"
The Puritans found in Scripture support for this observance of Saturday
night, in these words, "The evening and the morning were the first day,"
and they had many followers in their belief. In New England country towns
to this day, descendants of the Puritans regard Saturday night, though in
a modified way, as almost Sunday, and that evening is never chosen for any
kind of gay gathering or visiting. As late as 1855 the shops in Hartford
were never open for customers upon Saturday night.
Much satire was directed against this Saturday night observance both by
English and by American authors. In the "American Museum" for February,
1787, appeared a poem entitled, "The Connecticut Sabbath." After saying at
some length that God had thought one day in seven sufficient for rest, but
New England Christians had improved his law by setting apart a day and a
half, the poet thus runs on derisively:--
"And let it be enacted further still
That all our people strict observe our will;
Five days and a half shall men, and women, too,
Attend their bus'ness and their mirth pursue,
But after that no man without a fine
Shall walk the streets or at a tavern dine.
One day and half 'tis requisite to rest
From toilsome labor and a tempting feast.
Henceforth let none on peril of their lives
Attempt a journey or embrace their wives;
No barber, foreign or domestic bred,
Shall e'er presume to dress a lady's head;
No shop shall spare (half the preceding day)
A yard of riband or an ounce of tea.
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