"But do you think that there is any moral evil in it?"
"It has, in my opinion, the appearance of evil, from which we are commanded to abstain."
"But of two evils is it not the wisest maxim to choose the least? and is it not a smaller evil to amuse ourselves at cards, than, as is often the case at evening parties, to play at scandal and defame the reputation of others?"
"Unquestionably; but I presume that a wise and good man would avoid both these evils."
"But I am not aware that any evil can arise from this amusing exercise."
"Does it not consume that time which ought to be devoted to a more profitable purpose? Does it not frequently give excitement to those passions of our nature which ought to be repressed? Does it not encourage a passion for gaming, which, we know, has involved many in entire ruin?"
"But that is the abuse of the thing."
"Nay, Sir, I think it is the natural tendency of it."
"But are we to have no amusements because some indulge in them to excess? Is life to pass away in a dull, monotonous routine of duty? Are we always to live in a state of exile from the charms and fascinations of social intercourse? Is the mind never to relax itself amidst the diversions of polished society? Must we ever keep up our attention to the sombrous claims of religion, and always think, and speak, and act, as though we were treading on the verge of an awful eternity? Indeed, I give it as my decided opinion, that that species of religion which interdicts these amusements, cannot claim a divine origin, because it is opposed to human happiness."