midnight
Thus , while the wise , the good , and the prudent were occupied by the labours of benevolence , the truce of winter produced other effects among the young , the thoughtless , and the vicious . During the colder months there was a general rush to London in search of amusement -- the ties of public opinion were loosened ; many were rich , heretofore poor -- many had lost father and mother , the guardians of their morals , their mentors and restraints . It would have been useless to have opposed these impulses by barriers , which would only have driven those actuated by them to more pernicious indulgencies . The theatres were open and thronged ; dance and midnight festival were frequented -- in many of these decorum was violated , and the evils , which hitherto adhered to an advanced state of civilization , were doubled . The student left his books , the artist his study : the occupations of life were gone , but the amusements remained ; enjoyment might be protracted to the verge of the grave . All factitious colouring disappeared -- death rose like night , and , protected by its murky shadows the blush of modesty , the reserve of pride , the decorum of prudery were frequently thrown aside as useless veils . This was not universal .