BOOKS JUST PUBLISED BY W. OXBERRY, 11, CLARENDON-SQUARE, SOMER'S-TOWN. THE KNIGHT, THE DEMON, AND THE ROBBER CHIEF. THE ACTOR'S BUDGET. In Two elegant Volumes, 12mo. Price 12s. Boards. By W. OXBERRY, Of the Drury-Lane Company of Comedians. In a few Days will be Published. THE EVE OF SAN MARCO. A Romance. In Three Volumes, Price 18s. Boards. THE SPRITE AND THE LADY; OR, REMEMBER TWELVE!! Ву W. G. ТноMAS, Esq. Printed by W. Hildyard, Poppin's-court, Fleet-street, London. PART I. IT has ever been allowed, even by that sect of phi losophers, who with so much sublimity have argued the perfectability of man, and the ultimate establishment of the utopian government; that human nature is so constituted as to require both bodily and mental recreation. This propensity to amusement in man, is sufficiently proved by the generality of the desire, in every stage of life, and under every variety of climate and constitution of government. But the regulation of this apparently instinctive impulse of man differs greatly according to the circumstances under which he is placed. The influence of moral and political, even exclusive of physical causes, tend much to diversify the sports of mankind; the latter in particular may be very readily conceived. The hardy, strenuous, and active amusemen's of the inhabitants of the temperate and frigid zones, would exhaust rather than invigorate the inhabitants of a torrid clime; consequently the supreme delight of the Asiatic consists in the enjoyment of pleasures, purchased with little fatigue of body-to inhale the grateful funes of his pipe, or foil his adversary in the stratagems of chess, are to him the acme of gratification. Notwithstanding, as just shewn, physical causes necessarily circumscribe the sphere of the active pursuits of man, they have infinitely less controul than those of a moral and political kind. Man, above all other animals, possesses a frame and constitution, capable of being adapted to every clime and every change of temperature; he can, particularly by habit, subdue physical obstacles; and also when powerfully stimulated by moral and physical causes. The savage, compelled to hunt his prey for food, has neither leisure or desire to cultivate his intellectual taste; if not exposed to danger from hostile neighbours, his amusements are generally of the negative kind; he is happy when idle and at ease, but stimulate him by the prospect of war, and all his recreations, all his inventions will tend to enable him successfully to carry on his military exploits; his songs will be praises of the heroes of his nation, and his dances connected with martial discipline. This was particularly noticed by Captain Cook and other navigators; they indiscriminately found idleness predominant in those islands surrounded by the blessings of peace; but, on the contrary, those in continual hostility, cherished with ardour every gymnastic sport. According to the degree of civilization will the public sports and amusements of a people partake more |