infer that human nature, its passions, its thoughts, its feelings, and its happiness, have been, are now, and will continue to the end of time to be, as they were at the beginning.

Yet, notwithstanding these views of art and science, and human acquisitions, it must be allowed that the world is greatly indebted to those ingenious, active, and enterprising spirits, who, in all ages, have exerted their faculties to amuse or gratify the human species. The strains of music charm and captivate the ear-the eye is delighted with the exhibitions of the pencil-the fancy is dazzled and elevated by the" fine frenzy" of the poetic lay-the understanding is gratified by the skill of the rhetorician, and the heart by the eloquence of the orator.-Science has done much. It has amused, as well as been useful. Literature in general is a source of gratification, very important to an age of high refinement, and it sometimes removes the leaden languor of idleness.

But still we must contend against the assumption, that the welfare of society, and of the human species in general, can materially depend on the eminence or the extension either of art, science, or literature. The attainments and supposed advantages of the present age, are not superior to those of former periods. Throughout all authentic time, the arts have existed in all the extent and perfection that can be necessary or useful in the production of human enjoyment, and the promotion of human happiness. The welfare of mankind, the utmost range of its felicity, the truest and most permanent interest of the species, consists not in the perfection of art. It depends on

"What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy,

The soul's calm sunshine, and the heartfelt joy."

It does not depend upon the most boundless extent of riches-it does not depend on the utmost summit of worldly wisdom. It is to be found in all climes and all situationsin every age, and in every period of the world. It is the gift of Heaven itself. It cannot either be destroyed, or improved, by the vicissitudes of human invention. It requires only to be rightly appreciated, and to be temperately enjoyed. In fine,

"That virtue only makes our bliss below,

And all our knowledge is ourselves to know."

R. M.

36

The Mischievous Effects of Gaming: a Charge delivered to the Grand Jury of the County of Berks, in the State of Pennsylvania. By the HON. JACOB RUSH, President of the Third District of the Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Session for the State of Pennsylvania.

[THE lamentable instance of the effects of gaming, which has for many weeks past superseded all other topics of general conversation and public interest, has induced us to select the present moment for presenting to our readers the following excellent charge, by an American Judge whose name is well known in England, and highly respected there, as it deserves to be, for the boldness with which he has ever maintained from the seat of justice, the distinguishing, and what, in the estimation of the world, are deemed the opprobrious doctrines of the gospel. His judicial charges were published at Philadelphia, at the particular recommendation of the Presbyterian clergy of that city, as "enforcing a number of moral and religious duties, in a manner that will appear to many at once new, just, and striking," as " particularly and highly estimable, as they demonstrate the connexion between the principles of religion and those of social happiness, to be necessary and indispensable," and from their being "well calculated to render every person who seriously and candidly reads them, both a better Christian and a better citizen;" and though they have since been reprinted at New-York, we are assured, that to most of our readers, if not to all, they will be perfectly new, as we from time to time commend the most striking and generally interesting of them, to their notice.]

Gentlemen of the Grand Jury,

The practice of gaming, with the long train of evils generally resulting from it, have been pointed out and deplored, not more frequently by the divine and the moralist, than by the statesman and the patriot. Whether the love of this pernicious amusement be deeply implanted in human nature, as some have supposed, or be altogether the effect of habit, as others believe, it is certain, when once it gets possession of the mind, there is no vice that tyrannizes over its miserable votaries with more uncontrolled sway. Such is the infatuation which often attends it, that innumerable instances might be mentioned, of persons, who, by venturing their all upon this ocean of chances, have been reduced from opulence to poverty and wretchedness, in the

short space of a few minutes. And though such desperate scenes of guilt and folly do not often occur in our country, yet as all vice is in its nature progressive, and we are making rapid advances in every kind of luxury, there is reason to fear we shall, ere long, rival our European brethren in this, as well as in every other mode of criminal dissipation. There is, however, a species of gaming conducted on a lower scale, which abounds extremely among us, is chiefly carried on at taverns, and is practised by persons of all descriptions, high and low, rich and poor, old and young. It is to this scandalous violation of the laws of the land, this open insult upon government, I mean at this time to turn your attention, as to an evil of growing magnitude, which threatens our country with very calamitous effects.

It would consume too much time, and is not my intention, to go into a full discussion of the innumerable evils flowing to society from the practice of gaming. They are so obvious, as to present themselves to the understanding of the most unreflecting person. Let it suffice to observe, generally, that as it springs chiefly from idleness, the fruitful, the inexhaustible source of almost every vice, so it has a natural tendency to produce idleness. It operates as cause and effect, and is at once both parent and offspring. When the heart is once thoroughly possessed of this passion, every thing is sacrificed to its gratification. In the mad pursuit, health and constitution are gradually destroyed by irregular hours, and disorderly conduct. Sleepless nights, corroding passions, and a neglect of business, accompanied with the intemperate use of ardent spirits, soon plunge both the gamester and his family into one common ruin.*

It would be a fortunate circumstance, if the detail of *The pernicious consequences of play, have been frequently described in the strongest terms, and illustrated by the most striking examples. Seldom, however, have they been represented on so large a scale, as in the account of the fate of a great body of gamesters at Hamburgh, which an intelligent spectator has published in a German Gazette, as the result of his attentive examination, during a period of two years. Of six hundred individuals, who were in the habit of frequenting gaming-houses, he states, that nearly one half not only lost considerable sums, but were finally stripped of all means of subsistence, and ended their days by self-mnrder. Of the rest, not less than an hundred finished their career by becoming swindlers or robbers on the highway. The remnant of this unfortunate group perished; some by apoplexy; but the greater part by chagrin and despair. He mentions, that during the whole space of two years, to which his journal is confined, he did not see one of these six hundred gamesters with a single new dress.-See Relf's Gazette of February 2, 1802.

mischiefs ended in the destruction of the constitution and temporal concerns of the gambler: but the case is far otherwise. The fatal effects of gaming extend beyond the grave. The mind is deeply contaminated, and sentiments, the most hostile to its final peace and happiness, are harboured and indulged. The gambler is frequently tortured with paroxyms of rage against Heaven; the effect of raised expectation being suddenly dashed at a critical moment: meanwhile his countenance is almost as much distorted with agony, as that of a person suffering on the rack: from which we may form a pretty correct idea, what must be the sensations that are tearing his heart; and how infinitely injurious their effect must be on the temper and disposition of the soul. In short, I must be permitted to remark, however displeasing the observation may be, that a gaming-table generally exhibits a scene of great immorality, where the most criminal passions rage uncontrolled, and dreadful oaths and imprecations burst from almost every tongue. That this is not a false, or exaggerated description, candour itself must acknowledgeand, I think, it must at the same time be as readily acknowledged to be the duty of every friend of virtue and his country, to abstain from an amusement pregnant with the strongest temptations to avarice, fraud, lying, cursing, swearing, contention, fretfulness, and every emotion that can disorder the heart. Even the stern philosopher, who is supposed to consult nothing so much as the tranquillity of his own bosom, would do well to avoid it, as dangerous, if not destructive, to that serene and unruffled enjoyment of mind, which he affects supremely to pursue. He who voluntarily and unnecessarily places himself in a situation where his innocence may be lost, or his feelings become the sport of blind imperious chance, acts a part neither compatible with the character of sound wisdom, or virtuous circumspection. The ideas of the great philosopher, Mr. Locke, should not, therefore be hastily reprobated; who, after examining this subject with his usual acuteness, declares it to be his opinion, that in order to avoid all temptation, the best way is, never to learn to play a single card.

Impressed, no doubt, by these, or other considerations still more forcible, the legislature of our state have endeavoured to abolish every species of gaming. The axe has been laid to the root of the evil by the law of April, 1794, intitled, "An Act for the Prevention of Vice and Immorality, and of unlawful Gaming, and to restrain disorderly Sports and Dissipations," which has rendered it completely,

and to all intents and purposes, unlawful in Pennsylvania. It will not be improper to lay before you a brief sketch of the law on this subject.

The fifth section forbids fighting cocks* for money, or other valuable consideration, under the penalty of three dollars; and as it is notorious, that nothing so much encourages this inhuman and brutal diversion, as laying bets, and that cock-fighting is often the result of a speculating gambling temper, any wager on the event is prohibited under a like penalty. Playing at cards, dice, billiards, bowls, shuffleboard, bullets, and any game of address or hazard for money, or other valuable consideration, is also forbidden, under a penalty of three dollars. With respect to playing bullets on the highway, the act forbids it under the like penalty, whether there be any bet laid or not. The remedy in this case, is what the law calls cumulative or additional. For, as playing bullets in the highway obstructs the road, and incommodes passengers and travellers, it is an offence, independent of the act, for which the parties are liable to indictment and fine at common law. A penalty of twenty dollars is also annexed to the offence of horse-racing, for money or other valuable consideration.+

* In England, this inhuman and brutalizing sport is a favourité amusement with many of our gentry; nay, we ourselves could, without difficulty, name a nobleman, in whose veins flow the blood of as illustrious ancestry as our peerage can produce,-who is himself the lord-lieutenant of one of the most extensive and most important counties in the kingdom, and as such is placed at the head of, and has the virtual nomination of, its magistracy,-who is regularly to be seen at every cock-pit within his reach, fighting the most brutish and desperate mains, and betting on their event, in the most hail-fellowwell-met familiarity, with some of the greatest blacklegs and blackguards in the kingdom. Some years ago, a legal friend of ours, in another part of the country than that to which we have just alluded, happening to be attending a court of quarter session as an advocate, during the race week, in the town where those sessions were held, dined at the ordinary, where a magistrate of the county, who had not even shewn himself in court, asked him, if he had been at the cockpit. "No, indeed, I have not," replied our friend, "for I have been very differently engaged, in drawing an indictment against some people for cock-fighting." "For cock-fighting!" exclaimed the expounder of the law, with mingled astonishment and alarm, (for his morning had been devoted to the cock-pit, rather than to the court, where the business was adjourned to the morrow for want of justices,) "and do you mean to say that cock-fighting is illegal?" "To be sure I do," replied the barrister, "and if you will do us the honour to attend at the next quarter sessions, you may assist in sentencing the people who have been guilty of it, to fine and imprisonment for their offence."-EDIT.

+This, as our readers will perceive from another article in the