sunday under three heads-第7部分

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Sunday　now；　are　industrious；　orderly；　and　well…behaved　persons。　　It

is　not　unreasonable　to　suppose　that　they　would　be　no　more　inclined

to　an　abuse　of　pleasures　provided　for　them；　than　they　are　to　an

abuse　of　the　pleasures　they　provide　for　themselves；　and　if　any

people；　for　want　of　something　better　to　do；　resort　to　criminal

practices　on　the　Sabbath　as　at　present　observed；　no　better　remedy

for　the　evil　can　be　imagined；　than　giving　them　the　opportunity　of

doing　something　which　will　amuse　them；　and　hurt　nobody　else。



The　propriety　of　opening　the　British　Museum　to　respectable　people

on　Sunday；　has　lately　been　the　subject　of　some　discussion。　　I　think

it　would　puzzle　the　most　austere　of　the　Sunday　legislators　to

assign　any　valid　reason　for　opposing　so　sensible　a　proposition。

The　Museum　contains　rich　specimens　from　all　the　vast　museums　and

repositories　of　Nature；　and　rare　and　curious　fragments　of　the

mighty　works　of　art；　in　bygone　ages：　　all　calculated　to　awaken

contemplation　and　inquiry；　and　to　tend　to　the　enlightenment　and

improvement　of　the　people。　　But　attendants　would　be　necessary；　and

a　few　men　would　be　employed　upon　the　Sabbath。　　They　certainly

would；　but　how　many？　　Why；　if　the　British　Museum；　and　the　National

Gallery；　and　the　Gallery　of　Practical　Science；　and　every　other

exhibition　in　London；　from　which　knowledge　is　to　be　derived　and

information　gained；　were　to　be　thrown　open　on　a　Sunday　afternoon；

not　fifty　people　would　be　required　to　preside　over　the　whole：　　and

it　would　take　treble　the　number　to　enforce　a　Sabbath　bill　in　any

three　populous　parishes。



I　should　like　to　see　some　large　field；　or　open　piece　of　ground；　in

every　outskirt　of　London；　exhibiting　each　Sunday　evening　on　a

larger　scale；　the　scene　of　the　little　country　meadow。　　I　should

like　to　see　the　time　arrive；　when　a　man's　attendance　to　his

religious　duties　might　be　left　to　that　religious　feeling　which　most

men　possess　in　a　greater　or　less　degree；　but　which　was　never　forced

into　the　breast　of　any　man　by　menace　or　restraint。　　I　should　like

to　see　the　time　when　Sunday　might　be　looked　forward　to；　as　a

recognised　day　of　relaxation　and　enjoyment；　and　when　every　man

might　feel；　what　few　men　do　now；　that　religion　is　not　incompatible

with　rational　pleasure　and　needful　recreation。



How　different　a　picture　would　the　streets　and　public　places　then

present！　　The　museums；　and　repositories　of　scientific　and　useful

inventions；　would　be　crowded　with　ingenious　mechanics　and

industrious　artisans；　all　anxious　for　information；　and　all　unable

to　procure　it　at　any　other　time。　　The　spacious　saloons　would　be

swarming　with　practical　men：　　humble　in　appearance；　but　destined；

perhaps；　to　become　the　greatest　inventors　and　philosophers　of　their

age。　　The　labourers　who　now　lounge　away　the　day　in　idleness　and

intoxication；　would　be　seen　hurrying　along；　with　cheerful　faces　and

clean　attire；　not　to　the　close　and　smoky　atmosphere　of　the　public…

house　but　to　the　fresh　and　airy　fields。　　Fancy　the　pleasant　scene。

Throngs　of　people；　pouring　out　from　the　lanes　and　alleys　of　the

metropolis；　to　various　places　of　common　resort　at　some　short

distance　from　the　town；　to　join　in　the　refreshing　sports　and

exercises　of　the　day　…　the　children　gambolling　in　crowds　upon　the

grass；　the　mothers　looking　on；　and　enjoying　themselves　the　little

game　they　seem　only　to　direct；　other　parties　strolling　along　some

pleasant　walks；　or　reposing　in　the　shade　of　the　stately　trees；

others　again　intent　upon　their　different　amusements。　　Nothing

should　be　heard　on　all　sides；　but　the　sharp　stroke　of　the　bat　as　it

sent　the　ball　skimming　along　the　ground；　the　clear　ring　of　the

quoit；　as　it　struck　upon　the　iron　peg：　　the　noisy　murmur　of　many

voices；　and　the　loud　shout　of　mirth　and　delight；　which　would　awaken

the　echoes　far　and　wide；　till　the　fields　rung　with　it。　　The　day

would　pass　away；　in　a　series　of　enjoyments　which　would　awaken　no

painful　reflections　when　night　arrived；　for　they　would　be

calculated　to　bring　with　them；　only　health　and　contentment。　　The

young　would　lose　that　dread　of　religion；　which　the　sour　austerity

of　its　professors　too　often　inculcates　in　youthful　bosoms；　and　the

old　would　find　less　difficulty　in　persuading　them　to　respect　its

observances。　　The　drunken　and　dissipated；　deprived　of　any　excuse

for　their　misconduct；　would　no　longer　excite　pity　but　disgust。

Above　all；　the　more　ignorant　and　humble　class　of　men；　who　now

partake　of　many　of　the　bitters　of　life；　and　taste　but　few　of　its

sweets；　would　naturally　feel　attachment　and　respect　for　that　code

of　morality；　which；　regarding　the　many　hardships　of　their　station；

strove　to　alleviate　its　rigours；　and　endeavoured　to　soften　its

asperity。



This　is　what　Sunday　might　be　made；　and　what　it　might　be　made

without　impiety　or　profanation。　　The　wise　and　beneficent　Creator

who　places　men　upon　earth；　requires　that　they　shall　perform　the

duties　of　that　station　of　life　to　which　they　are　called；　and　He　can

never　intend　that　the　more　a　man　strives　to　discharge　those　duties；

the　more　he　shall　be　debarred　from　happiness　and　enjoyment。　　Let

those　who　have　six　days　in　the　week　for　all　the　world's　pleasures；

appropriate　the　seventh　to　fasting　and　gloom；　either　for　their　own

sins　or　those　of　other　people；　if　they　like　to　bewail　them；　but　let

those　who　employ　their　six　days　in　a　worthier　manner；　devote　their

seventh　to　a　different　purpose。　　Let　divines　set　the　example　of

true　morality：　　preach　it　to　their　flocks　in　the　morning；　and

dismiss　them　to　enjoy　true　rest　in　the　afternoon；　and　let　them

select　for　their　text；　and　let　Sunday　legislators　take　for　their

motto；　the　words　which　fell　from　the　lips　of　that　Master；　whose

precepts　they　misconstrue；　and　whose　lessons　they　pervert　…　'The

Sabbath　was　made　for　man；　and　not　man　to　serve　the　Sabbath。'








End