each, we should find that, as a highly-professing body, more objections would arise against vocal music among them than among other people.

Let us, for example, just glance at that class of songs, which in the collection would be called Hunting-songs. In these, men are invited to the pleasures of the chace, as to pleasures of a superior kind. The triumphs over the timid hare are celebrated in these with a kind of enthusiastic joy, and celebrated too as triumphs worthy of the character of men. Glory is even attached to these pursuits.

But the Quakers, as it will appear in a future chapter, endeavour to prevent their youth from following any of the diversions of the field. They consider pleasures as placed on a false foundation, and triumphs as unmanly and inglorious, which are founded on circumstances connected with the sufferings of the brute-creation. They cannot, therefore, approve of songs of this order, because they consider them as disseminating sentiments that are both unreasonable and cruel.

Let us now go to another class, which may be found in the same collection; I

mean the Bacchanalian. Men are invited here to sacrifice frequently at the shrine of Bacchus. Joy, good-humour, and fine spirits, are promised to those who pour out their libations in a liberal manner. An excessive use of wine, which injures the constitution and stupefies the faculties, instead of being censured in these songs, is sometimes recommended in them, as giving to nature that occasional stimulus which is deemed necessary for health. Poets, too, in their songs, have considered the day as made only for vulgar souls, but the night for the better sort of people, that they may the better pursue the pleasures of the bottle. Others have gone so far in their songs as to promise long life as a consequence of drinking; while others, who confess that human life may be shortened by such means, take care to throw out, that, as a man's life thus becomes proportionably abridged, it is rendered proportionably a merry one. Now the Quakers are so particularly careful with respect to the use of wine and spirituous liquors, that the society are annually and publicly admonished to beware of excess. Quakers are discouraged from going even

to

to inns, but for the purposes of business. and refreshment; and are admonished to take care that they stay there no longer than is necessary for such purposes. The Quakers, therefore, cannot be supposed to approve of any of the songs of this class, as far as they recommend or promote drunkenness. And they cannot but consider them as containing sentiments injurious to the morals of their children.

But let us examine another class of songs, that may be found in the same collection. These may be denominated the Martial. Now what is generally the tenor of these songs? The authors celebrate victories. They endeavour, regardless of the question, whether their own cause be a right or a wrong one, to excite joy at the events. It is their aim frequently to rouse the soul to the performance of martial exploits, as to exploits the fullest of human glory. They frequently threaten enemies with new chastisements and new victories, and breathe the spirit of revenge. But the Quakers consider all wars, whether offensive or defensive, as against the spirit of the Christian religion. They cannot contemplate scenes of

victory

victory but with the eye of pity and the tear of compassion for the sufferings of their fellow-creatures, whether countrymen or enemies, and for the devastation of the human race. They allow no glory to attach, nor do they give any thing like an honourable reputation, to the Alexanders, the Cæsars, or to heroes either of antient or modern date. They cannot, therefore, approve of songs of this class, because they conceive them to inculcate sentiments totally contrary to the mild and peaceful spirit of the Christian religion.

If we were to examine the collection further, we might pick out other songs which might be reckoned of the class of the Impure. Among these would be found ideas so indelicate, that, notwithstanding the gloss which wit and humour had put over them, the chaste ear could not but be offended by their recital. It must be obvious, in this case also, that not only the Quakers, but all persons filling the stations of parents, would be sorry if their children were to come to the knowledge of some of these.

It is unnecessary to proceed further upon this subject. For the reader must be aware

that,

that, while the Quakers hold such sentiments, they can never patronize such songs; and that if those, who are taught or allowed to sing, generally lay hold of all the songs that come into their way, that is, promiscuously and without selection, the Quakers will have a strong ground, as a Christian society, or as a society who hold it necessary to be watchful over their words as well their actions, for the rejection of vocal music.

SECTION IV.

The preceding are the arguments of the early Quakers-New state of music has produced new ones-Instrumental now censurable for a waste of time-for leading into company-for its con

nexion with vocal.

THE arguments which have hitherto appeared against the admission of music into education, are those which were nearly coæval with the society itself. The incapability of music to answer moral ends; the sensuality of the gratification; the impediments it might throw in the way of reli