gave rise, even in that day, when men's minds were not enlightened,
or their passions moderated, by the influence of education and
refinement. That some excesses were committed through its means,
in the remoter parts of the country, and that it was discontinued
in those places, in consequence, cannot be denied: but generally
speaking, there is no proof whatever on record, of its having had
any tendency to increase crime, or to lower the character of the
people.

The Puritans of that time, were as much opposed to harmless
recreations and healthful amusements as those of the present day,
and it is amusing to observe that each in their generation, advance
precisely the same description of arguments. In the British
Museum, there is a curious pamphlet got up by the Agnews of
Charles's time, entitled 'A Divine Tragedie lately acted, or a
Collection of sundry memorable examples of God's Judgements upon
Sabbath Breakers, and other like Libertines in their unlawful
Sports, happening within the realme of England, in the compass only
of two yeares last past, since the Booke (of Sports) was published,
worthy to be knowne and considered of all men, especially such who
are guilty of the sinne, or archpatrons thereof.' This amusing
document, contains some fifty or sixty veritable accounts of balls
of fire that fell into churchyards and upset the sporters, and
sporters that quarrelled, and upset one another, and so forth: and
among them is one anecdote containing an example of a rather
different kind, which I cannot resist the temptation of quoting, as
strongly illustrative of the fact, that this blinking of the
question has not even the recommendation of novelty.

'A woman about Northampton, the same day that she heard the booke