Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Or The Causes Of The Decay Of Our National Morality, And On Some Modern Schemes For Its Renovation.
should be restricted to two enactments ; 1 st , To require security from all licensed spirit dealers , that no small quantities of spirits should be retailed until diluted with a considerable portion of water , and that they should have rooms , with newspapers , & c . for the accommodation of customers , —no drinking being allowed at the bar ; 2 nd , To make it a misdemeanour , punishable by fine and imprisonment , for any parent or
other person to administer spirituous liquors to children under twelve years of age . The dilution of spirits is one of the measures upon which we have the greatest reliance . It is the consumption ofthe raw article which demoralizes so rapidly the mind , and destroys the health of the body . Many praise wine , who abuse spirits , but the chief difference is that the
wine is less concentrated . Dilution has been long practised in the navy , and with good effect . It is of course as easily regulated as the present strength of spirits , which is only allowed to be kept higher than a certain standard . A room to drink in , we wish for , because , while people are
conversing , or reading , or smoking , they have an amusement , which prevents their drinking so fast ; it is the horrid practice of slipping into a gin-shop , and tossing off the minute dram , that promises to convert us into a nation of solitary drunkards . This practice is not confined to the lowest orders . Women , who would be ashamed to enter into the regular old tavern , are seen popping out of these palaces of destruction
all times in the day . What this ends in , all men of the world know;—for it may be laid down as an invariable rule , that though a man addicted to this vice retains , in a few rare instances , some good qualities ; a drinking woman never retains a spark cf any virtue whatsoever . We shall scarcely be called upon to explain our grounds for interfering with the administration of spirits to children . It is not legitimate
for thelaw to interfere to prevent a man from killing himself if he pleases ; but it is quite right to prevent his poisoning his child . Spirits are a certain though slow poison to children in all cases . In the few instances where stimulants are required , people must take their children to the doctors . The administration of raw spirits never does any thing but harm .
We must here close this very imperfect examination of a deeply interesting subject , which , however , we trust to resume on some future occasion . In conclusion , it may not be irrelevant to observe , that the experiment of teaching and practising morality , without reference to doctrinal points , has long since been made , and with success . Among that
society of men , whose name gives a title to our work , the union of temperate enjoyment , with orderly manners and strict morality , has been secured in the most eminent degree that can be conceived , and that , without either the exclusion or assistance of any religionist whatever . VOL . i . x x
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Or The Causes Of The Decay Of Our National Morality, And On Some Modern Schemes For Its Renovation.
should be restricted to two enactments ; 1 st , To require security from all licensed spirit dealers , that no small quantities of spirits should be retailed until diluted with a considerable portion of water , and that they should have rooms , with newspapers , & c . for the accommodation of customers , —no drinking being allowed at the bar ; 2 nd , To make it a misdemeanour , punishable by fine and imprisonment , for any parent or
other person to administer spirituous liquors to children under twelve years of age . The dilution of spirits is one of the measures upon which we have the greatest reliance . It is the consumption ofthe raw article which demoralizes so rapidly the mind , and destroys the health of the body . Many praise wine , who abuse spirits , but the chief difference is that the
wine is less concentrated . Dilution has been long practised in the navy , and with good effect . It is of course as easily regulated as the present strength of spirits , which is only allowed to be kept higher than a certain standard . A room to drink in , we wish for , because , while people are
conversing , or reading , or smoking , they have an amusement , which prevents their drinking so fast ; it is the horrid practice of slipping into a gin-shop , and tossing off the minute dram , that promises to convert us into a nation of solitary drunkards . This practice is not confined to the lowest orders . Women , who would be ashamed to enter into the regular old tavern , are seen popping out of these palaces of destruction
all times in the day . What this ends in , all men of the world know;—for it may be laid down as an invariable rule , that though a man addicted to this vice retains , in a few rare instances , some good qualities ; a drinking woman never retains a spark cf any virtue whatsoever . We shall scarcely be called upon to explain our grounds for interfering with the administration of spirits to children . It is not legitimate
for thelaw to interfere to prevent a man from killing himself if he pleases ; but it is quite right to prevent his poisoning his child . Spirits are a certain though slow poison to children in all cases . In the few instances where stimulants are required , people must take their children to the doctors . The administration of raw spirits never does any thing but harm .
We must here close this very imperfect examination of a deeply interesting subject , which , however , we trust to resume on some future occasion . In conclusion , it may not be irrelevant to observe , that the experiment of teaching and practising morality , without reference to doctrinal points , has long since been made , and with success . Among that
society of men , whose name gives a title to our work , the union of temperate enjoyment , with orderly manners and strict morality , has been secured in the most eminent degree that can be conceived , and that , without either the exclusion or assistance of any religionist whatever . VOL . i . x x