ions; and its owner into a
pander of iniquity.' And in another place; 'Genius, in every age, and
in every country, has, to a great extent, prostituted its elevated
powers for the deplorable purpose of seducing thoughtless minds to
_this sin_.' Are these remarks too sweeping? In my own opinion, not at
all. Let him, who doubts, take a careful survey of the whole of this
dangerous ground.

3. OBSCENE AND IMPROPER SONGS.

The prostitution of the melody of song, mentioned by Dr. Dwight,
reminds me of another serious evil. Many persons, and even not a few
intelligent parents, seem to think that a loose or immoral song cannot
much injure their children, especially if they express their
disapprobation of it afterwards. As if the language of the tongue could
give the lie to the language of the heart, already written, and often
deeply, in the eye and countenance. For it is notorious that a
considerable proportion of parents tolerate songs containing very
improper sentiments, and hear them with obvious interest, how much
soever they may wish their children to have a better and purer taste.
The common 'love songs' are little better than those already mentioned.

It is painful to think what errors on this subject are sometimes
tolerated even by decent society. I knew a schoolmaster who did not
hesitate to join occasional parties, (embracing, among others,
professedly Christian parents,) for the purpose of spending his long
winter evenings, in hearing songs from a very immoral individual, not a
few of which were adapted to the most corrupt taste, and unfit to be
heard in good society. Yet the community in which he taught was deemed
a religious community; and the teacher himself prayed in his school,
morning and evening! Others I have known to conduct even worse, though
perhaps not quite so openly.

I mention these things, not to reproach teachers,--for I think their
moral character, in this country, generally, far better than their
intellectual,--but as a specimen of perversion in the public sentiment;
and also as a hint to all who have the care of the young. Pupils at
school, cannot fail to make correct inferences from such facts as the
foregoing.

4. DOUBLE ENTENDRES.[15]

By this is meant seemingly _decent speeches, with double meanings_. I
mention these because they prevail, in some parts of the country, to a
most alarming degree; and because parents seem to regard them as
perfectly harmless. Shall I say--to show the exte