AMUSEMENTS

AMUSEMENTS.

They arc to religion like breezes of air to the flame, — gentle ones will fan it, but strong ones will put it out. — Rev. Dr. Thomas.

If those who are the enemies of innocent amusements had the direction of the world, they would take away the spring, and youth, the former from the year, the latter from human life.— Balzac. _

The mind ought sometimes to be amused, that it may the better return to thought, and to itself.— Phadrus. _

It is exceedingly deleterious to withdraw the sanction of religion from amusement. If we feel that it is all injurious we should strip the earth of its flowers and blot out its pleasant sunshine. — Chopin.

There is no such sport as sport by sport o'erthrown. — Shakespeare.

Let the world have their May-games, wakes, whetsunales, their dancings and concerts ; their puppet-shows, hobby horses, tabors, bagpipes, balls, barley-breaks, and whatever sports and recreations please them best, provided they be followed with discretion. — Burton.

Amusement allures and deceives us, and leads us down imperceptibly in thoughtlessness to the grave.—Pascal.

The habit of dissipating every serious thought by a succession of 'agreeable sensations is as'fatal to happiness as to virtue; for when amusement is uniformly substituted for objects of moral and mental interest, we lose all that elevates our enjoyments above the scale of childish pleasures.—Anna Maria Porter.

To find recreation in amusements is not happiness; for this joy springs from alien and extrinsic sources, and is therefore dependent upon and subject to interruption by a thousand accidents, which may minister inevitable affliction.—Pascal.