gious retirement; the impurity it might convey to the mind; were in the mouths of the early Quakers. Music at that time was principally in the hands of those who made a livelihood of the art. They, who followed it as an accomplishment or as a recreation, were few, and these followed it with moderation. But since those days its progress has been immense. It has traversed the whole kingdom. It has got into almost all the families of rank and fortune, Many of the middle classes, in imitation of the higher, have received it. And as it has undergone a revolution in the extent, so it has undergone another in the object, of its practice. It is learnt now, not as a source of occasional recreation, but as a complicated science, where perfection is insisted upon to make it worthy of pursuit. In this new state, therefore, of music, new arguments have arisen on the part of the Quakers, which I shall now concisely explain.

The Quakers, in the first place, are of opinion that the learning of music, as it is now learnt, cannot be admitted by them as a Christian society, because, proficiency being now the object of it, as has been be

fore

fore observed, it would keep them longer employed than is consistent with people who are commanded to redeem their time.

They believe also that music, in its pre sent state, has an immediate tendency to lead into the company of the world. In former times, when music was followed with moderation, it was esteemed as a companion or as a friend. It afforded relaxation after fatigue, and amusement in solitary hours. It drew a young person to his home, and hindered him from following many of the idle diversions of the times. But now, or since it has been practised with a new object, it produces a different effect. It leads into company. It leads to trials of skill. It leads to the making up of festive parties. It leads, for its own gratification, to the varicus places of public resort. Now this tendency of leading into public is considered by the Quakers as a tendency, which threatens the dissolution of their Society. For they have many customs to keep up, which are quite at variance with those of the world. The former appear to be steep and difficult as common paths; those of the world to be smooth and easy. The natural inclination

of

of youth, more prone to self-gratification than to self-denial, would prefer to walk in the latter; and the influence of fashion would point to the same choice. The li berty, too, which is allowed in the one case, seems more agreeable than the discipline imposed in the other. Hence it has been found, that, in proportion as young Quakers mix with the world, they generally imbibe its spirit, and weaken themselves as members of their own body.

They have an objection, again, to the learning of instrumental music on account of its almost inseparable connexion with vocal; in consequence of which it leads often to the impurity, which the latter has been shown to be capable of conveying to the mind.

This connexion does not arise so much from the circumstance, that those who learn to play generally learn to sing, as from another consideration. Musical people, who have acquired skill and taste, are desirous of obtaining every new musical publication, as it comes out. This desire is produced where there is an aim at perfection in this science. The professed novel-reader, we know,

know, waits with impatience for a new novel. The politician discovers anxiety for his morning-paper. Just so it is with the musical amateur with respect to a new tune. Now though many of the new compositions come out for instrumental music only, yet others come out entirely as vocal. These consist of songs sung at our theatres, or at our public gardens, or at our other places of public resort; and are afterwards printed with their music and exposed to sale. The words, therefore, of these songs, as well as the music that is attached to them, fall into the hands of the young amateur. Now as such songs are not always chaste or delicate, and as they frequently contain such sentiments as I have shown the Quakers to disapprove, the young musician, if of this Society, might have his modesty frequently put to the blush, or his delicacy frequently wounded, or his morality often broken in upon, by their perusal. Hence, though instrumental music might have no immoral tendency in itself, the Quakers have rejected it, among other reasons, on account of its almost inseparable connexion with vocal.

SEC

SECTION V.

Objection anticipated, that, though the arguments used by the Quakers in the preceding chapters are generally fair and positive, yet an exceptionable one seems to have been introduced, by which it appears to be inculcated, that the use of a thing ought to be abandoned on account of its abuse-Explanation of the distinction made by the Quakers in the use of this argument.

I PURPOSE to stop for a while, and to make a distinction, which may now become necessary, with respect to the use of what may appear to be a Quaker-principle of argument, before I proceed to a new subject,

It may have been observed by some of my readers, that, though the Quakers have adduced arguments which may be considered as fair and positive on the subjects which have come before us, yet they appear to have advanced one, which is no other than that of condemning the use of a thing on account of its abuse. Now this mode of reasoning, it will be said, has been exploded. by logicians, and for this, among other reasons; that, if we were bound to relinquish