"I have no doubt but such reading affords you gratification, and enables you to get through the tedious hours of time with some degree of patience; but is it profitable? Does it enlarge and strengthen the intellectual faculty, or extend the boundary of our practical knowledge? Does it refine the _moral_ taste, or call into action the best feelings of our nature? Does it tend to prepare us for our final destiny, as candidates for immortality?" "Well, I don't know. Then, as you object to the novel, I presume you are equally averse to the card-table?" "I am." "But why, when it affords so much gratification?" "Because it often gives rise to a passion for gaming, which has brought many to ruin." "Well, I will admit, that it does sometimes lead to such a fatal issue; but I will suppose a case which frequently occurs in social life. A virtuous family receives a visit from a few select friends; and in the evening the card-tables are brought out, and they divide themselves into small parties, and play a few games for their own amusement, without risking more than a few shillings. Now, what evil can result from such a method of passing away the evening?" "In the first place, there is a great sacrifice of time, without any adequate compensation. If the time thus devoted to an unprofitable amusement were employed in instructive conversation, some moral benefit would result from it. Then important and interesting questions might be discussed and answered--the events of the day would pass under review--enlivening anecdotes might be told--and every one would have an opportunity of displaying and increasing the resources of his mind." "But, begging pardon for interrupting you, does not the introduction of cards, by occupying the attention of a party, prevent the conversation from degenerating into gossip and scandal? This advantage you have overlooked, but I have no doubt, on reflection, you will admit it to be a very important one."