rough
life.

Burgh says; 'What does it avail that the piece itself be
unexceptionable, if it is to be interlarded with lewd songs or dances,
and tagged at the conclusion with a ludicrous and beastly farce? I
cannot therefore, in conscience, give youth any other advice than to
avoid such diversions as cannot be indulged without the utmost danger
of perverting their taste, and corrupting their morals.'

Dr. Johnson's testimony on this subject is nearly as pointed as that of
Archbishop Tillotson; and Lord Kaimes speaks with much emphasis of the
'poisonous influence,' of theatres.

Their evil tendency is seldom better illustrated than by the following
anecdote, from an individual in New York, on whose statements we may
place the fullest reliance.

'F. B. a young man of about twenty-two, called on the writer in the
fall of 1831 for employment. He was a journeyman printer; was recently
from Kentucky; and owing to his want of employment, as he said, was
entirely destitute, not only of the comforts, but the necessaries of
life. I immediately procured him a respectable boarding house, gave him
employment, and rendered his situation as comfortable as my limited
means would permit.

'He had not been with me long, before he expressed a desire to go to
the theatre. Some great actor was to perform on a certain night, and he
was very anxious to see him. I warned him of the consequences, and told
him, my own experience and observation had convinced me that it was a
very dangerous place for young men to visit. But my warning did no
good. He neglected his business, and went. I reproved him gently, but
retained him in my employment. He continued to go, notwithstanding all
my remonstrances to the contrary. At length my business suffered so
much from his neglecting to attend to it as he ought, that I was under
the necessity of discharging him in self-defence. He got temporary
employment in different offices of the city, where the same fault was
found with him. Immediately after, he accepted a situation of
bar-keeper in a porter house or tavern attached to the theatre. His
situation he did not hold long--from what cause, I know not.

'He again applied to me for work; but as his habits were not reformed,
I did not think it prudent to employ him, although I said or did
nothing to injure him in the estimation of others. Disappointed in
procuring employment in a business to which he had served a regular
apprenticeship, being pennyless, a