A proposal to open the Botanic Gardens of Dublin on
Sundays has been vehemently rejected. At a meeting of the Royal Dublin Society there were only 18 for, and 129 against the proposal. One of the speakers, Dr. Gayer, pushed his arguments to very extreme lengths.. He contended that the opening of the gardens would demoralize the working man. He believed that the surrounding country would be- come a focus of whisky-shops and tea-gardens; the place would become another Donnybrook Fair. The city did not want those gardens for lungs. The working classes had Phcenix Park to seek fresh air in, or they could walk along the beautiful banks of the canals. If the gardens were opened, why not permit all sorts of athletic exercises on Sunday—cncket matches, &c.—in the Park, and in the College and the Portobello Gardens? Give this liberty in the city and you must give the like liberty to wrestlers, commoners, and hurlers. Let the principle be carried out, and we might have the theatres and concert-rooms open on Sundays. It is asked, "Is it not better to. have the people enjoying themselves in the Botanic Gardens than drinking in a public-house ?" To this Dr. Gayer answered, "I admit that ; but let us not recognise small vices to avoid greater. You might as well advocate concubinage to prevent adultery." A peti- tion to Parliament against the opening of the gardens on Sunday was unanimously adopted.
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