s too remarkable a feature in the American
character to be passed over without comment. Many of these societies
have done much good, particularly the religious societies; but many
others, from being pushed too far, have done great mischief, and have
very much assisted to demoralise the community. I remember once hearing
a story of an ostler who confessed to a Catholic priest; he enumerated a
long catalogue of enormities peculiar to his profession, and when he had
finished, the priest inquired of him "whether he had ever greased
horses' teeth to prevent their eating their corn?" this peculiar offence
not having been mentioned in his confession. The ostler declared that
he never had, absolution was given, and he departed. About six months
afterwards, the ostler went again to unload his conscience; the former
crimes and peccadilloes were enumerated, but added to them were several
acknowledgments of having at various times "_greased horses' teeth_" to
prevent their eating their corn. "Ho-ho!" cried the priest, "why, if I
recollect aright, according to your former confession you had never been
guilty of this practice. How comes it that you have added this crime to
your many others?" "May it please you, Father," replied the ostler, "I
had _never heard of it_, until you told me."

Now this story is very _apropos_ to the conduct pursued by many of these
societies in America: they must display to the public their statistics
of immorality and vice; they must prove their usefulness by informing
those who were quite ignorant, and therefore innocent, that there are
crimes of which they had no idea; and thus, in their fanatic wish to
improve, they demoralise. Such have been the consequences among this
excitable yet well-meaning people. The author of "A voice from America"
observes:--

It has been thought suitable to call the attention of mothers and
daughters over the wide country to the condition and evils of brothels
and of common prostitution, in towns and cities; to send out agents--
young men--to preach on the subject; and to organise subsidiary
societies after the fashion of all reforms. The annual report of "The
New York Female Moral Reform Society" for 1838, (a very decent name
certainly for the object), announces 361 auxiliaries and 20,000 members,
with 16,500 subscribers (all females!) to the "_Advocate of Moral
Reform_," a semi-monthly paper, published by the parent society, devoted
to the text of the seventh co