Diverfions of the Poor. iat °% 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
ye you admit into your widely- 
circulated Magazine whatever ap- 
pears to have the good of fociety for its 
object, permit a conitant reader to inti- 
mate a with that fome of your ingenious 
correfpondents would turn their thoughts 
to a fubjeét which was fuggefted to me 
by an incident I fhall prefently relate. 
The plan lately adopted by Mifs Moore 
and others, under the patronage of the 
Bithop of London, of circulating cheap 
publications for the inftruction of the 
lower clafles, cannot be too highly ap- 
preciated, and many are the good effects 
which have refulted, and which will, as 
I hope, long continue to relult from it. 
One branch of improvement, however, 
feems hitherto to lave efcaped attention ; 
and trifing at firit fight as it may appear, 
yet, when all its prefent influences, to- 
gether with the confequences equally cer- 
tain, though more remote, are taken into 
the account, its importance will, I think, 
be maniteft. I mean, fome regulation of 
the amufements of the lower orders of fo- 
ciety. The incident already adverted to, 
as giving rile to this reflection, I fhall 
now relate. 
Being at prefent upon a vifit at the 
houfe of a very refpectable friend, who 
has feveral large collieries, together with 
many other very extenfive undertakings, 
and whofe benevolence is equal to his 
ability, he told me, that application had 
juft been made to him by a party of his 
colliers, tenants, labourers, and others, 
for permiffion to aét a ftage-play at their 
annual feaft in Auguft next ; but that he 
had fo ftrongly expreffed his difapproba- 
tion, that he thought they would re- 
Jinquifh it: adding, however, that upon 
farther confideration, he was doubtful. as 
they muift have fome amufemeiifts, whe- 
ther he had not better give his confent 
to this, as being, upon the whole, lefs 
hurtful than fome others td which they 
had been accuftomed *. 
It happened yefterday, that a collier 
2 
* This gentleman fupports a Sunday 
fchool at his own expence, at which up- 
wards of t00 children ufually attend. As 
he himfelf particularly notices the appear- 
ance and behaviour of thefe children on the 
Sunday at church, a fpirit of emulation is 
excited, which extends its influence alfo to 
the parents; fo that many a fhilling is laid 
out in procuring their children decent Sun- 
day clothing, which would otherwife have 
been expended-at the alchoute. 
_MOnTHLY Mac. No, xxxrv. 
‘ 
of eminent comic talents, who was at the ~ 
head of the deputation, and who always 
at Chriftmas fills the important place of 
jefter to the morris-dancers, applied to 
me upon the fubject, when the foilowing 
converfation enfued ; 
«¢ Pray, madam, did you hear our 
mafter fay aught about our acting a play 
at the feaft? He was right angry at me 
for afking him leave.”’—¢ I did hear 
him mention it, James.”’—** And do you 
think he will let us aét?””—*« I really 
cannot tell. What is the play you would 
with to perform?”—** I am fure I do 
not know its name; but the firft man 
that {peaks they call Sir John: they fay 
there’s a deal of {port in it, but no harm 
like, or aught of that.”"—-‘* How came 
you, James, to wifh to aét a play which 
you have never read ??°—‘* Why, ma- 
dam, you fee, they acted it at F Ns 
but four miles off, three years ago: they. 
had it from London, and we could get 
their book.’*-—-‘* But I am afraid, James, 
if Mr. M were to confent, you would 
all go to the alehoufe, as foon as the play 
was over. You know how much he is 
your friend, and that he would not deny 
you any diverfion that would not hurt 
you.”’—* Yes, to be fure, madam, and 
that’s it: you may think we ufed to have 
cockings, and I was abit that way myfelf. 
Now, thought I, if our mafter would let 
us act a play, why then, you fee, we 
fhould not fpend all our money in betting 
one againft another, and. in getting 
drunk.” —“* Where would you aét your 
play, in a barn?”—<‘¢ No, no, on the 
green, to be fure: we would ftart about 
five o’clock in the afternoon, and it would 


hold us till about eight; for though 
they fay it is but fhort, yet, you fee, we 
fhould have cur drefles to change like, 
_ and then we fhould have fiddlers, and all 
would take up time.’’—‘* Well, but 
Mr. M fears that the play itfelf, if, 
as you fay, it had /fport in tt, might have 
a tendency to do you harm, ‘and to pre- 
pare you for following {cenés of riot and 
diforder at the alehouie, whither, after it 
was over, I fill fear, youwould go. To 
be fuve, James, you would*all of you 
with that your wives and daughters, at 
leatt, fhould be modeft, chafte, and fo- 
ber; and then for yourfelves, when you 
come to confider what a great deal_of 

money you’had fpent, and how much 
you had injured your families, what a 
great deal you would have to repent of. 
Now Mr. M—+— withes to fave you trom 
all this. You know, James, it is but 
four days ince your neighbour, honeft 
jofeph 
