and to divest the allurements to vice of their falfe charms. There we behold all that attracted ambition, or that nourifled pride levelled to the duft. Blafted perhaps are the objects of unlawful defire-and the defires themfelves feem, for the moment to be extinguifhed.