SECTION THIRD. THE BANEFUL EFFECTS OF INTEMPERANCE, PRODUCED The miserable and hopeless condition of the Drunkard-Rather to be prevented than cured-Drunkenness the curse of Britain; it is directly opposed to Morality and Education-The method by which Lycurgus taught children to abhor this vice-Its insidious characterMistakes respecting the uses of intoxicating Liquors-Solomon's advice on this subject-Only allowed as a medicine, and a cordial— Great danger of abuse in the latter case-Need of Medical advice to decide when they are safe and useful-Great waste which they occasion, and the little nourishment which the best of them contain-Scripture instances in favour of total abstinence-Modern testimonies-Eastern countries-Captain Ross-Spirits debilitate, instead of giving strength-Their sale should be restricted-Benefit to the Labourer from such a measure-The Spirit or Ale Drinker contrasted with the Brewer's horse, to show the effects of these liquors-Increase of Intemperance occasions an increase of CrimeVast consumption of intoxicating Liquors-Guilt of encouraging their sale-Great number of Beer-shops-The inconsistency of the Government-Sad demoralization of the Country-Contrast between the home of a temperate Labourer, and Drunkard-Duty of lessening the temptation-The Beer Act-Competition thus excited-The Gin Palace-Intemperance progressive-Charity not able to overtake its progress-Drunkenness in women-Extremity of demoralization-Consumption of intoxicating Liquors a gage of morality— Examples-New South Wales-The Royal Navy-London-The Irish-Savage Nations-South Sea Isles - The Highlands—Whiskeydrinking in Scotland-Drinking never gives real strength, either to S Body or Mind-Sin and evil of using stimulants habitually, especially in case of Ministers-Power of Example-New Temperance Society-practises total abstinence, but does not enjoin it upon all, on the ground of the inexpediency, not the unlawfulness, of indulgence-Protection and support thus afforded to the reformedAmerican Temperance Reformation-English ditto-Moderation dangerous-Higher Classes have corrupted the lower, and ought to reform them-Prejudices and objections-Necessity of Legislative interference-Sale of Liquors on Sunday an " abominable nuisance”-Public-houses in Metropolis do not answer original design-Necessity of making Intemperance more difficult and expensive, by raising Duties, and diminishing number of Licenses-Sir W. Scott's opinion in 1817; has not been attended to--The Beer-houses, nests of wickedness, and nurseries of crime-They lead to Anarchy and Revolution-Call to Legislature to repeal the Beer Act, and prohibit Gin Palaces-General caution to beware of tempting others to Intemperance. We have already considered some of the evils arising from Competition, and the unrestricted pursuit of Gain, in the cruelties thereby inflicted on the animals employed in the service of mankind: we are now called to direct our attention to a class of sufferers not less pitiable, and more brutish than they-the poor infatuated drunkards; who, given up to intemperate excesses, are wasting their substance, destroying their health, ruining their reputation, and forfeiting their hopes for eternity, through the indulgence of a perverted taste for sensual pleasure; and, in addition to all this, are dragging numbers along with themselves into the same vortex of a hopeless misery and despair. There is no case so truly and awfully deplorable, as that of a confirmed and habitual drunkard. A prey to the worst passions of our fallen nature, lust and anger, he is hurried onward to the commission of the most dreadful crimes, at which humanity shudders; without the power of asking himself, "What am I doing?" Nay, should a friendly hand be interposed to snatch him as "a brand out of the fire," and arrest his mad career, he resents it as the intrusion of an enemy; and is ready to vent his fury, like some injured savage of the forest, on this new assailant. The voice of persuasion and remonstrance are alike lost upon him; he is "like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; and will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely." (Psalm lviii. 4, 5.) The only hope, that remains for this miserable and degraded creature, is, that, when at length he comes to himself, and is able to reflect upon the folly and madness of his conduct, he will be ashamed of such criminal excesses, by which he is sunk below the level of the beast, and will no longer indulge his vicious propensity. But, alas! this hope, reasonable as it may appear, has too often proved deceitful. The very nature of the poisonous draught produces a craving appetite for more; and when once the habit of indulgence has been formed, the greatest uneasiness is felt in the want of it; so that the deluded sufferer by his own misconduct will rather undergo the severest penalties, and risk all the dreadful consequences of intemperance, than be without that cordial, so grateful to his present feelings, and now become, in his mistaken idea, almost necessary to his existence. Not that it is absolutely impossible to reclaim the drunkard; many happy instances are on record of the contrary; but the great difficulty, and we may add, the improbability of its being accomplished, when once the habit has been formed, and the moral character become thereby depraved, should impress on us the importance, in the first place, of removing and lessening the temptations to the commission of this vice, and secondly, of putting difficulties in the way of practising it; so that, if we cannot banish intemperance from the land, and drive it out of the country entirely, the evil may be, at least, so limited and circumscribed, as to hide its head in darkness and obscurity, instead of stalking through the length and breadth of the land, as at present, with a bold and unblushing face, even at broad noon-day. Drunkenness is indeed the curse of this country, the pest of society, the peculiar disgrace and stain of Englishmen, which has brought shame upon us as a nation, and made us the scorn and reproach of foreigners, who have beheld with surprise and abhorrence the gross extent, to which this vice has become common and habitual amongst us, from the crowded streets of our great metropolis, the chief city in the world, to the most retired village of our island kingdom; and, with justice, have they reprobated the inconsistence of a nation which boasts of her Science and Philosophy, the land of Arts and Commerce, the country of Bacon, Locke, and Newton, being given to so degrading and besotting a practice, which takes away the use of the rational faculties, and deprives a man of the honour and prerogative of his nature. It need scarcely be added, that Intemperance is directly opposed to the for mation of a moral and religious character, and to all that culture of the mental faculties, and inward principles of action, which is the object and business of Moral and Religious Education; and which, in a former Section, we have endeavoured to recommend and enforce, as that which it is the great and important duty of the Government to provide. So far is drunkenness from being compatible with morality, that it saps the foundations of all rational instruction, and makes it worse than useless; since, if it can be employed at all in such a state, it will only be in a way to injure and annoy, not to improve and benefit another. So deeply convinced was the great Spartan lawgiver, Lycurgus, of the evil influence of this sin upon the national character, that he taught the Lacedæmonians to give their children a disgust of it in their youth, in a manner sufficiently barbarous, and in accordance with the tyrannical spirit of his age, and the character of the system which he adopted; namely, by making one of their Helot bondsmen drink to intoxication, and exposing him, in this state of brutal insensibility, to their scorn and abhorrence.* As Christians, we cannot approve of such an example, which is in direct contradiction to the precepts of our holy religion, which teaches us to "love our neighbour as ourselves;" but we may learn from it, how truly disgraceful is the nature of this offence; and it may lead us to warn our children betimes to beware of its seductive influence, which creeps upon * If Lycurgus did not directly teach this practice, it was in accordance with the rest of his instructions, and grew out of them. |