MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
223 
POPULAR RECREATIONS. 
It may appear at first sight difficult to 
reconcile the compatibility of a treatise on 
Popular Recreations with the professed 
objects of this magazine. A closer ex¬ 
amination of the bearings of the question 
will, however, we are sure, vindicate the 
propriety of its choice. It is an old say¬ 
ing, that the character of a people may bci 
inferred, even if it is not formed, by its 
amusements. 
If we look at the old country, ferv will 
deny that the manly character of its sports 
has given to the Briton a spirit of enter¬ 
prise and a self-reliant feeling that bids 
fair to subjugate the greater portion of the 
globe by the Anglo-Saxon race. Science, 
aided by, and conducing to, wealth, has 
done much, but although it may have en¬ 
riched our native land, we never could 
• have retained its spoils unless they were 
held by strong and brave men. What¬ 
ever, therefore, tends to invigorate the 
bodies and therefore the minds of a people, 
may surely be regarded as a legitimate 
subject of enquiry for the most utilitarian 
philosopher. 
We should he tempted into far too long 
a digression if we hut glanced at the moral 
hearings of this question. The want of 
innocent and rational recreations for the 
people is the most fruitful cause of intem¬ 
perance with all its attendant horrors. If 
those well meaning enthusiasts who de¬ 
claim with such persevering iteration 
against the fatal attractions of the bottle 
would only suggest and encourage ’ some 
other modes of relaxation for pleasure¬ 
seeking humanity, they would realize 
their millennial aspirations much sooner 
than by preaching the Maine Liquor Law, 
and holding monster tea meetings. There 
is an old adage which says that “ one 
mend fault is worth a hundred find faults,” 
and in no case is it more pertinent than 
among the crusaders against drunkenness. 
Besides, it should he considered, that, like 
every other evil which is permitted by an 
all-wise Creator, even drunkenness is not 
an unmixed evil. In a young country 
like this, where such vast results in future 
ages must depend upqn the character and 
habits of the founders of the nation, it is 
well that the weak-minded and self-indul¬ 
gent members who would otherwise, in all 
probability, become the parents of children 
inheriting their vices, should be cut off 
and die. So perhaps we may pluck some 
No. 11, April, 1858. 
consolation from one of the most afflicting 
features of our social state. 
We will now glance at some of the 
popular recreations we think it would he 
wise and politic to encourage in this 
colony. First, the breeding, rearing, and 
training of the horse. A fondness for 
horses seems innate with Englishmen, and 
it amounts almost to a passion with natives 
of the colony. In this case pleasure and 
profit may be united. We have now 
opened to ns an excellent market for our 
large superfluous horse stock, which bids 
fair to become an important article of ex¬ 
port. We confess we ourselves derive no 
pleasure from horse-racing, but we can 
imagine that there may be a high degree 
of enjoyment and of bodily" health gathered 
on the breezy downs, and we should be 
sorry to condemn as vicious an amusement 
that need not be associated with gambling 
or moral degradation. 
Again, a very favourite recreation here 
is boat sailing. In this pursuit a consider¬ 
able amount of scientific skill is brought 
to bear, and the sea is generally admitted 
to have a bracing and invigorating influ¬ 
ence both on body" and mind. By en¬ 
couraging aquatic amusements, we should 
provide future sailors in time of need, and 
keep up the prestige of our name as 
Britons, the masters of the seas. 
It has sometimes been feared that in 
this age of so-called civilization our young 
men, should occasion require their services 
in the field for the defence of their country, 
would be found lacking the heroic courage 
and the stem endurance of their fathers. 
Our experience in the Crimea, and more 
recently in India, gives a triumphant ne¬ 
gative to such an aspersion. This ex¬ 
perience, however, has demonstrated the 
value of haring the youth of a country 
trained to the use of arms. Such training 
we would strongly recommend here. The 
late speech of the Governor-General on 
opening the New Parliament shadowed 
forth some intention of raising a militia, 
and it really does seem lamentable, if this 
country' has been “ precipitated into a 
nation,” that it should be incapable of 
defending itself. The sooner we wipe off 
this reproach the better. 
One of the means by which we be¬ 
lieve a martial spirit might be aroused, 
woidd be by encouraging the amuse¬ 
ment of rifle-shooting by periodical ex¬ 
hibitions of skill, at which the victors 
