Ex ICtbrts SEYMOUR DURST When you leave, please leave this book Because it has been said "Ever'lhing comes f him who waits fxcef)t a loaned book." Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Ciii 1 oi- Si YMOUR B. Durst Oi d York Liisrary ( 1 i 1 1 1 i I 3 I 1 A S H O R T VIEW OF THE Immorality and Profanenefs OF THE Together with The Senfe of Antiquity upon this A R G U MEN X By Jeremy Collier, M. A. LONDON: Printed for g). i^thlZ at the T urk\ Head in Fleet (ireet, and E. @are at Grays-Im-Gate in Holbom, MDCXCIX. AA THE PREF AC E. B Being confined that nothing haf gone farther in Debauching the Age than the Stage-Poecs, ani Play-Houfe ; / thougJot I could not em- floy my Time better than in Writing againfl them. Thefe Men fitre^ take Virtue and Regularity, for Great Enemies, why elfe is their Difaffedii- on fo Dery Reniarkable ? It mufl he fiidj they haVe made their Attack with ^ys^t Courage, and gairid no inconfide- r<«^/e Advantage. But it Jeems^hcwd- nei's without Atheifm, is but half their Bufmefs. Confcience might pof- jibly recover^ and Revenge be thought ; and therefore like Foot-Pads, they A 2 muji The Preface. mufi not only Rob, but Murther. To do them riiptj their Meafures are Po- licickly taken : To make furelVork,on\ there's nothing lih^ Deftroyingf/ Prin- ciples ; Practice mufi follow o/Courfe. For to hdToe no Good Principles, is to haipe no Reafon to be Good. Now 'tis not to he exfe^ed that People jhould cVieck their Appetites, and baulk their Satisfactions, they don't kpow why. Jf Virtue has no Profpeft, 'tis not worth the owning. Who would be troubled with Confcience, tf 'tis only a Bugbear, and hm nothing in't but Vifion and the Spleen ? My Colleftion from the Englifh- ' Stage, is much jhort of what They are able to furnijh. Jn Inventory of their Ware-Houfe would haipe been a large Work: But being afraid of overcharging f/;^ Reader I thought a Pat- . tef n might do. The Preface. In Tranflacing Fathers, IhaDe endeavour d to keep cLofe to their Mean- ing : However J m Ibme few places, / have taken the Liberty of throwing in a Word or Two • To clear the Senfe, to prcferve the Spirit of the Original, and kee^ the Englifli upon it s Legs. There s one Thing more to acquaint //j^ Reader with ; ^tu that I have Ven- tured to change //je Terms ofM'Md^ and Lover, for others fomcwbat more Plain, but much morz Proper. Idont took^upon this oi ^^/ji failure z« Civility. As Good and Evil are different in Themfelves, fo they ought to be dif- ferently Mark'd. To confound thun in Speech is the way to confound ihem in Practice. Ill Qua 1 ides ought to have ill Names, to f revert, their being Catching. Indeed Things are in a great Meafure Govern'd bj Woids- Guild over a foul Character, jerVes I The Preface. only to ferflex the Idea, to encourage the Bad, and miflead the Unwary. To treat Honour, and Infamy alike j is an injary to Virtue, and a fort of Levelling m Morality, I confefsy I ha've no Ceremony for Debauchery. For to Complement Vice, is hut one Remove from worihipping the De- vil ♦ March ^thi \6g'{, I I THE THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. 'T^H E Introduction. Page i . The Immodefty of the Stage, p. 5 The 111 Confequences of T'/'w Liberty, p. 5 • Immodefty a Breach of good. Behaviour.p. 6 The St2igc faulty in this refpeSt to a very Scan- dalous degree, p. 8 Modefty /^eChara£ler fl/ Women, p. 9 The NdturalSQrw'icedbienekof this Quality, p. II Immodefty much more infufferable tmder the Chriftian, thm under the Heathen Reli- gion. P- 14 The Roman, and Greek Theatres more in- ofFenfive than the Englifh. P- 1 5 This proved from Plautus. Ibid. From Terence. p. 20 From Seneca'^ Tragedies. P- 2 5 T/^djComparifon carried on to the Theatre at Athens. Ibid, y^^or/- Charader 4 Cenfure 0/ Ariftophanes. • P« Ariflophanes his Tejlimony againft himfelf. p. 48 ^ Ben. Johnfon. p. 51 n^i A .1 r ) Beaumont Fletcher. The Author It us of < „ } . P- $2 [_ And Corneille p- 5 J agatnfi the prefent Stage. CHAP. II. The Prof anenefs ofthe5^^^f. in HisQ\\2.v^Qfrov'*d upon them, ^ "i. By their Cuffing and Swearing.p. 57 The EngliQi Stage formerly lefs hardy tn this refpe^. Ibid. T//f provokingnefs //'w p. 58 This Offence punilhable by Law, and how far. V- 59 Swearing in Play-Houfe an Un-Gentlc- inaniy; as rvellas am Un-Clu'ijftian pra- . 4^ice. A TheCONTENTS. A Second Branch of the Profanenefs of the Stage, conftfting in their Abufe of Religi- on, ^Wr^e Holy Scriptures, p. 60 Injlances of this Liberty in the Mock-Aftro- loger. lb. In ^//f Orphan. p. 62 In ^/'^ Old Batchelour, Double Dealer. p. 65, 64. /» Don Sebaftian. P- Brief Remarks uf on aPajfage or two in the Dedications of Aurenge Zebe, and the Tranflation <5/ Juvenal. p. 66, 69 Farther Inflances of Profanenefs in Love Triumphant. P* 72 In Love for Love. P- 74 In r^eProvok'd Wife. p. 77 And tn the Relapfe, p. 78 The Horrid Impiety of this Liberty, p. 80 The Stage guilty of downright Blafphemy . This Charge made good from feveral of the Plays above-mentton'd. p. 82 The Comparative Regularity of the Heathen Stage, 4xempltfed in Terence, and Plau- tus. p. 86 And in the Greek Tragedians. P- 87 Seneca more exceptionable than the Greeks, but not fo faulty as the Modern Stage. P- 94 This outraging of Religion Intolerable, p.95 C H A P. The CONTENTS.' CHAP. nr. npH E Clergy abufed by the Stage, p. 98 This Vfage both i^T^'t^'i) " ^ The Misbehaviour of ths Stage upon this ac- count, p. ij8 CHAP. IV. IMniorality encouraged by the Stage, p. 140 The Stage-Poets make Libertines thetr Top- Charafters, and give them Suceefs in their Debauchery. P« 142 A Character of their jf;?? Gentleman. P.14J Their fine Lzdics Jccomplifl)*d much after the fame manner. p. 146 The Young People o/Figure in Plautus and, Terence, have a greater regard to Mora- lity. Ibid. The Defence in the Preface to the Mock-Aftro- loger, not fufficient. p. 148 The Chriftian Religion makes great di^t- veace in the Cafe. p. 149 Horace of a Contrary Opinion to the Mock- Aftrologer. p. 1 50 The Mock-AflrologerV Injlances from Ben. John- The CONTENTS. , Johnfon Vnferviceable. P* ' 5 1 The Authority of Shakefpear aga 'mfi the Mock-Aftrologer. p. 154 His NlzyLim founded oh the difference between Tragedy, Comedy,^ Miftake. p.i $ 5 Delight the chief end of Comtdy. p.i 57 This JJfertion prov*d againji the Mock- Aftrologer/yow the Teflimonies of Rapin. Ibid. Ben. Johnfon. P« Ariftotle, and Quintilian, cited to the fame furfofe. p. 1 59, 161 To make Delight the main Bujinefs tn Co- medy, dangerous^ and unreafonaUe.^.162 Thejmproper Conduti of the Stage with refpeci to Poetry y and Ceremony. P« 1^5 Extravagant Rants. p. 167 Gingles m the Spanilh Fryer, King Arthur, W Love Triumphant, p. 169 Women roughly treated by the Stage, p. 1 7 1 Their Courfe Vfage of the Nobility. P- 1 7 J Thefe Freedoms peculiar to the Englifh Stage. P-I75 CHAP. TheC0NTENTS CHAP. V. SECT. I. REmarks upon Amphitryon. p. 177 The Machines Profancj Smutty^ and out of Chiira.6ter p. 178 The Singularity of the "Poet in this point, p. 1 80 Blajphemy in Abfolom and Achitophel. p. 184 A Poem upon the Fall of the Angels, called a. Fairy way of Writing. p. 189 The Punifhment of the Damned ridiculed. p. 192 SECT. II. REmarks on the Comical Hiftory •. p. 28$. 1. 27. r. w/V/j. p. 286. l.i 3. r. Charar. Books Books printed for RkhardSare at Gf ays-Inn- Gate in Holborn, ESfays upon fcveral Moral Subjcfts. A Defence of the jhorc View of the Prophancrtcfs and Immorality ef the Englifh Stage, , and other eminent My thologifts, Cjrf. Folio. 22 Seledl Colloquies omoi Erafmtu. Quievedo'i Vifions, 8°.hefc four by Sir Roger VEjlrange. The Genuine EpiHIes of the Apoflolical Fathers; St. Bir. nabas St. Ignatiui, St. Clement^ St. Pofycarp, the Shepherd of Hemas ; &c.Td Engli/h, 8. A Pradical Difcourfe concerning Prophane Swearing,8»' The Authority cf Chiiflian Princes over Ecckfiaflical Synods, &c. An Appeal to the true Members of the Church of land, in behalf of the King's Supremacy. The Principles of the Chriftian Religion Explained in a brief Commentary upon the Church Catechifm. 8°. Sermons upon feveral Occafions. Thcfe by the Reverend Dr. npiiletus's Morals with simpliciuis Conr>inent made Englifh from the Greel^. In 8°. tbomM a Kempis both in 8°. and la'. Sermons upon feveral Occafms. Thefe by Dr. Stanhop. Compleat Sets Confiding of Eight Volumes of Letters, wr it by a Tur!(i/h Spye who lived Fourty Five Years at Paris undifcoTcr'd, giving, an Account of the Principal Affairs of £«>ope, 12s. Human Prudence, An Anfwer to all theExcufes and Pretences which Men ordinarily make for their not coming to the Holy Com* munlon, fitted for Eerfons of the mcancft Capacities. To which which is now added a Brief account of the Eod and De. fign of the Holy Communion, the Obligations to receive Iti the Way to prepare for It y and the Behaviour of our felves both Ar, and Afcer Ir. Fitted for ihc mcaneft Ca- pacities, /By a Divine of the Churchof England i and very proper to be given away by fuch Pcrfonsas are Chariti- bly Inclined. The Fourth KditioD, Price 9 d. Books Printed for S. Keble at the Turk's Head in Fleet-ftreet. MOnajiicon Jnilkanm, or the Hiftory of the Ancient Abbeys, and other Monaftcrics, Hofpicah, Cathe^ 4lral and Collegiate Churches in England and tfraUs. Pub- lifticd in Latin, by Sr. PViUism Dugdale, Knt. And now Epitomized in Englifb, Page by Page. Folio. Meditations upon liviog Holily, and dying Happily, with fuitable Prayers at the end of each Chapter. Writ. tenhy VmielSennertm, a Phyfitian, the Holy Days, or the Fcafts and Fafts, as they are ob- ferved in the Church of En^iiwi (throughout the Year^ cxplaia'd ; and the Reafont why they are yearly celebrated ; with Cuts before each day. . yiferioui and Patheiical Cuttemplationof the MtrcUsofQoJt infeveral mod Devout and Sublime Thankfgivingsfor the fame , Pubiifhed by the Reverend Doftor licks, at the re- queft of a Friend of the Authors. The Spirit Hal Combat, or the Cht iflian Pilgrim, Tranflat- ed from the French, Kevis'd and P.ccommeoded by Richard Lvcas, D. D. . The Church of England maris Private Devotions, being a Colicdion of Prayers oat of the Common-prayer Book, for Morning, Noon and Night, and other fpecial Occafiom : By the Author of the [Veeks Preparation to the Sacrament. The Mourner Comforted : Or Epifllcs Confolatory, writ by Hugt Grotim, pcrufcd and recommended to the WorW, by ■John Scot, D . D. in i a°. . Pivine and Moral Difcourfci on divers Subjefls, in 12°. EpiUeti Enchiridion: or the moft excellent Morals of Epiffetw. Made Englifli in a Poetical Paraphrafe ; by Ellis mlker, M A. The Hiftofical Parts of the Old and N£W Teftament ia Vcrfe, wltli 120 Cuts, ufeful for Children, 12°. price a s. Ruler for our more Devout- Behaviour IB the time of Dl-vnk^ervlce, ia the Church of Price 5 <«'. THE INTROD UCTION, THE bufinefsof P/4y^ is to recom- mend Virtue, and difcountenancd Vice ; To fhew the Uncertain- ty of Humane Greatnefs, the fuddain Turns of Fate, and the Unhap- py ConcIuGons of Violence and Injuftice : 'Tis to expofe the Singularities of Pride and Fancy, to make Folly and Falfc- hood contemptible, and to bring every Thing that is III Under Infamy , and Negleft. This Defign has been oddly purfued by the Englilh Stage. Our Foets write with a different View, and are gone into an other Intereft. 'Tis true, were their Intentions fair, they might be Servicetihle to this Purfoje. They have in a great meaijLire the Springs of Thought and Inclination in their Po- wer. Hhow, Mujick, J[iio», and Rhe^ torick^ are moving Entertainments ; and rightly employ'd would be very fignifi* B cant. i The IntroduSiion, cant. But Force and Motion are Things indifferent, and the Ufe lies chiefly in the Application. Thefe Advantages are now, in the Enemies Hand, and un- . der a very dangerous Management. Like Cannon feized they are pointed the wrong way, and by the Strength of the Defence the Mifchief is made the greater. That this Complaint is not unreafonable I fhall endeavour to prove by fhewing the Mis- behaviour of the Stage with refpeft to Mo- ralitj, and Religipn. Their Liberties in the Following Particulars are intolerable, 'viz. Their Smuttinefs of Expefjion ; Their SmAr* ingy Frofaimefs^ and Lewci Application of j Scripture ; Their Abufe of the Clergy ; Their ' j making their Top Characters Libertines^ and \ ^ giving them Succefs in theu' Debauchery, Ij This Charge, with fome other Irregulari- ties, I fhall make good againit the Stage^ and (hew both the Novelty and Scandal of the Pra^ice. And firft, I fhall begin with the Ranknefs^ and Indecency of theii* Language^ CHAP. 3 C H A P. I. The Immodefty of the Stage* TN treating this Head, I hope the Reader does not expect that I fhould fet down Chapter and Page, and give him the Citations at Length. To do this would be a very unacceptable and Foreign Employment. Indeed the Paf- fages, many of them, are in no Condi- tion to be handled : He that is defirous to fee thefe Flowers let liim do it in their own Soil : 'Tis my bufmefs rather to kill the Root than Trunf^Unt it. But that the Poets may not complain of In- juftice ; I lhall point to the Infedion at a Diftance, and refer in General to fUy and Perfon, Now among the Curiofities of tliis kind we may reckon Mrs. Pinchwtfe, {iorner, and Lady Fidget in the Country Wife ; Widdow Blackacre and Olivta ui the Plain Dealer. Thefe, though not all the exceptionable Characters, are tlie moll remarkable. Fm forry the Author Ihould ftoop his Wit thus Low, andufehis Un- derftanding fo unkindly. Some People B 2 ap- appear Coarfe, and Slovenly out of Po- verty : They can't well go to the Charge of Senfe. They are Oftenfi ve like Beggars for want of Neceflaries. But this is none of the Flain Dealer*s cafe ; He can afford his Mufe a better Dvd's when he pleafes. But then the -Rule is, where- the Motive is the lefs, the Fault is the ' greater. To proceed, '^acint.t, Elv/ra^ Ddinda.^ and Lady Flymt^ in the Mock AJlrologer^ Spanifb Friar ^ Love Trium~ phant and Douhle Dealer, forget them- felves extreamly : And almoft all the Characters in the Old Batchelour, are foul and naufeous. Love for Love, and the ^^^Relapfe, ftrike fometimes upon tliis Sand, ■ and fo likewife does Dofz Sehajliafj. I don't pretend to have read the St age Through, neither am I Particular to my Utmoll. Here is quoting enough unlefs 'twere better : Befides , I may have pccafion to mention fomewhat of this kind afterwards. But from what has been hinted already,- the Reader may be over furnifhed. Here is a large CoUefti- on of Debauchery ; fuch Pieces are rarely to be met with : 'Tis fometimes pain- ted at length too, and appears in great Variety of Progrefs and Praftife. It "wears almoit all forts of DrelTes tc engage the Fancy, and fallen upon the Me- of tl)e ^tage; Memory ^ and keep up the Charm from Languiftiing. Sometimes you have it in Image and Defcription; fometimes by •way of Allufion; fometimes in Difguife ; and fometimes without it. And what can be the Meaning of fuch a Repre^- fentation, unlefs it be to Tin£lure the "Audience, to extinguiih Shame, and 'make Lewdnefs a Diverfion ? This is the natural Confequence, and therefore one would think 'twas the Intention too. Such Licentious Difcourfe tends to no point but to ftain the Imagination, to awaken FoUy, and to weaken the De- fences of Virtue : It was upon the ac- count of thefe Diforders that Plato ba- nifh'd Poets his Common Wealth : And one of the fathers calls Poetry^ Vinum ■ V)£monum^ an intoxicating Draughty made up by the Devils Difpenjatory. I gi-ant the Abufe of a Thing is no Argument againft the ufe of it. How- ever, Young people particularly, fliould not entertain themfelves with a Lewd Pifture ; especially when 'tis drawn by " a Mafterly Hand. For fuch a Liberty .may probably raife thofe Paflions whicii fcan neither be difcharged without Trou- ble, nor fatisfyed without a Crime : 'Tis not fafe for a Man to truft his \''irtue too far, for fear it fhould give B J him him the flip. But the clanger of fuch an Entertainment is but part of the Ob* jeftioii: 'Tis all Scandal and Meannefs into the bargain: It does in effeO: degrade i Humane Nature, finks Reafon into Ap- ' petite, and breaks down the Dii^inftions between Man and Beaft. Goats and Monkeys if they could fpeak, would ex-^ prefs their Brutality in fuch Language as This, To argue the Matter more at large. Smuttinefs is a Fault in Behaviour as ■tase* Obfcenity in any Company is a ru- ftick uncreditable Talent ; but among Women 'tis particularly rude. Such Talk would be very atfrontive in Converfa- tion, and not endur'd by any Lady of Reputation. Whence then comes it to Pafs that tli6fe Liberties which difoblige fo much in Converfation , fhould enter- tain upon the Stage. Do the Women lea^e all the regards to Decency and Confcience beliind them when they come to the Play-Houfe ? Or does the Place transform their Inclinations, and turn their former Averfions into Pleafure ? Or were Their pretences to Sobriety elfewhere nothing but Hypocrify and Grimace ? Such Suppofitions as thqfe are all Satyr and Invedive: They are rude Imputa- tions upon the whole Sex. To treat the Ladys-with fuch ftuff, is no better than taking their Money to abufe them. It fuppofes their Imagination vitious, and their Memories ill furnifh'd : That they are|)raQ:ifed in the Language of the Stews, and pleas'd with the Scenes of Brutifh- nels. When at the fame time the Cu- ftoms of Education, and the Laws of Decency, are fo very cautious, and re- ferv'd in regard to Women: I fay fo very refer v'd, that 'tis almoft a Fault for them to Underftand they are ill Ufed. B 4 They They can't difcover their Difguft without difadvantage, nor Blufh without difler- vice to their Modelly. To appear with any skill in fuch Cant, looks as if they had fallen upon ill Converfation ; or Managed their Curiofity amifs. In a word, He that treats the Ladys with fuch Difcourfe, mufl: conclude either that they i like it, or they do not. To fuppofc the firft, is a grofs Refleftion upon their ! Virtue. And as for the latter cafe,' it entertains them with their own Aver- fion ; which is ill Nature, and ill Man- ners enough in all Confcience. And in . this Particular, Cuftom and Confcience, \ the Forms of Breeding, and the Maxims of Religion are on the fame fide. In other Inftances Vice is often too fafhi- onable ; But here a Man can't be a Sin- ner, without being a Clown. In this refpeft the Stage is faulty to a Scandalous degree of Naufeoufnefs and Aggravation- For i//. The Poets make Women fpeak Smuttily. Of This the Places before mention'd are fufBcient Evidence : And if there was occafion they might be Mul- tiplyed to a much greater Number : Indeed the Comedies are feldom. clear of thefe Blemifhes: And fometimes you have them in Tragedy, For Inftance. of t\)t S)tase* p The Orphans Monimia, makes a very im- . proper Defcription ; And the Royal Lf- onora in the Spamfh Friar, runs "a ftrange Length in the Hiftory of Love p. 50. And do Princefles ufe to make their Re- ports with fuch fulfom Freedoms? Cer- tainly this Leonora was the firll Queen of her Family. Such raptures are too Lufcious for 'Joan of Naples. Are thefc the Tender Things Mr. Dry den fays the Ladys call on him for ? I fuppofe he means the Ladys that are too Mqdeft to ftiow their Faces in the Pit. This Entertainment can be fairly defign'd for none but fuch. Indeed it hits their Fa- late exaftly. It regales their Lewdnefs, graces their Charafter, and keeps up their Spirits for their Vocation : Now to bring Women under fuch Misbeha- viour is Violence t6 their Native Mo- defty,and a Mifreprefentation of their Sex. For Modefty as Mr. Rapin obferves, is Reflect up- the Character of Women. To repre- JJ^Ariftoc. fent them without this Quality, is to make Monfters of them, and throw them out of their Kind. Eurtpides^ who was no negligent Obferver of Humane ^'if'^'*- Nature, is always careful of this Deco- rum. Thus Ph^dra when poirefsM with an infamous Paflion, takes all imagina- ble pains to conceal it. She is as re- gular to x?)e "^fmmmttv gular and refervM in her Language as the moft virtuous Matron. 'Tis true, the fovea of Shame and Defire ; The Scandal of Satisfying, and the difficulty of parting with her Inclinations, difor- . der her to Diftraftion. However, her Frenfy is not Lewd ; She keeps her Modefty even after She has loft her Wits. Had Shake/pear fecur'd this point Hamlet, for his young Virgin Ophelia , the Play had been better contrived. Since he was refolvM to drown the Lady like a Kitten , he fhould have fet her a fwimming a little fooner. To keep her alive only to fully her Reputation, and difcover the Ranknefs of her Breath, was very Cruel. But it may be faid the Freedoms of Diftraftion go for nothing, a Feavour has no Faults, and a Man no» Compos, may kill without Murther, It may be fo : But then fuch People ought to be kept in dark Rooms, and without Company. To fhew them, or let them loofe, is fomewhat unreafona- ble. But after all, the Modern Stage feems to depend upon this Expedient. Women are fometimes reprefented Sillj/y and fometimes Mad^ to enlarge their Lir pon Quix- berty, and fcreen their Impudence from or.neUffe. Ccufure : This Politick Contrivance we Love for jj^^^ ^ Maue/la, Hoy deny and Mifs Prue, of tl)e ^tage. i However it amounts to this Confeflion ; that Women when they have their Un- ci erftandings about them ought to con- verfe otherwife. In fine ; Modefty is the diftingufliing Vertue of that Sex, and ferves both for Ornament and Defence : Modeily was defign'd by Providence as a Guard to Virtue ; And that it might be always at Hand, 'tis wrought into the Mechanifm of the Body. 'Tis like- wife proportioned to the occafions of Life, and ftrongeft in Youth when Pafli- on is fo too. 'Tis a Quality as true to Innocence, as the Sences are to Health ; whatever is ungrateful tothefirft, is pre-^ judicial to the latter. The Enemy no fooner approaches, but the Blood rifes in Oppoiition, and looks Defyance to an Indecency. It fupplys the room of Rea- foning, and Colleftion : Intuitive Know- ledge can fcarcely make a quicker Im- prefTion; And what then can be a iurer Guide to the Unexperienced ? It teaches by fudden Inftinft and Averfion j This is Doth a ready and a powerful Me- thod of Inftruftion. The Tumult of the Blood and Spirits, and the Unealinefs of the Senfation, areoffingular Ufe. They ferve to awaken Reafon , and prevent furprize. Thus the Diftintlions of Good and Evil are refrefh'd, and the Tempta- tion kept at proper Diftance. 12 %t^t 3httttioDeftr 25'. They Reprefent their fingle La- dys, and Perfons of Condition, under thefe Diforders of Liberty. This ma]ies the Irregularity ftill more Monftrous and a greater ContradiOiion to Nature, and Probability : But rather than not be Viticus, they will venture to fpoil a Charafter. This mifmanagement we have ^ftrdoger " P^itly fcen already. JaciKta, and Belinda. Old Batch- are farther Proof And the Double Dealer eitur. particularly remarkable. There are but Four Ladys in this P/^j, and Three of thcbiggeil of thein are Whores. A Great Compliment to Qiiality, to t^l them there is not above a quarter of them Honeft ! This was not the Roman Breeding. Te- rence and FUutm his Strumpets were Little people ; but of this more hereaf- ter. ■^dly. They have oftentimes not fo much as the poor reftige of a Double Meaning to fly to. So that you are un- der a neceflity either of taking Ribal- dry or Nonfence. And when the Sen- tence has two Handles, the worll is generally turn'd to the Audience. The s Matter is fo Contrived that the Smut and Scum of the Thought rifes uppermoft^ And like a Pifture drawn to Hight, looks • always upon the Company. ^fj. And of tlje ^tage. 1 3 4h -And M'hich is ftill more extraor- dinary , the Prologues^ and Epilogues zre M»ck ^jht- fometimes Scandalous to the lafi: degree, ^"fj;^^^^ I fhall difcover them for once, and let ty^fe. them ftand like Rocks in the Margin. ^'^'^^"^^2- Now here, properly fpeaking, the J^lors tiwr. quit the St.ige^ and remove from FiO:ion into Life. Here they converfe with the Boxes^ and P/>, and addrefs direct- ly to the Audience. Thefe Preliminary and concluding Parts , are defign'd to juftify the Conduft of the P%, and be- fpeak the Favour of the Company. Up- on fuch Occafions one would imagine if ever , the Ladies fhould be ufed with Refpect , and the Meafures of Decency obferv'd. But here we have Lewdnels without Shame or Example : Here the Poet exceeds himfelf. Here are fuch Strains as would turn the Stomach of an ordinary Debauchee, and be almoft nau- feous \ni\iQ Stervs. And to make it rhe more agreeable. Women are commonly pick'd out for this Service. Thus the Poet Courts the good Opinion of the Au- dience. This is the Defert he Regales the Ladies with at the Clofe of the En- tertainment ; It feems , he thinks, they . have admirable Palates ! Notliiiig can bie a greater Breach of Manners then fuch Liberties as thefe. If a Man v/ould Stu- • ■ dy 14 5c:l)e 3fiHmoi>eft|> dy to outrage QuiHty and Vertue, he could not do it more Effe8:ually. But lythly. Smut is ftill more infufterable with refpeft to ReUgion. The Heathen Religion was in a great Meafure a M)- fiery of Iniquity. Lewdnefs was Confe- crated in the Temples, as well as praftif- cd in the Stervs. Their Deity s were great Examples of Vice, and worfhipM with their own Inclination. ' 'Tis no wonder therefore their Poetry fhould be tinctured with their Belief, and that the Stage fhould borrow fome of the Liber- ties of their Theology. This made Mer" curfs Procuring, and '^upiter^s Adultery pitut. the more palfable in Amfhitrion : Upon this Score Gimmufium is lefs Monftrousin cifieSar. Praying the Gods to fend her ftore of Gal- lants. And thus Ch^raa defends his Ad- Ttrenr. veutute by the precedent of Jupiter and £u?Mch. Dame, But the Chriftian Religion is quite of an other Complexion. Both its Pre- cepts, and Authorities, are the higheft difcouragementto Licentioufnefs. It for- bids the remoteft Tendencies to Evil^ Banifhes the Follies of Converfation , and Obliges up to Sobriety of Thought! That which might pafs for Raillery, and Entertainment in Heathenifm, is detefta- ble in Chriftianity. The RelVraint of the Precept, and the Quality of the Deity, t Deity, and the Expedations of Futurity quite alter the Cafe. But notwithftanding the Latitudes of Paganifm, the Roman and Greek The- atres were much more inoffenfive than ours. To begin with PUutm. This Co- median, tho' the moft exceptionable, is modeft upon the Comparifon. For ijl. He rarely gives any of the above mentioned Liberties to Women ; And when there are any Inftances of the contrary, 'tis only in Proftituted and Vul- gar People ; And even thefe, don't come up to the GrofTnefs of the Modern Stage. For the Purpofe. Cle^reta the Procu- refs borders a little upon Rudenefs: Lemapa^ir. and Bacchis the Strumpet ^re Airy BacMd, and' fomewhat over-merry , but not ^^yj^ A /' Angbife obfcene. Chalinm in Womans Cloaths is the moft remarkable. Pafi- Mercat. compa Char inns his Wench talks too free- ^^-J' ly to Ljjimachits; And fo does Sofhro- clUtfca Slave to LemnofeUne. And laftly : Phronefium a Woman of the Town ufes a xmiuL double entendre to Stratophanes. Thefe are the moft ceqfurable Palfages, and I think all of them with relation tg Wo- men j which coofidering how the World goes is very moderate. Several of our Single P/ajs ihall fkr out-do all This put together. And yet PUutM has upon the mat- 1 5 iTDe 3fmmDtjeftp matter left us 20 entire Comedies. So that in fhort, thefe Roman LafTes are vcittvVefial Virgins^ comparatively fpeak* ing. 2ly. The Men who talk intern perate- PetfA. ly are generally Slaves \ I believ° Dor- ddm the Pandar, and Lu^iteks will Tirinum. be found the only exception : And this latter young Gentleman ; drops but one over airy expreflion : And for this Freedom, the Poet feems to make him give Satisfaftion in the reft of his , Character. He difputes very handfom- . ly by himfelf againft irregular Love ; The Difcourfe between him and Vhilto ^ is inftruftive and well managed. And afterwards he gives Lesbomcas a great ^a. 2. 2. deal of fober advice, and declaims hearti- ly againft Luxury and Lewdnefs. Now by confining his Rudenefs to lit- tle People, the Fault is much extenuated. For Firft, the reprefentation is more Natural this way; And which is ftill better, 'tis not fo likely to pafs into Imitation: Slaves and Clowns are not big enough to fpread Inte6lion; and fee up an ill Faftiion, 'Tis poflible the Poet might contrive thefe Pefants Of- fenfive to difcountenance the Praftife. Thus the Heilots in Sparta were made drunk to keep Intemperance out of Credit Oft^eSxAGE. I7 Credit. I don't mention this as if I ap- prov'd the Expedient, but only to fhew it a Circumftance of Mitigation and Ex- cufe. » Farther, Thefe Slaves and Fanddrs feldom run over and Play their Gambols before Women. There are but Four In- itances of this kind as I remember, Olym- fio^ PaUflrio^ Dordalus, and Stratilax are the Perfons. And the Women they Dif- ^f;!;^^ courfe with, arc two of them Slaves, and Ttucul. the third a Wench. But with our Dra-^ matijlsy the Cafe is otherwife. With us Smuttinefs is abfolute and unconfined. 'Tis under no reftraint of Company, nor has any regard to Quality or Sex. Gentle- men talk it to Ladies, and Ladies to Gen- tlemen, with all the Freedom and Fre- quency imaginable. This is in earneft to be very hearty in the Caufe : To give Title and Figure to 111 Manners, is the utmoft that can be done. If Lewdnefs will not thrive under fuch Encouragement, \t rauii e'en raifcarry ! • i rr- A^hly, Plautfts^s Prologues and Epilogues are in^ffenfive. 'Tis true, Lambintti pre- tends to fetdi a double entendre out of that to Poenulw^ but I think there is a Strain in the Conftru6Hon. Prologue to the C^/- tivi, is worth the obferving. C FahuU FabuU huic operam date. Pray mind the Play. The next Words give the Reafon why it deferves regarding. No» enim fertra^ate facta, eft Neq ; fpurctdici infant 'verfus immemorabiles. We fee here the Poet confefles Smut a fcandalous Entertainment : That fuch Li- berties ought to fall under Negleft, to lie unmention'd, and be blotted out of Memory. And that this was not a Copy of his Countenance, we may learn from his Compofitions. His beft Plays are almoft: always Modeft, and clean Complexion'd. His Amphytrio, excepting the ungenuine Addition, is fuch. His Efidicmj the Ma- fter-piece of his whole Collections is inof- fenfive throughout : And fo are his Me- jtechmi^ Rudens, and Trinummm , which may be reckon'd amongft fome of his next Beit. His Truculentusj another fine Play (though not entire) with a Heathen Al- lowance, is pretty Pallable. To be fhort : Where he is moft a Poet, he is generally leaft a Buffoon. And where the Enter- tainment is Smut, there is rarely any other Difli well drefs'd : The Contrivance is com- of tIjC St AGE. commonly Wt-etched, the Senfe lean and full of Qiiibbles. So that his Underftand- ing feems to have left him when he began to abufe it. To conclude, Vlautm does not dilate upon the Progrefs, SuccefTes , and Dif- appointments of Love^ in the Modem Way. This is nice Ground, and there- fore he either ftands off, or walks grave- ly over it. He has ibme Regard to the Retirements of Modeily, and the Dignity of Humane Nature, and does not ieem to make Lewdnefs his Bulinels. To give an inllance : Sik/iium is much gonem Love,, but Modeft withal, though formerly De«i baucii'd. She is forry her Spark was forced from her, and in Danger of being loft. But then (lie keeps within compafs, and never flies out into Indecency. Alcefimarchiis is llrangely fmitten with this Sdemum^ and almolt diftracled to recover her. He is i uneafy and biufters, and threateiis, but his Paffion goes off in Generals. He Paints no Images of his Extravagance, nor def- cends to any naufeous Particulars. And yet after all, FUutw wrote in an Age not pcrfeftly retin'd, and often feems ,to defign his P/^jyjfor a Vulgar Capacity. 'Twas upon this View Ifuppofe hisC^4- r4^fr/ exceed Nature, and his ill Features C 2 are Cfjc 3!mmotieCi> are drawn too large : His Old Men over- Credulous, hisMifersRoraantick, and his Coxcombs improbably Singular. And 'tis likely for this Reafon his Skves might have too much Liberty. Terence appeared when Breeding was more exaft, and the Town better polilh'd And he manages accordingly : He has but one faulty bordering Expreflion, which is that of Chr ernes to C lit if ho. This fingle Sentence apart, the reft of his Book is (I think ) unfullied , and fit for the niceft Converfation. I mean only in re- ference to the Argument in Hand , for there are things in Him, which I have no intention to warrant. He is extreme- ly careful in the Behaviour of his Wo- men. Neither Gljcerium in Jndria, Pam- fhila in EunucloHs^ or Pamphtla in jidel- fhiy Ph&niuni in Phormto, of Phtlumena. in Hecyra^ have any fhare of Converfa- tion upon the Stage. Such Freedom was then thought too much for the Referved- ncfs of a Maiden-Character. 'Tis true, in Heautontimoroumenos the Poet'^s Plot ob- liged AntiphiU to go under the Difguife of Baccbis her Maid. Upon this Occafion they hold a httle Difcourfe together : But then Bacchis, though {he was a Woman of the Toii'n, behaves her felf with all the Decency imaginable. She does not talk in Oft&e Stage. 21 in the Language of her ProfefRon : But commends AnttphiU for her Virtue : An- ttphtla only fays how conftant fhe has been to Clinia^ feems Surprifed at his Arrival, and Salutes him civilly upon't, and we hear no more from her. Mr. Drydsn feems to refer to this Conduct in his Drama- tick Poefie. He Cenfures the Romn/is for making Mutes of their fingle Women. This he calls the Breeding of the Old Eli- zabeth Tvxy^ which was for Afaids to be feen^ dnd not to he heard. Under Favour the old Difcipline would be very ferviceable upon the Stage. As Matters go, the Mutts are much too few. For certainly 'tis better to fay nothing, than talk out of Character, and to ill purpofe. To return. The Virgin injured by C^/frf. v/roteany thing againft Religion or Good Ed.ctintai,. jviancers, they were tried for their Mtf. behaiytour^ and liable to the higheil For- feitures. It may not be amlfs to obferve, that there are no Inftances of Debauching Mar- ried Women, in Plautus^ nor Terence^ no nor yet in Anflofhanes. But on our Stage how common is it to make a Lord, a Knight, or an Alderman a Cuckold ? The Schemes of Succefs are beaten out with great va- riety, and almoft, drawn up into a Sci- ence. How many Snares are laid for the undermining of Virtue^ and with what Triumph is the Vi£lory proclaim'd? The Fincneis of the Plot, and the Life of the Entertainment often lies in thefe Contri- vances. But the Romans had a diflferent . Senfe of thefe Matters^ and faw through the Confequences ofthem. The Govern- ment was awake upon the Theatre, and would not fuffer the Abufes of Honour, and Family, to pafs into Diverfion. And before we part with thefe Comedians we may take notice that there are no Smutty Lwafor Songs in their Plays ; in whicii the Englip i-ove. are extremely Scandalous. Now to work up of tlje Stage. 25 up their Lewdnefs with Verfe^ and Mu- ^"■v'T^J- fnk, doubles the Force of the Mifihief."""^^'^' It makes it more portable and at Hand, and drives it Stronger upon Fancy and Eraftice. To difpatchthe Latms altogether, Sefie- ca is clean throughout the Piece ; and ftands generally off from the point of Love. He has no Courting uniefs in his Hercules Fu- p. 14. re?js : And here the Tyrant Lycia addref- fes Megara very briefly, and in modeft and yemote Language. In his Thehau, Oedipin''s Inceil is reported at large, but without any /ihocking Defcription. 'Tis granted Ph^- dra fpeaksher Paffion plainly out, and owns the ftrength of the Impreflion, and is far lefs prudent than in Euripides. But though « A'^*^- her Thoughts appear too freely, her Lan- guage is under Difcipline. Let us now travel from Italy into Greece^ and take a View of the Theatre at Jthe^s. In this City the Stage had both its Beginning and higheit Improve- ment. JEJchjlus was the firlt who ap- pear'd with any Reputation. His Genius I'cems Noble, and his Mind Generous, Willing to transfufe it felt into the Au- dience, and infpire them with a Spirit of Bravery. To this purpole his Stile is Pompous, Martial, and Enterprifing. There is Drum and Trumpet in his Verfe, %6 COe 3inmioticftp Verfe. 'Tis apt to excite an Heroick Ardour , to awaken, warm, and puQi for- ward to A£lion. But his iVfctal is not al- ways under Management. His Inclination for the Sublime , carries him too far : He is fometimes Embarrafs'd with Efithets. His Metaphors are too Itiff, and far fetch'd ; and he rifes rather in Sound, than in Senfe. However generally fpeaking, his Materi- als are both fhining and folid, and his Thoughts lofty , and uncommon. This Tragedian had always a Nice regard to Good Manners. He knew corrupting the People was the greateit Differvice to the Commonwealth; And that Publick Ruine was the efte£l of general Debauchery. For this Reafon he declines the Bufmefs of Amours, and declares exprefly againft it. Now here w^e can't exped any length of ^nflojyb. Teilimony. His Averfion to the Subjed ^""^ makes him touch very fparingly upon it. But in this Cafe, there is no need of much Citation. His very Omiflions are Argu- ments, and his Evidence is the ftronger for being fhort. Tiiat little I meet with fliali be produced, xortjof. i/- Orejles was obliged by the Oracle 269. Ed. to revenge his Father's Death in the M'lrcher oF his Mother. When he was or. f} 48 going to kill her, he mentions her Cruel- Ej/jMi-ak ty, bat sviV^s her Adultery. Eun^tdes ap- of tfje Stage. 27 approved this Refervednefs and make his Eleifra pradife it upon the fame Occafion, Mfihylm in his next Play, complements his Country with a great deal of Addrefs in the Perfons of the Eumenides. They are very Gentile and Poetical in their Civilities : Among other things they \vi(h the Vir- gins may all Marry and make the Coun- try Populous : Here the Foet does but juft glance upon theSubjeftof Love ; and yet Zvy:^. he governs the Expreflion with fuch care, that the wifhes contain a Hint to Sobriety, and carry a Face of Virtue along with them. The Double Dealer runs Riot upon fuch an Occafion as this; and gives Lord Touchtvcod a mixture of Smut and ?. 79- Pedantry to conclude with, and yet this Lord was one of his beft Charafters : But Pcets are now grown Abfolute with- in themfelves, and may put Senfe and Qiiality upon what Drudgeries they pleafe. To return. DanafH cautions his Daugh- ters very handfomly in point of Beha- viour. They were in a ftrange Country, and had Poverty and Dependance to fh'uggle with : Thefe wereCircumftances of Danger, and might make him the more prefling. He leaves therefore a fo- lemn Charge with them for their Securi- ty, bids them never to fubfift upon Infa- my, 28 C^e SmmoDcOp my, but to prefer their Virtue to their Life. Our Ff J I fuppofe would call this Preach- ing, and think it a dull Bufinefs. How- ever I can't forbear faying an honeft Hea- then is none of the worft Men : A very In- different Religion well Believed, will go a great way. To proceed. Sophocles appeared next upon the Stage^ and was in earned an Extraordinary Perfon. His Conduft is . more Artificial, and his Style more juft, than that of JEfchylui. His Charafters are well drawn, and Uniform with them - felves: }iis Incidents, are often furprifing, and his Plots unprecipitated. There is no- thing but what is Great, and Solemn Throughout.The Reafoning is well colour- ed. The Figures are fometimes Bold, but not Extravagant. There are no Flights of D3«Sfi:ry?. Bombaft, no Towering above Nature and ^ Poflibility : In fhort, nothing like Don b/tfiia.n's Reigning in his Atomes. This Tragedian like JLfchjltts does not often concern himfelf with Amours^ and when he does, nothing can be more tem- perate, and decent. For Example where the of tf)2 Stage. 29 'the Inceft o{ Oedipm \s defcribed, the Of- , fenfivenefs of the Idea is fcreenM off and ' broken by^ Metaphorical and diftant Ex- preflicins. In another PUy, Creon refolves to put Antigone to Death for prefuming to bury Polynices. This Lady and Hemon Creon\ Son were very far engaged ; H^. imn endeavours to diflwade his Father from Anttq-ones Execution: He tells him the burying her Brother tho' againft his Order, vi^as a popular Aftion. And that the iPeopIe vi^ould refent her being Punifh'd : '^^■^'S But never fo much as mentions his own ^^"^ Concern unlefs in one Line ; which was fo obfcure, that Creon mifunder^ood him. Antigone amongft her other Misfortunes laments her dying Young and Single, but fays not one word about Hdmon. The Po- tt takes care not to bring thefe two Lovers upon the5^^^e together^ for fear tliey might prove unmanageable. Had they been wich us, they had met with kinder treatment. They might have had Interviews and Time and Freedom enough. Enough to mud their Fancy, to tarmfh their Quality, and to make their Paflion Scandalous. In the Relation of Hamon's Death, his Love is related too, and that with all the Life and Pathos imaginable. But the Defcripti- on is within the Terms of Honour ; The tenderneffes are Soleranf • as well as Soft: They CJje 3'mmotJCftp 16^. They move to Pity and Concern, and go no farther. In his TrachinU the Chorus owns the Force of Love next to irrefiftible ; gently hints the Intrigues of the Gods, and then palTes on to a handfom Image of the '■'*( •?4^. Combat between Achelous and Hercules. We fee how lightly the Poet touches upon an amorous Theme ; He Glides along like a Swallow upon the Water, and skims the Surface, without dipping a Feather. Sophocles will afford us no more, let us therefore take a View of Euripides. 'Tis the Me'-hod of this Author to decline the Singularities of the Sta^e^ and to appear with an Air of Converiation. He delivers great Thoughts in Common Language, and isdrefs'd more like a Gentleman than a Player. His Diftinclion lies in the per- fpicuity of his Style ; In Maxim, and Moral Refleftion ; In his peculiar Happi- nefs for touching the Paflions, efpecially that of Pity : And laftly. In exhaufting the Caufe, and Arguing Pro and Con^ up- on the ftretch ol Reafon. So much by way of Charafter. And as for the Mat- ter before us, He is entirely Ours. We have had an Liflance or two already in EleBra. and PhAm : To go on to the reft. In his Hippolytm he calls fVhorwg, ftupid- nefs and playing. the Fool. And to be jChafte and Regular, is with him, as well as of tlje Stage. with Mfchylus^ -ZatP^vUv. As much as to '^^s^'* tJ fay, 'tis the Confequence of Senfe, and cl^f "Jf right Thinking. Phadra when her Thoughts 2 50, s 57.' were embarrafs'd with Hippoly tut, endea- vours to difintangle her felf by Argument. She declaims with a great deal of Satyr againft intemperate Women ; fhe conclu- ded rather to die than diflionour her Huf- band and Stain her Family. The Blemilh- es of Parents, as fhe goes on, often ftuck upon their Children, and made them ap- pear with Difadvantage. Upon this, the Chorii4 is tranfported with the Virtue of her Refoiution, and cries out. iiow hecoming a. Quality U Modefiy in all Places? How jlrangely docs it burmjh a. Char act er, and oblige ones Reputation ? The Scholiaft upon thefe Verfes of Hip- polytH4 Makes this Paraphrafe, ' That a Poet's * Mind fliould be clean and unfuUied : And * that the Mufes being Virgins, their Per- * formances 235. ^12 CfjE IinmoHeffp * formances ftiould agree with their Con- * dition. To proceed. H^mw^e complains againft AndromAche becaufe fhe was entertain'd by ^ndmn. ^^^^ Husband : For this Andromache tells $. 303. her fhe talkM too much for a Young Woman, and difcovcr'd her Opinion too Si , ^f^l^^f^^^ at the firft fight of Cljtemne^ Jlra^ lets her underftand he was as much taken with the Sobriety of her Air, as with the reft of her fine Face and Perfon. She receives the Complement kindly, and commends him for commending Modefty. 275, MeneUiii and Helen after a long Abfence, manage the furprize of their good Fortune handfomly. The moft tender Expreffion ftands clear of ill meaning. Had Ofmin parted v^'iih. Aimer in as civilly as theleTwo met, it had been much better. That Mournir'T R^^t of Smut and Profanenefs might have Bride been ipared. The Reader fhall have fome of it. 0 my Aimer ia ! What do the Damned endure but to dejpair^ But knowing Heaven, to knorv it lo/lfor ever. Were it not for the Creed, thefe Poets would be crampt in their Courtfhip, and Mightily at a lofs for a Simile! But Of- min is in a wonderful Paflion. And truly Oftfie St AGP. truly I think his Wits are in fome Danger, as well as his Patience. You fhall hear. What are allWracks, andWhi^s, and Wheels to this ? Are they not foothing Softnefs^ finking Eafe^ Andrvafiing Air to this?. Sinking Eafi, and mjling Air, I confels arc ft range Comforts : This Comparifon is (bmewhat oddly equippM, but Lovers, like fick People, may fay what they pleafe. Alweria takes this Speech for a Pattern, and fuits itexa£lly in her return ; 0 lamjirucky thy Words are Bolts of Ice ; Which jhot into my Breafi^ norv melt and chill me. Bolts of Ice ; Yes moft certainly ! For the Cold is ftruck up into her Head, as you may perceive by what follows; / chatter y jhake, and faint with thrilling Fears. By the way, 'tis a mighty wonder to hear a Woman Chatter ! But there is no jefting, for the Lady is very bad. She won't be held up by any Means, but Crys out, •lower yet, down^ dotv»: D One 3^ €lj£ JmmotJEfip One would think fhe was learning a Spa- niel to Sett. But there's fomething behind. fio more well lift our Eyes^ But prone and dumb, Rot the firm Face of Earthy With Rivers of inceffmt fealdi»g Rain. Thefe Figures are fame of them as ft iff as Statues, and put me in mind of Sylvejler'^s Dubartas. < Now when the Winter'' s keener breath began To ChryJlallizSy ///eBaltick Ocean^ To glaze the Lakes, to bridle up the Floods ^ And periwig with Snow the bald-pate Woods. I take it, the other Verfes are fomewhat Sfmiih of Kin to thefe, and fhall leave them to • ]vir. Drjden's Refleaion. But then as for Soothing Softness., Sinking Eafe^ Wafling Air^ thrilling Fears, and mcefjant Scalding Rain ; It puts me to another liand. For to talk a little in the way of the Stage. This Litter of Epithets makes the Foem look like a Bitch over-ftock'd with Pup- pies, and fucks the Senfe almoft to Skin and Bone. But all this may pafs in a P/4>- Houfe : Falfe Rhetorick and falfe Jewels, do well together. To return to Euripides. Cajfandra in reporting the Misfortunes of the OftfjeSTAGE. ^5 the Greeks ftops at the Adulteries of Clytem- nejira. and jEgtaU^ and gives this handfom reafon for making a Halt ; ^tyiv ifXHYov T4 lj^£5t mmJ"^ f-t*"* Mo7 Tmitd p. F(3«/ Things Are beftuKfaU^ Vmfor noMuftj That loves to flourijb on Debauchery. Some Things are dangerous in Report, as well as practice, and many times a Dif- cafe in the Defcription. This Eunpides^ was aware of, and manag'd accordingly, and was remarkably regular both in Style and Manners. How wretchedly do we fall fhort of the Decencies of Heathenifm ! There's nothing more ridiculous than Mo- p/*/;; o,,. defty on our Stxge. 'Tis counted an ill-^""- »• 21. bred Quality, and almoft fhamed out of Ufc. One would tliink Mankind were ProvoVd not the fame, that Reafon was to be read '^'^''^ 4'. Backward, and Virtue and Vice had chang- ed Place. What then ? Muft Life be huddled over. Nature left imperfect, and the Humour of the Town not iliewn? And pray where lies the Grievance of all this? Muft we relate whatever is done, and is every Thing fit for Reprefentation? Is a Man that has the Plague proper to make a D 2 Sight 3 6 €l)t Iitimoneffp Sight of? and muft he needs come abroad when he breaths Infeftion, and leaves the Toke^7s upon the Company? What then, muft we know nothing ? Look you ! All Experiments are not worth the making. 'Tis much better to be ignorant of a Dif- eafe than to catch it. Who would wound I himfelf for Information about Pain, or J fmell a Stench for the fake of the Difcove- I ry ? But I fliall have occafion to encounter I • Remaris this Objediou aftctwards, * and therefore 1 upm j^ai] jjjfjj^ifg 3f prefent. i " ' The Play-Houfe at Athens has been hi- therto in Order; but are there no lnftances to th<^ contrary? Does not Artfiofhmes take great Liberties, and make Women | fpeak extraordinary Sentences? He doesfo. But his Prefident lignifies nothing in the Cafe. For, | I /. We have both the Rcafon of the Thing, and all the Advantage of Autho- rity on the other fide. We have the Pra- , ftice and Opinion of Men of much greater j Senfe and Learning than himfelf. Ihe j beft Philofophers and Poets, Criticks and Orators, both Greek and Latin, both An- cient and Modern, give the Caufe againft: him. But Arijlofhanes his own Plajis are i fufficient to ruin his Authority. For, ifl. He difcovers himfelf a downright Arheift. This Charge will be eafily made j good OfttC Stage. J7 good againft him, by comparing his Nubes with his other FUys. The Deiign of his Nubes was to expofe Socrates^ and make a Town-Jeft of him. Now this Philofopher 'was not only aPerfon of great Senfe and Probity, but w&s iikewife fuppos'd to re- fine upon the Heathen Theology, to throw off theFabulous part of it,and to endeavour to bring it back to the Standard of Natural Religion. And therefore "Jujlm Martjr, and fome others of the Fathers ^ look'd on him as aPerfonof no Pagan Belief, and thought he fuffer'd for the Unity of the God-Head. This Man, Artjiopbanes makes * finefport with, as he fancies: He puts him in a Fool's Coat, and then points at him. He makes Socrates inftruft his Difciple Strepftades in a new Religion, and tell him that he did not own the Gods in the Vulgitr Nub. Art i. Notion. He brings him in elfewhere, af- f- firming, that the Clouds are the only Deities. Amjiti. ' Which is the fame Lafh which 'Juvenal gives the jTerp/, becaufe they Worlhipped but one fingle Sovereign Being. Nil prater Nubes dr Ceeli mimen a dor ant. Sat. 14. Socrates goes On with his Le£lure of Divinity, and declares very roundly, that there is no fuch thing as Jupiter. After- wards he advances farther, and endeavours^- '^'^ D 5 to 38 %\)t Jntmotcft}) to get Strepfiades under Articles to acknow Nub.p. 1 10 ledge no other Gods, but ChaoSy the Clouds-, and the Tongue. At laft the Poet brings the Philofopher to publick Penance for his Singularities. He fets Fire to his School for teaching Young Peopl^as he pretends) to difpute againft Law and Juftice ; for AEf.<^.}. advancing Atheiftick Notions, and Bur- lefquing the Religion of the Country. That Socrates was no Jthe/Jl, is clear from Inil:ances enough. To mention but one : The Confidence he had in his D^- piat. Wfoi ^^^i Genim, by which he govern'd his ' socrat. , ' Affairs, puts it beyond all difpute. How- ever 'tis plain Artjlophanes was not of his j Religion. The Comedian was by no means for correfting the Common Perfwafion. i. So that he muft either be an Orthodox Heathen, or nothing at all. Let us fee then with what Refpe6\ he treats the received Divinities. This Play^ where one would not expect it, difcovers fomewhat of his mb.f. %6. Devotion. In the beginning of it Phidip. pides, who was a fort oi Ahw-MarketSp^iYUy fwears by Jockj Neptune, that he had a ttrange Kindnefs for his Ydxh^r StrepfiAdes. Upon this the Old Man replies ; No Jocky^ if you Love me ; that Deity has almofi undone me. This was making fomewhat bold with Neptune^ who \va.sjupiter''s Brother, Sovereign of a whole Eitmt/.'tj and had no lefs of tfie Stage. lefs than the Third fhare of the Univerfe ! Certainly Ariftophanes had no venture at Sea, or elfe muft think the TrUsnt figni- fied but very little. But this is meer Ce- remony to what follows. In his firlt P/^fy, Flutm pretends he had a mind to oblige only Men of Probity; but Jupiter had made him blind, on purpofe thathemight not dirtinguifh Honell Men from Knaves : For to b^ plain, J/z/zV^r had a Pique againft Good People. Towards the end of this Comedy^ Mercury is abufed by Cario^ and afts a ridiculous, and leffening part him- felf. Afterwards he complains heavily that fince PlutHi was cured of his Blindnefs, the Bufmefs of Sacrificing fell off, and the Gods were ready to ftarve. This Mercury has the fame ill Ufage with the Poets Knaves, Informers, and Lewd Women ; From all this ftuff put together, his mean- ing is pretty plain, 'vtz,. That Religion was no better than an Impoiture fupport- ed by Art,and Ignorance: And that when Men's Underftandings were awake, and their Eyes a little open, they would have more Difcretion than to be at any expence about the Gods. This I take to be'pait of the Moral of his Fable. If we look farther into him, we fliall fee more of his Mind. His Ran£ makes Merry with the Heathen Scheme of D 4 Heaven 40 Cbejmmoneftp Heaven and Hell. Here Charon and the Stygtun frogs are brought in Comically enough. And that you may underhand his Opinion more perfe£liy, we are told, that he that Bilks his Catamite after a Sodomitical Abufe, is thrown into the Com- mon-fhore Hades. And what Company do you think he is lodg'd with? Why with thofe who Perjure themfelves, with thofe who kick their Fathers and Mo- Ran.f.m. thers. It feems in the Poet\ JufticeaMan might as good be falfe to his Oath, as to his Lewdnefs. To difappoint the Stews, is every jot as great a Crime, as to fly in the Face of Nature, and outrage our Pa- rents. His Quartering his Malefactors thus critically, was without Queftion on purpofe to Banter the Perwafion of fu- ture Punifliment. In the fame Play, Xan- thias bids Macu^ anfwer him by 'jove^ This little Scoun- drel of a Slave has the Manners to make Juptter^s Quality no better than his own. To go on with him : In his Jves he fpeaks out to purpofe. Here P/flhet^rtts tells Epops,thst ihhe Birds would build aCaftle in the Air, they might intercept the Fumes of the Sacrifices, and Uarve the Gods, un- lefs they would come to, and be Tri- butary. It feems the Birds had very good Pietenccstoexecutc thiiProjeft J for they OftfjeSxAGE. 41 were ancienter than Jupiter and Satetrn, and GovernM before the Gods. And to fpeak truth, were more capable of the Fun£lion. Their Advifergoes on to form them, that after they had built their Penfile City, and fortified the Air, their next Bufinefs was to demand their ancient Sovereignty: If Juptter refufed to quit, they were to declare a Holy War againll him, and the reft of the Confederate Gods, and to cut oft' the Communicati- on between Heaven and Earth. Pif- thet£rui grows very warm in his new Intereft and fwcars by Joz'e^ that Men f ^45- ought to Sacrifice to the Birds^ and not to Jupiter. And if Things came to a Rupture, and Jupiter grew Troublefome, " J^*- he undertakes to fend a Detachment of Eagles againft him ; with Orders to ftorm his Palace with Flambeaux, and fire it about his Ears At laft to prevent the Calamities of a War, Hercules propofes an Accommodation, and is willing Ju- piter fhould refign. Neptune calls him a Block-head for his pains, becaufe he was Heir at Law, and after Jupnerh Dc- ceafe, was of Courfeto fucceed in his Do- minions. Once more, and I have done : In Eirene, Tryg£us fpeaks in a menacing way ; That unlefs Jupiter gave him Sarii- faftion in his Bulinefs, he would inform ^.601. arainft 42 CDe Srtmioocftp £/«»5i(5. againft himas a difaffeftei Perfon, and a betrayer of the Liberties of Greece. I might add many other Inftances, and fome more Scandalous than any I have mentioned ; But thefe are fufficient to (hew the Author's Sentiment: And is it any wonder an Atheift fhould misbehave him- felf in point of Modefty ? What can we expefl: lefs from thofe who Laugh at the Being of a God, at the Doftrines of Pro- vidence, and the Diftindions of Good and Evil ? A Sceptick has no Notion of Con- fcience, no Relifli for Virtue, nor is under any Moral reftraints from Hope or Fear. Such a one has nothing to do but to con- fult his Eafe, and gratifie his Vanity, and fill his Pocket. But how thefe Ends are compafTed, he has no Squeamifhnefs on Scruples about it. 'Tis true when the Methods of Levvdnefs will take, they are generally moll agreeable. This way fuits their Talent, and fcreens their Pra- ftice, and obliges their Malice. For no- thing is a greater Eye-fore to thefe Men, than Virtue and Regularity. What a Pleafure is it then to be admired for Mif- chief, to be reveng'd on Religion, and to fee Vice profper and improve under our Hands! To return: Befide, Arijtophanes's Atheifm, I have a Second Objeflion to his Authority, and that is want of Judg- ment. of tbz Stage. 41 mcnt. If we examine his Plays we fliall find his Charafters improper, or ,ununi- form ; either wrong at firft, or unfteady in the Right. For the purpofe : In his Nuhes. A. ^.S. ^.p. 146, 150. He puts dirty expreflions in the Mouth of his Man of Probity, makes him declaim vicioufly a- gainft: Vice, and correftScurrility with Im- pudence ; Now what can be more idle and fenfelefs, than fuch Conduft as this? Efpecially when this Jujif^ as he calls him, had told them in the beginning of his Speech, that People ufed to be well llafh'd for fuch Fooling, when Govern- ment and Difcipline were in their due Force. The Chort^ of his Ra/7£ Aides into the fame Inconfiflency of Pre-^ ^^^- cept, and Pradice. Farther, in the Progrefs of this Play ; MfchyUi'S falls a rallying contrary to his Humour, and jells away his own Arguments at a very un- feafonable Junfture, when he was difput- ing for no lefs prize than the Laureatlliip This Tragedian after he had play'd a/>. 242, little with the Story of Bellerophon^ goes on in the fame ftrain ; and charges Euri- pides that he had furnifh'd all forts of Peo- ple with Sawcincfs and Prattle. The Schools and Academies were IpoilM by this means ; So that the Boys were oFucu whip'd, and the Boatfwains drubb'd, foi; their 44 ^lie 3!mm0lie0p . their Chattering. Thcfe Comical Le« vities come with an ill Grace from JEfchyltis. His Charafler was quite dif- ferent both in Reality, and in the Flay before us. He is all along reprefented as a Perfon of a ferious Temper, of a re- fervM Loftinels, Cholerick, and tender of his Honour to an Excefs, and almoft in a rage at the Affront of a Rival, and being forc'd to enter the Lift with Eu- ripides. The cafe {landing thus, neither the Man, nor the Bufmefs, would admit of Drolling. Another Inftance of his want of Conduct we have in his Concionatores. Here Blepyrw and fome others of his Le- giflative Affembly, talk at a very dirty in- fipid rate : The Loweft of the Moh, can hardly jeft with lefs Wit, and more Lewdnefs. And to make their Difcourfe more remarkable ; Thefe douty Mem- bers were juft going to the Houfe^ and had their Heads full of the Good of the ^ ^oo. Nation, when they entertain'd themfelves 708. thus decently. And are thefe little Buf- foons fit to confult de Arduis Regni, &c. tO give Authority to Law, and Rules for pub- lick Life ? Do's Ribaldry and Nonfenfe become the Dignity of their Station, and the Solemnity of their Office ? To make his Parliament-Men play the Fool thus egregioufly, muft needs have a great deal Oftj^E Stace. 45 deal of Decorum, and State-Policy in the Contrivance ; And is juft as wife as if a Painter fhould have Drawn thenn in the Habit ofJack-PuddwgSy and Mery-Andrervs. But Ariftofhanes has ftill higher Flights of Abfurdity. He won't fo much as fpare the Gods, but makes them aft thefe little Parts of Clowniflinefs and Infamy. Bac- chus and Hercules in his Rana are forced to talk Smut and rally Link-Boys, and do almoft all the Tricks of Bartholometv- Fair. To mention fomething that will bear the quoting. Bacchus enquires of Her- cules the readieft way to Hades, or the o- ther World. He bids him either Hang, or Poyfon himfelf, and he cannot mifs the Road. This is Herculesh Humour to a Tittle ! And reprefents him as much to the Life, as an Ape would do the Grand i^^fx^-p- Signior at a publick Audience! This with a fhort Sentence or two of Lewd- nefs , is the hardell of Hercules his Uiage : And 'tis well he efcap'd fo ; for Bacchus is treated much worfe. He appears upon the Difadvantages of a Clownifh Debauchee , and a Coward. ^ '9*' And is terribly afraid of a Sfeitre, When he comes before Mmus, this Judge is very rough with him ; and tries his pretences to a Deity by Baftinado : Bacchus howls in the drubbing, and had almoft fpoil'd all. j sc.6. Now €5e 3ini*aiQtie{f p Now do's this paultry Behaviour agree with the Heathen Theology , with the Common Opinion concerning Bacchua and Hercules ? Do*s a Blerv-Cap and a Ladle^ become the Sons of Jupiter^ and the Ob- jefts of ReUgious Worfhip ? Thofe who at the loweft, were counted the Conque- rors of the World, and more than Men both by Birth and Enterprize ? Sopho- cles and Euripides make thefe two Per- fons manage at a quite different rate of Decency. 'Tis no defence to fay, Artfto' pha/ies wrote Comedy, and fowasobliged to make his Scenes more diverting. This excufe I fay, is defeftive ; for a Comedian ought to imitate Life and Probability , no lefs than a Tragedian. To Metamorphofe Characters^ and prefent Contradiftions to Common Belief, is to write F^rce inflead of Plajs. Such Comedians like Thefpu ought to have a travelling Sta^e^ and take the Air with Porcupines and Dromedaries. If 'tis faid that Gravity and Greatnefs do's not fuit the Completion and Enter- tainment of Comedy. To this I anfwer, that therefore die Perfons fhould bechofen accordingly. They fhould have nothing in their knovi'n Humor and Condition too Noble and folemn for Trifling. 'Tis Horace^ advice. Aut of t&e Stage; Aut fdmAtn fequere^' aut convenientia fnge Scriptor, De Art. Poet. Let us remember that Operations always refemble the Nature from whence they flow. Great Perfons fliould therefore have a Correfpondent Behaviour affign'c them. To make Beifigs much Superior to the Biggeft of Mankind, talk below the Leaft; is abfurd and ridiculous. This Arijlofhanes feems fenfible of, in his 'de- fence of jEfchylui. ^ Here Eurtpides ob- jefts to JLfchjiiu, tfiat he was too rum- - bling, noify, and bombaftick, o\'er-aft'e- fting that which Horace calls AmpullaSy & fefquipedalia Verba. To this j£fchylui Anfwers, that the Thoughts, and Defigns of Heroes muft be deliver d in Expreffions proportion'd to their Greatnefs. It being likely that the Demi-Gods fpoke up to their Dignity and Stature : And as they were diftin- guifh'd by the richnefs of their Habit, fothey had a more Magnificent Language than other Mortals. To this Eunptdes replies nothing ; from whence you may conclude the Poet thought the Apology not unreafonable. In Ibort, Arijlophanes 48 <2:fjc jmrnct'eifp had Senfe, but he does not always ufe it. He is not equal, and uniform. Some- times you have him flat and foolifh a good while together. And where he has Spirit, Rant.A u 'tis oftentimes lavifhed away to little pur- fffwl/"* P^^^' -^'^ Buffoonery is commonly too jftrong for his Judgment. This makes him let fly his Jefts without regard to Per" fon or Occafion : And thus by Springing the Gume too foon, the Diverfloo is loft* I could make feveral other Material Ob- je£tions againft the Condu£l of his PUys ; But this being not n.eceflary, I fhall ob* ferve in the ^d. Place. That notwithfl-anding the fcandalous Liberty for which Anjlofhanes is fo Remarkable; yet in his Lucid In- tervals, when Senfe and Sobriety return upon him, he pronounces againft his own Prafbice. In the conteft between Mfdrflus and Eurtpides, Bacchus is made the Um- tiani p. pire of the Controverfie. Mfchjlus htgms ^38. with a Queftion, And asks Euripides what 'tis which makes a. Poet ad- -mifd ? He anfwers. 'Tis for the ad- drefs of his Conduft, and the handfome Turns of Morality in his Poems. 'Tis becaufe his performance has a Tendency to form the Audience to Virtue, and Im- provement. Mfchylus demands of him farther ; But fuppofe you debauched the Age Oftije Stage. Age, and made an Honeft and a Brave People Lewd, and good for nothing, what do you defer ve then? Here Buchrti infer- pofes, and crys out, What does he de- ferve ? A Halter ! Pray don't ask fo plain a iQueftion. And afterwards we are told that Poets are valuable only for defcribing Things ufeful, in Life and Religion ; for polifliing Inventions ; and fetting off great Examples with Luftre, and Advantage. In the Progrefs of the Difpute, yEfchylus p. taxes Euripides with being too uncautious in his Reprefentations ; and tells him, that Poets ought to conceal that which is vici- ous in Story ; and entertain with nothing but Virtue and Sobriety ; He goes on Re- primanding Euripides for his Dranidtick In- celts, Strumpets, and Amours: Andas;>. for himfelf, to his beft remembrance, he - never brought any Love-Litrigues upon, the Stage. This is a very figniFicant Expoftulation ; and contains very good Rules for the Tryal of the Mufes : But if the Englijfj- Staoe^onXdi be obliged to this Teft, An- flophums mull fet Fire to it, and that with much more Reafon than to Socrates his School. Now that JEfch^lus fpoke Arijlo- phanes''s Senfe, is pretty plain : For firft As to theBufinefsof Love, Arijlophanes d\.- ways declines it ; He never patches up a E PUj S'ttimoueffp Plaj with CourtJJjip^ and Whmmg, though he wrote nothing but Corned). In the next place the Chorus^ which is ufually the Poet*s Interpreter, fpeaks honourably of iE/c^y«i- ^ J5 5^ even to a Preference •, And at laft Judge 2^?. Bxcchus gives Sentence for him. Thus we fee Arifiophanes Confutes his own Lewdnefs, and comes in Evidence againfl: himfelf. This, with the other, two Exceptions I have made good againft him, are fufBcient to take off the force of the Precedent^ and make him an infignifi- cant Authority. To what I have obfervM from the Stage of the Ancients, I could add the Autho- rities of Jrijlotle, and Ouintilim, both ex- traordinary Perfons, but I fhall referve their Tefiimony till afterwards. To come Home , and near our own Times : The Englijh-Theatre from Queen Elizabeth to King Charles II. will afford us fomething not inconfiderable to our pur- pofe. As for Shake£pear,\\e is too guilty to make an Evidence : But I think he gains not much by his Misbehaviour ; He has com- monly PUutus's Fate, where there ismoft Smut, there is leaft Senfe. Ben 'Johnfon is much more referved in hisP/4y/, and declares plainly for Modefty in his Difcoveries ; fome of his Words are thefe, A of tTje Stage. 5t A Juft Writer, whom he calls a TV«o' JlrtificeTy will avoid Obfecene and Effemi- vate Phrafe. Where Miners and Fapjions Dijc»v. ■ are Corrupted^ Language is fo too. The eX' ^°^* cefs of Feafis and Jpparely are the Ndtes of g. iq\. a fick State ; and the Wantonnefs of Language^ ■ of a fick Mind. A little after, he returns to the Argument, and applies his Reafon- ing rtlore particularly to the Stage. Foetrf^ (fays he ) and Picfure^ both behold P lea- fur e and Profit^ as their common Object^ but fhould abflain from all bafe Pleafures, lef thty jbould rpholly err from their End ; And while they feek to better Men's Minds ^ dejlroj their Manners : htfolent and Obfcene Speeches, and "Je^s upon tfk hefl Men, are rnofl likslj to ex- cite Lxughter. But thii is truly leaping from p. 706) the Stage to the Tumbrill again ^ reducing all''^'^- Wit to the Original Dung-Cart. More might be cited to this purpofe, but that may ferve for an other Occafion; In the mean time I fhall go on to Beaumont and Fletcher. Fletcher's Faithful Shepherdefs is remark- ably Moral, and a fort of Exhortation to Chartity. This Flay met with ill Judges ; 'twas Hifs'd before half ^^M, andfeems to have fufferM on the Account of it's In- nocence. Soon after , Ben Johnfon and ^^""i . jSf/r«wo/7^ appear, and juftify the Author in a Copy of Verfes. And as Beaumont E 2 com- commends Modefty in Fletcher^ fo he is commended himfelr by Mr. Earl for the fame Quality. Such Paffions^ fach ExfreJJiom meet rny Eye, Such Wit untainted with Ohfcenity. And as I remember jF^/^^r Mdn hasfome ftroaks to the fame purpofe. Fletcher is ftill more full for the Caufe. Indeed no- thing can be more exprefs. He deUvers himlelf by way of Prologue ; where the Poetfpeaks in his own Perfon. The Fro- logue to the Woman-Hater, very frankly lets the Audience know what they are to ex- pe£V. If there be any amongft you (fays he ) that come to hear Lafcivious Scenes, let them depart ; For I do f renounce thu, to the utter difcomfort of all Two- fenny Gallery Men, you jhall hear no Bawdry in it. We find in thofe days Smut was the expeftation of a Coarfe Palate, and relifli'd by none but Two-penny Cuftomers. In the Kpight of the Burning Peftle, part of the Prologue runs thus. They were ban ijh^d the Theatre at A- thens, and from Rome hifs*d, that brought Parafites on the Stage with Jpijb A6lions, or Fools with uncivil Habits, or Courtezans mth immodejl Words. Afterwards Prologue, who reprefents a Perfon, gives us more to the fame purpofe. of tlje Stage. 5? ■Fly far from hence. All private Taxes^ immodefl Phirafes^ Whatever may but look like Vicious. For wicked Mirth never true Pleafure brings^ For honeji Minds are pleas' A with hcnejl thing s. I have quoted nothing but Comedy in this Author. The Coronation is another ; And the Prologue tells you there is No Vndermirthj fuch as does lard the Scene^ For coarfe Delight^ the Language here is clean. And Con f dent our Poet bad me fay^ He*il bate you but the Folly of a Play. For which., altho' dull Souls his Pen deffife^ Who think it yet too early to be xvife. The Nobles yet will thank his Mufe^ at leaft Excufe him, ^caufe his Thought aim^d at the befl. Thus thefe Poets arc in their Judgments clearly ours. 'Tis true, their Hand was not always fteady. But thus much may be averr'd, that Fletcher'^s latter Plays are the moft inofFenfive. This is either a fign of the Poet\ Reformation ; or that the ex- ceptionable Paflages belong'd to Beaumont y 'who died firft. To thefe Authorities of our own Nati- on, I fhall add a conliderable Teftimony E I out 54 ^'b? Jmrnotcttp out of Mr: Cormille. This Author was fenfible that though the Expreflion of his Theodore. Theodore was altogetlier unfmutty, ' Yet I''- ' the bare IdeaofProftitution uneffefted, ^' ' ' <■ fhock'dthe Audience, and made thePIay * mifcarry. The Poet proterts he took great * care to alter the Natural Complexion of * the Image, and to convey it decently to * the Fancy •, and delivered only fome part * oftheHiftory as inoffenfively as poffible. ' And after all his Screening and Conduft, ^ the Modefty of the Audience would not * endure that little, the Subje£l forced him * upon. He is pofitive, The Comedies * St. Augufiine declaim'd againft, were not * fuch as the French. For theirs are not * Spectacles of Turpitude, as that Father *juftly calls thofe of his Time. The ' French generally fpeaking, containing no- * thing but Examples of Innocence, Piety * and Virtue. In this Citation we have the Opinion of the Poet, the Praftice of the French Thea- tre, and the Senfe of that Nation, and all very full to our purpofe. To conclude this Chapter. By what has been ofter'd, it appears, that the prefent EngUfb Stage is fuperlatively Scandalous. It exceeds the Liberties of all Times and Countries. It has not fo much as the poor Plea of a Precedent, to wliich molt other ill Things of tts Stage. Things may claim a pretence. 'Tismoftly meer Difcovery and Invention : A new World of Vice found out, and planted with all the Induftry imaginable. Arijlophanes himfelf, how bad foever in other refpe£ls, does not amplify and flourifh, and run through all the Topicks of Lewdnefs like thefe Men. The Mifcellaay Poems are like- wife horribly Licentious. I'hcy are fome- times Colle£lions from Antiquity, and of- ten the worft Parts of the worft Poets. And to mend the Matter, the Chriftian Tr.wfu- tion is more naufeous than the Pxgm Ori- gind : Such Stuff I believe was never feen, and fuffer'd before. In a word, If Pover- ty and Difeafes, the Difhonour of Families, and the Debauching of Kingdoms, are fuch valuable Advantages, then I confefs thefe Books deferve Encouragement: But if the Cafe is otherwife, I humbly conceive the Proceeding fhould be fo too. E 4 CHAP. C H A P. 11. The Profanenefs of the Stage. A Nother Inftance of the Diforders of. £\ the Siage^ is their Profanenefs ; This Charge may come under thefe two Parti- culars. I ft. Their Curfmg and Swearing. 2dly. Their Abufe of Religion , and Holy Scrtfture. I ft. Their Curfmg and Swearing. What is more frequent than their Willies of Hell and Confufion, Devils and i)ifeafes, all the Plagues of this World, and the next, to each other? And as for Swearing; 'tis ufed by all Perfons, and upon all Occafions : By Heroes, and Pal- troons ; by Gentlemen,and Clowns ; Love, and Quarrels ; Succefs, and Difappoint- ment ; Temper, and Paflion, muftbevar- nifh'd, and fet o?i with. Oaths. At fome times, and witji fome Poets, Swearing is no ordinary Relief It ilands up in the room of Senfe, gives Spirit to a flat Ex- preflRon, and makes a Period Mufical and Round. In Ihort, 'tis almoil all the Rheto- OftljeSTAGE. 57 fick, and Reafon fome People are Matters of: The manner of performance is diffe- rent. Sometimes ' they mince the Mat- ter ; change the Letter, and. keep the Senfe, as if they had a mind to Iteal a ^"Jf" Swearing, and break the Commandment without Sin. At another time, the Oaths are dipt, but not fo much within the 'Ring, but that the Image and Superfcrip- tion are vifible. Thefe Expedients I con- ceive are more for Variety, than^ Con- fcience : For when the Fit comes on |hem, they make no difficulty of Svi'earlng af length. Inftances of all thefe kinds may be met with in the Old Batchelour^ Double Dealer J and Love for Love. And to men- tion no more, Doft Quixot, the Provoked Wife, and the Relapje, are particularly Rampant and Scandalous. The Englijlj- Stage exceed their PredeceiTors in this, as Well as other Branches of Immorality. Shakefpear is comparatively fober, Ben"'] oh n- fon is rtill more regular ; And as for Beau- mont and Fletcher, in their Plays, they are commonly Profligate Perfons that S\\'ear, and even thofe are reprov'd for't. Befides, the Oaths are not fo full of Hell and Defi- ance, as in the Moderns. So much for Matter of Fact : And as for point of Law, I hope there needs not many Words to prove SwearingaSin : For what €t)e PiofanenefiS what is more provoking than Contempt, and what Sin more contemptuous than common Swearing? What can be more In- folent and Irreligious, than to bring in God to atteft our Trifles, to give Security for our Follies, and to make part of our Diverfi- on ? To play with Majefty and Omnipo- tence in this manner, is to render it cheap and defpicable. How can fuch Cuftoms as thefe confift with the Belief of Providence or Revelation ? The Foets are of all Peo- ple mofl: to blame. They want even the Plea of Bullies and Sharpers. There's no Rencounters, no ftarts of Paffion, no fud- den Accidents to difcompofe them. They iwear in Solitude and cool Blood, under Thought and Deliberation, for Bufinefs and for Exercife : This is a terrible Cir- cumftance It makes all Mdi,ce Prefenfe^ and enflames the Guilt, and the Reckoning, And if Religion fignifies nothing ( as I am afraid it does with fome People ) there is Law aswellasGofpel, d^gim^ Swearing. 5 T^f. I. cap. 21. is exprefly againft the Plaj/'Houfe. It runs thus. TjT t^e gcpat abufc of tlje Oolp Bmt of ©on ittS>ta(5e-p!ap0,€ntci;lulie0j&-c. 'Be it enacten 1)P out ®oiirrfign Lo^tij Sec. €f)at if at aup nme, o? timcsf, after tije eno of tf)i0 p>feut ^cflion of parlia- ment, of tbe Stage. weut, an? petfon o? ^pttfan^ fio, r^alf, in anp ^tage-pap, entecluue, ©ftctu, &c. ^eftinjylp oi Jp^ofaHclp, fpeak D2 life tl)E (poip Bame of ©oo, o? of Cfjiift Jefusj 0? of tt)e fJ)olp <©l)oft, 0? of tl)e Cn« iiitp, lD!)itl) ace not to be fpoiten, imt |mtl) fear ono Eeiierence, ftall forfeit fo> cuerv fucoaDffeiicf, by pim o? Cljem com- niittcD Cen pouno: Ctje one S^oiett> thereof to tlx ajeftp, 0(0 ^^eire, ano @!Ucceffo?33 ; tfie ctljec ^oif tp tijcrcof to ^tm, 0? tt)em. tjjnt mill fue fo? tfje fame rn anp CCUtt of i^eco^o at Weftminfter, ^!)eretn no Cflcm, |d?oteaion, OUaijec of iata Oial! t>e altotti'o. By this 4^ not only direft Swearing, but all vain Invocation of the Name of God is forbidden. This Statute well exe? cuted would mend the Poets, or fweep the Box : And the Sta^e muft either reform, or not thrive upon Frofanenefs. ■^ly. Swearing in the PUy-Houfe is an ungentlemanly, as well as an unchviitian Praftice. The, La,dies make a confiderar ble part of the Audieme. Now Swearing befoi e Women is reckonM a Breach of good Behaviour ; and therefore a civil Atheiil will forbear it. The Cuftom feems %o go upon this Prefumption ; that the Impreflions of Religion are ftrong?ft ip Wo- Ci)e pjofaneiicfKJ Women, and more generally fpread. And that it muft he very difagreeable to them, to hear the Majefty of God treated with fo little refpeft. Befides, Oaths are a boi- ftrous and tempeftuous fort of Converfati- on ; generally the effefts of Paflion, and fpoken with Noife,andHeat.Swearing looks like the beginning of aQiiarrel, to which Women haveanaverfion; as being neither armed by Nature, nor difciplin'd by Cu- ftom for fuch rough Difputes. A Woman will ftart at a Soldier's Oath,aImoft as much as at the Report of his Piftol : And there- fore a well -Bred Man will no more Swear than Fight in the Company of Ladies. ASecofidBvanch of theProfanenefsofthe Stage is their Abufc of Religion, and Holy Scripture. And here fometimes they don't ftop fhort of Blafphemy. To cite all that might be Collected of this kind would be tedious. I fliall give the Reader enough to )ufi:ify the Charge, and I hope to abhor the Praftice. To begin with the Mock-Afirologer. In the V\r^ Aci, the Scene is a Chappel, and that the Ufe of fuch Confecrated places may be the better underftood, the time is takenupinCourtihip, Raillery, and Ridi- culing Devotion. Jacwta takes her turn, among the reft. She interrupts Theodojta^ and cries out : Why Sijler, Sijler — mllyou of tDe Stage. 6 fray ? What injury have I ever done you that 'you fljou'd fray tn my Company? Wildblood, fwears by Mahomet^ rallies fmuttily upon the other World, and gives the preference to the Turkifh Paradife. This Gentleman ^ ? to encourage Jacinta to a Compliance in Debauchery, tells her, Heaven if all Eyes p. 37 and no Tongue. That is, it fees Wicked- nefs but conceals it. He Courts much at the lame rate a little before. When a Man p. 3 comes to a great Lady^ he is fain to approach her with Fear^ and Reverence ; methtnks there's fomethtng ofGodlmefs tn't. Here you have ^^^^ the Scripture burlefqu'd, and the Pulpit- Admonition apply'd to Whoring. After- wards Jacinta out of her great Breeding and Chriftianity, fwears by Jlla^ and Ma- homety and makes a Jell upon Hell. Wild- p. 54 ^blood tells his Man that fuch undejtgning Rogues as he, make a Drudge of poor Provi- dence. And Maskall, to fliew his profici- ^ ency under his Mailers, replies to Bellamy , who would liave had him told a Lie, /r, upon the Faith of a S inner , yo'u have hud my <^ la(l Lie already. I have not one more to do me Credit y as 1 hope to be faved^ Sir. In theclofeof theP/^j, they make fport with Apparitions and Fiends. One of the Devils fneezes ; upon this they give him the BlefTing of the Occafion, and conclude he has got cold by being too long out of the Fire,?- Si 6± itU l^jofaneneCtf The Orphan lays the Scene in Chriften- dom, and takes the fame care of Religion. CAftdio Complements his Miftrefs to Ado- ration. f^'-p»p-io- Tongue rnj Pleafure and my Pain ca» tell: ^Tis Heaven to havethee^and without thee Hell,- Polydor, when upon the attempt to de- bauch Monimia^ puts up this Ejaculation. f V- Blejjed Heaven, ajjtfi me but in this dear Houn Thus the Stage worlhips the true God in Blafphemy, the Lmdians did Hercu- les by Curfing and throwing Stones. This L»nen. Poly dor has another Flight of Profanenefsj but that has got a certain Prote^i6n, and therefore muft not be difturb'd. In xh&Old Batchelour^Vatn-love asks Bel- mour. Could you he content toga to Heaven f ^ip. Bell. Hum, Not immediately in my Consci- ence, not heartily. This is playing I take it with Edge-Tools. To go to Heaven in jeft, is the way to go to Hell in earned i In the Fourth A6i, Lewdnefs is reprefent- ed with that Gaity, as if the Crime was purely imaginary, and lay only in igno- rance and precifenefs. Have you throughly consider'* d ( lays Fondler^tfe ) horv detejiable, how heinous, and how crying a Sm the Sin of Adul- Oftlje Stage. 6j Adultery U ? Have you weighed. 1 fay ? For it is a very weighty Sin : And altho' it may lie yet thy Husband mufi alfo bear hisf- part ; For thy Iniquity will fall en his Head, I fuppofc this fit of BufFoonry and Profane- nefs, was to fettle theConfcicnce of young Beginners, and to make the Terrors of Religion infignificant. Belmour defiresL^t- titia, to give him leave to frvear by her Eyes and her Lips : He Kifles the Strumpet, and tells her, Eternity w.ts in that Moment. La^- tttiah horribly Profane in her Apology to^' her Husband ; but having the Stage-Pro- teBion of Smut for her Guard, we muft let her alone. Fondlewife italks under the f. 38. fame fhelter, and abufes a plain Text of Scripture to an impudent Meaning. A little before, Ldtitia when her Intrigue 39* v/ithBelmour was almoft difcover'd, fup- ports her felf with this Confideration. J/I my comfort lies in his Impudence^ and Hea^ ven be praised he has a confiderable Portion. This is the Play-Houje Grace, and thus^ 39. Lewdnefs is made a part of Devotion! There's another Inftance ftill behind .• 'Tis that of Sharper to Vatn-Love^ and lies thus. / have been a kind of Godfather to you ^ yonder : I have promised And vow'd fomethmg in your Name, which I think you are bound to perform. For Chrifhians to droll upon their €:&clp?ofaucucf3 their Baptifm is fomewhat extraordinary ; But fince the Bjhle can't efcape, 'tis the lefs wonder to make bold with the Cate- , chifm. Dtuhu In the Double Dealer, Lady Plyant cries DeaUr.^. ^^^jgj^^ ^p^j talks Smut in thc fame Sen- tence. Sir P)iul Plyant, whom the Poet dflbb'd a Fool when hemadehima Knight, f- 3<5. talks very Pioufly / Blejfed be Providence ^ A poor unworthy Sinner, I am mightily be^ ^ hoUen to Providence : And the fame Word is thrice repeated upon an odd Occafion. The meaning muft be, that Providence is a ridiculous Suppofition, and that none but Block-heads pretend to Religion. But the Poet can difcover himfelf farther if f. 40. need be. Lady Froth is pleas'd to call 'Jehu a Hackney-Coach-man. Upon this, Brisk re- plies, If Jehu rvoi a Hackney-Coach-man, I am anjher''d, you may pit that into the Marginal Notes though, to prevent Criti- cijfns only mark tt mth a fmall Afte- rijm and fay, Jehu ivas formerly a Hackney-Coach-man. This for a heavy Piece of Profanenefs, is no doubt thought a lucky one, becaufe it Burlefques the Text, and the Comment, all under one. I could go on with the Double Dealer, but he'll come in -my way afterwards, and fo I iliall part with him at prefent. Let us now take a view of Don Sebajiian. And here the > of tfieSTAGE. 65 •^e Reader can't belong unfurnifli'd. Do- rxx ft]all fpeak firft. 6W/ / truji Heaven With my Revenge ? then whereas my Sat if- fadion ? No, itmuji be my oi^n, I [corn a Proxy, stiaji.p c 4 ■ But Dorax was a Renegad 0, what then ? He had renouneM Chriftianity, but not Providence. Befides, fuch hideous Sen- tences ought not to be put in the Mouth of the Devil. For that which is not tit to be heard, is not fit to be fpoken. But to fome People an Atheiftical Rant is as good as a Flourifh of Trumpets. To proceed ; Jn- tonio the* a profefs'd Chriftian, mends the matter yery little. He is looking on a Lot which he had drawn for his Life : This proving unlucky, after the preamble of a CurfeortWo, he calls it, As black as Hell ; another lucky faying ! J think the DeviPs in me : good again, ' ^ / cannot fpeak one Syllable but tends To Death or to Damnation. I Thus the Poet prepares his Bullies for t the other World I Hell and Damnation j are ftrange entertaining Words upon the i ^tage I Were it otherwife, the Senfe in F thefe 66 ^Ijc ip^ofanenefe thefe Lines, would be alrhoft as bad as the Confcience. The Poem warms and rifes in the working ; and the next Flight is ex- tremely remarkable. * Not the Lufi Sounding could furprize me more^ Thxt fummons drowfy Mortals to their Dooniy When calPd in haji they fumble for their Limbs. Very Solemnly and Religioufly exprefs'd 1 Lucian and Celfus could not have ridicu- led the Refurreftion better ! Certainly the Poet never expefts to be there. Such a light Turn would have agreed much bet* ter to a Man who was in the Dark, and was feeling for his Stockings. But let thofe who talk of Fumbling for their Limbs, take care they don't hnd them too rS.xiii ^^ft- fourth Aft, Muflapha dates his Exaltation to Tumult, from the fecond Night of the Month Abib. Thus you jbave the Holy Text abufed by Captain Tom ; and the Bible torn by the Rabble ! The • Defign of this Liberty I can't underftand, unlefs it be to m.ake Mujlapha as coniide- rable as Mofes ; and the prevalence of a Tumult, as much a Miracle as the Deli- verance out of Mgypt. We have heard this Author hitherto in his CharaSierSy let us hear him now in his own perfon. In his Vedicatwu of Aurenge Z^be he is fo hardy as OftljC Stage. . as to affirm, That he who U too lightly re- conciled after high Provocation^ may Recom- mend htmjelf to the World for a. Chriflian, but I jhould hardly trusi him for a Friend, And why is a Chriftian not fit to make a ' Friend of ? Are the Principles of Chriftia- nity defeftive, and the Laws of it ill cori- trivM ? Are the Interefts and Capacities of Mankind over-look'd ? Did our Great Malf er bind us to Difadvantage, and make our Duty our Misfortune ? And did he grudge us all the Pleafures and Securities of Friend [hip ? Are not all thefe horrid Suppofitions ? Are they not a flat Contra- diftion to the Bible^ and a Satyr on the Attributes of the Deity ? Our Saviour tells us, we mufl: forgive until Seventy times Seven ; That is, we mufl never be tired out of Clemency and Good Nature. He has taught us to pray for the Forgivenefs of our own Sins, only upon the Conditi- on of Forgiving others. Here is no ex- ception upon the Repetition of the Fault, or the Quality of the Provocation. Mr. Dryden, to do him right, does not difpute , the Precept. He confefTes this is the way i to be a Chriftian ; but for all that, he fljoul^ts hardly truji him for a Friends And why fo ? Becaufe the Italian Proverb fays, He that forgives the fecond time is a Fool. This ! Lewd Proverb comes in for Authority, 5 2 and 68 m)Z ]pioimnti& and is a piece of very Pertinent Blafphe- my I Thus, in fome Peoples Logick, one Proof from Atheifm, is worth ten from the A-erv Tefiamertt, But here the Poet ar- gues no better than he believes. For moft certainly, a Chriftian of all others is beft qualified for Friendfhip : For he that loves his Neighbour as himfelf, and carries Be- nevolence and Good Nature beyond the Heights of Philofophy : He that is not govern'd by Vanity, or Defign : He that i prefers his Confcience to his Life, and has j Courage to maintain his Reafon: He that ' is thus qualified, muft be a good Friend : [ And he that falls (hort, is no good Chri- ] ftian. And fincethe Poetispleas'd to find j fault with Chriflianity, let us examine his f jbil own Scheme. Our Mtnds (fays he) are a ferpetua/lj wrought on hy the Temperament of } our Bodies, vohtch makes me fujpeif they are \ nearer J/iied than either our Philofophers, or \ School-Divines will allow them to pe. The { meaning is, he fufpefts our Souls are no- i thing but Organiz'd Matter : Or, in plain 1; Englifh, our Souls are nothing but our } Bodies ; and then when the Body dies, w you may guefs what becomes of them ! \[ Thus the Authorities of Religion are weak- i en'd, and the Profpeft of the other World j( almoft fhut up. And is this a likely Sup- ^ pofition for Sincerity and good Nature ? j Does Oft&eSTAGE. Does Honour ufe to rife upon the Ruins of Confcience ? And are People the beft Friends where they have the leaft Reafon to be fo ? But not only the Inclinations to Friendfhip muft Languifh upon this Scheme, but the very Powers of it are as it were deftroy'd. By this Sylteme, no Man can fay his Soul is his own. He can't be afTured the fame Colours of Rea- fon and Defire will laft. Any little Acci- dent from mthout, may metamorphofe his Fancy, and puQi him upon a new Set of Thoughts; Matter and Motion arc the moft Humorfome Capricious Things in Nature ; and withal, the moft Arbitrary and uncontroll'd. And can Conftancy proceed from Chance, Choice from Fate, and Virtue fromNeceffity ? In fhort, a Man at this rate, muft be a Friend or an Enemy infpight of his Teeth, and juft as long as the Atoms pleafe, and ,no longer : Every Change in Figure and Impulfe, muft alter the Idea, and wear off the former Impreffion. So that by thefe Principles, Friendfhip will depend on the Seafons^^inA we muft look in the Weather Glafs for our Inclinations. But this 'tis to Refine upon Revelation, and grow wifer than Wif- dom ! The fame Author in his Dedication of 'Juvenal and Perfiits^ has thefe Words : My Lordy I am come to the Ufi Fetition of ^ ■ F J Abraham Abraham ; Jf there be ten Righteous Lines in thii t'ofl Preface, /pare it for their fake ; and aifo fpare the next City, becaufe it is but a, little one. Here the Poet ftands for A- braham, and the Patron for God Almigh- ty : And w^here lies the Wit of all this ? In the Decency of the Comparifon ? I doubt not. And for the next City he would have fpared, he is out in the Allufion. 'Tis no Zoar, but much ra- ther Sodom and Gomorrah ; Let them take care the Fire and Brimftone does not fol- low: And that thofe who are fo bold with Abraham's Petition, are not forced to that of Dives. To beg Proteftion for a Lewd Book in Scripture-Phrafe, is very extraordinary ! 'Tis in effeft to Profti- tute the Holy Rhetorick, and fend the Bible to the Brothel I I can hardly ima- gine why thefe Tombs of Antic^uity were raked in, ^nd difturb'd ! Unleis it were to conjure up a departed Vice, and revive the Pagan Impurities ; unlefs it were to raife the Stench of the Vault, and Poi- fon the Living with the Dead. Indeed Juvenal has a very untoward way with him in fome of his Satyrs. His Pen has fuch a Libertine ftroak, that 'tis a Queftion whether the Pra8:ice, or the Reproof, the Age, or the Author, were the more Li- centious. He teaches thofe Vices he would correft of tlje Stage. correft, and writes more like a Pimp than a Poet. And truly I think there is but little of Lewdnefs loft in the Tran- Jlation. The Sixth and Eleventh Satyrs are Particularly remarkable. Such nau- feous Stuff is almoft enough to debauch the Alphabet, and make the Language fcandalous. One would almoll: be forry for the Privilege of Speech, and the Inr vention of Letters, to fee them thus wretch- edly abufed. And fmce the Bufinefsmuft be undertaken, why was not the I'hought Blanched, the Expreffion made remote, and the ill Features caft into Shadows ? J'm mirtakeu if we have not Lewdnefs Enough ot our own Growth, without Im- porting from our Neighbours. ,No, this can't be. An Author muft have Right done him, and be fhewn in his own Shape, and Complexion. Yes by all means ! Vice muft be difiobed, and People poi- fon'd, and all for the fake of Jullrice ! To do Right to fuch an Author is to burn him. I hope Modefty is much better than Refemblance. Tlie Imitation of an ill Thing is the worfe for being exaft : And fometimes to report a Fault is to re- peat it. To return to his Plays ^ In Love Tri- umph ant, Garcia makes l^emmond this Com- pliment : F 4 May 72 Cbe pjofanenefis wj iri-^'^'y ^^^"''^^^ y^^^ brave Son, and a- umph. p. 3 . bove allj Tour own prevailing Genius guard your Age. What is meant by his Genius, in this place, is noteafy toDifcover, only that 'tis fomething which is a better Guard than Heaven. But 'tis no Matter for the Senfe, as long as the Profanenefs is clear. In this Atl, Colonel Sancho lets Carlos know the old Jew is dead, which lie calls good news. CTivlWhatJew ? Sanch. Why the rich Jetv rny Father^ he ^' " is gone to the Bo fom 0/ Abraham hi^ Father^ and I his Chriptan Son am left fole Heir. A very mannerly Story 1 But why does the Poet acquaint us with Sancho^ Religi- on ? The cafe is pretty plain : 'Tis to give a lul^re to his Profi^nenefs, and make him p- II. burlefque Sc. Luke with the better Grace. Jipho/ijo complains to Vicloria that Na- ture dotes nnth Age. His reafon is, becaufe Brother and Silter can't Marry as they did at firft : 'Tis very well ! We know what Nature means in the Language of Chriftianity , and efpecially under the No- tion of a iaw-giver. Alphonfo goes on, and compares the PofTeflion of Inceftuous Love to Heaven. Yes, 'tis Eternity in Little.- It Oft&CSTAGE. 73 It feems Lovers muft be diftvafVed, or there's no diverfion. A Flight of Mad- nefs like a Faulcons Lejfenwg^ makes them the more gazM at ! I am now com- ing to forae of the Poet's Divinity. And here Vengemce is fatd to. be jo fveet a Morfel^ That Heaven referves it for it's pofer Tajle.^. jg. This belike is the meaning of thofe Texts. that God, is good and g^raciotis^ and flow to an- ger, and does not mllingly afflici the Children of Mcn\ From expounding the Bible, he goes to the Common-Prayer. And as Carlos interprets the Office or Matrimony, jfo^ Xettec fO? i[2.lO?re, is /or Virgin for Whove And that the Reference might not be mi- ftaken, the Poet is careful to put the Words in Italick, and great Letters. And by the ^^.^ way, He falls under the Pf»rf/{)' of theSta-<4,>. i. tute for Depraving the Conmon- Prayer. Sancho upon reading a Letter which he did not like, cries. Damn it, it mud be all ft A t Orthodox. Damn and Orthodox clapt toge-'^ ^' ther, make a lively Rant, becaufe it looks like Curfing the Creed. The moft extra- ordinary PafTage is behind ; Sancho was \ unhappily Married : Carlos tells him, For ^^^^ your Comfort, Marriage they fay is Holy. San- ' ' cho replies : Ay^ and fo is Martyrdom, as they fay^ but both of them are good for juji no- \ thing f thing, but to make an end of a Marias Life. I fhall make no Refleftions upon This : There needs no Reading upon a Monfter; 'Tis (hewn enough by it's own Deformity. hove for Love has a ftrain lik^ this, and therefore I fhall put them together : Scan- fi^^/follicitsMrs. Fore fight : She tlireatens to tell her Husband. He replies, He will die a. Martyr rather than difclaim his Paffion. Here we have Adultery dignified with the ftyle of Martyrdom : As if 'twas as Honourable to perifh in Defence of Whoring, as to die for the Faith of Chriftianity. But thefe Martyrs will be a great while ip burning, and therefore let no body ftrive to grace the Adventure, or encreafe the Number. And now I am in this P/^,the Reader fhall bave more. Jeremy who was bred at the TJniverfity, calls the Natural Inclinations to Eating and Drinking, Whorefon Appe- tites. This is ftrange Language ! The M-tnicheans, who made Creation the work of the Devil, could fcarcely have been thus Coarfe. But the Poet was feremy\ Tutor, and fo that Myftery is at an end. Sr. i Sampfon carries on the Expoftulation, rails at the Strudure of Humane Bodies, and fays, Nature has been Provident only to ! Bears J and Spiders ; This is the Author's Paraphrale on the 1 39 Pfalm ; and thus he gives God thanks for the Advantage of t^Z Stage. 75 of his Being ! The Play advances from One Wickednefs to another ,from thQWorks of God to the Abufe of his Word. Fore- ftght confejfes ^tis Natural for Men to mi- p 47. fiake. Scsindal replies, Ton Jay true, Man mil err J rueer Man tvell err — hit you are fomething more There have been wife Men ; but they were fuch as you — Men ■who confulted the Stars, and were obfervers of Omens Solomon jvas rvife, but how ? by his Juclgment in Aerology. 'Tis very well ! Solomon and fore fight had their Underftandings qualified alike. And pray what was Forefight ? Why an Illiterate rid. Per. Fellow. A pretender to Dreams^ AJlrology^f"^ ^''"^^ Palmejlry, kc. This is the Poet's Account * of Solomon^ Supernatural Knowledge ! Thus the wifeft Prince is dwindled into a Gypfie 1 And the Glorious Miracle re- folved into Dotage, and Figure-fiinging ! Scandal QonimxxQS his Banter, and fays, the xvife Men of the Eajl owed their InJiruBion to a Star ; yvhich is rightly obferv^d by Gre- gory the Great in favour ofAftrology, This was the Star which Ihone at our Saviour's Birth. Now who could imagine by the ..Levity of the Occafion, that the Author thought it any better than an Igni^ Fa.- tuHs^ or Sydrophel's Kite in Hadibras ? Sir Sampfon and tlie fine Angelica^ after fome lewd Raillery continue the Ailegory, and drive 76 CljE p?ofan£ttEG3 drive it up into Profanenefs. For this rea- fon the Citation muft be imperfeft. - Sir Sampf. Sampfon'j a very food Name^ for — -your Sampfons were Jirong Dogs from the beginning. j>.8o. Angel. Have a care—'- If you remem- ber the firongejl S^m^^on ofyour Name^puWd an old Houje over his Head at lajl. Here you have the Sacred Hiftory BurlefquM, and Sampfon once more brought into the Houfe of Dagony to make fport for the Philijiines ! To draw towards an end of . this Play. Tattle would have carried oft' Valentine*^ Miftrefs. « This latter, expref- fes his Refentment in a moft Divine man- ^ ^, • ner! Tattle, I thank you^ you would have in- terposed between me and Heaven, but Provi- dence has laid Purgatory in your Way. Thus Heaven is debas'd into an Amour, and Providence brought in to direft the Paul- try concerns of the Stage ! Angelica con- eludes much in the fame ftrain. Men are generally Hypocrites and Infidelsy they pre- tend to Vi^orjhipy but have neither Zjal, nor Faith ; How few Uke Valentine would fer^ fevere unto Martyrdom ? S^c. Here you have the Language of the Script ureSy and the moft folemn Inftances of Religion, proftituted to Courtfhip and Romance ! Here you have a Miftrefs made God Al- mighty, Ador'd with Zeal and Faith, of tfie Stage. 77 and WorfhipM up to Martyrdom ! This if 'twere only for the Modeily , is ftrange- fluff for a Lady to fay of her felf. And had it not been for the Profane AUufion, would have been eold enough in all Con- fcience. The Provok'd Wife furnilhes the Audi- ence with a Drunken Atheiftical Catch : 'Tis true, this Song is afterwa'-ds faid to be Full ofStn and Impudence. But why then was ^'■"'y f^/* it made ? This Confeflion is a miferable Sal- ^ ^ ^• uo; and the Antidote is much weaker than the Poyfon : 'Tis juft as if a Man fhould feta Houfe in a Flame, and think to make amends by crying Fire in the Streets. In the lall Acl^ Rajbr makes his Difcovery of the Plot againft Belinda in Scripture- Phrafe. I'll give it the Reader in the Au- thor's Dialogue. Belind. / mu^ know who put you upon all id.f. -j^j. this Mtfchief. Rafor. Sathan and his Equipage. man tempted me, Luji maken'd^ And Jo the Devil overcame me : As fell Adam fofelll. Belind. Then pray, Mr. Adam WtUyou make ut acc^uatnted with your Eve? Rajbr unmasks This is the Woman MademoifeHe, 2ind> that tempted me: But fays, S^^'^ Serpent (meaning Lady Fanciful) that 78 ^l)clP?ofaii£tttfiJ thai. tempted the Woman', and if my Vrayerl might he hedrd, her funijhment for fo doings jhould be like the Serpents of cld^ &C. This Rafor in what we hear of him before, is alf Roguery, and Debauch : But now he en- ters in SackcLoth,2Si^ talks like Tribulation iri the Alchymifl. His Character is chang'd to make him the more Profane; And his Habit, as well as Difcourfe, is a Jeft upon Religion. I am forced to omit one Line of his Confeflion. The Defign of it is to make the Bible deliver an obfcene Thought : And becaufe the Text would not bend into a Lewd Application, he alters the Words for this purpofe, but pal- fes it for Scripture ft ill. This fort of Entertainment is frequent in the Relapfe. Lord Foplmgton laughs at the Publick So- lemnities of Religion, as if 'twas a ridi- culous piece of Ignorance, to pretend to the Worfhip of a God. He Difcourfes witji Berinthia, and Amanda, in this man- Rehpje, p. ner : Why Faith Madam, — — Sunday ts a vile Day, I mufl confefs. A Man mufl have very little to do at Church that san give an account of the Sermon. And alittle after : To Mind the Prayers or the Sermon is to mind tvhat one (bould mt do. Lory tells young FaJJjion. I have been in a lamen- table Fright ever jince that Confcience had the Impudence to intrude into your Company. of t|)e Stage. 79 His Mafter makes him this comfortable Anfwer. Be at peace^ it will come no more ; / have kic'd it down Stairs. A little before he breaks out into this Rapture. Notp Confcience 1 defe thee! By the way,^^^^^y_ we may obferve, that this young Fa[hion is the Poet*s Favourite. Berinthia and Wor^ nd. infra. thy, two Characters of Figure, determine the Point thus, in defence of Pimping. Berinth. JVell, I would he glad to have no Bodies Sins to anfrver for but my own. But f. ji. where there is a neceffity — Worth. Ripht as you fay, where there is a Neceffity^ a Chrifiian is bound to help his Neighbour. . Nurje, after a great deal of profane Stuf?-^ concludes her Expoftulation in thefe words : But his Worfhip (Toung Fafhion ) over-flows with his Mercy and his Bounty ; He is not only pleas' d.to forgive tu our Sins — but which IS more than all, has prevaiPd with me to be- ^ 96,57. corm the Wife of thy Bofom : This is very heavy, and ill-drels'd ; And an Atheift muft be fliarp fet to relifh it. The Virtu- ous Amanda makes no fcruple to charge the Bible with untruths. . What Slippery fluff are Men compos'd of? ii,;^^ Sure the Account of thetr Creation's falfe. And ''twas the Woman's Rib that they were form'd of. Thus 8o Clje li?2ofancnef5i Thus this Lady abufes her felf, to- gether with the Scripture, and fliewsher Senfe, and her Religion, to be much of j a Size. I Berinthia^ after fhe has given in a ' Scheme for the debauching Amanda^ is thus accofted by Worthy : Thou Angel of J,, Light ^ let me fall down and adore thee I A moft Seraphick Compliment to a Procurefs ! And 'tis poffible fome Angel or other may i thank him for't in due time. I am quite tired with thefe wretched i Sentences. The Sight indeed is horrible,' 1 and I am almoft unwilling to fhew it. ( However they fliall be Produced hke Ma- ( lefaftors, not for Pomp, but Execution. i Snakes and Vipers, muft fometimes be ( look'd on, to deftroy them. I can't for- \ bear exprefling my fclf with fome Warmth li under thefe Provocations. What Chrifti- I an can be unconcerned at fuch intolerable [ Abufes ? What can be a jufter Reafon ' for Indignation than Infolence and A- theifm ? Refentment can never be better fhewn, nor Averfion more feafonably ex- erted ! Nature made the Ferment and Rifing of the Blood, for fuch occafions as ; This. On what unhappy Times are we ' fallen ! The Oracles of Truth, the Laws of Omnipotence, and the Fate of Eternity are i Laught at and defpis'd ! That the Poets i fliould of tlje Stage. ftiould be fufferM to play upon the Biblc^ and Chriftianity be Hooted off the Stage ! Chriftianity that from fuch feeble begin- nbgs made fo ftupendioiis a progrefs! That over-bore all the Oppofitions of Pow- er, and Learning ; and with Twelve poor Men, outlfretch'd the Roman Empire. That this glorious Religion fo reafonable in it's Dodlrine, fo well attefted by Mira- cles, by Martyrs, by all the Evidence that FaB is capable of, fhould become the Di- verfioo of the Town, and the Scorn of Buf- foons ! And where,and by whom is all this Out-rage committed ? Why not by 'Jultauy or Porphtrie, not among Turks or Heathens, but in a Chriftian Country, in a Reform'd Church, and in. the Face of Authority ! Well 1 I perceive the Devil was a Saint m his Oracles, to what he is in his Plajs. His Blafphemies are as much improved as his Stile, and one would think the Mufe was Legion! I fuppofe the Reader maybe fa- tisHed already : But if he defires farther proof, there's fomething more flamingly impious behind. ■ The Chriftian Almeida, when Sebajlian " was in danger, Raves and Foams like orife PolTefsM, But is there Heaven ? for I begin to doubt : Dm Se- Norvtakeyeur fwingye tmpom Sin unfunifh''d^ ^^fi' G Eter-^'' 5' 82 €(je p?ofatieiicfiS Eternal Providence feems over^rvatch^d^ And with a, (lumhring Nod ajjents to Murther. In the next Page, (he bellows again much after the fame manner. The Double Deal- er to fay the leaft of him, follows his Mailer in this Road; Paffibut aqut^. Sir Paul Plyant one would think had done his part : But the ridiculing of Providence won't fatisfie all People : And therefore the next attempt is fomewhat bolder. voiibU Sir Paul. Hold your Jelf contented my Dealer, p. V\y?Lnt,-— I fnd Pa/fion coming ufon P ,7 me by Jnjpiration. In Love Triumphant^ Carlos is by the Conftitution of the Play a ClirilHan ; and therefore muft be con- rtrued in the Senfe of his Religion. This Man blunders out this horrible Expreffion. Nature ha^ given me my Portion in Senfe with a P — to her^ SfC. The Reader may fee the Hellifh Syllable at Length if he plcafes. This Curfe is borrowed for Toum Fajhion in the Relapfe. The Dou- ble Dealer is not yet exhaufted. Cynthia the Top Lady grorvs Thoughtful. Upon the queltion, ihe relates her Contemplation. Double llLynth. 1 am thinking (faysfhe) that tho^ \ Veaicr, p- Marriage makes Man and Wife one Tlefb^ ^ ^' /; leaves them two Pooh . This Jeft is made Gin.-, upon a Text in Genefts^ and afterwards st.Mtth. applied by our Saviour to the Cafe of Di- '? vorce } 44. OftD^STAGE. 85 vorce. Love for Love will give us a far- ther Account of this Author*s Proficiency I in the Scriptures. Our Bleffed Savioiir af- firms himfelf to he the Way^ the Truth, and, the Light y thxt he came to bear Witnefs to the Truth, and that his Word is Truth. Thefe Expreflions were remcmbred to good purpofe. For Valentine in his pre- tended Madnefs tells Buckram the Law- yer 'y I am Truthy 1 arn Truth. Uvt, &e. Who's that, that' tout ofhisirajy lam Truth^P- ^9,6i. and can fet him right. Now a Poet that had not been fmitten with the Pleafure of Blafphemy, would never have furnifh'd Frenfy with Infpiration ; nor put our Sa- viour's Words in the Mouth of a Mad- man. Lady Brute, after fome ftruggle be- tween Confcience and Lewdnefs, declares in Favour of the later. She fays, the part pr^^^^^j of a downright Wife is to Cuckold her Hus-^'ft,f- 3. hand. And tho' this is againfl the firici Statute-Law of Religion, yet if there were a <>. 4. Court of Chancery in Heaven, jhe fhould he fure to cafl him. This Brafs is double Guilt. FirH, It fuppofes no Equity in Heaven. And Se- condly, If there was, Adultery would not be punilh'd ! The Poet afterwards ac- , 25. to corrupt Amanda for Worthy, attacks her with this Speech, Mr. Worthy ufed you like a Text, he took you all to pieces ^ and itfeems, was particular in her Commen- dation. Thus fhe runs on for feveral Lines, in a Lewd and Profane Allegory. In the Application, (he fpeaks out the Defign, and concludes with this Pious Exhorta- tion ! Abiv conjider what has been faid, and Heaven give you Grace to put it in Pra- clice ; that is, to play the Whore. There are few of thefe laft Quotations, but what are plain Blafphemy, and within the Law. They look reeking as it were from Pan- d^emonium, and almoft fmell of Fire and Brimftone. This is an Eruption of Hell with a Witnefs ! I almoft wonder the Smoak of it has not darken'd the Sun, and turn'd the Air to Plaglie and Poyfon! Thefe dre biitijagious Provocations; e- 'hough"46 irfii all Nature in Revenge; to exhaiift the judgments of Heaven, 4 flftlje Stage. 85; and fink the JJland in the Siea ! What a fpite have thefe Men to the God that made them? How do they Rebel upon his Bounty, and attack him with his own Reafon ? Thefe Giants in Wickednefs, how would they ravage with a Stature Proportionable? They that can Swagger in Impotence, and Blafphcme upon a Mole-Hill, what would they do if they had Strength totheirGood- Will? And what can be the Ground of this Confidence, and the Reafon of fuch horrid Ptefuraption ? Why th& Scripture will bell fatisfiethe queftion, Becaufe Sentenc againjl eu!,/. M Evil Work if not executed Jpeedily^ there- ' ' • f ore the Heart of the Sons of Men^ is fully fet tn them to do Evil. j Clemency is Weaknefs with fome Peo- ple : And the Goodnefs of God which fjjould lead them to Repentance^ does but harden them the more. They conclude he wants Power to punilh, becaufe he has Patience to forbear. Becaufe there is a Space be- tween Blafphemy and Vengeance , and they don't perilh in the AO: of Defiance ; Becaufe they are not blafted with Light- ning, transfixt with Thunder, and Guard- ed off with Devils, they think there's no fuch matter as a day of Reckoning. But c^: f. let no Man he deceiv'^d, God is not mocked ; not without danger they may be affured. Let them retreat in time, before the Floods G 5 run 8(5 p^ofanencfs; Yun (yver them : Before they come to that place., where Madnefs will have no Mu- fick, nor Blafphemy any Diverfion. And here it may not be amifs to look a little into the Behaviour of the Heathens. Now 'tis no wonder to find them run Riot upon this Subjeft. The Charafters of their Gods were not unblemifli'd. Their Pro- fpeft of the other World, was but Dim ; neither were they under the Terrors of Revel at ion. However, they are few of them fo bad as the Moderns. Terence does not run often upon this Rock. 'Tistrue, Charea falls into an ill Rapture after his Succefs. Chremes bids his Wife not tire the Gods with Thanks: And JEJchinin is quite fick of the Religious part of the Wedding. Thefe Inftances, excepting his Swearing, are the moft, (and I think near all the) exceptionable PajSages of this Author. PUuttis is much more bold. But then his Sallies are generally made by Slaves 2xA Panders. This makes the Example lefs dange- rous, and isfomefort of Extenuation. I grant this imperfed Excufe won't ferve ijhaR^.^^^ always. There are fomc Inftances ^.1.3. 'where his Perfons of better Figure are ^'*'"'«^«^- guilty of Lewd Defences, Profane Flights, and Sawcy Expoftulation. But the Ro- man Etnuch. Hcautcn. j3. y. I. /^adp. A- S-7- Lyconides AuluUr. Trucul. A. 2 + of tljC St AGE. 87 man Deities were B«>z^/ of ill Fame, 'tis die lefs wonder therefore if the Poets- were familiar with them. However, -FkutHs has fomething good in him, and enough to condemn the Practice. P/eaJiJes mould gladly have had the Gods change the method of ThmgSy in fome Particulars, He muld have had frank good Humour'* d People long liv*dy and clofi-fjled Kjnaiies die 'Toung. To this Peripleclimenes Gravely anfwers, That ""t is great Ignorance^ and AUsbehaviour ' to Cenfure the Condu^ of the Gods, or fpeak ' *'' dijhonourably of them. In his Pfeudol/a the Procurer BalUo talks Profanely. Upon ' which Pfeudoiu-s makes this Refleftion. This Fellow makes nothing oj Religion, hmv can we trujl him in other matters For the ^f^'xi- Gods whom all People have the greatest rea- fontofear, are mojl flighted by him. The Greek Tragedians are more (launch, and write nearer the Scheme of Natural Religion. 'Tis true, they have fome bold Expreflions : But then they generally re- prove the Liberty, and punilh the Men. Prometheus in j£fchylus blufters with a great deal of Noife and Stubbornnefs. He is not for changing Conditions with Mer- prom. cury : And chufes rather to be miferable, 57* than to fubmit even to Jupiter himfelf. The Chorus rebuke him for his Pride, and threaten him with greater Punilliment. G 4 And 88 ta^O'Snencfe And the Poet to make all fure, brings him to Execution before the end of the Play. He difcharges Thunder and Lightning at his Head ; fhakes his Rock with an Earth- quake, turns the Air into Whirl-wind, and draws up all the Terroursof Nature to make him an Example. In his Expedt- f'9 2- tion {igainjl Thsbes^ Eteocles expefts Ca- ■pamm would be deftroyed for his Blaf- phemies ; Which happen'd accordingly. On the other hand ; Amphiarxm being a pcrfon of Virtue, and Piety, they are afraid ^' left he fhould fucceed. for a Religious Enemy is almoji in'vincihle. lyxnm^s Ghoft lays Xerxes''s ruin upon the excefs of his Ambition. ^Trvas, bec.iufe he made a bridge n;f(r tSLO-L-'er the Hellefpont, ufed Neptune contume- lioufly.^ and thought himself Superior to Hea- 'uen. This Ghoit tells the C/'(?r/i55-, that the Perfian Army mifcurried for the out-rages they did to Religion^ for breaking dorvn the AltraSy and plundering the Gods, Ajax's Dirtraftion is reprefentcd as ju^ dicial in Sophocles. 'Twas inflifted for his Pride and Atheifm. ' When his Fa- jjax. T!a. ' t^h^r bid him be brave, but Religious ^eii. * withal, he haughtily replyed, that 'twas ' for Cowards to beg the Affiftance of the * Gods ; as for his part, he hoped to Con- ' quer without them. And when Miner- * va encouraged him to charge the Enemy, of tlie Stage. §9 He made her this Lewd and infuffer- * ble Anfwer. Pray withdraw, and give . * your Countenance elfewhere, I want no * Goddefles to help me do my Bufinefs : This Infoknce made Mmerva liate him ; and was the caufe of his Madnefs and felf Murther. To proceed. The Cho- rm condemns the liberty of Jocajia, who obliquely charged a Praftlce upon the Ora- o,di^. r cle : Tho' after all, fhe did not tax AfoHo^ is but his Minirters. The fame Choru-s recommends Piety and Reiyance upon the Gods, and threatens Pride and Irreligion with Dcftruftion. In Antigone^ Tirejiits advifes Creo-n to wave ^ the Rigour of his Edict ^ and not let the Body of Poljftices lie unburied, and ex- pos d. He tells him the Altars were al- ready polluted with Humane Flefh. This had made the Language of the Birds un- MUfr. intelligible, and confounded the Marks of? Augur j. Creorr replies in a rage, and fays, he would not content to the Burial of Polpnces : No, tho, 'twere to prevent the Eagle's throwing ' part of the Carkafs in Jove^s Chair of State. This v/as a bold Flight ; but 'tis not long before he pays for'c. Soon after, his Son, and Qiicen, kill them- 90 €De pofancncfiai themfelves. And in the clofe, the Poet* who fpeaks in the Chortts, explains the Misfortune, and points upon the Caufc, and afRrms, that Creon was punifli'd for his Haughtinefs and Impiety. To go on to his Trachim^. Hercules in all the ex- tremity of his Torture does not fall foul upon Religion. 'Tis true, He fhews as much Impatience as 'tis poflible. His Perfon, his Pain, and the Occafion of it, were very extraordinary. Thefe circum- flances make it fomewhat natural for him to complain above the common rate. The Greatnefs of his Spirit, the Fever of his Blood, and the Rage of his PafTion, could hardly fail of putting Force, and Vehemence into his Expreflions. Tho' to deal clearly, he feems better furniflied with Rhetorick, than true Fortitude. But after all, his Diforders are not altogether ' ' ' ungovern'd : He is uneafy, but not impi- ous, and profane. I grant Hercules Oetem in Seneca^ fwag- gers at a ftrange Rhodomontading rate. But the Conduct of this Author is very in- different. He makes a meer Saiamartdcr of his HerOy and lets him declaim with too much of Length, Curiofity and Affe- dation, for one in his Condition : He ha- rangues it with great plenty of Points, and Sentences in t;he Fire, and lies frying, and Phi- OftljeSTAGE. 91 Philofophizing for near a Hundred Lines together. In fine, this Play is fo infudi- ciofly manag'd, that Heinfius is confident *tvvas written by neither of the Seneca's, but by fome later Author of a lower Clafs. To return to SophocUi's TrachinU. Hyllns reproaches the Gods with Neglefl-, becaufe rmeh. they gave no Affiftance, andglan- 57j- ces upon Jupiter himfelf. This fally is not fo throughly corre<^l:ed as formerly. 'Tis true, the Chorus make fome little fatis- faclion immediately after. They refolve all lurprizes of Misfortune, all Revoluti- ons of States or Families, into the Will and Permiflion of Jupiter. This by im- plication, they make an Argument for ac- quiefcence Befides, the Poet had laid in a fort of Caution againft Mifconftruftion before. For the Meffenger tells Dejaneira, that we ought not to Murmur at the Con- dud o(Jupfter. ' 343. This for a Heathen is fomething, tho' not enough. Cleomenes*s Rant feems an imitation of H)Um, only 'tis bolder, and has nothing of the railinefs of Youth to excufe it. Befides, Sophocles throws in ^^^^ fomewliacby way ofPrefervative. Where- as 92 Cl)e p?ofancn£f0 as in Cieomenes, the Boy CUonidas hasth« better on the wrong fide, and feems to car- id p ry the Caufe of Atheifm againft his Father. This Seem of a Famine Mr. Dryden calls a Beauty ; and yet methinks Cleora is not ve- ry Charming ! Her part is to tell you the Childfuck'd to nopurpofe. , 54. It puU'd, and full' d but now j)ut nothing came ; ' At lajl it drerv fo hard that the Blood follow" d. And that Red Milk 1 found upon it's Lips^ • Which made me fwoonfor Fear. . There's a Defcription of Sucking for you ! And truly one would think theMufe on't were fcarcely wean'd. This Lady's Fan- cy is juft Slip-Stocking-high; and fhe feems towantSenfe, tnore than her Breakfall. If this PafTage would not fbine, the Poet fliould have let it alone. 'Tis Horace'*s ad- vice. — ; — , . Et qu^ p^^^y ' Defperes traBate nitefcere pojfe relinquas. The greateft part of the Life of this Scene is fpent in Impious Rants, and Athe- iftical Difputes. To do the Author right, \ his Charadfers never want Spirits for fuch Service, either Full or Falling. Some Peo- ple love to fay the woril Things in the belt Oft&e Stage. ^ bell manner ; to perfume their Poifons, and give an Air to Deformity. There is one ill Sentence in Sophocles be- hind. PA/7(?c7e/w calls the Gods Kaxoi, and pA;/o. Libels their Adminiftration. This Offi- cer we muft underftaSid was left upon a Solitary Ifland, ill ufed by his Friends, and harrafs'd with Poverty and Ulcers, for Ten Years together : Theie, under the Ig- norance of Paganifm, were trying Circum- ftanccs, and take off fomewhat of the Ma- lignity of the Complaint. Afterwards he feems to repent, and declares his AfTu- rance that the Gods will do Juftice, and;,. 4,9. prays frequently to them. The Conclufion of this Play is remarkably Moral. Here Hercules appears in Machine ; acquaints PhtloUetes with his own Glorious Condi- tion : That his Happinefs was the Reward of Virtue, and the Purchafe of Merit. He charges him to pay a due regard toReligi- CTi ; for Piety would recommend him to Jupiter more than any other Qualification. It went into the other World with People, and they found their Account in't both/- ^]' Living and Dead. Upon the whole ; the Plays of jEfchylm and Sophocles are formed upon Models of Virtue : They joyn Innocence with Ple^i- fure, and defign the Improvement of the Aujiience. In 94 ^De P?cfai!ciicf£S In Euripides*s Baccha, Pentheus is puliM m. s pieces for ufing Bacchus with Difrefpeft. And the Chorw obferves that God neveV Tails to puniQi Impiety, and Contempt of , Religion. Po/yphemus blufters Atheifti- cally, and pretends to be as great is Ju- piter : But then his Eye is burnt out in ^.yy^ the fifth Aft. And the Chorus in Heram clida afHrm it next to Madnefs not to Worfhip the Gods. I grant he has fome profane PafTages ftand uncorre£ied, and what wonder is it to fee a Pagm Mifcar-* ry ? Seneca^ as he was inferiour in Judg- ment to the Greeks^ fo he is more frequent, aijd uncautious, in his Flights of Extrava- gance. His Hero's and Heroines, are ex- ceflively bold with the Superiour Beings. They rave to Diftraftion, and he docs not often call them to an account for't. 'Tis true, Ajax Oileus is made an Exam- pie for Blalpheming in a Storm ; He is ■ firft ftruck with Thunder, and then car- ried to the Bottom : The Modern Poets proceed upon the Liberties of 5f»fc4. Their Mad-men are very feldom reckon'd with. They are Profane without Cenfure, and defie the L/^'/wG^J^ with fuccefs. Nay, in fome refpefi they exceed even Seneca himfelf. He flies out only under Impa- tience; and never falls into thefe Fits with- out Torture, and hard Ufage. But the Englijh of tbe Stag e. Kngltjh Stage are unprovok'd in their Irre- ligion, and Blafpheme for their Pleafure. But luppofihg the Theatres of Rome, and Athens, as bad as poflible, what Defence is all this ? Can we argue from Heathenifm to Chrifiianity ? How can the Pra6iice be the fame, where the Rule is fo very dif- ferent ? Have we not a clear Light to direft us, and greater Punilhments to make us afraid ? Is there no Diftinftion between Truth and Fiftion, between Ma- jeity and a Pageant? Mull God be treated iike an Idol, and the Scriptures banter'd like Homer^s Eljjium, and Hefiod's Theo- gonia ? Are thefe the Returns we make him for his Supernatural A flillance? For ^e more perfeft Difcovery of himfelf, the {looping of his Greatnefs, and the Won- ders of his Love ? Can't we refufe the Happinefs without affronting the Offer? Muft we add Contempt to Difobedience, and Out-rage to Ingratitude ? Is there' no Diverfion without Infulting the God that made us, the Goodnefs that would fave us, and the Power that can damn us? Let us not flatter our felves, WorJs won't go for nothing. Profanenefs is a mod provoking Contempt, and a Crime of the deepeil dye. To break through the Laws of a Kingdom is bad enougfi; but to make Ballads upon the Statute- Sutute-Booky and a Jeft of Authority, is much vvorfe. Atheifts may fancy what they pleafe, but God will Arife and Main- tain his own Caufe^ and Vindicate his Ho- nour in due time. To conclude. Profanenefs, tho' never fo well correfted, is not to be endured. It ought to be Banifh'd without Provifo^ or Limitation. No pretence of CW^^er or Punifhment, can excufe it; or any Stage-Difcipli/ie make it tolerable. 'Ti^ grating to Chrifiian Ears, dilhonourable to the Ma)efty of God, and dangerous in the Example. And in a Word, It tends to no point, unlefs it be to wear off the Hor- rour of the Pradice, to weaken the force of Confcience, and to teach the Language of the Damn'd. CHAP. bp tl)C Stage. CHAP. III. The Clergy ahufed by the Stage. THE Satyr of the Stage upon the Clergy is extremely Particular. In other Cafes, they level at a fingle Mark, and confine themfelves to Perfons. But here their Buflfoonry takes an unufual Com- pafs : They fhoot Chain'd-fhot, and ftrike , at Univerfals. They play upon the Cha- mber, and endeavour to expofe not only the Men, buttheBufinefs. 'Tistrue, the Clergy are no fmall Rub in the Foefs way. 'Tis by their Miniftrations that Religion is perpetuated, the other World refreih'di and the Intereft of Virtue kept up. Vice •will never have an unlimited Range, nor Confcience be totally fubdued, as long as People are fo eafy as to be Prieft-ridden ! As long as thefe Men are lookM on as the Meffengers of Heaven, and the Supports of Government, and enjoy their old Pre- tentions in Credit and Authority ; as long as this Grievance continues, the Stage muft decline of Courfe, and Atheifm give Ground, and Lewdnefs lie under Cenfure, . H and 98 €()e Clcrgp abufcn and Difcouragement. Therefore that Li- berty may not be embarrafs'cl,nor Princi- ples make Head againft Pleafure, the Cler- gy muft be attack'd, and rcndred Ridicu- lous. To reprefent a Perfon fairly and with- out differ vice to his Reputation, two Things are to be obferv'd. Firft, He muft not be ill ufedby others : Nor, Secondly, be made to play the Fool himfelf. This latter way of Abufe is rather the worflr, becaufe here a Man is a fort of Feb de fe ; and appears Ridiculous by his own Fault. The Contradiftion of both thefe Me- thods is praftifed by the Stage. To make fure Work on't, they leave no Stone un- turn'd, the whole Common-^Uce of Rude- ncfs is run through. They ftrain their Invention and their Malice And over- look nothing in ill-Nature, or ill-Manners to gain their Point. To give fome Inftances of their Civility : i%.i6, 20. In the. Spamjh Fryar, Domimck is made a Pimp for Lorenzo ; He is call'd a, parcel of 'Holy Guts And Garbage, and faid to have room tn his Belly for his Church-fieeple. Domtnick has a great many of thefe Compliments beftow'd upon him. And to make the Railing more effeftual, you i have a general ftroke or two upon the Pro- feflion. Would you know what are the Infallible m fiptfjC Stage. jnfallihle Church-Remedies. Why 'tis to Lie Impudently^ and Srvear Devoutly. A? little before this, Domimck counterfeits himfelf Sick, retires, and leaves Lorenzo and Elvira, together ; And then the Re- mark upon the Intrigue follows. ' You fee,? * Madam ( fays Lorenzo ) 'tis Intereft go- * verns all the World. He Preaches againli: * Sin, why ? Becaufe he gets by't : He * holds his Tongue, why? Becaufe fo much * more is bidden for his Silence. 'Tis but * giving a Man his Price, and Principles * of Church are bought off as eafily as ' they are in State : No Man will be a * Rogue for nothing ; but Compenfation ' mull: be made, fo much Gold for fo much * Honefty, and then a Church- Man will * break the Rules of Chefs. For the Black * Bifhop, will skip into the White, and < the White into the Black, without Con- < fidering whether the remove be Law- *ful. At laft Dominick is difcover'd to the Company, makes a difhonorable £jfz>,and is pufh'd off the Stage by the Rabble. This is great Julfice ! The Poet takes care to make him firft a Knave, and then an Ex- ample : But his Hand is not even. For Lewd Lorenzo comes off with flying Colours. 'Tis not the Fault which iscorreded, but H 2 the ' loo C&e ClECgp Qbufeti the Prieft. The Author's Difcipline is fel- dom without a Bias. He commonly gives the Laitj the Pleafure of an ill Aftion, and the Clergy the Punifliment. To proceed. Horner in his general Re- marks upon Men, delivers it as a fort of Maxim, that your Church-man is the great- c^mntry ejl Athcifl. In this Play Har court ^vxs on f^'fe,p-6. the Habit of a Divine. Jltthea does not think him what he appears ; but Sfarkijh who could not fee fo far, endeavours to divert her Sufpicion. 1 tell you ( jays he ) this is Ned Harcourt of Cambridge, you fl3j. fi^ ^ freaking College-look, After- M'ards his Character is fufficiently abufed by Sparkijh and Lucy ; but not fo much, as jiid. by Himfelf. He tells you in an Jfide^ he mujl frit his Style to his Coat. Upon this wife RecoUeftion, He talks like a fervile, impertinent Fop. In the Orphan , The Young Soldier Chamont calls the Chaplain Sir Gravity ^md. treats him with the Language of Thee and Thou. The Chaplain inltead of returning the Contempt , flatters Chamont in his Folly, and pays a Refpeft to his Pride. The Cavalier encourag'd, I fuppofe, by this Sneaking, proceeds to all the ExcelTes of Rudenefs. bptte Stage. lOI ■ ■ ■■ U there not one p. 2 j, Ofal^ thy Tribe that'*s Honeft in your School ? The Pride of your Suferiours makes ye Slarues : Te all live Loath fome^Sneaking^ Servile lives : Not free enough to pra^ife generom Truth^ Tho'ye pretend to teach it to the World. After a little Paufe for Breath, the Rai- ling improves. If thou rvouldjl have me not contemn thy Office^ AndCharacier^^think all thy Brethren Kjiaves^ Thy Trade a Cheat ^ and thou its worfl Pro- p. 26. feffor: Inform me j for I tell thee^ Prieji Pll know. The Bottom of the Page is down-right Porter's Rhetorick. Art thou then So far concern' d in't ? Ct^rfe on that formal Jleady Villain^ s Face ! Jufl fo do all Bawds look ; A^ay Bawds ^they fay^ Can Pray upon Occajion ; talk of Heaven ; Turn up their gogltng Eye-balls^ rail at Vice ; Dijfemble, Lye^ and Preach like any Priefi^ Art thou a Bawd ? The Old Batchelour has a Throw at the Dijfentmg Mtnijlers. The Pimp Setter pro- H I vides I02 Cbc Ciergv Stjufeu vidcs their Habit for Bellmour to Debauch L^tina. The Dialogue runs thus. Bell. j4ndhajl thou provided Neceffarks? Settcr.^i//, ail Sir; the large fanHified Hat, and the little precife Band^ rvith a fwinging long Spiritud Cloaky to cover Carnal JQia- old Batch '^'^O'i — ^^0'' forgetting the black Patch which ,;>. IP, 70, Tribulation Spintext JVf^rj as Fm inform'' d upon one Eje^ as a penal Mourning for the Offences of his Touth^ &c. Barnaby calls another of that Charafter Mr. Prig, and Fondlervtfe carries on the Humour lewdly in Play-Houfe Cant ; And to hook the Church of England into the P j7 Abufe, he ta.cks a. Chaplain to the End of the Defcription. Lacy gives another Proof of the Poet'*s ;.4(. goodwill, but all little Scurrilities are not worth repeating. In the Doufle Dealer ^ the difcourfe be- tween Maskmll and Saygrace is very nota- ble. Maskivell had a defign to cheat Mel- lifont of his Miftrefs, and engages the Cha- plain in the Intrigue : There muft be a Levite in the Cafe ; For without one of them have a finger in't^ no Plot publick^ or private can expect to prof per. To go on in the order of the Play, Maskrvell calls out at Saygr ace's Door, Mr. Sayg^race^ Mr. Saygrace. The othei- anfwers, Sweet Sir^ I will but Pen liptfiC Stage. loj Pen the Uft Line of an Acrojlick, mi he with you in the trv inkling of m Ejaculation, in the Pronouncing of an Amen, &c. Mask. Nay good Mr, Saygrace, do not prolong the time, &€. Saygrace. Toujba/l prevail ; I would break o^in the middle of a Sermon^ to do you Plea- jure. Mask. Tou could not do me a greater • except the bufmefs in Hand have ■you provided a Habit for Mellifont ? Saygr. Ihave, &c. Mask. Have you Jl itched the Gown-Jleeve, that he may be puz,z,led and tvajle time tn put- ting it on ? Saygr. / have ; the Gown will not he in- dued without Perplexity. There is a little more profane , and abufive Stuff beliind , ' but let that pafs. The Author of Don Sabajlian ftrikes at the Bijhops through the fides of the Mufti J and borrows the Name of the Turk to make the Chrijlian ridiculous. He knows the tranfition from one Religion to the other is natural, the Application ea- fy, and the Audience but too well prepar'd. And fhould they be at a lofs, he has elfe- where given them a IQy to underftand him. For Priejls of all Religions are the fame. ^H"'-- H 4 How-^'^- 3 04 €:?)e Clergv ^bufef However that the Senfe may be perfect- ly intelligible,he makes the Invective Gene- ral, changes the Language, and rails in the Style of Chriftendom. Benducar fpeaks, • Church-men thd they itch to govern all, Are filly, woful, auktvard Politicians : They make lame Mi/chief tho* they mean mil. So much the better, for 'tis a fign they are not beaten to the Trade. The next Lines are an Illuftration taken from a Taylor. Their Int'rejl is not finely drawn and hid, _p. S4. But Seams are (oarfy bungled up and feen. This Benducar was a rare Spokcfman for a firft Mimfier; and would have fitted "John of Leyden moll: exaftly ? In the Fourth J£t, the Mufti is Depos'^d and Captain Tom reads him a fhrewd Le- fture at parting. But let that pafs. To go on, Mujlapha threatens bis great Patriarch to put him to the Rack. Now you fhall hear what an anfwer of Forti- tude and Difcretion is made for the Mufti. Mufti. / hope you will not be fo barharotis to torture me. We may preach Suffering to others, hut das holy Flejh ii too mil pamper'd to bptlieSTAGE. 105 to endure Martyrdom. By the way, if flinch- ^- 9^' ing from Suffering be a proof of Holy Flejhy the Poet is much a Saint in his Confl:ituti- on, witnefs his Dedication of King Arthur. In C/eomenes, Caffandra rails againft Re- union at the Altar, and in the mid ft of a Publick Solemnity. Accursed be thou^Grafs-eatingfodder'^dGod! P 32- Accursed thy Temple ! More accursed thy Priefls ! She goes on in a mighty Huff, and char- ges the Gods and Priefthood with Confe- deracy, and Impofturc. This Rant is very unlikely at Alexandria. No People are more bigotted in their Superftition than the M- gyptians ; Nor any more refenting of fuch an Affront.This Satyr then muft bcftrange- ly out of Fafhion, and Probability. No matter for that ; it may work by way of Inference, and be ferviceable at Home. And 'tis a handfom Complement to Libertines andAtheifts. We have much fuch another fwaggering againft Priefts in Oedipm. Why feek 1 Truth from thee ? The [miles of Courtiers and the Harlots tears^ The Tradefmens Oaths^ and Mourning of an Heir J Ar^ io6 €De Cfctiyj) atjufeo Are Truths to what Friers tell. Ofdip. 0 why h/: j. p. Thefe are all the Priefis I find mention- '4.7 f, 8»- ed in Homer ; and we lee how fairly the Poet treats them, and what fort of Figure they made in the World. To the Teftimony of Homer, I fliall . joyn that of Virgtl, who tho' he follows at a great diftance of Time, was an Au- thor of the firll Rank, and wrote the fame kind of Poetry with the other. Now Virgil, tho* he is very extraordinary m his Genius, in the Compafs of his Learn- ing, in the Mufick and Majelty of his Stile ; yet the exaiElnefs of his Judgment feems to be his peculiar, and moft di- liinguiOiing Talent. He had the trueft I R«li£h 114 €:f)c Clergy Sbufcti Relifh imaginable, and always defcribed Things according to Nature^ Cuftom^ and Decemy. He wrote with the greateft Command of Temfer, and Suferiority of good Senfe. He is never loft in Smoak and Rapture, nor overborn with Poetick Fury ; but keeps his Fancy warm and his Realon cool at the fame time. NoW^ this great Mafter of Propriety never men- tions any Priejis without fome Marks of Advantage, To give fome Inftances as they lie in Order. . When the Trojans were confultiog what was to be done with the JVooden-Horfe, and fome were for lodging it within the Walls : Laocoon appears againrt this Opi- nion, at the head of a numerous Party ; harangues with a great deal of Senfe, and Refolution ; and examines the Machine with his Lance. In line, He advifed fo well, and went fo far in the Difcovery of the Stratagem ; that if the Trojans had not been ungovernable, and as it were -.ftupified by Fate and Folly, he had faved the Town. Trojaque nuns fiares^ Prtamique arx alta maneres. This Laocoon was Neptunt's Prieft, and either Son to Prim, or Brother to An- chifes bptfje Stage. 115 chifes^ who was of the Royal Family. The next we meet with, is Fmtheiis A- ' foHoh Prieft. He is called Panthem Otna- des, which is an Argument his Father was well known. His Acquaintance with JEjuos^ to whofe Houfe he was carrying his little Grandfon, argues him to be a Perfon of Condition. Fmthem after a fliort Relation of the Poflure of Affairs, .s/j^/^. joyns Myieas^ little Handful of Men, Char- ges in with him when the Town was feiz'd, and fired, and at laft dies handfomely in the A£lion. The next is Anim King of Delos^ Prince and Prieft in one Perfon. Ktx Anius, Rex idem hominum Fh^bi^tie Sacerdos. ^mid. When Mne/is was outed at Troy^ and in queft of a new Country, he came to an Anchor at Delos ; A»ws meets him in a Religious Habit, receives him civilly, ^^^^ and obliges him with his Oracle. In the ' ' Book now mention'd, we have another of Apolloh Priefts, his Name is HelenttSy Son oi Priaw and King of CW»/4. He enter- tains jEneas with a great deal of Friend- (hip, and Magnificence, gives him many material Direaions, and makes him a rich Prefent at parting. To this Prince, if you I 2 pleafe, ii6 €t)c Clergp atmfeu pleafe, we may )oyn a Princcfs of the fame Profeffion ; and that is Rhea Sylvia, Daughter to Numitor King of Alba, and Mother to Romulus^ and Remtu. This jEneid. J^dy yirgtl calls Regtna Sacerdos, a Royal Prieftefs. Farther : When jEne^is made a Vifit upon Bufinefs to the Shades be- Sn. 6. '^^'^ Guide, the famous 5^- bylla Cum^a, who belonged to Apollo. When he came thither, amongft the reft of his Acquaintance, he faw Polybcetes a Prieft of Ceres. This Polyb^tes is mentioned with the three Sons of Antenor, with Glauc/ts, and Therfilocuij who commanded in Chief in the Trojan Auxiliaries : So that you may know his Quality by his Com- pany. When jEmoi had paffed on far- ther, he faw Orpheits in Eljjtum : The Poet calls him the Thracian Prieft. There needs not be much faid of Orpheui: He is famous for his Skill in Mufick, Poetry, iW. and Religious Ceremonies : He was one of the Hero's of Antiquity, and a princi- pal Adventurer in the Expedition of the Golden Fleece. In the Seventh jEneid, the Poet gives in a Lift of the Princes, and General Offi- cers who came into the Affiftance oiTur- nuf \ Amongft the reft he tells you, Quin b^tlie Stage. 117 Quin & MurrubtA venit de gente Sneer dos^ jinhipp regis mijfu fortiffintits Vmbro. This Priejl he commends both for his Courage and his Skill in Phyfiek, Natu- ral Magick, and Philofophy. He under- ftood the Virtues of Plant's^ and could lay Paflions and Poifonsafleep. His Death was extremely regretted by his Country, who made a Pompous and Solemn Mour^ ning for him. TV nemm Angiti£ vitrea^ te Fucf/u, unda^ Mntid. Te lioj^uidi jlevere Ixcm. >■ The Potitii^ and the Fimrii, mention'd ,^ ^n^id, 8. were zsLivy obferves, chofen ' ^" out of the firft Quality of the Country, and had the Priejihood hereditary to their Family. To go on, jEmomdes, and Chlo- rem make a gliftering Figure in the Fteld, and are very remarkable for the Curiofity of their Armour, and Habit. jEmonides's Finery is paffed over in general. Totti>s collucens vejle atc^ue infignibui armis. ^neid But the Equipage of Chloreus is flourifh'd out at length, and as I remember, admired by Macrobifu as one of the Matter- I 5 pieces ii8 CbeClcrgv aOufeU pieces of Virgil in Defcription, In Hiort i ^neid. He is all Gold, Purple, Scarlet, and Eip- !»• broidery ; and as rich as Nature, Art, and Rhetoricjc can make him. To thefe I ^^^^^ might add Rhamnes, Afyloi , and Tolum- ■ lo! I I. ' nitUy who were all Perlonsof Condition, and h^d Confidcrable Pofts in the \ Army. » It may be thcfe laft were not ftriftly Priefts. Their Fun6:ion was rather Pyo- t fhetick. They interpreted the Refolutions i of the Gods, by the voice of Birds, the f Infpeftion of Sacrifices, and their Ob- ^ fervations of Thunder. This made their t ^t'ureVe ^^araftcr counted Sacred, and their Re- t t'enfonuf. latiou to the Deity particular. And there- d fore the Romans ranged them in the Order c of the Priefis. Thus we fee the admired Homer ^ and ( Virgil, always treat the Priefis fairly, j and defcribe them in Circumftances of i Credit ; If 'tis faid, that the Inftances I ( hav^e given , are moftly in Names of Fi£lio», I and in Perfons who had no Being, unlefs o in the Poet's fancy : I anfwer, I am not o concern'd in the Hiflory of the Relation. 1 Whether tlie Mufter be true or falfe, 'tis tl all one to my purpofe. This is certain, \ had the Priefis been People of fueh flen- C der Confideration as our Stage-Poets en- b (icdvour to make them ; they mull have bptbe Stage. appearM in a different Figure ; or rather, have been left out as too little for that fort of Poem. But H.mer and Virgil had other Sentiments of Matters : Tliey were governM by the Reafon of Things, and the common ufage of the World ; They knew the Priefthood a very reputable Em - ployment, and always efteem'd as fuch. To have ufed the Priefis ill, they mult hav^e call'd their own Difcretion in que- ftion : They muft have run into impro- priety, ana fallen foul upon Cuftom, , Manners, and Religion. Now 'twas not their way to play the Knave and the Fool together : They had more Senfe than to do a filly thing, only for the Satisfaction of doing an ill one. I fhall now go on, to enquire what the Greek TrxgecLtuns will ai^^brd us upon tlie present Subjed. There are but two PUys in Aifchyltis, where the Minifiers of the Gods are reprefented. The one is in his Eumsmdes^ and here ApoUosh Priejjefs only opens the PUy, and appears no more. The other is in his Siege of Thbes. In this Tragedy, the Prophet Amphiaraus is one of the Seven Commanders againft the To'.vn. He has the Qiara<5ier of a ModeR, Brave OiBcet", and of one who rather aftecfed to •be great in A^lion, than Noife. In I20 ' Clje Clcrgj; Clbufeli In Sophocles^s Oedipus TyramtUy Jupiter'^s Prtejl has a fhort part. He appears at the Head of an Jddrejs, and delivers the Ha- rangue by the King's Order. Oedipus in Oiitip. Tyr. Paflion treats Tirefioi ruggedly ; T/- ^' rf//-!«f replies with Spirit and Freedom, and plainly tells him he was none of his 5er- vanty but Apollo's. ■ And here we may obferve that all Oe- dtpui his reproaehes relates to Tirefiais per- fon;thereis nofuch Thing as a general Im- putation upon his Function ; But the Eng- ^ 58. lijb Oedipus makes the Priejl-hood an ImT poilurous Profeflion • and rails at the whole Order. In the next Tragedy, Creon charges Tirefas with fubornation and that he intended to make a Penny of his Prince. The .Friejl holds up his Cha- Atitig. f. .-after, fpeaks to the ill Ufage with aa i 5 9. 258. ^-j. gravity, calls the King Son., and foretells him his Misfortune. To go on to Euripides^ for Sophocles has nothing more. This Poet in his Fhamffx brings in Tireji.ts with a very unacceptable report from the Oracle. He tells Crcou that either his Son muft die, or the City be loft : Creon keeps liimfelf within Temper, and gives no ill Language. And even r when bp tlje Stage. 121 when Memcefts had kill'd himfelf, he ^^^-^ neither complains of the Gods, nor re- ph<^nifs.f. proachesthe Profhet. *58, jS9- In his Baceh<£y Tireftas is honourably ufed by Cadmits ; and Fentheu^s who threatned him, is afterwards Punifh'd for his Impiety. In another PUy^ JpoHo^SAa. 4. Friejiefs comes in upon a creditable ac- f'"- ^^-i- count, and is refpe£lfully Treated. Jphige- nia AgamemnQth Daughter is made FrtejU .^^ e[s to Dima, ; and her Father thought AuUd. & himfelf happy in her Employment. Thefe are all the Priejls I Remember, reprefcnted in Euripides. To conclude the ancient Tragedians together : Seneca feems to fol- low the Conduft of Euripides^ and fecures Tireftas from being outraged. Oedipus car- ries it fmoothly with him, and only defires him to out with the Oracle, and de- clare the Guilty Perfon. This Tirefias ex- ocdii>. cufes, and afterwards the Heat of the ex- poftulation falls upon Creon. Calchas^ if not ftriftly a Priefi^ was an -Augur ^ and had a Religious Relation. Upon this ac- count, Agamemnon calls him inter pres Deo- rum \ the Reporter of Fate, and the God's r>_.^^ ^ Nuntio ; and gives him an honourable j, ». 19^.' Characler. This Author is done ; I fliall therefore pafs on to the Comedians, And here, A- rijtrjphanes 'i^ fo declared an Atheijt^ tliac I 122 Cfte Clctgy 9bufeD I tHink him not worth die citing. Be- lides,he has but httlcupon the Argument: And where he does engage it, the Pr lefts , have every jot as good Quarter as the Gods. ' plut. Ran As for Terence^ he neither reprefents any ^v!s. Priefts, nor fo much as mentions them. Chryfdus in PUutus defcribes Theotimu^ Diana's Prieft, as a Perfon of QuaUty, and Figure. In his Rudens^ we have a Prteft- Bacchid. "PO" the Stage, which is the only In- 2.5.3. ftance in this Poet. She entertains the two Women who were wrecked, and is commended for her hofpitable Temper. The Procurer L^^ritjf fwaggers that he will force the Temple, and begins the Attack. J' Demades a Gentleman, isfurprized at his ^' * ^' Infolence, and threatens him with Revenge. The report of fo bold an attempt made him ciy out Ouu homo eft tanta confdentia , c^ui Sacerdotem audeat violare ? It feems in thofe Days, 'twas very infamous to af- front a Holy Chara^er, and break in up- yf[} 3. on the Guards of Religion ! Thus we 2 fee, how the Ancient Poets beiiaved them- felves in the Argument. Priefts feldom appear in their Plays. And when they come, 'tis Bufinefs of Credit that brings them. They are treated like Perfons of Condition They Aft up to their Rela- > rion ; neither fneak, nor prevaricate, nor do any thing unbecoming their Oflue. bptJeSTAGE. i: And now a word or two of the Mo- derns. The famous CormilU and Moliere, bring no Prtejl of any kind upon the iitage^ The former leaves out Ttreftof in his Oedi' fM : tho' this Omiflion baulks his thought, and maims the Fable. What therefore but regard to ReUgion could keep him from the ufeof this Liberty ? As I am inform'd the fame refervednefs is praftifed in Spxin, and Italy ; And diat there is no Theatre in Eurofe^ excepting the EifgUJh^ that en- tertains the Audience with Prtgjls. This is certainly the right Method, and beft fecures the Out-works of Piety. The Holy Funftion is much too Solemn to be play'd with- ChrilUanity is for no Fooling: Neither the PU(e^ the Occafion, nor the A5fors are fit for fuch a Reprefentation. To bring the Church into the P/ay-Houfe, is the way to bring the Plaj-Houfe into the Cihurch. 'Tis apt to turn Religion into Rgmance ; and make unthinking People conclude, that all Serious Matters are no- thing but Farce, Fiction, and Defign. 'Tis true, the Tragedies at Athens were a fort of Homilies, and defign'd for the Inftrurtion of the People. To this purpofe, they are all Clean, Solemn, and Sententious. Plau- ^ tf*i likewife informs us that the Comedians s lifed to teach tlie People Morality. The cafe cafe ftanding thus, 'tis lefs furprifing to find the Priejls lometimes appear. The Play had grave Argument, and Pagan In- dulgence, to plead in it's behalf. But our Poets fteer by another Compafs : Their Aim is to dejlroy Religion, their preaching is againll Sermons ; and their Bufinefs, but Diverfion at the beft. In fhort. Let the Character be never fo well managed, no Chriftian Prieft ( efpecially ) ought to come upon the Stage. For where the Bufinefs is an Abufe, and the Place a Profanation, the demurenefs of the Manner, is but a poor excufe. Monfieur Racine is an Exception to what I have obferv'd in France. . In his Athalia^ '^oida the High-Prieft has a large part. But, then the Poet does him Juftice in his Station ; he makes him Honeft and Brave, and gives him a fhiningCharafter throughout. Mathan is another Prieft in the fame Tragedy. He turns Renegado, and revolts from God to ^aal. He is a very ill Man, but makes a confiderable Appear- ance, and is one of the Top of AthalitCs Fa£tion. And as for the Blemijhes of his Life, they all ftick upon his own Honour, and reach no farther than his Perfon : In fine, the Play is a very Religious Poem ; 'Tis upon the Matter, all Sermon and Anthem. And if it were notdefign'd for thtTheatre^ I have nothincf to Objeft. b^t&e Stage. 125 Let us now juft look over our own Country-men, till King C/'^r/w the Second. Shake/pear takes the Freedom to reprefent the C/ergy in feveral of his Piays But for the moft part, he holds up the Fun^ion^ and makes them neither Aft, nor Suffer amy thing unhandfom. In one Play or two, he is much bolder with the Order^ * Sir Hugh Evans a Priefi is too Comi- « Mtafnre cal and Secular in his Humour. Ylovj-f'^ ^e^- ever heunderftands hisPoft, andconverfes^X^Sf^ with the Freedom of a Gentleman. I grant in Love's Labour lojl, the Curate plays the Fool egregioufly ; and fo does the Hairy^t/,. Poet too ; for the whole P/aj is a very filly one. In the Hiftory of Sir John Old- f '!!] Cajile^ Sir John^ParJon oiWrotham iwears, i'-tmeo and games, wenches, pads, tilts, and drinks: ^'"'j*^;^ This is extremel}' bad, and like the Au- wive7of thor of the Relapfe, &c. Only with this ''^'«4"-- Difference; Shakefpear''s Sir John hzs feme Advantage in his Charafter. He appears Loyal and Stout ; He brings in Sir John JifoMy and other Rebels Prifoners. He is rewarded by the King, and the Judge ufes him Civilly and with Refped. In (hort, He is reprefcnted Lewd,.but not Little ; And the Difgrace falls rather on the Perfon than the Office. But the ReUpferh Bufi- nefs, is to fink the Notion, and Mur- ther the Character, and make the Fun- ftion 126 ftion defpicable : So that upon the whole. Shake/pear is by much the gentiler Enc- Towards the end of the Sile»t Womdit, Ben Johnfon brings in a Clergy-man, and a Civilian in theit Habits. But then he premifes a handfom Excufe, acquaints the Audience, that the Perfons are but bor- rowed, and throws in a Saho for the Ho- nour of either Profeflion. In the Third Jci, we have another Clergy-man ; He is abufed by Cutberd, and a little by Mo- rofe. But his Lady checks him for the ill Breeding of the Ufage. In his Magnetick Epy of Lady, TaleofaTub,2LndSadShepherd,theTt Pr^^w.ir. pfiesh who manage but untowardly. But thefe Plays were his lafilVorks, which Mr. Dryden calls hif Dotages. This Author lias no more Priejlsy and therefore we'll take leave. Beaumont and Fletcher in the Faithful Shtpherdejs, The Falfe one, A Wife for a. Month, and the Kjiight of Malta. , give us both Brief: s and Bijhops, part Heathen and part Chriftian : But all of them fave their Reputation, and make a Creditable Appearance. The Priejls in the Scornful The firft is made a Fool, and the other a Knave. Indeed, they feem to be brought in on purpofe to make fport, and dilTerve .ifty. Religion. bpt^eSTAGE. Religion. And fo much for ^edumnt and Fletcher. Thus we {ee the E/7glifh-St age has always been out of Order, but never to the Pe- grcc 'tis at prefent. I fhall now take Leave of the Poets^ and touch a little upon Hiftory and Argu- ment. And here I fhall briefly fliew the Right the Clergy have to Regard, and fair Ufage^ upon thefe Three following Accounts. I. Becaufe of their Relation to the Detty. II. Becaufe of the Importance of their Of- fee, III. They have frefcription for their Pri- vilege. Their Function has been in Poffefjion ofEJleem in all Ages^ and Countries. I. Vpon the Account of their Relation to the Deity. The Holy Order is appropriated to the Divine Worfhip ; And a Priejl has the peculiar Honour to belong to nothing left than God Almighty. Now nht Credit o'i the Service always rifes in proportion to the Quality and Greatnefs of the Mafter. And for thisReafon, 'tis more Honourable to ferve a Prince, than a private Perfon. To apply this , Chriftian Priejls are the Principal iMinirters of God's Kindom. They 5 28 COe Cicrgr 3tja(ttJ They reprefent his Perfon , publifli hfs Laws, pafs his Pardons, and prefide in his Worfhip. To expofe a Priefl^ much more to burlefque his Funftion,is an Affront to the Deity. All Indignities done to Am- bafladors, are interpreted upon their Ma- fters and Reveng'd as fuch. To outrage the Minifiers of Religion, is in effeft to deny the Being, or Providence of God ; and to treat the Bible like a Romance : As much as to fay , the Stories of ano- ther World are nothing but a little Priejl- craft; and therefore I am refolved tolafh the Profeflion. But to dro\l upon the Inftitution of God ; to make his Mini- flers cheap, and his Authority contempti- ble ; to do this is little lefs than open De-t fiance. 'Tis a fort of Challenge to a wak- en his Vengeance , to exert his Omni- potence , and do Right to his Honour. If the ProfelTion of a Courtier was un- fafhionable, a Prince's Commiffion thought a Scandal , and the Magijtracy laught at for their Bufinefs ; the Monarch had need look to himfelf in time : He may conclude, his Perfon is defpls'd, his Authority but a Jeft, and the People ready either to change their Maiter, or to fet up for them- felves. Government and Religion, no lefs than Trade fubfift upon Reputation. 'Tis true God can't be Depofed, neither does his bpt^ Stage. his Happinefs depend upon Honiage. But fince he does not Govern by Omnipotence, fince he leaves Men to their Liberty, Ac- knowledgment muft fink, and Obedience decline, in proportion to the Leflenings of Authority. How provoking an Indignity of this kind mutt be, is eafie to imagine. II. The Funftions and Authorities of Religion have great Influence on Society. The Intereft of this Life lies very much in the Belief of another. So that if our Hopes were bounded with Sight and Senfe , if Eternity was out of the Cafe, General Ad- vantage, and Publick Reafon, and Secu- lar Policy, would oblige us to be juft to ,-the PriefthooA. For Priejls, and Religion always ftand and fall together ; Now Re- ligion is the Bafis of Government , and Man is a wretched Companion without it. When Confcience takes its Leave, Good Faith, and Good Nature go with it. Atheifm is all Self, Mean and Mercenary. The Atheifl has no Here.tfter^ and there* -fore will be fure to make the molt of this World. Intereft , and Pleafure are the *Gods he Worfhips, and to thefe he'll Sa- •crifice every Thing elfe. = III. The Prieji-hQod ought to be fairly ^treated, becaufeit has Prefcription for this -Privilege. This is fo evident a Truth, •that there is hardly any Age or Country, K but 130 Cfje Clcrp ^tjufeo but affords fufficient Proof. A juft Dif- courfe upon this Subjeft would be a large Book, but I fhall juft skim it over and pafson. And ifi. For the Jews. Jofephui teWs us, the Line Aaron made fome of the beft Pe- ve Bell, digrees, and that the Friefis were reckon'd Judaic, among the Principal Nobility. By the Old Tejldment we are informed ,7. that the High-Frtefi was the Second Per- 9. 'o- fon in the Kingdom. The Body of that ^''^'^ Civi^ Jurifdiftion. And the Pnefis continued Part of the Magiftracy Mark. 17. in the time of our Saviour. Jehotada the rd s uen ^^i,^'^^^^fi thought an Alliance big de syLd" enough for the Royal Family. He Mar- ried the King's Daughter ; His Intcreft and Authority was fo great that he broke the Ufurpation under Jthalia ; and was at the Head of the Reliauration. And laftly the Affamonem Race were both Kings and Pneiis. To Proceed . The yEgyptian Monarchy was one oi the moft antient and beft-po- iChron. lii'xi'd upon Record. Here Arts and Sci- ences, the Improvement of Reafon, and joftph. the Splendor of Life had its firft Rife. Hither 'twas that PUto and moft of the Celebrated Philofophers travell'd for their Learning. Now in this Kingdom the Priejfs made no vulgar Figure. Thefe with the bp tOe St AGE. 131 the Military Men were the Body of the Mobility, and Gentry. Befides theBufi^ •ncfs of Religion, the Priejls were thePub- Jick A»xialiiisj2Lnd. kept the Records of H/^ Jiory, and Go-Jerome nr. They were many of them bred m Courts, formed the Edu- cation of their Princes, andaffilted at their Councils. When Jofeph was Viceroy of •s^v- y^gypt^ and in all the height of his Pomp, and Power, the King Married him to the * Daughter of Potipherah Priefi of On. Tlje ■Text fays Pharaoh gave him her to Wife. Gen. 41. This fhews the Match was deliberate Choice, and Royal Favour, no ftooping ofQuahty, or CondefcenfionsofLove, on Jojeph^s Side. To pafs on. The Perfian Magi^ and the Druids of Gaal were of a Religious Profef- lion, and confign'd to the Service of the Gods. Now all thefe were at the upper End of the Government, and had a great fhare of Regard and Authority. The Bo- dy of the Indians J as Diodorits Siculm Pcrph.d.. ports, is divided into Seven Parts. The rin'f is the CU;i of the Brnmnes^ the P^^eJl^^jltZB*!^ and Philofophers of that Country. ' This Q^^. ta. * Divifion is the leaft in Number, but the ^• * tirft in Degree. Their Privileges are ex- * traoidinary. They are exempted from * Taxes, and Live Indeoendent of Autho- * ritv. They are called to the Sacrifices, V ' K 2 * and 1^2 Cfje Clergv atufcH * and take care of Funerals •, They are look'd ^ron as the Favourites of the Gods, and * thought skilful in the Doftrins of another * Life : And upon thefe Accounts are large- * ly confider'd in Prefents, and Acknow- ' ledgement. Th^Priefiejfes ArgoswtXQ foConfiderable, that Time is dated from them, and they ftand for a Reign in Chro- nology. The Brave ilow4warecommend- ^- ed by Polybiu^ for their Devotion to the Gods ; Indeed they gave great Proof of their being in earneft ; For when their Chief Magiftfates , their Confuls them- felves, met any of the Fejlals, they held Sen. in down their Fafces^ and ftoop'd their Co7itr<,v. and Mace to Religion. The Prieft-hood was for fome time con- fin'd to the Patrician Order, that is, to the Upper Nobility. And afterwards the Emperours were generally High-Priejls themfelves. The Romans in diftrefs en- deavour'd to make Friends with CorioU- nm whom they had banifh'd before. To this purpofe they furnifh'd out feveral So- lemn Embaffies. Now the Regulation of . the Ceremony, and the Remarks of the i>im. Ha. Hiftorian, plainly difcover that the hody of the Priefis were thought not inferior to any other. One Teftimony from TuUy and I have done. 'Tis in his Harangue to the College of the Priefls. Cum midtx dtvinitiUy tip tfje S T A G E. Alvinitfi'S, Pontifces, a majonbtis ncjlris in- ^^^^ vent A at que injlituta funt ; turn nihil pra* ad Vontif. clariu^ qudm quod vos eofdem & Religioni- bus Deorum immortalium, & fummx Rei- publica praeffe voluerunt, &c. i. e. Amongft the many laudable Infiances of our Anceflors Prudence y and Capacity, I knorv nothing bet- ter contrived than their placing your Order at the Helm, and fetting the fame Perfons at the Head both of Religion and Govern- ment. Thus we fee what Rank the Priefl- hood held among the fews, and how Na- ture taught the Heathen to regard it. And is it not now poffefs'd of as fair pretences as formerly ? Is Chriftianity any difad- vantage to the Holy Office ; And does, the Dignity of a Religion leffen the Pub- lick Adminiftrations in't ? The Priesi of the mcH High God and of Idolatry ^ can't be compared without Injury. To argue for the Preference is a Reflexion upon the Creed. 'Tis true, the Jetvijb Priefl-hood was inftituted by God : But every Thing Di- vine is not of Equal Confideration. Reali- ties are more valuable than Types ; And as the Apoftle argues, the Order of Melchize- deck is greater than that of Aaron. The h^^;.. 7. Author, ( I mean the immediate one, ) the Authorities, the Bufinefs, and the End, of the Chrijlian Priefi-hood^ are more Noble than thofe of the Jewijh. For is not Christ K 5 greater 1^4 €lm^ 3bufeu greater than Mj/f5, better than the Land of Canaan, and the EuchariH to be prefer'd to all the Sacrifices^ and Expiations of the L^rp ? Thus the Right, and the Reafon of things ftands. And as for K-tJ?, the Christian World have not been back- ward in their Acknowledgments. Ever fince the firft Converfion of Princes, the PrieHhood has had no fmafl fhare of Tem- poral Advantage. The Codes ^ Novels^ and Church-Htjlory , are fufficient Evidence what Senfe ConHantine and his Succeflbrs had of thefe Matters. But I fliall not de- tain the Reader in remote Inftances. To proceed then to Times and Coun- tries more generally known. The People of fr^w^ are branched into three Divifions, SlXw ^^^^^ ^^^^^JC> V\v{}l. And in Ji Grind, confequence of this Privilege, at the AfTem- bly of the States, they are firft admitted to Harangue before the King. In Hungary tlie Bifhops are very Confi- derable, and fome of them great Officers suZ" In Poland thef 2ve Senators, that Reiig. is, part of the Upper Nchlefs. In Mufcovy <:hrift. the Bijhops have an Honourable Station ; jf.''f'^ and the Prefent Czar is defcended from Fletcher V tht Patriarchal I fuppofe Ineedfay Emb^f). nothing of //^/y. In .S/'.t/;? they're/ general- ly are better endow'd than elfe-w!icrc, 6n.ar H.- and Wealth always draws Ccnfideration. 1 bptfteSTAGE. 135 The Bijhops hold their Lands by a Milita- ry Noble Tenure, and are excufed from Per- fonal Attendance. And to come toward J^^''-'- an end ; They are Earls and Dukes in France, and Sovereign Princes in German). ■ In England the Bijhops are Lords of Parlia- ment : And the Laiv in plain Wordsdi-iy Htn. ftinguifhes the Vpper Houfe into the Spiri- 1^"^- tual and Temporal Nobility. And federal ns Hm s. Statutes call the Bifhops Nobles by direct Implication. To mention nothing more, 5 c>*. their Heraldry is regulated by Garter, and i2,rf has now reviv'd them ; Ijj) tlje St AGE. tjt And Horace might be of his Opinion, for ought we know to the contrary. Lafi/jj Horace having exprefly mention- ed the beginning and progrefs of Comedy^ difcovers himfeu more fully : He advifes a Poet to form his Work upon the Precepts of Socrates and Plato^ and the Models of Moral Philofophy. This was the way to prcferve Decency, and to aflign a proper Fate and Behaviour to every Character, Now if Horace would have his Poet go- ii>i €ncaurapli In the mean time I (hall take a Teftimo- ny or two from Shake/pear. And here we may obferve the admir'd Faljiaffe goes oflf in Difappointment. He is thrown out of Favour as being a Rake, and dies like a Rat behind the Hangings. The Pleafure he had given, would not excufe him. The Poet was not fo partial, as to let his Hu- mour compound for his Lewdnefs. If 'tis objefted that this Remark is wide of the Point, becaufe Fdftaffe is reprefented in Tragedy, where the Laws of Juftice are more ftriftly obferv'd. To this I anfwer, that you may call Henry the Fourth and Fifth, Tragedies if you pleafe. But for all that, Fdjlajfe wears no Buskins, his Charafter is perteftly Comical from end to end. The next Inftance fhall be in Floiverdale the Prodigal. This Spark not withftanding neton- his Extravagance, makes a lucky Hand don Prcdi. ^^^^ marries a rich Lady. But then the Poet qualifies him for his good Fortune, and mends his Manners with his Circumftances. He makes him Repent, and leave off his Intemperance, Swearing, &c. And when his Father warn'd him againft a Relapfe, He anfwers very foberly, Heaven helping me Til hate the Courfe of Hell. I ftp tfje St AGE. 155 I could give fome Inftances of this kind out of Beaumont and Fletcher , But there's no need of any farther Quotation ; For Mr. Dryden is not fatisfied with his Apolo- gy from Authority : He does as good as own that this may be conltrued no better than defending one ill Praftice by another. To prevent this very reafonable* Obje£lion he endeavours to vindicate his Precedents from the Reafon of the Thing. To this pur- pofe he makes a mde differ eace between the Rules of Tragedy and Comedy. That Vicemufi be impartially profecuted in the frjl, becauje the Ferfons are Great ^ Sfc. It feems then Executions are only for Greatnefs and Quality. 'Jujlice is not to ftrike much lower than a Prime. Private People may do what they pleafe. They are too few for Mifchief, and too little ' for Puntfhment ! This would be admi- rable Do6lrine for Nervgate^ and give us a general Goal-Delivery without more ado. But in Tragedy, (fays the Mock- Afirologer, ) The Crimes are likewife Hor- rid, fo that there is a neceffity lor Se- verity and Example. And how ftands the matter in Comedy? Quite other wife. There the Faults are hut the fallies of Touth, jj^-j and the Frailties of Human Nature. For Inftance. There is nothing but a little Whoring, Pimping, Gaming, Profanenefs, &c. And who could be fo hard-hearted to 1 56 "^immo^aUtp Cncottragcti to give a Man any Trouble for This ? Such Rigours would be ftrangely Inhu- mane ! A Poet is a better natur'd Thin^ I can affure you. Thefe little Mifcarri- ages wove Pity and CommrferatioNy and are Ibid. ^op fuch as musi of necejjity be Punijh*d, This is comfortable Cafuiftry ! But to be Serious. Is DifTolution of Manners fuch a Peccadillo ? Does a Profligate Confcience deferve nothing but Commiferatipn ? And are People damn'd only for Humane Frail- ties ? I perceive the Laws of Religion and thofe of the Stage differ extreamly 1 The ftrength of his Defence lies in this choice Maxim, that the Chief End of Comedy is Delight. He qucftions whether Infiru^ion has anything to do in Comedy ; If it has, he is lure "^tis no more than it''s fecondctry end : Hid. For the bufmefs of the Poet is to make you laugh. G^-anting the Truth of this Prin- ciple, I fomewhat queftion the Servicea- blenefs of it. For is there no Diverfion to be had unlefs Vice appears profperous, and rides at the Head of Succefs ? One would think fuch a prepofterous diftribu- tion of Rewards , fhould rather ftiock the Reafon , and raife the Indignation of the Audience. To laugh without Rea- fon is the Pleafure of Fools, and againft it, of fomcthing worfe. The expofing of Kna- very, and making Lewdncfs ridiculous, is a much h"^ tibe Stage. 157 tnuch better occafion for Laughter. And tliis with fubmiflion I take to be the End of Co- medj. And therefore it does not differ from ' Tragedy in the End, but in the Means. Inftru- ftion is the principal Defign of both. The one works by Terror, the other by Infamy. 'Tis true,they don't move in the fame Line, but they meet in the fame Point at laft.For this Opinion I have good Authority, be- fides what has been cited already. iff. Monfieur K^/i/^ affirms, 'That De- ■ • light is the End that Poetry aims at, but not the Principal one. For Poetry being * an Art, ought to be profitable by the qua- * lity of it's own nature, and by the Enen- *tial Subordination that all Arts fhould * have to Polity, whofe End in General is R^pin Re. * the publick Good. This is the Judg-^'-'J;^^':- * ment of Arijlotle and of Horace his chief ^' '°* * Interpreter. Ben Joh/jfo» in his Dedica- - ' tory Epiftleof his Fox has fomewhat con-'' fiderable upon this Argument ; And de- claims with a great deal of Zeal, Spirit, and good Senfe, againft the Licentioufnefs of * the Stage. He lays it down for a Princi- ple, * That 'tis impoffibletobeagoodPc^r. * without being a good Ma».' That he ' ( a good Poet ) is mid to be able to inform ' young Men to all good Difcipline, and ' enflame grown Men to all great Virtues, ' &c. That the general complaint was * that the Writers of thofe days had no- * thing 1 58 limmo^aUt]? CttcouragcD ' thing remaining in them of the Dignity * of a Poet, but the abufed Name. That 'now, efpecially in Stage-Poetry, nothing * but Ribaldry, Profanation, Blafphemjy all ' Licence of Offence to God and Man, is * praclifed. He confeffes a great part of * this Charge is over-true, and is forry he ' dares not deny it. But then he hopes all * are not embark'd in this bold Adventure * for Hell. For my part ( fays lie ) I can, * and from a moft clear Confcience afiirm ; ' That I have ever trembled to think to- * vizards the leaft Profanenefs, and loath'd * theUfeof fuchfoul, and unwafh'd Baw- * dry,as is now made the Food of the Seem. * The encreafe of which Lufk in Liber- * ty,what Learned or Liberal Soul does not * abhor ? In whole Enterludes nothing but 1 ' the Filth of the Time is utter'd — witli * Brothelry able to violate the Ear of a Pa- ga-,?, and Blafphemy, to turn the Blood of * a Chriftian to Water. He continues, ' * that the Infolcnce of thefe Men had * brougliL the Mufes into Difgrace , and * made Poe/r; the lo weft fcorn of the Age. * He appeals to his Patrons the Vniverfittes, * that his Labour has been heretofore, and * moftly in this Iiis lateft Work, to reduce * not only the ancient Forms, but Manners ' of the Scene, the Innocence and the Do- ' £trine,which is the principal €ntl of Poe- bp tlbCSXAGE. I * fy, to inform Men in the beft Reafon of * Living. Laftly he adds, *tliat he has imi- * tated the Conduft of the Antients in this ^ ' PUy, The goings out ( or Conclufions ) of * whofe Comedies^ were not always joy- * fill but oft-times the Bawds, the Slaves, ,*the Rivals, yea, and the Mafters are * Mulfted, and fitly, it being the Office of ' a Comtek Poet ( mark that ! ) to imitate * Juftice and Inftruft to Life, &c. Say you fo ! Why then if Ben 'Johnfon knew any thing of the Matter, Divertifement and Laughing is not as Mr. Dryden affirms, the Chief End of Comedy. This Teffimony is fo very full and clear, that it needs no ex- plaining, nor any enforcement from Rea- foning, and Confequence. And becaufe Laughing and Pleafure has fuch an unlimited Prerogative upon the Utage^ I fhall add a Citation or two from Anfiotle concerning this Matter. Now this great Man, ' calls thofe Buffoons, and ' Impertinents, who rally without any re- ;* gard to Perfons or Things, to Decency f * or good Manners. That there is a great ' difference between Ribaldry, and hacd- * fom Rallying. He that would perform ' exaftly rauft keep within the Character ( * of Virtue and Breeding. He goes on, ' and tells us that the old Comedians enter- * tein'd the Audience with Smut, but the li^ - 'Modern t66 immo^aUtv CncourajjeD * Mtdern ones avoided that Liberty, and ' grew more referv'd. This latter way he * fays was much more proper and Gentile * than the other. That in his Opinion * Rallying, no lefs than Railing, ought to ' be under the Difcipline of Law ; That * he who is ridden by his Jefis, and minds ' nothing but the Bufinefs of Laughing, is ' himfelf Ridiculous. And that a Man o( Lib.^.de * Education andSenfe, is fo far from going Akyii>.c»f.i thefe Lengths that he wont To much as * endure the hearing feme fort of Buf^ * foonry. And as to the point of Delight in ge- neral, the famle Author affirms, * That ' fcandalous Satisfattions are not properly ' Pleafures. 'Tis only DiRemper, and falffc Appetite which makes thern Palatable. * And a Man that is Sick, feldotn has his ' Tafte true. Befides, fuppofing we throw ' Capacity out of the Queftion, and make * Experiment and Senfation the Judge • * Granting this, we ought not to chop ' at every Bait, nor Fly out . at every * Thing that ftrikcs the Fancy. The meer * Agreeablenefs muft not over-bear us , * without diftinguilhing upon the Quality, *■ and the Means. Pleal'ure how charming * foevcr, muft not be fetched out of Vice. ' An Eftate is a pretty , Thing, but if we 'purchafe by Falfliood, and Knavery, 'we bu tfte Stage. i6i * Knavery, We pay too much for't. Some * Pleafures are Childifh, and others abo- * minabie ; And upon the whole, pleafure, or. Mr- * abfolutely fpeaking, is no good Thing. i'^- lo- And fo much for the Philofopher. And '"^'^ *' becaufe Ribaldry is uied for Sport, a paf- fage or two from Qutntilim^ may not be iinfeafonable. This Orator does not only Condemn the grofler Inftances, but cuts off" all the Double-Entendre's at a Blow. He comes up to the Regularity of Thought, and tells us that the Meaning, as well as the * Words of Difcourfe muft beunfulli-;„^/?/.-„.., * ed. And in the fame Chapter he adds that ^'^ ^ ^^ ' A Man of Probity has always a Referve * in his Freedoms, and Converfes within * the Rules of Modefty, and Charafter. * And that Mirth at the expence of Vir- * tue, is an Over-purchafe, Nimiwm enlm riftis pretium eH fi frobitatps impendio con- fiat. Thus we fee how thefe great Majlers qUahfy Divedion, and tie it up to Pro- ■vifoes^ and Conditions. Indeed to make Delight the main bufmefs of Comedy is an unreafonable and dangerous Principle : It • opens the way to all Licentioufnefs, and Confounds the diftindioo between Mirth, and Madnefs. For if Diverfion is the Chief End^ it muft be had at any Price. No fcvviceable Expedient muft be refufed, M tho' 3immo?alftp Cncoiiragcu tho' never fo fcandalous. And thus the worft Things are faid, and thebeft abus'd ; Religion is infulted, and the moft ferious Matters turn'd into Ridicule ! As if the Blind fide of an Audience ought to be carefsM, and their Folly and Atheifm en- tertain'd in the firft Place. Yes, if the Palate is pleas'd, no matter tho' the Body is Poyfon'd ! For can one die ofaneafier Difeafe than Diverfion ? But Raillery a- part, certainly Mirth and Laughing with- out refpeQ: to the Caufe, are not fuch fupreme Satisfactions 1 A Man has fomc- times Pleafure in lofing his Wits. Fren- fy, and Pojfefjion^ will fhake the Lungs, and brighten the Face ; and yet I fuppofe they are not much to be coveted. How- ever, now we know the Reafon of the Profanenefs, and Obfcenity of the Stage, of their Hellifli Curfing and Swearing, and in fliort of their great Induftry to make God, and Goodnefs Contemptible: 'Tis all to Satisfie the Company, and make People Laugh ! A moft admirable Juftifi- cation ! What can be more engaging to an Audience^ than to fee a Poet thus A- theiftically brave ? To fee him Charge up to the Canons Mouth, and defy the Ven- geance of Heaven to ferve them ? Befides, there may be fomewhat of Convenience in the Cafe. To fetch Diverfion out ot In lip tbe Stag e. Innocence is no fuch eafy matter. There's no fucceeding it may be in this method, ■without Sweat, and Drudging. Clean Wit, inoffenfive Humour, and handfom Contrivance, require Time^.and Thought. And who would be at this Expence,when the Purchafe is fo cheap another way ? 'Tis poflible a Poet may not always have Senfe enough by him for luch an Occa- fion. And fince we are upon fuppofals, it may be the Audience is not to be gain'd without {training a Point, and giving a Loofe to Confcience ; and when People are fick, are they not to be Humour'd ? In fine, vve muft make them Laugh, right or wrong, for Delight is tlie Chief End of Comedy. Delight ! He fhould have faid Debauchery : That's the Englifh of the Word, and the Confequence of the Pra- ctice. But the Original Defign of Comedy wasotherwife: And granting 'twas not fo, wha: then ? If the Ends of Things are naught, they muft be mended. Mif- chief is the Chief end of Malice, would it be then a Blemifh in Ill-Nature to change Temper, and relent into Goodnefs ? T he Chief End of a Madman it may be is to Fire a Houfe, muft we not therefore bind him in his Bed ? To conclude. If De- light ^witboutReftraint, or Diftin£tion, without Confcience or Shame, is the Su- M 2 pream 164 3:nimo2aUtv Cncouiagcn f ' pream Law of Comedy^ *twerc well if we hadlefsont. Arbitrary Pleafure, is more dangerous than Arbitrary Power. No- thing is more Brutal than to be aban- doned to Appetite ; And nothing more wretched than to ferve in fuch a Defign. The Mock-Afirologer to clear himfelf of this Imputation, is glad to give up his Principle at Laft. Leji my Mm fh^ould j think (fays he) that t write this to make Libertmifm amiable, or that I cared not to debafe the End, and Infiitution 0/ Comedy. ( It feems then Delight is not the Chief | End.) I muH farther declare that rve make i not Vicious Perjbns Happy, but only as He a- \ •ven makes Sinners jo, &c. If this will hold, all's well. But Heauen does not forgive without Repentance. Let us fee then 1 what Satisfaftion he requires from his \ Wild-Blood, and what Difcipline he puts him under. Why, He helps him to his Miibefs, he Marries him to a Lady of Birth and Fortune. And now do you ' think He has not made him an Example, \ and puniiliM him to fomePurpofe ! Thefe are frightful Severities ! Who would be ' vicious when fuch Terrors hang over his ' Head ? And does Heaven make Sinners happy upon thefe Conditions ? Sure fome People have a good Opinion of Vice, or a very ill One oi Marriage, otherwife they would bp tljc St AGE. ' i6$ - would have charged the Penance a lit- tle more. But I have nothing farther v^ith the Mock'AJlrologer. And now for the Conclufion of a Chap- j ter^ I fhall give fome Inftances of the Mmners of the Stage^ and that with re- fpe6t to Poetry, and Ceremony. Maimers in the Language of Poetry, is a Propriety of Aftions, and Perfons. I'o fucceed in this Bufinefs, there muil always be a re- gard had to Age, Sex, and Condition : And nothing put into the Mouths of Per- fons which difagrecs with any of tliefe Cir- cumftances. 'l is not enough to fay a witty Thing , unlefs it be fpoken by a likely Perfon, and upon a proper Occa- fion. But my Defign will lead me to this Subjeft afterwards, and therefore I fhall fay no more of it at prefent, but pro- ceed to apply the Remark. One Inttance of Impropriety in Manners both Poetical and Moral, is their ma- king Women, and Women of Qiiality talk Smuttily. This I have proved upon them already, and could cite many more places to the fame purpofe were it nc- ceflary. But I fhall go on, and give tlie Rea- der fome other Examples of Decency, Judgment, and Probability. Don-Sekt- ftixn will help us in fome Meafure. Here ■ ' M 3 the 66 . Smmo^alltp (eiiccurageo the Mufty makes a foolifh Speech to the Rabble, and jefts upon his own Religion. He tells them, tho'your Tyrmt U a. Lawful EmferouTj yet your Lawful Emperour U but a Tyrant^ That your Emperour is a Ty- rant is moJi ManifeFi, for you were born to be Turksj but he has playd the Turk with 5. you. And now is not this Man fit to Manage the Alcoran^ and to be fet up for an Oracle of State? Captain Tom fhoul4 have had this Speech by right : But the Poet had a farther Defign, and any thing is good enough for a Mufty. Sebajlian after all the Violence of his Repentance, his grafping at felf Murther, and Refolutions Tor the O//, is ftrangely pleafed with the Remembrance of his In- cest^ and wifhes the Repetition of it: And Jlmeida out of her Princely Modefty, and fiHguIar Compunftion, "is of the fame 1:9. Mind. This is fomewhat furprifing 1 Oedipii^ and JocaJIa in Sophocles don't Re- pent at this rate. No : The horror of the firll Difcovery continues upon their Spirits : They never relaple into any fits of Intemperance , nor entertain them- felves with a lewd Memory. This fort of Behaviour is not only more Inftruftive but more Natural too. It being very un- likely one lliould wiOi the repeating a Crime, when He was almofl: Diftraded (l^ tDC S T A G E. at the thoughts on't ; At the thoughts on'c, tho' 'twas committed under all the Circum- ftances of Excufe. Now when Ignorance and meet Miftake are fo very difquieting, 'tis very ftrange if a Man fhould plague his Mind with the Aggravations of Know- ledge ; To carry Averfion, and Defire, in their full Itrength upon the fame Objeft ; To fly and purfue with fo much Eagernefs, is fomewhat unufual If we ftep to the Spamjh Fryar He will afford us a Flight worth the obferving. 'Tis part of the Addreffes of Torrifmond to Leonora. Tou are fo Beautiful Sowondroui Fair, you jajlife Rebellioyi ; As if that fault lefs Face could make no Sik, But Heaven by looking on it muf forgive. Thefe are ftrange Complements ! Tor- rifmond cdXh his Queen Rebel to her Head, when he was both her General and her Lover. This is powerful Rhetor ick to Court a Queen with ! Enough one would think to have made the Affair defperate. But he has a Remedy at Hand. The Poet'*s Noflrum of Profanenefs cures all. He does as good as tell Her, fhe may Sin as much as Ihe has a Mind to. Her Face is a Protection to her Confcience. For M 4 _ Heaven i<58 3[mmo?aUtj) (gucourflgcu Heaven is under a neceffity to forgive a Handfom Woman. To fay all this ought to be pafsM over in Torrifmond on the fcore of hisPaflion, is to make the Excufe more fcandalous than the Fault, if poflible. Such Raptures are fit only for Bedlam^ or a place which I fhan't Name. Love Triumphant will furnifh another Rant not altogether inconfiderable. Here Celadea a Maiden La- dy, when fhe was afraid her Spark would be married to another, calls out prefently for a Chaos. She is for pulling the World about her Ears, tumbling all the Elements together, and Expoftulates with Heaven for making Humane Nature other wife than it fliould have been. p. yi. G-^eat Nature break thy chain- that links to- gether The Y ahrick of this Globe ^ and make aChaoSy Like that within my Soul.' Now to my fancy, if fhe had call'd for a Chair inftead of a Chaos, trip'd off, and kept her folly to her felf, the Woman had been much wifer. And fmc€ we have fliown our Skill in vaulting on the High- Ropes, zhttkTumblingonthe Stage, may sfmt-fh not do amifs for variety. Frj/ar ) Now then for a jeft or two. Don Go-: ^- mez, final] begin : AvA here he'll give us a bptbe Stage. * 169 a Gingle upon the double meaning of a Word. Ithink^ fays Dotninick the Fryar, it was my good Angel that fent me hither fo oppor- tunely. Gomez fufpefts him brib'd for no creditable Bufmefs, and Anfwers, Gom. Ay, rvhofe good A^els fent you hi- ther, that you know heH Father. Thefe Spaniards will entertain us with more of this Fine Raillery. Colonel S.in- cho in Love Triumphant lias a great ftroak at it. He fays his Bride Ddwda is no more Dalinda^ but DaliUh the Philijline. ^. 70. This Colonel as great a Soldier as he is, is quite puzzled at a Herald. He thinks they call him Herod, or fome fuch 'Jewish Name. Here you have a good Officer fpoil'd for?- 6i. a miferable jeft. And yet after all, this Sancho tho' he can't pronounce Herald^ knows what 'tis to be Laconick, which is fomewhat more out of his M'ay. Thrafo in Terence was a Man of the fame fize in Emch. Senfe, but for all that he does liot quibble. AlbanaB Captain of the Guards, is much ^'^'^ about as witty as Sancho. It feems ^' " Emmeline Heirefs to tlie Duke of Cornrval was Blind. Alhanact takes the rife of his Thought from hence ; And obferves that as Blind as flje is^ Cojivald mould have no blind Birgain of her. Carlos tells Sancho he is fure of his Miftrefs, and has k'o tnore to do ^ut to take out a Licenfe. Han- o 3immo?alitp CticoutnpD Samho replies, Indeed, I have her Ucenfe for it. Carlos is fomewhat angry at this Gingle, and cries, what quibling too in your Profperity? Adverfity it feems is the only time for punning. Truly I think fo too. For 'tis a fign a Man is much Diftrefs'd when he flies to fuch an Expedient. How- ever, Carlos needed not to have been fo touchy : For he can ftoop as low himfeif upon occafion. We muft know then that Sancho had made himfeif a Hunch'd Back, to counterfeit the Conde Alonz,o. The two Colonels being in the fame Difguife, were juft upon the Edge of a Quarrel. After fome Preliminaries in Railing, Sancho cries, Don^t provoke me ; I am mifchievouf ly bent. Carlos replies, ISJay^ you are 'BEUt enough in Confcieme^ hut I have ^ 15^11 1 Fill: /or Boxing. Here you have a Brace of Quib- bles ftarted in a Line and a Half. And which is worft of all, they come from Car- losy from a Character of Senfe ; and there- fore the Poet, not the Soldier ^ muft anfwer for them. I lliall now give the Reader a. few In- ftances of the Courtlhip of the Stage, and how decently they treat the Women, and Quality of both Sexes. The Women who are fecured from Affronts by Cuftom, and have a Privilege for RcfpcLi, are fome- times bp tlje St AGE. 171 times but roughly faluted by chefe Men of Addrefs. And to bar the Defence, this Coarfenefs does not always come from Clowns, and Women-haters ; but from . Perfons of Figure, neither fingular, nor ill Bred. And which is ftill worfe, The Sa- tyr falls on blindly without Diftinftion, and ftrikcs Lt the whole Sex. Enter Raymond a Noble-man in the^ '*^- Spanijh Fryar. 0 Virtue! Virtue ! What art thou become ? That men fjould leave thee for thatToy a worn an ^ Made from the Drofs and Reft/fe of a Man ; Hea^jen took him fleepingwhen he made her too^ Had Man been waking he had ne'er confhrted, I did not know before that a Man's Drofs lay in his Ribs ; I believe fometimes it lies higher. But the Philofophy, the Re- ligion, and the Ceremony of thefe Lines, are too tender to be touched. Creon a OM^.b^ Prince in Oedipfu, rails in General at the Sex, and at the fame time is violently in Love with Euridice. This upon the mat- ter, is juft as natural, as 'tis Civil. If any one would underftand what tXi^Curfe of all tender hearted Women is J Belmour will inform him. What is it then ? 'Tis the Fox. If this be true, the Women had need lay in a fto( k of ill Nature betimes, ^'ff* It ' 1' 1 172 J'mmo^alftp €ttcoiitngetJ It feems 'tis their only prefer vative. It ' guards their Virtue, and their Health, and is all they have to truft to. Sharper ano- ther ManofSenfe in this FUy^ talks much at the fame rate. Belinda would know of" him where he got that excellent Talent of Rail- ing ? Sharp. Madam the Talent was Born with me. / confers I have taken care to im- P- 35- prove />, to qualife me for the Society of Ladies. Horner^ a Topping Chara£ier in the Country Wife., is advifed to avoid Wo- meny andhate them as they do him. He An- jroers, Becaufe I do hate them^ and would hate them yet more., I'll frequent e'm ; you may fee by Marriage, nothing makes a Man hate a Woman more than her Confiant Conver- f- 22. fation. There is ftill fomething more Coarfe DmSebaji. "P°'^ fpokctt by Dorax^ but it is a f. y. priviledged Expreffion, and as fuch Imuft leave it. The Relapje mends- the Contri- vance of the Satyr, refines upon the man- ner, and to make the Difcourfe the more probable, obliges the Ladies to abufe them- lelves. And becaufe I fliould be loath to tire the Reader.,Berinthia ihd.]\ clofethe Ar- gument. This Lady having undertook the Employment of a Procurefs^ makes this Remark upon it to her fe If. Berinth. tjji? tbe Stage. 17J Berinth. So here is fine Work ! But there ivas no avoiding tt. — Befides I begin to Fancy there may be as much Pleafure tn car- rying on another Bodies Intrigue, as ones own. This is at leajl certain. It exercifes abnoft all the Entertaining Faculties of a Woman. For jthere is Employment for Hyfocrifte, Inven- tion, Deceit, Flattery, Mtfchief, and Ly- ing. Let us now fee what Quarter the Stage gives to (Quality. And here we fhall find them extremely free, and familiar. They drefs up the Lords in Nick-Names, and expofe them in Chara^ers of contempt. ^""Jll Lord Froth is explain'd a. Solemn Coxcomb ; Perfen. And Lord Rake, and Lord Foplington give ^''J'"- you their Talent in their Title. Lord Plau- pl^J^iei fable in the Plain Dealer Acts a ridiculous ^'f^. Part, but is with all very civil. He tells Manly, he never attempted to abufe any Per- fon. The other anfwers; What you were p,^, afraid ? Manly goes on and declares, He would call a Rajcal by no other Title, tho^ his Father had left him a Duke'^s. That is, ^ j_ he would call a Duke a Rafcal. This I confefs is very much Plain Dealing. Such freedoms would appear but odly in Life, ' efpecially without provocation. I muil own the Poet to be an Author of good Senfe ; But under favour, thefe Jefts, if we may call them fo, are fomewhat high fea- 174 Jmmo?aIiti? CncoucaffeU feafon'd, the Humour feems overftrainMi and the Chara^er puQiM too far. To pro- VonSebaft. cccd. M»ftapha was felling Don Alverez '<5- for a Slave. The Merchant asks rvhat Fir- tues he has, Mujiafha. replies. Virtues quoth ah ! He is of a great Family and Richy rvhat other Virtues rvoultPfi thou have in a Noble- man ? Don Carlos in Love Triumphant ftands for a Gentleman, and a Man of Senfe, and out-throws Mujiapha a Bar's Length. He tells us Nature has given ^ Sancho an empty Noddle^ but Fortune in Revenge has f/Pd his Pockets : jujl a Lords Efiate in Land and Wit. This is a hand- fom Complement to the Nobility 1 And my Lord Salisbury had no doubt of it a Tun Qu!x. good Bargain of the Dedication. Terefa's fart. a. general defcription of a Countefs is confi- derable in it's Kind : But only 'tis in no Condition to appear. In the Relapfe, Sir Tunbellj who had raiftaken Young Fajhion for Lord Foplington^ was afterwards unde- ceiv'd ; and before the furprize was quite over, puts the Queftion, is i t then pojfible that this fhouldbe the true Lord Foplington at lafi ? The Nobleman removes the icru- ple with great Civility and Difcretion ! Lord Fopl. Why what do you fee in his Face to make you doubt of it ? Sir without prefum- ing to have an extraordinary Opinion of my Figure^ give me leave to tell you^ if)ot* had feen bp tf)CSTAGE. 175 feen as many Lords as I have done, jou rvould not think it Imfofjihle a Perfon of a, worfe Taille then mine might be a Modern Man of n^i^^j-,^ Quality. Fm forry to hear Modern Quality dege- nerates fo much. But by the way, thefe Liberties are altogether new. They are unpra£lifed bv the Latin Comedians, and by the Englijh too til] very lately, as the p. 14. Plain Dealer ob(cvvQS. And us for Mo Here in France, he pretends to fly his Satyr no /./o^ir* higher than a Marquis. de Moihre. And has our Stage a particular Privi- lege? Is their Charter inlarg'd, and are they on the fame Foot of Freedom with the Slaves in the Saturnalia ? Muft all Men be handled alike? Muft their Roughnefs be needs play'd upon Title ? And can't they lafh the Vice without pointing upon the Quality! If as Mr. Dryden rightly defines it, SiPlay ought to be ajujl Image ofHumamA'ji- pp^ ture ; \Vhy are not the Decencies of Life, Dr^tn.pse^. and the Refpefts of Converfation obfer- ^- '"• ved? Why muft the Cuftoms of Coun- tries be Crofs'd upon, and the Regards of Honour overlook'd ? What necefTity is there to kick the Coronets about the Stage, and to make a Man a Lord, only in order to make him a Coxcomb, I hope the Po- ets don't intend to revive the old Projed of Levelling, and Fote down the Houfe of Peers. 3!ntmo?aUtp ^nconrogeu , Peers. In earneft the P/ay-Houfe is gn ad- mirable School of Behaviour ! This is their way of managing Ceremony, diftinguifli- ing Degree, and entertaining the Boxes ! But I fhall leave them at prefent to the en- joyment of their Talent, and proceed to another Argument. CHAP. CHAP. V. Remarks upon Amphytrion, King Artliur, DonQuixot, andtheKth^k. SECTION I. THE following PZ-ij-^, excepting rh€ laft, will fall under the fame Heads of commendation with the former. How- ever, fince the I'oets have here been pro- digal in their Expence, and drefsM them* felves with more Curiofity than ordina- ry, they defer ve a proportionable Regard. So much Finery muft not be Crowded. { fhall therefore make Elbow-Room for -.heir Figure, and allow them the compafs a diftinft Chapter. To begin with Amphytrion. In this ?Uj Mr. Dryden reprefents Jupiter with :hc Attributes of the fupreme Being : He urniilies him with Omnipotence, makes lim the Creator of Nature, and the Arbi-'^«'/V» er of Fate ;puts all the Funftions of Pro- J' ^; ^' ridence in his Hand, and defcribcs him with the Ma)efty of the true God. And vhen he has put Him in this glorious N Equi- f. i8. 178 Bemarfe£{ tipdit Equipage, he brings him out for Diveifi* f. i, J 7. on. He makes him exprefs himfelf in the moft intemperate Raptures : He is willing to Kenounce his Heaven for his Brutality, and employ a whole Eternity inLewdnefs. He draws his Debauch at its full Length, with all the Art, and Height- nings, and Foulnefs of Idea imaginable. This Jupiter is not contented with hisfuc- cefs againll Amfhytrion, unlefs he brings j]' JiUmem into the Confederacy, and makes her a Party ex foH Failo. He would not have her think of her Hmband, but her Lover ^ that is, htr IVhorernafier. 'Tis not the Succefs, but the manner of gaining it which is all in all. 'Tis the Vice which is the charming Circumftance. Innocence and Regularity, are dangerous Compani- ons ; They fpoil Satisfaftion, and make every Thing infipid ! Unlefs People take care to difcharge their Virtue, and clear off their Confcience, their Senfes will va- nifh immediately ! For Jupiter, fays he, would otve nothing to a Name fo dull as Hm- hand. And in the next Page. f.\9. That very name ofWife and Marriage, Is poyfon to the dearefi fweets of Love. ^ I would give the Reader fome more * of thefe fine Sentences, but that they arc too Amphytrion. ' too much out of Order to appear. The truth is, Our Stage-Poets feem to fence a- gainft Cenfurc by the excefs of Lewdnefs ; And to make the overgrovvrr iize of a Crime, a Ground for Impunity. As if ' a Malefaftor fhould project: his Efcape by appearing too fcandalous for Publick Try- ' al. However, This is their Armour of ' Proof, this is the Strength they retreat to, \ They are fortified in Smut, and almoft ' impregnable in Stench, fo that where they deferve mofl:, there's no coming at them. To proceed. I defire to know what Au- thority Mr. Dry den has for this extraordi- nary Reprefentation ? His Original FUutut^ \ is no Precedent. Indeed VUutw is the on- ' ly bold Heathen that ever made ^u^iter tread the Stage. But then he ftops far ' fhort of the Liberties of the E!-igh(h Am- fhytrion. "Jupiter at B.omey and Londor., have the fame unaccountable Dsfign ; hut the Methods of purfuit are very different. ' The Firfiy does not folicit in fcandalous Language, nor flourifli upon his Lewd- nefs, nor endeavours to fet it up for the Fafhion. Plautus had fome regard to the Height of the Charafter, and the Opini- on of his Country, and the Reftraints of Modefty. The Sallies of Arijiophanes do not come up to the Cafe ; And if they idid, I have cut off the Succours from that N 2 Quar- i8o Kcuiatttis upon Lumch. Quarter already. Terence's Chorea is the next bold Man : However, here the Fa- ble of Jupiter and Danae are juft glan- ced at, and the Expreflion is clean ; and : He that tells the Story, a Young L/^er;/«?. ? Thefe are all Circumltances of Extenuati- ■ on, and give quite another Complexion to ; the Thing. As for the Greek Tragedians and Seneca J there's no Prefcription can be drawn from tliem. They mention Jupi- ter in Terms of Magnificence and Re^eft, and make his Aftions, and his Nature of a piece. But it may be the celebrated Hc- mer^ and Virgil may give Mr. Dry den fome Countenance. Not at all. Virgil's Ju-^ {\ piter is always great, and foiemn, and u keeps up tlie port of a Deity. 'Tis true, H M-wf/ does not guard the Idea with that [« exaclnefs, but then He never finks the > i Character into Obfcenity. The molt ex- Ik ■ ceptionable PalTage is that where Jupiter )^ relates his Love Adventures to Juno. Here T this pretended Deity is charm'd with/^e- »/^'s Girdle, is in the height of his Court- fliip, and under the Afcendentof his Paffi- on. This 'tis confefs'd was a flippery Place, and yet the Poet makes a fhift to keep his Feet. His Jupiter is little, but r^ot naufeous ; The Story, the' improper, ^ will bear the telling, and look Converlatt* | on in the Face. However ; thefe Free-I doms AmpH YTRI ON. doms of Homer were counted intolerable : I fhall not infift on the Cenfures of 'Joflin Martyr or Clemens Akxnndrinm : Even the Heathen could not endure them. Tlie Poets are lafhed by PUto upon this (core ; For planting Vice in Heaven, and aiaking their Gods infectious. If Mr. £ Drydett anfwers that Jupiter can do us^ no harm. He is known to be an Idol 3f I.ewd Memory, and therefore his Ex- imple can have no force : Under favour :his is a miilake : For won't Pitch daub when a dirty Hand throws it ; or can't I Toad fpit Poyfon becaufe . flies ugly? Elibaldry is dangerous under any Cir- :umfl:ances of Reprefentation. And as Mentinder and St. Paul exprefs it, E'vil 'Communications corrupt good Manners. I •nention them both, becaufe if -xh^ Apojlle liould be diflik'd, the Co-medum may pafs. 3ut after all, Mr. Dryden has not fomuch IS a Heathen Precedent for his Singula- •ities. What then made him fall into :hem ? Was it the Decency of the Thing, md the Propriety of Characier^ and Be- laviour ? By no means. For as I iiave )bferv'd before. Nature ajid Operations, )ught to be proportion d, and Behaviour Liited to the Dignity of Being. To iraw a iVlonkey in Royal Robes, and a Prince in Anttck^ would be Farce upon N 5 Co- 1 82 Eematkcupott Colours, entertain like a Monfter, and pleafe only upon the fcore of Deformity. Why then does Mr. Dryden crofs upon Nature and Authority, and go off as he confeffes, from the Plan of PUutus , and Moliere ? Tho' by the way, the Englifb Jmphytrion has borrow'd moft of the Liber tim Thoughts of Moliere, and im- proved them. But to the former queftion. Why muft the beaten Road be left ? He i j tells us, That the difference of our Stage from the Roman and the French dU fo re- ^j>. Dfd, quire it. That is, our Stage mull be much more Licentious. For you are to obferve t\i2,iMr. Dryden, and his Fraternity, have^ help'd to debauch the Town, and Poyfon their Pleafures to an unufual Decree : And therefore the Diet muft be drels'd to the Palate of the Company. And fince they are made Scepticks they mull: be enter- tain'd as fuch. That the Etiglijh Amphy- trion v/as contriv'd with this View is too plain to be better interpreted. To what purpofe eife does 'Jupiter appear in the ihape of "Jehovah ? Why are the incom- municable Jttrii/uteshuAQ{(\u'dy and Om- nipotence applyed to Afts of Infamy ? To what end can fuch Horrible Stuff as this ferve, unlefs to expofe the Notion, and extinguifli "the Belief of a Deity ? ThePerfeftionsof God, areHimfelf. To ridicule Amphytrion. ridicule his Attributes and his' Being, are but two Words for the fame Thing. Thefe Attributes are beftow'd on "Jupiter with great Prodigahty, and afterwards execra- bly outrag'd. The Cafe being thus, the Cover of an Idol, is too thin a pretence to Screen the Blafphemy. Nothing but Mr. Dryden^s Abfdom and Jchitophel can out-do This. Here I confefs the Motion of his Pen is bolder, and the Strokes more Black'd. Here we have Blalphemy on the top of the Letter, without any trou- ble of Inference, or Conftrudion. This Poem runs all upon Scripture Names, up- on Suppofition of the true Religion, and the right Objefl of Worfliip. Here Pro- fanenefs is fhut out from Defence, and lies open without Colour or Evafion. Here are no Pagan Divinities in the Scheme, fo that all the Atheiftick Raillery muft point upon the true God. In the Beginning we 2iTQto\dit]m.Abfalom, was D^x/zal's Na- tural Son: So then there's a Bloc in his Scutcheon, and a blemiOi upon his Bii th; . The Foet will make admirable ufe of this Remark prefently ! This Ahfabm it feemi was very extraordinary in his Perfon and Performances. Mr. Dryden docs not cer- tainly ^know how this came about:, and therefore enquires of himfelf in the firft j)Iace K 4 Wk' Whether iftjpired with a divider Luff, Hts Father got him — This is down right Defiance of the Living God ? Here you have the very Eflence and Spirit of Blafphcmy, and the Holy Gholi: brought in upon the molt hideous Occafion. I queflion whether the Torments and Defpair of theDamn'd, dare venture at fuch Flights as thefe. They are beyond Defcription, I Pray God they may not be beyond Pardon too. I can^ forbear faying, that the next bad Thing to the writing thcfe Impieties, is to Suffer them. To return to Jmphytrion. Fhxbm and MercuryhzvtM^inners allign'd very difagreesble to their Condition. The latter abating Propriety of Language, talks move like a IVdter-man than a Deity. They railagainft the Gods, and call Mdrs and y idem the two Fools of Heaven. Mer^ ' cury is pert upon his Father 'Jupiter, makes jerts upon his Pleafures, and his Great- nefs, and is horribly Smutty and Profane. And ail this Misbehaviour comes from him in his own Shape, and in the fub- limity of his Character. Had he run Riot in the Difguifeof the Difcourfe and the Perfon had been better adjurted, and the Extravagance more Pardonable. But Amphvtrion. 1 But here the Decortm is quite loft. To fee the Immortals play fuch Gambols, and the biggeft Beings do the leaft Aftioiis, is ftrangely unnatural. An Emperour in the Grimaces of an Ape, or the Diverfi- ons of a Kitten, would not be half fo ri- diculous. Now as Monfieur Rapm ob- ierves, without Decorum there can be no Prob Ability, nor without ProbatHlity any true Beauty. Nature muft be minded, otherwife Things will look forced, taw- dry, and chimerical. Mr. Drjc^f^ difcour- fes very handfomly on this Occafion in his Preface to Albion and Albanim. He^- informs us. That Wit has been truly defined * propriety of Words and Thoughts. That Propriety of Thought is that Fancy which arifes naturally from the Subject. Why then without doubt, the Quality of Cha- rafters fhould be taken care of, and great Perfons appear like themfelves. Yes, yes, all this is granted by Implication, and Mr. Bryden comes ftill nearer to the prefent Cafe. He tells us, that Propriety is to be obfervedj even in Machines j And that the Gods are ^ to manage their Peculiar Pre- t'inces. He inftances in fome of their re- fpeftive Employments ; but I don't find thatany ofthemwereto talk Lewdly. No; He plainly fuppofes the contrary. For as he goes on, If they were to fpcak upon theStage^it would follow of necefjity^ that the Expreffions jhould be Lofty^ Figurative^ and MajeJlicaL It feems then their Behaviour fhould be agreeable to their Greatnefs. Why then are not thefe Rules oWerv'd, in the Machines of Amphytrion ? As I take it, - Obfcenity has not the Air of Majefty, nor any Alliance with the Sublime^ Ana as for xh^ Figurative Part, 'tis generally of the fame Cut with the Lofty : The Smutfhines clear, and ftrong, through the Metaphor, and is no better fcreen'd than the Sun by a Glafs Window. To vSt Mercury thus ill, and make the God of Eloquence fpeak fo unlike himfelf, is fomewhat ftrange ! But tho' the Ancients knew nothing of it, there are Confiderations above thofe of Decency. And when this happens, A Rule mujl rather be trefpafs'^d on, than a beauty left out, 'TisMr. Dryden^s Opinion in his Cleon'ieneSy where be breaks the Vnity of' , Time, to defcribe the Beauty of a Famine, Now Beauty is an arbitrary Advantage, and depends upon Cuftom and Fancy. • Withfome People the Blackeft Complexi- ons are the handfomeft. .'Tis to thefe African Criticks that Mr. Dryden feems to make his Appeal. And without doubt he | bcfpeaks their Favour , and ftrikes their Imagination luckily enough. For to lodge Divinity and Scandal together ; To mak? the Amphytrion. 187 the Gods throw Stars, likQ Snorv-balls at one another, but efpecially to Court in Smut, and rally in Blafphemy, is moft admirably entertaining ! This is much better than all the Niceties of Decorum. 'Tis hand- fomly contrived, to flur the Notion of a Superiour Nature, to difarm the Terrors of Religion, and make the Court above as Romantick as that of the Fairies. A Libertine when his Confcience is thus re- lieved, and Atheifm fitseafie upon his Spi- rits, can't help being grateful upon the Occafion. Meer Intereft will oblige him to cry up the Performance, and folicit for the Poet^s Reputation ! Before I take leave of thefe Machines, it may not be amifs to enquire why the Gods are brought into the Spiritual Court, Now I fuppofe the p. r. creditablenefs of the Bufinefs, and the Poet's kindnefs to thofe Places, are the principal Reafons of their coming. How- ever, He might have a farther Defign in his Head , and that is, to bring Thehes to London, and to fhew the Antiquity of Doilofs Commons, ^or if you will believe Mercury, this Conference between him zndPhcebus, was held three thoufand Years ago. Thus Shake/pear makes Hector talk about Artfiotle's Philofophy, and calls Sir ^^'J^^"* "^obn Old Cafile, Protejiant. I had not„/-5,vfohn mention'd this Difcovery in Chronology, owCiftic but ss EematH;^ upon but that Mr. Dryitn falls upon Ben John' fon^ for making Catalme give Fire at the Face of a Cloud before Guns were invent- ed. By the Pattern of thefe pretended Dei- ties^ we may guefs what fort of Mortals wg are Hkely to meet with. Neither are we miftaken. For Phaedra is bad enough in all Confcience, but Bromia is a meer Ori- ginal. Indeed when Mr. Dry den makes Jupiter, and Jupiter makes the Women ; Jittle lefs can be expefted. So much for Amphytrion. I fhall pafs on to KJng Arthur iot a Word or two. Now here is a ftrange Jumble and Hotch-potch of Matters, if you mind it. Here we have Gemi, «nd Angels, Cupids, Syrens, znd Devils ; Venus and St. George, Pan and the Parjbn, the Hell of Heathenifm, and the Hell of Re^ velation ; A fit of Smut, and then a Jcft about Original Sin. And why are Truth and Fiction, Heathenifm and Chriftianity, the moft Serious and the moil Trifling Things blended toget]^er, and thrown in- to one Form of Diverfion ? Why is all this done unlefsitbe to ridicule the whole, and make one as incredible, as the other ? His Airy and Earthy Spirits difcourfe of the firft ftate of Devils, of their Chief, of their Revolt, their Punifliment, and Im- pofti'res l^fng; Arthur- ' 189 pdRures. This Mr. Dryden very Rellgi- oufly calls a Fatry way of Writings which defends only on the Force of Imagination. What then, is the Fall of the Angels a Romance ? Has it no bafis of Truth, no- thing to fupport it, but ftrength of Fancy, and Foetick Invention? After He had mentionM Hell, Devils, &c. and given us a fort of B/i/e-defcription of thele for- midable Things ; I fay after he had formed his Poem in this manner, I am furprized to hear him call it a Fairy kind of Writing. Is the Hiftory of Tophet no better prov'd than that of Styx ? Is the Lake of Brim- JioKe and that of Ph/egeton alike dreadful? And have we as much Reafon to believe the Torments of Tttitts and Fromethetis^ as thofe of the Devils and Damn'd ? Thcfe are lamentable Confequences ! And yet I can't well fee how the Poet can avoid them. But fctting afide this miferable Glofs in the Dedication , the Reprefentation it felf is fcandaloufly irreligious. To droll upon the Vengeance of Heaven, and the iMiferies of the Damn'd, is a fad In- ftance of Chriftianity ! Thofe that bring Devils upon the Stage^ can hardly believe them any where elfe. Befides the Eftefts of fach an Entertainment muR: needs be admirable! To fee Hell thusplay'd with is a mighty Refreihment to a lewd Con- Icience 190 Eematlisi upott fciisnce, andabyafs'd Underftanding.^^t heartens the Young Libertine, and con- firms the Well-wifhers to Atheifm, and makes Vice bold, an^J enterprizing. Such Diverfions ferve to difpel the Gloom, and guild the Horrors of the Shades below^ and are a fort of Enfurance againft Damnation. | One would think thefe Poets went upon abfolute Certainty, and could demonftrate a Scheme ot Infidelity. If they could, they had much better keep the Secret. The divulging it tends only to debauch Mankind, and fhake the Securities of Ci- vil Life. However, if they have been in the otiier World and find it empty, and uninhabited,and are acquainted with all the Powers, and Places in Being ; If they can fhcw the Impoftures of Religion, and the Contradiftions of Common Belief, they have fomething to fay for themfelves Have they then infallible Proof and Ma^ thematick Evidence for thefe Difcoveries ? No Man had ever the Confidence to fay This : And if he fhould, he would be but laughed at for his Foliy. No Conclufi- ons can exceed the Evidence of tlieir Prin- ciples ; you may as well build a Caftle in the Air, as raife a Demonllration upon a Bottom of Uncertainty. And is any Man fo vain as to pretend to know the Extent of Nature, and the Stretch of PofTibi I ity, ' and ftlnff Arthur. and the Force of the Powers Invifible? So that notwithftanding the Boldnefs of this O^era, there may be fuch a Place as Hell ; And if fo, a Difcourfe about Devils, will be no Fairy Way of Writing, For a Fairy Way of Writings is nothing but a Hifioryof Fihion ; A Subjed of Imaginary Beings; fuch as never liad any exiltence in Time, or Nature. And if as Monfieur Kapn obferves, Foetry requires a mixture of Truth and Fame ; Mr. Dryden may make his Advantage, for his Play is much bet- ter founded on Reality than He was aware of. It may not be improper to confider in a Word or Two, what a frightful Idea the Holy Scriptures give us of Hell. 'Tis de- fcrib'd by all the Circumftances of Ter- ror, by every Thing dreadful to Senfe, and amazing to Thought. The Place, the Company, the Duration, are all Con- fiderations of Aftonifhment. And why has God given us this folemn warning? Is it not to awaken our Fears, and guard our Happinefsj To reft rain the Diforders of Appetite, and to keep us within Rea- fon,and Duty ? And as for the Jpefiate An- gels, the Scriptures inform us of their loft Condition, of their Malice and Power, of dieir Aftive Induftry, and Experience; and all thefe Qualities Correfpondent to ig2 Eemartii:! upon the Bulk of their Nature, the Antiquity of their Being, and the Mifery of their State. In fliort, they are painted in all the formidable Appearances imaginable, to allarm our Caution, and put us upon the utmoft Defence. Let, us fee now how Mr. Dry den repre- fents thefc unhappy* Spirits, and their Place of Abode.Why very entertainingly ! Thofe that have a true Taft for Atheifm, were never better regaled. One would think by this Play the Devils were meer Mormo's and Bugbears, fit only to fright Children and Fools. They rally upon Hell and Damnation, with a great deal of Air and Pleafantry ; and appear like Rohm Good" fellow, only to make the Company Laugh. Philidcl : Is call'd a Fuling Sprite, And why fo ? For this pious Reafon, bc- caufe He trembles at the yawning Gulph of Helly Nor dares approach the Flames left he jhould Singe His gaudy filken Wings, f- <5- He fighs when he fljould plunge a Soul in Sulphur, As vpith tompaffion touched of Fooliflt Matt, . Theanfwer is, What a half Devil'' s he f You j^lng Arthur. You fee how admirably it runs all upon Chrirtian Scheme! Sometimes they are Half-Devils, and fometimes Hopeful- Devtlsy and what you pleafe to make fpori with. GrimbaU is afraid of being whooped through Hell at his return, for mifcarrying in his Bufihefs. It feems there is great Leifure for Diverfion ! There's Whooping m Hell, inftead of }Veepiiig and PVa/ling ! One would fancy Mr. Drjdea had Day- light and Company, whenthefe lines Were written. I know his Courage is extraordi- nary ; but fure fuch Thoughts could never bear up againft Solitude and a Candle I now fmce he has diverted himfelf with the Terrors of Chrijlianity, I don't wonder he fhould treat thofe that Preach them with fo much Civility! 'EntzvPoet in the Habit of a Feafant. We ha* Cheated the Parfon we'll Cheat him again, ^ For whyjhould a Blockhead have one in ten r ¥or prating fo long like a Booklearned Sot, Till Pudding and Dumpling burn to Pot. Thefe are fine comprehenfive Stroaks ! Here you have the lUads in a Nuclhel \ Two or three courtly Words take in the whole Clergy : And what is wanting in Wit,is made up in abufe, and that's as well. O This 194 ISlcmackis upoit This is an admirable Harvejl-Cdtch, and the poor Tith-ftealers ftand highly indebt- ed. They might have been tired with Cheating in Pro_^, had they not been thus a feafonably reliev'd in Doggrel : But now ' ' there i$ Mufick in playing the Knave. A Country-man now may HU his Barn, and humour his ill Manners, andfing h^Con- fcience afleep, and all under one. I don't queiHon but thefe/t^ar Lines fteal many a Pound in the Year. Whether the Mufe ftands indiftable or not, the Law muft de- termine. But after all, I muft fay the De- lign is notably laid. For Place and Perfon, for Relifb and Convenience, nothing could liave been better. The Method is very Short, Clear, and Pradicable. Tisafine portable Infeftion, and cofts no more Car- riage than the Plague. Well ! The Clergy muft be contented : It might poffibly have been worfe for them if they had been in his Favour : For he has fometimes a very unlucky way of fhewing E^' Dcd. his Kindnefs. He commends the Earlcf Dm Sebaf. Leiceftci", for confieiering tha Friend, more than the Canfe ; that is, for his Partiality ; De'i. Kivg The Marquefs of Halifax^ for quitting the Arthur. Helm^ at the approach of a Storm ; As if Pi- lots were made only for fair Weather. 'Tis PrefumM thefe Noble Perfons areuncon- cernM in this Chara6ler. However the Poet l^Hlff Arthur. 195 Poet has (hewn his Skill in Panegyrick, and " 'tis only for that I mention it. He com- ^^^'fi- f^- ^ mends Jtttcui for his Trimming, and TuU iy for his Cowardife, and fpeaks meanly of the Bravery of Cato. After wards he pro- J fefles his Zeal for the Publick Weifere, and is pleas'd to fee the Ndtion Jo well fecur'd from • Foreign Attempts, &c. However he is in ibid. ' fome pain about the coming of the Gmls : I Tis poflible for fear they fhould invade the ' MufeSf and carry the Opera's into Captivity, * and deprive ns of the OrnAments of Peace. And now he has ferv'd his Friends, he cdmes in the laft place like a modeft Man, to commend Himfelf He tells us there were a great many Beauties in the Original Draught of this Flay. But it feems Time has fmce tarnifh'd their Complexion; And he gives Heroick Reafons for their not appear- ing. To fpeak Truth, (all Politicks apart,) there are ftrange Flights of Honour, and ConGftencies of Pretention in this Dedica tion 1 But 1 fliall forbear the Blazon of the Atchievement^ for fear I £houId commend as unluckily as Himfelf r O 2 SECT. i^ematitjs upon SECT, n. Emarl^s upn Don Quixot, &e, MR. Durfey being fomewhat particu- lar in his Genius and Civilities, I ihall confidcr him in a Word or two by himfelf. This Poet writes from the Ro- mance of an ingenious Author : By this means his Senfe, and Characters are cut out to his Hand. He has wifely planted himfelf upon the Shoulders of a GM»f ; but whether his Difcoveries anfwer the ad- vantage of his ftandiqg, the Reader muft judge. What I have to objeft againft Mr. Durfey fhall moft of it be ranged under thefe three Heads. I. HUFrofanenefs^withrefpeSitoKf^xcm ^ md the Holy Scriptures. 'A II. His Abufe of the Clergy. » III. Hif nam ofModeJly and Regard to \ the Audience. I I HU Profa»e/fefs, &c. 1 1 And here my firft Inftance fliall be in a |J bold So/)g againft Providence. i 5 Pro- ! DanQu ixox, 197 Provideftce that formed the Fair In fuch A charming Hktn, Their Out fide made his only care, • And never look'^d rvithin, i /?. ^ ao. Here the Poet tells you Providence • ftiakes Mankind by halves, huddles up the t i Soul, and takes the leaft care of the bet- ' ter Moiety. This is direft Blafpheming ■ the Creation, and a Satyr upon God Al- i mighty. His next advance is to droll upon the Refurreftion. Sleep and indulge thy felf tvith Rejl ; Nor dream thou e'er fjalt rife again. 20. His Third Song makes a jeft of the Fall, rails upon Adam and Eve , and burlefques the Conduft of God Almightj for not ma- king Mankind over again. When the World firfl knew Creation, A Rogue was a Top'Profeffion^ When there vfos no more in all Nature but^ roury There were two of them in Tranfgreffion. He that frfl to mend the Matter ^ Made Laws to bind our Nature, Should have found a way O 3 To To make Wills obey^ And have Modeled new the Creature, t. In this apd tlie following Fage, thq j Redemption of tlie World is treated with the fame refpeft with the Creation. The f Word Redeemer, which among Chriftians is Appropriated to our BlefTed Saviour, and like the Jewifli Tetragrammaton peculiar- ly refer v'd to the Deity; This adorable c Name ( Redeemer^ and Dear Redeemer , ) b is applyed to the ridiculous Don Quixot, \ Theie Infolencies are too big for the Cor- reftion of a Pen, and therefore I ftall leave |J them. After this horrible Abufe of thq Ifi Works, and Attributes of God, he goes ijs on to make Sport with his Vengeance. He rnakes the Torments of Hell a very i Comical Entertainment ; as if they were j qnly Flames in Pointing, and Terrors \t\ \ Romance. ThtStygian frogs in Arijl of hanes I are not r^prefented with more Levity, and" i C Drolling. That the Reader may fee I dq I c him no wrong, I fliall quote the Places, j |i which is the main Reafon why I have ic tranfcrib'd the reft of his Profanenefs. ■ ( Appear ye fat Fiends that in Limbo do groan ^ \ That tvere when in the Flcjh the fame Souls with .] hiidrvn, Tou Don Q.U 1 X o T. I 7ou that ahajs in iMCi^tv* sKJtchinrefide, Amongfi Sea-coal and Kjttles , and Greafe nevoly try'd : That pampered each day with a Garhidge of Souls, Broil Rajhers of Fools for a Breakfajl on ' Coals. In the Epilogue you have the Hiftoiy of Balaam's Afs expofed, and the Bead brought upon the Stage^ to laugh at the Miracle the better ; And as'' tis faid a par lorn Afs once fpoke. When Crab'tree Cudgel did his Rage provoke. So if you are not civil, — —1 fear Heul fpeak again, In the Second Part the Devil is brought upon the Stage. He cries as he hopes to be Saved. And Sancho warrants him a good p. Chrijlian. Truly I think he may have more of Chriftianity in him than the Poet. For he trembles at that God, with whom the other makes Diverfion. I fhall omit the mention of feveral Outrages of this Kind, beiides his deep- mouthM Swearing, which is frequent, and pafs onto the Second Head, which is his Abufe of the Clergy. Andi fince Reveal'd Religion has been thus horribly treated, O 4 'tis 200 lSlcmnth0 upon 'tis no Wonder if the Mmijlers of it have the fame Ufage. ^ And here we are likely to meet with i fome Palfages extraordinary enough. For ■ to give Mr. Dar/ej his due, when he med- dles with Church-men, he lays about him like a Knight-Errant : Here his Wit and his Malice, are generally in Extreams, tho' not of the fame Kind. To begin. He makes the Curate Perez, aflift at the ridiculous Ceremony of Don ^ixQt's part I, Knighting. Afterwards Squire Sancho con- f felFing his Miftake to Quixote tells him, Ah confider^ dear Sir^ no Man is horn Wife \ Then I think the greater Care (hould be taken he is not bred a Fool. But how does he prove this Memorable Sen- tence ? Becaufe a B///:7(?/> is no mor» than another Man^ without Grace and Good Breed- s ing. I muil: needs fay, if the Foet had jl any fliare of either of thefe Qualities, he j would be lefs bold with his Superiors ; and not give his Clowns the Liberty to droll thus heavily upon afolemn Char after, P,rfo;i. This S.^?7cho Ml'. Durfey takes care to in- i^'"'" form us, is a dry jhreivd Country Fellotv. The reafon of this Charader is, for the ftrcngth of it fomewhat Surprizing. 'Tis becaufe he blunders out Proverbs upon ali Occafions^ tho'' never fo far from the Pur pop. Now if blundring and talking nothing i Don QUIXOT. 2C to the purpofe, is an Argument of Shrewd- 77efs, fome Peoples PUjs are very fhrewd Performances. To proceed. Sancho com- plains of his being married becaufe it hin- dered him from better offers. Perez, the Curate is forry for this Misfortune : For m I rernemher^ fays he, "* twos my luck to give Terela and you the BleJJiug. To this Sancho replies. A Plague on your Bleffing ! I per- ceive I jball have Reafon to rvijh you hanged for your Blejjtag Good fnijher of For- nicatto/j^ good Conjun£ttofx Copulative. Fori* s this Irreverence and Profanenefs Perez. threatens him with Excommunication. Sancho tells him, / care not, I /hail lofe no- thing by it but a nap in the Afternoon. In his lecond Part Jodolet a Priell is call'd a Hdy Cormorant, and made to difpatch half a Turkey and a Bottle of Malaga for his Break- faft. Here one Country Girl chides ano- ?■ z ther for her fawcynefs. ( fays fhe ) make a Pimp of a Priejl ? Sancho interpofes with his ufual fhrewd nefs -.APirnp of a Prieft, ii that fuch Miracle : In the Second Scene the/-, i Poet Provides himfelf another Pricft to abufe. Manneltht Steward calls Bernardo the Chaplain Mr. Cuff-CujJjion , and tells him a Whore is a Pulpit he loves. ^In fetlingthc Characters^ Mannel is given out for a Tvitty pleafant Fellow. And now you fee hecomesuptoExpe£lacion. To the Blind 202 }EleniatU0 upon all Colours are alike, and Rudenefs and Raillery are the fame thing ! Afterwards, f, lo, Bermrdo fays Gnce upon the Stage ; and I fuppofe Prays to God to blefs the Enter- tainment of the Devil. Before they rife from Table, the Poet contrives a Quarrel bet\yeen Don Quixot and Bermrdo. The Prieft rails on the Knight, and calls him Don Coxcomb^ &c. By this time you may imaginthe Knight heartily Provok'd, ready to buckle on his Bafony and draw out for the Combat. Let us hear his Refent- ment. Don Quix. Oh! thou old black Fox with a Firebrand i?t thy Tail^ thou very Prieji r Thou KJndler of all Mifchiefs in all Nations. D'ee hear^ Homtly :. Did n6t the Reverence I p. 4.1. bear thefe Nobles / would fo thrum your Cajjbck you Church Vermin. p. 47, At iaft he bids Bernardo adieu in Lan- guage too Profane and Scandalous to re- late. In the Fourth A^i His Song calls the Clergy Black Cattle, and fays no Body now minds what they fay. I could alledge more of his Courtmip to the Order, but, the Reader might poffibly be tired, and part iji. therefore I fhall proceed in the • p. 7. 9.' Third place, to his want of Modcfty, pt. -xd. aj^(j Regard to the Audience. As for Smut *" Sancho and Terefa talk it abroad, and fingle fens'd, for almoit a Page together, Mary the DonQaixoT. 20 J the Buxom has likewife her (hare of this Accomplifhrnent. The firft EpUogue is Garnifh'd with a Couplet of it ; Marcelia the Maiden Sheperdels raves in Raptures P'-^-^^- of Indecency ; And fometimes you have it'*" mixt up with Profanenefs, to make the/*'- Compolition the ftronger. But this Enter- taiHinent being no Novelty, I fliall pafs it? «t- over ; and the rather becdufe there are fome other Rarities which are not to be met with elfewhere. Here he diverts the Ladies with the p.. Charming Rhetorick of Snotty-Nofe^ flthyp. 7. 8- Vermin in the Beard, Niny Jerkin, Lou(e-^^' Snapper, and the Letter in the Chamber-fot ; ft. id. with an abufive defcriptioo of a Countefs,/'- and a rude Story of a certain Lady with^.^j,^ fome other Varieties of this Kind, too coarfe to be named. This is rare ftuft'for Ladies, and Quality ! There is more of Phyftck^ than Comedy^ in fuch Sentences as thefc. Crocus Metallorum will fcarce turn the Sto- mach more effedually. 'Tis poflible Mr, Durfey might defign it for 3. Receipt ; And being Confcious the Play was too dear, threw a Vomit into the Bargain. I Won- der Mr. Durfey fhould have no more re- gard to the Boxes and Pit ! Tiiat a Man p^,f^, who has ftadied the Scenes of Decency aizd Good Manners with fo much 2^al, riiould praclife with fo little Addrefs ! Certainly 204 Eemacfess upati Ibid. indefxtigAble Diligence^ Care and Pams^ was never more unfortunate 1 In his Third Part, Buxome fwears fafter, and is more fcanda> lous, and impertinent, than in the other two. At thefe Liberties, and feme in Smchoy the Ladies took Check. This Cen» fure Mr. Durfey feems heartily forry for^ He is extremely conoern^d. that the Ladies^ ^ that Ejjettttal Part of the Audience, fliould think, his Performance naufeotts and unde- cent. That is, he is very forty they brought their Wits, or their Modefty along with them. However Mr. Durfy is not fo Ceremonious as to fubmit : He is refolved Ibid, to keep the Field againft the Ladies ; And endeavours to defend himfelf by faying, / knorv no other tvay in Nature to do the Characters right, but to make a Romp /peak like a Romp, and a dowmjjl} Boor blunder, &-C. By his Favour, all Imitations tho' never fo well Counterfeited are not proper for the Stage. To Prefent Nature under eve- ry Appearance would be an odd undertak- ing. A Midnight Cart, or a DunghiL woiild be no ornamental Scene. Naft-y- nefs, and dirty Converfation are of the fame kind. For Words are aPifture to the Ear, as Colours and Surface are to the Eye. Such Difcourfes are like dilating upon Ulcers, and Leprofies: The more V DonQuixoT. N*turdl^ the woife; for the Difguft al- ways rifes with the Life of the Defcrip- tion. Oflenfive Language like offenfive Smells, does but make a Man's Senfes a bur- then, and affords him nothing but Loath- ing and Averfion. Beaftlinefs in Behaviour, gives a difparaging Idea of Humane Na- ture, and almoft makes us forry we are of the fame Kind. For thefe Reafons 'tis a Maxim in Good Breeding never to (hock the Senfes, or Imagination. This Rule holds ftrongeft before Women, and efpecially when they come to be enter- tain'd. The Diverfion ought to be fuit- cd to the Audience ; For nothing pleaf- es which is difproportion'd to Capaci- ty, and Guft. The Rudeneffes and broad Jefts of Beggars, are juft as acceptable to Ladies as their Rags, and Cleanlinefs. . To treat Perfons of Condition like the Moby is to degrade their Birth, and affront their Breeding. It levels them with the loweft Education. For the fize of a Man's Scnfe, and Improvement, is difcovered by his Pleafures, as much as by any thing elfe. But to remove from Scenes of Decency, to Scenes of Wit. And here Manuel and Sanchoy two pleafant jharp Fellows, will di- vert us extrea mly . Mannel in the Difguife of a Lady addreffes the Dutchefs in this ' manner. 2o6 EeniatfeisJ lipoii manlfer. lUaJlrious Beauty. / muji de- fire to know whether the mojl purijidiferous Don Quixot of the Mmchiffimay and his fyui- reiferous Pancha, he in this Company or no. This is the Ladies Speech ! Now comes Sancho. Why look you Forfooth^ mthout any ft. id. more Flour ifheSy theGovernourVsinCi is here^ ^ ' ' and Don Qiiixotiflimo too ; therefore tnofi af~ pBedifJimoHs Matroniffima^ fpeak what you willijjimus^ for we are all ready to heyout Ser- vitorifjimui. I dare not go On, for fear of overlaying the Reader. He may cicy himfelf at his P Leifure. The Scene between the Taylor and Gdrdmer, lies much in the fame Lati- tude of Underftanding. The Third Part prefents a Set of Poppet which is a Thought good enough for this Play is only fit to move upon Wires: 'Tis pity thefe little i/k^tc/^/^f/ appeared no foon- er, for then the ^rife, and the A^ors had been well adjufted. In explaining the Per- fonSy he acquaints us that Cdrafco is a Witty Man. I can't tell what the Gentleman might be in other Places, but Vm fatisfied he is a Fool in his Play. But fome Poets' are as great Judges of Wit, as they are an Inftance ; And have the Theory and thfc Practice juft alike. Mr. Durfeys Epiftles Dedicatory are to the full as divef ting as his Comedies. A little of them may nor be amifs. In Don Q.U I X O T- 20) In his firft, He thus addiefles the Dut- thefsoi Grmoftd. ''Tis Madam frdm your Gra- ces Projperoitf Influence that I date ifiy Good "Fortune. To Date from time and Place, is vulgar and ordinary, and many a Letter has milcarried with it : But to do it from an Influence^ is Aftrological, and furprifmg, and agrees extremely with the Hefntfphere of the Play-Houfe. Thefe Flights one would eafily imagine were the- Poor Off-fpring of Mr. Durfefs Brain, as he very judicioufly Phrafes it. Ohe Paragraph in his Dedication to Mr. ii'i-f- Montague is ^Qrk^ ^nxotifm ; One would almoft think him enchanted. Fi] give the Reader a Taft. Had your Eyes fhot the haughty Aujlerity upon me of a right Courtier ^-—^ your falued^'' minutes had never been difiurh'd with dilatory Trifles of this Nature^ but my Heart on dull Qonfideration of your Merit^ had fupinelf ivipfd your Profperity at a Diflance. Vm afraid the Poet was under fome Apprehen- fions of the Temper he complains of. For to my thinking, there is a great deal of Su- pinenefsy and dull Confideratton in thefe Peri- ods. He tells his Patron his Smiles have emboldened him. ♦! confefs I can't fee how He could forbear Smiling at fuch Entertain- ment. However, Mr. D/zr/ty takes Things by the beft Handle, and is refolv'd to be happy 2oS Eemarltsi upon happy in his Interpretation. But to be fe- rious. Were I the Author, I would dif- charge my Mufe unlefs fhe prov'd kinder. His way is rather to cultivate his Lungs, and Sing to other Peoples Senfe : For to fi- ni{h him in a Word, he is Vox & pAterei, nihil. I fpeak this only on Suppofition, that the reft of his Performances are like Thefe. Which becaufe I have not perufed, I can judg of no farther than by the Rule of ex fede Herculem. I fhall conclude with Monfieur Boileaus Art of Poetry. This citation may poflibly be of fome Service to Mr. Durfe^ ; For if not concern'd in the Ap- plication, he may at leaft be precaution^ by the Advice. The Tranflation runs thus. I like an Author that Reforms the Age ; AncL keeps the right Decorum of the Stage : That always fleafes by jufl RedJbn*sRule But for a tedioua Droll, a Quibbling Fooly Who with low naufeoHsBaudry fills his Flays\ Let him be gone and on two TreJJels raife Some Smithfield Stage, where he may aB his Franks, And make Jack-puddings fpeak to Mountt' ^ banks. SECT. SECT. III. Remarl^s upm the Relapfei THE Reldpfe ihaW Mow Don JZ'^ixot, upon the Account of fome Alliance between them. And becaufe this Author fwaggers fo much in his Preface, and feems to look big upon his Performancfe, I (hall fpend.a few more Thoughts than ordinary upon {lis P/^y, and examine it briefly in the Fable, the Mord, the Chara^iers, &c. The Fahle L take to be as follows . Fafhion a Lervd, Prodigal, yoringer Bro- ther, is Reduced to Extremity: VpO/thif arri- val from hif Travels, he meets with Coupler, an old fhar ping Match-maker; Thii Man puts him upon a Proje^ of Cheating hii Elder Br o- ther Lord Foplington, of a rich Fortune. Toung Fafhion beingrefufed a Sum of Money hyhii Brother, goes into Coupler^ Plot, bub- bles Sir Tunbelly of his Daughter, and makes himfelf Majler of a fair Eflate. From the Form and Conftitution of the Fable, lobferve iH. Thar there is a Mifnomer in the Title. The Play fliould not have been saird the Relapfe, or Virtue in Danger. P Lovelace, 210 EcmarKjSitpon | Lovelace, and Amanda^ from whofe Ch'd- racier s thefe Names are drawn, arePcr- fons of Inferiour Confideration. Lovelace finks in the middle of the Fourth Aft-, and we hear no more of him till towards the End of the Fifth^ where he enters once more, but then 'tis as Cato did the Se- nate-Houfe, only to go out again. And as for Amanda flie has nothing to do but to ftand a fhock of Coartfhip, and carry off" her Virtue. This I confefs is a great Task mthtPlay-Houfe, but no main Mat- ter in the Play, The Intrigue , and the Difcozery , the i| I great Revolution and Succefs, turns upon Toung Fa/hwn. He without Competition, is the Principal Perfon in the Cowffij- And i . therefore the Tounger Brother^ or the Fortu- ] nate Cheat, had been much a more proper ! Name, Now when a Poet can't rig out a Title Page, 'tis but a bad fign of his hold- < ing out to the Epilogue. 2/7. I obferve the Moral is vitious : It pointsthe wrong Way, and putsthc Priz£ into the M'rong Hand. It feems to malce Leivdnefs the reafon of Defert , and gives Toung Fafiion a Second Fortune, only for Debauching away his Firll. AlhortView of his Character J will make good this Re- fle(5fion. To begin with him: He'confeffes himfelf a Rake^ Swears, and Blafphemes, Curfes, CfjC Relapse. 211 Oirfes, and Challenges his Elder Brother, cheats him of his Miftrefs, and gets him laid by the Heels in a Dog- Kennel. And what was the Ground of all this unnatural Quarrelling and Outrage ? Why the main of it was only becaufe Lord Fcplt^gton vq- fufed to fupply his Luxury , and make good his Extravagance. This Tou»g Fa/hw» af- ter all, isthePff^'sMan of Merit, he pro- vides, a Plor and a Fortune, on purpofe for him. To fpeak freely, ALewdChara- Ger fddom wants good Luck in Comedj. So that when-evcr you fee a thorough L/- Bertine, you may almoft Swear he is in a rifing Way, and that the Poet intends ro make him a great Man. In fhort : This P/aj perverts the End of Comedj : Which as Moniieur Rapi;t obferves ought to regard ^''pif- Reformation, and publick Improvement.^"^ ' But the Relapferh^iA a more fafliionable Fan- cy in his Head. His Moral holds forth this notable Inftruftion. 1//. That all Toi/^ger Brothers Should be careful to run out their Fortunes as Fait, and as III as they can. And when they have put their Affairs in this Pofture of Advan- tage, they may conclude themfelves in the high Road to Wealth, and Succefs. For as J^t/Z'w;? Blafphemoufly applies it, Pmw^e^fe Reiaffe, takes care of Men of Merit, ' 5* P 2 \dlj. E£math0upon zdl). That when a Man is prefsM, his Bufinefs is not tobegovern'd by Scruples, or formalize upon Confcience and Honefly . The quickeft Expedients are the beft ; For in fuch Cafes the Occafion juftifies the Means, andaKnightofthePt?/, isasgood asone ofthe G/ir^er. In the id. Place it may not be improper to look a little into the Flot. Here the ?oet ought to play the Politician if ever. This part fhould have fome Stroaks of Con- duft, and ftrains of Invention more than ordinary. There fhould be fomething • that is admirable, and unexpefled to fur- prize the Audience. And all this Finenefe muft work by gentle Degrees, by a due Refiea. Preparation of Incidents , and by Inftru- ? '33- mcnts which are probable. 'Tis Mr. R4- pn\ Remark, that without Probability every Thing is Lame and Faulty. Where there is no pretence to Miracle and Machine, mat- ters muft not exceed the force of Belief To produce effefts without Proportion , and likelyhood in the Caufe, is Farce, and Magick, and looks more like Con- juring than Conduft. Let us examine the Relapfer by thefe Rules. To difcover his Vlot, we muft lay open fomewhat more • of the Fable. ' Lord Foplington a Town Beau, had ' agreed to Marry the Daughter of Sir Cfje Relapse. * TanbeBj Clumfej a Country Gentleman, * vvhoUvM Fifty Miles from London. Not- *withftanding this fmall diftance, the * Lord had never feen his Miftrefs, nor * the Knight his Son in Law. Both par- * ties out of their great Wifdom, leave the ' treating the Match to Coupler. When * all the Preliminaries of Settlement were * adjufted, and Lord fo^lmgton ekpefled * by Sir TunbeHy in a few Days, Coupler * betrays his Truft to Toung T.ijhion. He * advifes him to go down before his Bro- * ther : To Counterfeit his Perfon , and * pretend that the ftrength of his Inclina- * tionsbrought him thither before his Time, ' and without his Retinue, And to make * him pafs upon Sir Tanhe/Ij, Coupler gives * him his Letter., which was to be Lord ' Foplingtonh Credential. Toung F.ifljion * thus provided, pofts down to Sir Tun- * belly, is received for Lord Foflington., and * by the help of a little Folly and Knavery * in the Family, Marries the young Lady ' without herFather's Knowledge, and a ' Week before the Appointment. This is the Main of the Contrivance. The Counter-turn in Lord Foplingtonh ap- pearing afterwards, and the Support of the main Flat, by Bull's, and Nurfe\ at- tefling the Marriage, contains little of Moment. And here we may obferve that P I Lord 214 )^nKitit0 upon ? Lord FopUngton has an unlucky DKa« greement in his Chara^er ; This Misfor- tune fits hard upon the Credibility of the Defign. 'Tis true he was Formal and Fantaftick, Smitten with Drefs, and Equi- page, and it may be vapour'd by his Per- f i7 fumes ; But his Behaviour is far from that of an Ideot. This being granted, 'tis very unlikely this Lord with his five Thoufand Pounds per Annum^ (hould leave the Choife of his Miftrefs to Coupler^ and take her /•Pcrfon and Fortune upon Content. To |ai court thus Blindfold, and by Proxy ^ does |]( not agree with the Method of an Eftate, nor the Nicenefs of a Beau, However the Poet makes him engage Hand over Head, without fo much as the fight of her Pi&ire. His going down to Sir Tun- belly was as extraordinary as his Courtfhip. He had never feen this Gentleman. He f( mufi: Imow him to be beyond Meafure Suf- ( picious, and that there was no Admittance without Coupler's Letter. This Letter a which was, the Key to the Caftle, he for- i got to take with him, and tells you Vnw t Jtolen by his Brother Torn. And for his part lie neither had the Difcretion to get an- other, nor yet to produce that written by him to Sir Tunbelly, Had common Senle been confulted upon this Occafion, the Plot iiad been at an End, and \\\zPby had funk in I'rJ. "CDc Relapse. 215 in the Fourth Aci. The Remainder fub- fifts purely upon the ftrength of Folly,, and of Folly altogether improbable, and out of Characfer. The Salve Sir Joh» Friendly s appearing at laft, and vouching for Lord Foplington^ won't mend the mat- ter. For as the Story informs us , Lord Foplingtoa never depended on this Reier ve : ^ g ,. He knew nothing of this Gentleman be- in^ in the Country, nor where he Livxd. The truth is, Sir Johfj was left in Toir;i^ and the Lord had neither concerted his Journey with him, nor engaged his Af- fiftance. Let us now fee how Sir Tunbelly hangs? ^j- together. This Gentleman the Poet makes a Jusiice of Peace, and a Deputy Lieutenant^ and feats him fifty Miles from London ; But by hisCharafter you would take him for one of Hercules*^ Monilers, or feme Gyant in Guy of IVarrvick. His Behavi- our is altogether Romance, and has nothing agreeable to Time, or Country. When Fajhion and Lory, went down, they find the Bridge drawn up, the Gates barr'd^ and the Blunderbufs cock'd at the firit civil Queftion. And when Sir Tunbelly had Notice of this formidable. Appearance, he Sallies out with the Pojj'e of the Family, and marches agairtft a Couple of Strangers with a Ltfe-Guard of Halberds , Sythes, ' , P 4 and and Pitchforks. And to make fure Work, j Young Hoyden is lock'd up at the firft ap- proach of the Enemy. Here you have Prudence and Warinefs to the excefs of Fable, and Frenfy. And yet this mighty Man of Sufpicion, trufts Coufler with the | Difpofal of his only Daughter, and his Eftate into the Bargain. And what was this Coufler ? Why a Sharper by Character, and httle better by Profeflion. Farther, Lord Foflingtort and the Knight, are but a Days Journey afunder, and yet by their treating by Proxy, and Commiffion, one Would fancy a dozen Degrees of Lati- tude betwixt them. And ^s for Young Fajh/o^, excepting Coupler'^s Letter, he has all imaginable Marks of Impofturc upon him. He comes before his Time, and with- out the Retinue expefted, and has nothing of the Air of Lord Fo^li>igton\ Conver- fation. When Sir Tunbeily ask'd him, Fray where are your Coaches and Servants my Lord ? He makes a trifling Excufe. Sir, that I tnight give you and your Fair Daughter a proof hoiv impatient I am to nearer akin to you, I left my Equipage to follow me, and came away Pojl, with only onf Servant. To be in fuch a Hurry of In- clination for a Perfon he never faw, is fomewhat ftrange ! Befides, 'tis very un- likely Lord Foplington fhould hazard his Com- C|e Relapse. 2 Complexion on Horfeback, out-ride his Figure, and appear a Bridegroom in Def- habille. You may as foon perfwade a Peacock out of his Train, as a Beau out of his Equipage ; efpecially upon fuch aii Occafion. Lord Foplwgton would fcarce-? ly fpeak to his Brother juft coxne a Shore, till the Grand Committee of !r<«ycjrj-, Seam-p trejfes, kc, was difpatch'd. Pomp, and Curiofity were this Lord's Inclination ; why then fhould he mortitic without ne- ceflity , make his firft Approaches thus out of Form, and prefent himfelf to his M|ftrefs at fuch Difadvantage ? And as this is the Character of Lord Foplmgton^ fo 'tis reafonable to fuppofe Sir Tunbellj acquainted with it. An enquiry into the Humour and Management of a Son in Law, is very Natural and Cuftomary. So that we can't without Violence to Senfe, fup- pofe Sir Tunbellj a Stranger to Lord Fop- lington's Singularities. Thefe Reafons we're enough in all Confcience to make Sir Tun- belly fufpeft a Juggle, and that Fajhion v\'as no better than a Counterfeit. Why then was the Credential fwallow'd without chewing, why was not Hoyden locked up, and a paufe made for farther Enquiry ? Did this Jujiice never hear of fuch a Thing as Knavery, or had he ever greater rea- ion to guard againfi; it ? More wary freps ; might 21 S Eetnnrft£i Upon might well have been expefted froni Sir TunbeUy. To run from one extream of Caution, to another of Credulity, is high- ly improbable. In fhort^ either Lord Fop- lingtoriy and Sir Ta*^e/iy are Fools, or they are not. If they are, where lies the Cunning in over-reaching them ? What Conc[uejl can there be without Oppofition ? If they are not Fools, why does the Poet make them fo ? Why is their ConduSi fo grofs, fo par- ticolour'd, and inconfiftent ? Take them either way, and the Plot mifcarries. The firlt Suppofition makes it dull, and the later Incredible. So much for the Plot. I (hall now in the Ofth. Place touch briefly upon the Man' ners. The Manners in the Language of the Stage have a Signification fomewhat par- ticular. Arijiotle and Rapn call them the Caufes and Principles of Aftion. They are formed upon the Diverfities of Age, and Sex, of Fortune, Capacity, and Edu- cation. The Propriety of Manners con- fiils in a Conformity of Praftice, and Prin- ciple ; of Nature, and Behaviour. For the Purpofe. An old Man muft not ap- pear with the Profufenefs and Levity of Youth ; A Gentleman muft not talk like a Clown , nor a Country Girl like a Twn Jilt. And when the 0.2;-.::?-?>'jarcfeign'd 'tis ■ Relapse. 2 HofAce\ Rule to keep them Uniform, imd confiftent and agreeable to their firft letting out. The Poet muft be careful to hold his Perjons tight to their Csllwg and Pretentions. Hemuft notfliift, and muffle (their Underftandings ; I^t them skip from Wits to Blockheads, nor from Cour- tiers to Pedants. On the other hand. If their Bufinefs is playing the Fool, keep them ftriclly to their Duty, and never indulge them in fine Sentences. To ma- ' nage otherwife, is to defert Nature, and makes the Play appear Monftrous , and Chimerical. So that inllead of Image of Life, 'tis rather an Image of Impo(n- biljty. To apply fome of thcfe Remarks to the Rekpfer. The fine BerinthiayOnQ of the Top-Cha- rafters, is Impudent and Profane. Lo've- Uce would engage her Secrecy, and bids her Swear. She anfwers Ido. Lov. B7 rvhat ? Berinth. By Woman. Lov. Thafs Swearing by my Deity, do it hy yottr oxn^ or IfliAri't believe you. Berinth. By Man then. ^ This Lady promifes Worthy her En- deavours to corrupt Amanda ; and then they make a Profane Jert upon the Office, f In the progrefs of the Play after a great deal of Lewd Difcourfe with Lovelace^ Ber- 220 £lematU0 upou f- 74- BerinthiA is carried off into a Clofet, and Lodged in a Seem of Debauch. Here is Decency, and Refer vednefs, to a great ex- aftnefs ! Monfieur Rapin blames Ariofto, and Tajfo^ for reprefenting two of their Rtfiea. Women over-free, and Airy. Thefe Foets f.^a. fays he, rob Women of their Character ^ which is Modejiy. Mr. Rymer is of the fame Opi- Tragediet nion : His words are thefe. Nature knotvs of the laji jjQtJjifjn- in the Manners which (b properly, and derd. Sec. particularly dfjttnguijb a Womany as her Mo- P' " ?. dejiy. An impudent Woman is ft only to " be kicked J and exposed in Comedy, Now Berinthia appears in Comedy *tis true ; but neither to be kicked, nor expos* d. She makes a confiderable Figure , has goodUfage, keeps the be ft Company, and goes off without Cenfure, or Dilad van- tage. Let us now take a .Turn or two with Sir Tunhe/ly\ Heirefs of 1 500 pounds a Year. This young Lady Swears, talks Smut, and is upon the Matter juft as rag- manner^d us Mary the Buxome. 'Tis plain the Relapfer copyed Mr. Durfey\Ongi- nal , which is a fign he was fomewhat Pinch'd. Now this Chara^er was no great Beauty in Buxome ; But it becomes the Knights Daughter much worfe. Bux- ome was a poor Peafant, which made her Rudenefs more Natural, and expefted. But Deputy Lieutenants Chiidicn don*t ClieRELAPSE. 221 life to appear with the Behaviour of Beg- gcrs. To breed all People alike, and make no diftinftion between a Seat^ and a Cottage^ is not over-artful, nor very ceremonious to the Country Gentlemen. The Relapfer gives Mijs a pretty Soliloquy, I'll tran- fcribe it for the Reader. . She Swears by her Maker, 'tis iveU I?^^- have a Husband a comings or Pde Marry the Bakery I mould Jo. No body em knock / at the Gatey but pefently I mufi be locPd up, and here's the Toung Gray-hound — can run loofe about the Houfe all day long ; [be can^ "'tis very mill Afterwards her Lan- guage is too Lewd to be Quoted. Here IS a Compound of 111 Manners, and Con- tradiftion ! Is this a good Refemblance of Quality, a Defcription of a great Heirefs and the effeft of a cautious Education ? By her Coarfnefs you would think her Bred upon a Common^ and by her Conji- dence^ in the Nurfery of the Play-Houfe. I fuppofe the P.elapfer Fancies the calling her Mifs Hoyden is enough, to juftifie her III Manners. By his favour, this is a Miftake. To reprefent her thus unhewn, he fhould have fuiced her Condition to her Name, a little better. For there is no Charm in Words as to Matters of Breeding. An un- faQiionable Name won't make a Man a Clom. Education, is not torm'd upon Sounds, Kemnt{t0 upou j Sounds, and Syllables, but upon Circum* 1| ii ftanees, and Quality. So that if he was H refolv'd to have ftiewn her thus unpoHfliM, c he fhould have made her keep Sheeny or ' brought her up at the Wajh-Boul. Sir Tunbelly accofts Young Fitjbion much at the fame rate of Acomplifhment. My Lord, —J humbly cmve lexve to bid you \ Welcome in a, Cup of Sack-Wine. One would a imagine the Foet was overdozed before he gave the 'Jafiice a Glafs. -For Sack- n Wine is too low for a Petty Conjlable. This ^ Peafantly expreflion agrees neither with t the Gentleman's Figure, nor with the reft |;i of his Behaviour. I find we fliould have j « a. Creditable Magijhracy, ifthe Relapfer h3.A the Making them. Here the Char alters t are pinch'd in Senfe, and ftinted to fhort Allowance. At an other Time they are q over-indulged, and treated above Expc- I Elation. For the purpofe. Vanity and Forma- / lizing is Lord Foplingtenh Part, To let him fpeak without Aukwardnefs, and I AfFe£lation, is to put him out of his Ele- ment. There muft be Gumm and ftif- | >' fening in his Difcourfe to make it Natural, i n However, the Relapjer has taken a fancy " U to his Perfon, and given him fome of the ( moft Gentile raillery in the whole Play, f To give an.Inftance or two. This Lord / Relapse. 225 in Difcourfe with Fajhion forgets his Name, flies out into Senfe, and fmooth exprelTicn, out-talks his Brother, and abating the ;fl:arch'd Similitude of a Watch difcovers nothing of Affeftation, for almoft a F4^e^-4=- together. He Relapfes into the fame Intem- perance of Good Senfe, in another Dialogue ibetween him and his Brother. I fhall cite a little of it. T. Fafh. VaUfsyou are fokindtoaffiHme in redeeming my Annuity^ I know no Remedy ^ hut to go txke s. Purfe. i L. FopI, Why Faith Tarn — — — to give you my Senfe of the Things I do think taking a Purfe the be si Remedy tn the Worlds for tf you fiicceed^ you are relieved that way^ if jou me taken you are relieved father. Fajhion being difappointed of afuppIy/> 44- quarrels his Elder Brother,and calls him the Prince of Coxcombs. L. Fopl. Sir I am froud of being at the Head offo prevailing a Party. T. Fafh. Will nothing then provoke thee ? Draw Coward. L. FopL Look you Tarn, your Poverty makes your Ltfe fo burthenfome to you^ you xfould provoke me to a (parrel, in hopes either to flip through my Lungs into my Efatey or tlfe to get your felf run through the Guts, to put an End to your Pain. But J jbali difap- point you m bothy 8rc. k This 224 Eematfes^ upoit This Drolling has too much Spirit, the Air of it is too free, and too hand- fomly turn'd for Lord Fopling ton's Chara- cter. I grant the Relapfer could not afford to lofe thefe Sentences. The Scene would havefuffer'd by theOmifliorti But then he fhould have contriv'd the Matter fo, as that they might, have been fpoken by Young Fafljwn in Afides^ or by fome other more proper Perfon. To go on. Mifs Hoyden fparkles too much in Conver- fi-f- lation. The Poet muft needs give her a "P- fhining Line or two, which ferves only to make the reft of her dullnefs the more remarkable. Sir Tunbelly falls into the fame Misfortune of a Wit, and rallies above the force of his Capacity. But the place having a mixture of Profanenefs, I fhall forbear to cite it. Now to what purpofe fhould a Fool's Coat be embroi- der'd? Finery in the wrong place is but expenfive Ridiculoufnefs. Befides, I don't perceive the Relapfer was in any Condi- tion to be thus liberal. And when a Poet is not overftock'd, to fquander away his Wit among his Block-heads, is meer Dift ra- tion. His Men of Senfe will fmart for this prodigality. Lovelace in his Difcourfe of Friendship, (ha\\ be the firft Inftance. Frtend- fljip ( fays he ) is [aid to be a, Plant of tedious grorvthy tt>: Root compcfed of tender Fibers, met 8y. Cf)e Relapse. nice thetr Ta/i^ kc. By this Defcription the Palate of a Fiher, fhould be fomewhat more »ice znd diftinguifhing, than the Po- ets Judgment. Let us examin fome more of his Witty People. Young Fafljion fancies by MtJJes forward Behaviour, (he would have a whole Kji^nel of Beaux after her at London. And then, Hey to the Park, and the Plaj, and the Church, and the Devil. ^ Here I conceive the ranging of the Period is amifs. For if he had put the Play, and the Devil together, the Order of Nature, and the Air of Probability had been much bet- ter obferv'd. Afterwards Coupler being out of Breath in coming up Stairs to Fajhron, asks him lifhy the can'*ji thou not Lodge upon the ^ Ground' floor ? T. Fafh. Becaufi Hove to lie as near Hex- ven as I can. One would think a Spark juft come oft his Travels, and had made the Tour oi' Italy and France, might have ralli- ed with a better Grace: However if he lodg'tl in a Garret, 'tis a good Local Jeft. I had almoft forgot one pretty remarkable Sentence of Fafhwn to Lory. I /ball Jhew thee (fays he ) the excefs of my Pajfion by he~ ing very Calm, Now lince this Gentleman was in a Vein of Talking Philofophy to his Man, I'm forry he broke oft' fo quickly. Had he 2;one on and fliewn him the Excefs 226 Eematbg upon of a Storm and no Wind ftirring, the To- pick had been fpent, and the Thought impiov'd to the utmoft. Let us now pafs on to Wortliy^ the Relap- fer*s fine Gentleman. This Spark fets up for Senfe, and Addrefs, and is to have nothing ©f Affeftation or Confcience to fpoil his Cha- racter. However to fay no more of him, he grows Foppilh in the laft Scene^ and courts AmandA in Fuftian, and Pedantry. FiriV, He gives his Periods a turn of Verli- flcation, and talks Frofe to her mMeeter. Now this is juft as agreeable as it would be to Ride with one Leg, and Walk with the other. But let him (peak for himfeif. His firll Bufinefs is to bring Amanda, to an Aver- fion for her Husband ; And therefore he t 99. perfwades her to Rouje up that Spirit Wo- man ought to hear; and jlight your God if he ^neglecls his Angel. He goes on with his Orifons. With Arms of Ice receive his Cold Embraces., and keep your Fire for thofe that cornetn blames. Fire and Flames is Met- tal upon Mettal ; 'Tis falfe Heraldry. Ex- tend the Arms of Mercy to his Aid. His Z^al may give him Title to your Pityy althd* his Merit cannot claim your Love. Here you have Jrtns brought in again by Head and Shoulders. I fuppofe the Delign was to keep up the Situation of the Allegory. But the latter part of the Speech is very Pithy. He ■Cf)C Relapse. 227 He would have her refign her Virtub out of Civility, and abufe her Husband on Prin- ciples of good Nature. Worthy purfues his Point,and Rifesin hisAddrefs.He falls into a Fit of Diffe£lion, and hopes to gain his Mi- itrefs by cutting his Throat. He is for Ripfingup his Faithful Breafi, to prove the Reality of liis PalTion. Now when a Man courts with his Heart in his Hand, it mult be great Cruelty torefufe him, 1 No Butch- er could have Thought of a more moving Expedient ! However Amandx continues obftinate, and is not in the ufual Humour of the Stage. Upon this, like a well-bred Lover he ieizes her by Force, and threat- ens to Kill her. Nay firuggle not for aifs in VaiKy or Death, or Vi^ory^ I am deter-^' mii^d. In this rencounter the Lady proves too nimble, and flips through his Fingers. Upon this difappointment, he cries, there's Divinity about her^ and /he has difpens''d fome Portion on^t to me. His Palfion is Me- tamorphos'd in the Turn of a hand : He is refin'd into a Platonick Admirer, and goes off as like a Town Spark as you would wifh, And fo much for the Poets fine Gentleman. I Ihould now examine the Relapfer^s Thoughts and Exprejjions, which are two other Things of Confideration in a Play, The Thoug hts or Sentiments are the Expreffi- ons of the Mmners, as Words are of the^^^"^^* 0.2 Thoughts. 28 EcmntKsi upon Thoughts. But the view of the Characters has in fome Meafure prevented this Enqui- ry. Leaving this Argument therefore, I fhall confider his Play with refpecl to the Three Unities of Time, Place, and A£li- on. And here the Reader may pleafe to take notice, that the Defign of thefe Rules, is to conceal the Fiftion of the ^itage, to make the Pi^j appear Natural, and to give it an Air of Reality, and Converfatton. The largeft Compafs for the firft Vnity is Twenty Four Hours : But a leffer pro- portion is more regular. To be exaft, the Time of the Hiftory, or Fable, fhouldnot exceed that of the Reprefentation : Or in other Words, the whole Bufinefs of the Play, fiiould not be much longer than the Time it takes up in Playing. The Second Vnity is that of Place. To obferve \tj\\\Q Scene muft not wander from one Town, or Country to another. It muft continue in the fame Houfe, Street, or at fartlieft in the fame City, where it was firft laid. The Reafon of this Rule depends upon the Ftrfi. Now the Corn- pals of Time being ttrait, that of Space muft bear a Correfpondent Proportion. Long Journeys in Plays are imprafticable. The Diftances of Place muft be fuited to Leifure, and Poflibility, otherwife the fup- •^fje Relapse. 229 pofition will appear unnatural and abfurd. The Third Vnity is that of A£iion ; It con- fifts in contriving the chief Bufinefs of the P/.tyfingle, and making the Concerns of one Perfon diftinguiftiably great above the reft. All the Forces of the Stage muft as it were ferve under one Generd : And the leffer Intrigues or Under-plots, have fome Relation to the Main. The very Oppofi- tions muft be ufeful, and appear only to be Conquer'd, and Countermined. To re- prefent Two confiderable Actions indepen- dent of each other, Deftroys the Beauty of Subordination, weakens the Contrivance, and dilutes the Pleafure. It fplits the ?Ujy and makes the Poem double. He that would fee more upon this Subjeft may con- ^'('^^''J^' fult Corneille ; to bring thefe Remarks to u.rJfz. the Cafe in hand. ' And here we may ob- ferve how the Relapjer fails in all the Rriles above mentioned. i/. His Play by modeft Computation takes up a Weeks Work, but Five Days you muft allow it at the loweft. One Day muft be fpent in the Firft, Second, and part of the Third ASf, before Lord Foplingrm fets forward to Sir TuKbellj. Now tHe Length of the Diftance, the Pomp of the " Retinue, and the Nicenefs of the Perfon being confider'd ; the Journey down, and 1 2^0 EcttiatK)E( upon up again, cannot be laid under Four Days. 88. To put this out of doubt, Lord Foplihgton, is particularly careful to tell Coupler, how concernM he was not to overdrive,/(7r fear of difordering his Coach- Horfes. The Law s of Pkce^ are no better obfervM than thofe of Time. In the Third A£f the PUy is in Town, in the Fourth 'tis ftroU'd Fifty Miles off, and in the Fifth in London again. Here Pegafus ftretches it to pur- pofe ! This Poet is fit to ride a Maxch with witches. Juliana Cox never Switched a Broom-ftock with more Expedition ! This is exaftly, Titw at WaltonTown, and Titu^ at IJli»g- ton. One would think by the probability of Matters, the Plot had been ftolen from The Poet''s Succefs in the laft Unity of Al^wn is much the fame with the former. Lovelace J Amanda^ and Bennthia, have no fhare in the main Bufinefs. Thefe Second- rate Characters are a detached,Body : Their Intereft is perfectly Foreign, and they are neither Friends nor Enemies to the Plot. Toung Fafhion does not fo much as fee them . till the Clofe of the Fifth A^, and then, tliey meet only to fili the Stage : And yet thefe 1 C&E Relapse. thefe Ferfons are in the Poets account very confiderable ; Infomuch that he has mif- named his Play {vom the Figure of Two of them. This ftrangenefs of Perfons, di- ftinft Company, and inconnexion of Af- J^irs, deftroys the Unity of the Poem. The (iontrivance is jull as wife as it would be to cut a Diamond in two. There is a lofs pf Luftrein theDivifion. Increafing the JN^umber, abates the Value, and by mak- ing it more, you make it iefs. Thus far I have examin'd the Dramatick Merits of the Play. And upon enquiry, it appears a Heap of Irregularities. There is neither Propriety in xh^Name^ nor Con- trivance in the Plot, nor Decorum in the Chara^ers. 'Tis a thorough Contradiftion to Nature, and impolTible in Ttme, and Place. Ix^s Shining Graces^ as the Author calls them, are BUfphemy and i^^/i'^r/, toge- ther with a mixture of Oaths ^ and Curjing. Upon the whole The i^f/^^y^r's Judgment, and his Morals, are pretty well adjufted. ThePoe^, is not much better thantheM:^. As for the Profane part, 'tis hideous and fu- perlative. But this I have conlider'd elfe- where. All that I fliall obfervc here is, that the Author was fenfible of this Ob- jection. His Defence in his Preface is moll wretched : He pretends to know nothing of the M4tter, and that all Printed^ CL 4 Which Ecmarfe0 upciT, &c. Which only proves his Confidence equal to the reft of his Virtues. To out-face Evidence in this manner, is next to the af- firming there's no fuch Sin as Blafphemy, which is the greateft Blafphemy of all. His Apology confifts in railing at the Cler- gy; a certain Sign of ill Principles, and ill Manners. This He does at an iinufual rateofRudenefs and Spite. He calls them the Saints with Screrv'd Faces, and Wry Mouths. And after a great deal offcurrilous Abufe too grofs to be mentioned, he adds ; Jf any Man happens to he offended at a Story Pref- of a Cock and a Bull, and a Priefi and a Bull- . , doe. I beg his Pardon. S^c. This is brave my in Li- Bear-Gar denlj^DguagelThc ReUpfer \^^on\d ihuania, (Jq Well to tranfport his Mufe to Samour- forthcEdu- There 'tis* likely he might find Lei- cation oj t> !• 1 I • V*; D • n Bears. lurc to liCK his Abortive Brat into fhape ; ^iii'vo"^ e "^"^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ proper Bufinefs for his Z Diwrs Temper, and Encouragement for his Ta- etat!,hz. lent. f. 340. CHAP. 2n CHAP. VI. The Ofinion of the Pagans, of the ' Church, und State, concerning the Stage. HAving in the foregoing Chapters dif- coverM fome part of the Diforders of the Englifh Stage ; I fhall in this Laft, prefent the Reader with a fhort View of the Senfe of -Antioiuitj, To which I fhall add fome Modern Authorities ; From all which it will appear that Plays have ge- nerally been look'd on as the Nurferies of Vtce^ the Corrupters of Touth^ and the Grievance of the Country where they are ■fuffer'd This proof from TeJIimony fhall be ranged under thefe three Heads. Under the Firfi, I fhall cite fome ct the moft celebrated Heathen Philofophers^ Orators, and Hiftorians ; Men of the big- geft Confideration, for Senfe, Learning, and Figure. The Second^ Shall confift of the Laws and Conjlttutions of Princes^ &c. The "Thirds Will be drawn from Church-Re- cords, from Fathers, and Councils of unex- ceptionable 2J4 Ci)C€)pfmOlt OftDe Pa CANS ceptlonable Authority, both as to Perfons, and Time. i/. I fhall produce fome of the moft celebrated Heathen Philofophers &c. To put. de begin with PUto. ' This Philofopher tells us fa "iu/et ' that Plays raife the Paflions, and per- Frapar. < vcrt thc ufc of them, and by confequence Evavg. dangerous to Morality: For' this * Reafon he banifhes thefe Diverfions his ' Common-Wealth . Xenophon who was both a Man of Let- ters and a great Generaly commends the cyropaJ. Perftms for the Difcipline of their Edu- ^* ^'f cation. * They won't ( fays he) fo much * as fuffer their Youth to hear any thing * that's Amorous or Tawdry. They were afraid want of Ballaft might make them mifcarry, and that 'twas dangerous to add weight to the Byafs of Nature. Artjlotle lays it down for a Rule , that * the Law ought to forbid Young People ToUt. Lib. ' thc feeing of Comedies. Such permilTions '7 ' not being fafe till Age and Difcipline * had contirm'd them in fobriety, forti- ' fied their Virtue, and made them as it * were proof againft Debauchery. This p^^. Philofopher who had look'd as far into Lib. 8. Humane Nature as any Man, obferves farther, * That the force of Mufick and ' A^ion is very affefting. It commands ' the Audience and changes the PafTions to Concetm'ngtlje Stage. 255 * ft Refemblance of the Matter before them. So that where the Reprefentation is foul, the Thoughts of the Company muft fuf- fer. Tully crys out upon ' Licentious PUys J^'-*'*-/^- * and Poems J as the bane of Sobriety, and ■ wife Thinking: That Comedy {uh'ii^s up-^-'^. «• * on Lewdnefs, and that Pleafure is the *Rootofall Evil. Lii;y^ reports the Original of PUys among the Roinans. ' He tells us they *were brought in upon the fcore of Re- * ligion, to pacifie the Gods, and remove a * Mortality. But then He adds that the * Motives are fometimes good, when the * Means are ftark naught : That the Re- , * medy in this cafe was worfe than the ut. 7! * Difeafe, and the Atonement more Infe- * ftious than the Plague. Valerius MAxtmus, Contemporary with Livy^ gives much the fame Account of the rife of Theatres at Rome. 'Twas De- * votion which built them. And as for ' the Perfc-mances of thofc Places, which * Mr. Dryden calls the OrnAments^ this Au- ' thor cenfures as the Blemillies of Peace. And which is more, He affirms ' They * were the Occafions of Civil Diftradions ; ' and that the State "fidt Blufh'd and * then Bled, for the Entertainment. He uy. a.< * concludes the coniequences of PUys m- • ■? -t- ' toierabie , 2^6 €lje 0pfnfon of t!)e Pagans * tolerable ; And that the Mafjilienfes did well cap. 6. < clearing the Country of them. Senecu * complains heartily of the Extravagance ' and Debauchery of the Age : And how * forward People were to improve in that ' which was naught. That fcarce any Body * would apply themfelves to the Study of Nature and Morality, unlefs when the ' Flay-Houfe was fhut, or the Weather * foul. That there was no body to teach ' Philofophy, becaufe there was no body * to Learn it : But that the Stage had Nur- ^feries, and Company enough. ThisMif- * application of time and Fancy, made * Knowledge in fo ill a Condition. This ' was the Caufe the Hints of Antiquity ' were no better purfued ; that fome In- * ventions were funk, and that Humane ^'eji': ' Reafon grew Downwards rather than 7. caf. 32 . ' othcrwife. And elfewhere he avers that * there is nothing more deilructive to Good Epift. 7. ' Manners than to run Idling to fee Sights. * For there Vice makes an infenfible Ap- * proach, and ileals upon us in the Dif- *guifeof pleafure. * Tacitus relating how Nero hired, de- ^nnd. *cay'd Gentlemen for the Stage, com- ^'t' II* ^ plains of the Mifmanagement ; And lets cap, 14.,*, - r Tk • ' us know 'twas the part 01 a Prince to re- * leivc their NeeefTity, and not to Tempt * ir. And that his Bounty Hiould rather * have \ Concetmns tlje Stage. 237 I have fet them above an ill praftice, than ■ driven them upon't. And in another place, He informs us :hat, * the German Women were Guarded I againft danger, and kept their Honour ^« out of Harms- way, by having no PUy- ^J'", p'' Houfes amongft them. Plays, in the Opinion of the Judicious sympojtae. Plutarch are dangerous to corrupt Young ^,%l]f" 'eople; And therefore Poetry when Pcef.p.i\. t grows too hardy, and Licentious, ought o be checkt. This was . the Opinion of hefe Celebrated Authors with refpsct to "heat res : They Charge them with the [Corruption of Principles, and Manners, ^ nd lay in all imaginable Caution againfb ' hem. And yet thefe Men had feldom ny thing but this World in their Scheme ; ^ nd form'd their Judgments only upon iJatural Light, and Common Experi- nee. We fee then to what fort of Con- u£l we are oblig'd. The Cafe is plain ; Jnlefs we are little enough to renounce ur Reafon, and fall fhort of Philofophy, nd live under the Pitch of Heathentfm. To thefe Teftimonies I fhall add a Cou- le of^ Poets, who both feem good Judges f the Affair in Hand. The Firlt is Ovid, who in his Book De '-' trte Awandi, gives his Reader to under- :and that the Play-Houfe was the moft like- " ly 8 Cfje ©pfm'on of tbe f agans ly Place for him to Forage in. Here would be choice of all forts: Nothing being more common than to fee Beauty furpriz'd, Wo- men debauch'd, and Wenches Pick'd up'J| at thefe Diverfions. r Sed tu pracique cur vis venernre TheatriSy Hac loco, funt voto fertiliera tuo. '\ — — ruit ad celebres cultijjimii FoeminA | Ludos ■ f Copia judicium ftpe morata, meum ejl. Spe5iatum veniunt^ veniunt Specientur ut llle locus cajli damna pudoris habet. r for And afterwards relating the imperfed beginning of Plays at the Rape of the Sabine Virgins, he adds, Scilicet ex illo folennia more Theatra Nunc quoque formofis infidiofa, manent. This Author fometime after wrote the Remedy of Love. Here he pretends to Pre- fcribe for Prudence, if not for Sobriety. And to this purpofe, He forbids the feeing of PUys^ and the reading of Poets,, efpec;- ally fome of them. Such Recreations being apt to feed the Dtjiewper^ and make the Patient Relapfe. Jt doncenunff tf)£ St a t e. 2^9 At tantt tfbifit non tndulgere T heat r is Dum bem de I'acuo Peiiore cedat amor. Enervant animos Cithar*^ Cantufque^ lyr£i- que Et voXy & numiris hrxohui mota fuis. Remed. Hie aOidue fcti faltanttir amantis, Quid caveat, acfor, quid juvety arte docet. In his De Tripbus, He endeavours to nake fome Amends for his fcandalous "^oemsy and gives Augujlii^ a. fort of PU^t or a Publick Reformation. Amongft other . Things, he advifes the fuppreffing of PUys, s being the promoters of Lewdnefs, and )i{folucion of Manners. tamen hoc fat ear ludi quoqae fsrnina m. j pr£bent Nequitine, tolli tot a Theatra jube. To the Teflimony of Ck'id, I could dd Plata lis ^ Propertius, and Juvenal^ but eing not willing to overburthen the Rea- fr, I fhall content my felf with the Plain- haler as one better known at Home, This Poet in his Dedication to Lady B, )me Eminent Procurefs^ pleads the Me- tsof his Function, and infills on being iileted upon Free Quarter. Madam ([z.ys e) / think a . Poet ought to be as free of JOtlT 240 COe €)ptttlou of tbe State your Houfes, as of the Piay-Houfes; fines he, contributes to the fupport of both ; and is asneceffarj tofuch as you, as the Ballad- fing" er to the Pick-purfe, in Convening the Cullies £>>. Dcd "■^ Theatres te he pcH^d. uf, and. Carried to a Supper, and Bed, at your Houfes. This is frank Evidence, and ne're the lefs true, for the Air of a Jeft. I fhall now in the Second Place, proceed to the Cenfures of the State ; And fhew in a few Words how . much the Stage ftands difcouraged by the Laws of other Countries and our own. piut. Di. To begin with the Athenians. This cior. A People tho' none of the worft Friends to ihcT!:svs. Phy-Houfe ' thought a Comedy fo un- ' reputable a Performance, that they made ' a Law that no Judge of the Areopagm ' fhould make one. pht La. The Lacedemonians, who were remark- rt» ;«v?/- able for the Wifdom of their Larvs, the Sobriety of their Manners, and their Bree-^ ding of brave Men. This Government would not endure the Stage in any Form, nor under any Regulation. cic de Re. ' P'^^^ °" ^'^ ^^'^^ Romans. Tully in- pub. Lib.' forms us ' that their Prsdecejfours counted 'tt''Auu'' ^^^ 'Sr.i^e-P/rfjj uncreditable and Scanda- ftine. "^"'^ ^o^s. in fo much that any Rowan who Lib. !. ' turn'd A^or was not only to be Degraded, caf t3^"'^ but likewife as it were difincorporated. an'-' Concetnino: tOc S t a glE. 241 *and unnaturalized by the Ordtfr of the * Cenfors. St. Augufiim in the fame Book, com* ^- ^- '^'t- mends the Romaics for refuting the jm Ci- 'viutis to Players^ for feizing their Free- doms, and making them perfectly Foreign to their Government . We read in Livy that the Young Pec- Dec. 1. pie in Rome kept the FabuU Attellm£ to ^l"-- 7- themfelves. ' They would not fuffer this * Diverfion to be blemtili'd by the Stage. Ab wflrK * For this Reafon, as the Hiftorian obferves, ""{^"^ ^o^- * the Aciors of the F^huU Attelianx were neither expell'd their Tribe, nor refufed to * fer ve in Arms ; Both which Penalties it ap- ' pears the Common P/ajers lay under. In the Theodoiian Code^ Players are call'd xv. Cod. Perjbm tnhonefi^^ that is, to TranJIate [t'^htotTit. foftly, perfons Maim'd, and Blemilli'd in^" ^-^?^- their Reputation. Their Piliures might be feen at the Play-Houj'e^ but were not permitted to hang in any creditable Place of the Toiv.n. Upon this Text Gothofred"'-^" tells us the Fun£lion of Players was counted fcandalous by the Ct'vil Law, L. 4. And tliat thofe who came upon the Stage to di- vert the people, had a mark of Intamy fet ^ ^ upon them. Famofi [uKt ex Edicio. 'h^ I Qiall now come down to our own onfiitution. And I ftnd by 39 E^^^- G{Xfred ■4/- 4. I jac. cap. 7. ■ cijai alt '^m- u>id'i' ' €l)C SDpinion Of tfje ^tate ' tnarrio, Common pai^ecis of €ntcr^ Iutie0, Coimtecfeit €gpptinn0, &c. njatl be ttiUen, aUiunBcD ano neern'o Eogue0, eingaboniis, aiio flurtii? beggars, nna fi)?M fuaaiii all patu ano l^untfljmait, ag bp tljis iss in tt)at bdjaif appotuteo. The Penalties are infamous to the laft degree, and Capital too, unlefs they give over. 'Tis true, the firft excepts th^<^P layers fc)!)ic() beiong to axaron ctijec petronage of fjigf)£i; Dcgcf e, ano are atit&o^i^eD topuip untser tOe l^aiio ano ®eal of ^rmes of fiict) 'Baron. 02 perfOi-age^But by the later Sta- tute this Priviledge of Licenfmg is taken away : And all ofthemareexprefly brought under the Penalty without Diftin£^ion. About the Year 1580, there was a Peti- tion made to Queen Elizabeth for fuppref- fing of Plaj'Houfes. 'Tis fomewhat re- markable, and therefore I fhall tranfcribe fome part of the Relation. Many Godly Citiz,ens^ and other mil dij- pofed Gentlemen of London, confidering that Play-Houfes and Dicing-Houfes, mre Traps for Toung Gentlemen and others^ and per- ceiving the rnany Inconveniencies and great damage that would enjue upon the long fuf- fering of the fame, not only to particular Perfons but to the rvhole City ; And that it rvould atfb be a great difparagement to the Governours^ and a, dijljonotir to the Govern- rnent 1 Concernmg tfje Stage. 245 ment of this Honour Me City, if they jhould any lon'rer continue, acquainted fome Pious Migiflrates therewith, defiring them to take foms courfefor the fupPreffion of Common Play- Houfes, &c. tvithin the City of London and Liberties thereof ; ivho thereupon made humble fuit to Queen Elizabeth and her Privy Coun- cil, ■ -and obtain d leave of her Majejly to thru [I the Players out of the City , and to pull Raviidg. down all Play-Houfes, and Dicing-Houfes ifithin their Liberties, rvhich accordingly rvas out, Scc. effected.AndthePlay-Houfes f;«Grace-Church- /" • 2, 3, 4* ftreet, 6"c. were quite put down and fupprefd. I Oiall give a Modern Inftance or two rJ^'Z^^ from France, and fo conclude thefeAutho- oecio, rities. In the Year 1696. we are informed by a Dutch Print, M. V Archeveque Appuye, &-C. ' That the Lord Arch-Bifhop * fupported by "the Intereft of fome ReU- * gious Perfons at Court, has done his ut- * mofl: to fupprefs the Publick Theaters by * degrees ; or at leall: to clear them of Pro- *fanenefs. And laft Summer the Gazetts in the Pa" ris Article affirm, ' That the King has or- * der'd the Italian Players to retire out of ^^^f^, ' France becaufe they did not obferve his dam H^tr- ^ Majejlies Orders, but reprefented immo- ^^"^ * deft Pieces, and did not correcl tlieir 0^- p1^^'^ ^ Ccenities; and indecent Gf/?/-/;-fj. May 17. . R 2 . Tk'-^*7- 244 S)pinlon of tfje atate The fame Intelligence the next Week af- ter, acquaints us, * that fome Perfons of ' the firft Qudity at Court, who were the *Prote£lors of thefe Comedians, had foU- * cited the French King to recal his Order * againft them, but their Requeft had no . * fuccefs. j| And here to put an end to the Modern Authorities, I fliall fubjoyn a fort of Pa- fiordLetter publifh'd about two Years fince by the Bifhop of Arras in Flanders. The Reader fliall have as much of it as concerns , him in both Languages. MAN- J doitcenifitff t^e Stage. 245 MANDEMENT DE MONSEIGNEUR V lllujlriffime Et RelPerendtJJtme EVE QUE D ARRAS CONTRE LA COMEDIE. GUY DE SEVE DE ROCHE CHOUART par lagraie de Dien <^ du Saint Siege jlfc- Siolique Eviqae d^ An a;^ A tousfidelcs dela ViUe d' Arras Saint & BenediUion. 11 fant ignorcr fa Re- ligion four ne pof connottre 4' horreur qu'elle a mar- qitee dans tons les temps des SpcElaclcs^ & de la Come die en particuUcr. Lcs faints Teres la con- damnent dans letirs ecritsj Us la regardent com- me m refle da paganifme^ & Comme me ecole d' impuretc. L' Eglife /' a toUjours regardce avec abo- mination^ & fi elle -na pas abfolnment rejett^ de fon fein ceux qui exercent ce metier infame & fcandaleux^ elle les prive piibliqiiement des Sacre- metJSy ^ »' onblie rien pour marquer en tontcs ren- comn es fon avrrjion pour cet etat & ifoiir P 7?ifpirer a fes Enfans. Des Ritnels de J)ioccfes tres regUs les mettent an nombre des perfo;mes q:ie les Cure's font oblife's de traiter comme excommimies • Cclui de Paris les joint anx Soreiers^ & aiix Adagiciens^ & les regarde comme manifefiemcat infamcs ^ Le Eveqnes les plus faints Icur font refufer piillicjitement^ les Sacremens j Nous avons veu m des premiers i Eveijites de France ne vonloir pas par cette raifon re- cevoir an maria^e m homme de cet hat ; nn antre ne vouloir pas Icur accorder la terre Saint e j Et dans R 3 ks CfieiSDpmlon oft{)e 8tate les StatHts m frelat bien plin iHttfire fer fen me' rite^ par fa Piete, & far P aitfierite defavie que far lafOHYfre dom il efirevefiu, on les trouve avec les comiib'maires^ les 'Vfuriers^ les Blaffheinateitrs^ les Femmes debauchees^ les excommunies denomesy les Infames^ les Simmnac^H^s^ & autres ferfonnes fcandaleufes mis an nombre de cenx a qui on doit re- fufer fubliquement la Communion. II efi done imfojftble de juftifyer la Comedic fans vouloir condamner /' Eglife^ les faints feres^ les fltu faint Prelats^ mats il ne /' efi poi mains dejuftifier ceux qui far leur ajfiftance a ces fpefiacles non feule- ment frennent part au mal qui s^fait^ mais contri- huent en mime temps a retenir ces malhiureux mini- fires de Satan dans une profejfion^ qui les feparant des Sacremens de /' EgUfe les met dans m it at per- petuel de peche & hors de falut s'ils ne /' abandon' nent. — Et'i e^arddes Comediens & Commediennes^ Nous defendons trcs exprejfement a nos pafleurs & a nos Confeffsurs des les recevoir aux Sacremens ft cenefi Trois Let- qu^ ils aient fait Penitence de leur peche^ donne des j tres Pafto- preuves d! amendment renonce a. leur Etat^ & re~ ' Monrei*' P'*^^ fatisfaclion publique telle que now ji>ge~ neur L' '''"^^ ^ propos de leur ordonner^ le Scandale public Ereque quails ont donne'. Fait & crdonni a Arrus le qua- D' Arras trieme jour de Decembre mil fix cent quatre'vingt ADelf. '1*^97- Guy Eve'que d' Arr*s Et pltti bat Par Monfeigneur C A R O N. Inj doncecmnff t!jC Stage. In Englifh thus, An Order of the mofl Illu- drious and moft Reverend Lord Bifhof of Arras a- gainjl Plays. GUY DE SEVE DE ROCHE CHOUART by the grace of God, ' dfc. Bifhop of Jrras. To all the Faithful ' in the Town of Jrras Health and Bene- ' diftion. A Man muft be very Ignorant ' of his Religion, not to know the great ' difguft it has always declar'd, for Puh- * lick Sights, and for Plajs in particular. * The Holy Fathers condemn them in * their Writings ; They look upon tiiem ' as reliquesofHeathenifm, and Schools of * Debauchery. They have been always * abominated by the Church ; And not- * withftanding thofe who are concern''d * in this Scandalous ProfcfTion , are not ' abfolutely expell'd by a Formal Excom- ' munication ; yet She publickly refufes ^ them the Sacraments, and omits nothing ' upon all Occafions, to fhewher Averfion ^for this. Employment, and to transfufe R4 'the Clje Opinfott of t!)e ^tate ' the fame fentiments into her Children. *"The Rituals of the beft govern'd Diocefes, * ha«ve ranged the Players among thofe * whom the Parifh Priefts are oblig'd to * treat as Excommunicated Pcrfons. The ^Ritual of Paris joyns them with Sorce- * rers,and Magicians, and looks upon them * as notorioufly infamous ; The moft emi- * nent Bifhops for Piety, have publickly * denied them the Sacraments ; For this * reafon, we our felves have known one * ofthe moft confiderable Bifhops in France^ ' turn back a Player that came to be Mar- * tied ; And an other of the fame Order, * refufed to bury them in Confecrated ' Ground : And by theOrders of a Bifhop, ' who is much more illuftrious for his ' Worth, for his Piety, and the Striftnefs ' of his Life, than for the Purple in his ' Habit ; They are thrown amongft For- *nicators, Ufurers, Blafphemers , Lewd ' Women, and declar'd Excommunicates, * amongft the Infamous, and Simoniacal, ' and other Scandalous Perfpns who are * intheUft of thofe who ought publickly * to be barr'd Communion. * Unlefs therefore we have a mind to ' condemn the Church, the Holy Fathers, * and the moft holy Bifiiops, 'tis impoffi- * ble to juftifie Plays ; neither is the De- * fence of thofe lels impra£licahle , who Conccrm'no: tfic Stage. * by their Countenance of thefe Diverfions, ' not only have their fhare of the Mif- ' cliief there done, but contribute at the ' fame time to fix thefe unhappy Minifters ' of Satan in a Profeffion, which by de- ' priving them of the Sacraments of the ' Church , leaves them under a conflant * neceffity of Sinning, and out of all hopes * of being faved , unlefs they give it * over. — From the general Unlawfulnefs of the Bilhop proceeds to argue more ftrong- ly againft feeing them at times which are more particularly devoted to Piety, and Humiliation : And therefore he ftriftly for- bids his Diocefs the PUy-Houfe in Adventy Lent^ or under any publick C^/^w/Vj. And atlaft concludes in this Manner. * As for the Cafe of PUyers both Men, * and Women, we exprefly forbid all our * Reftors, Paftors, and Confeflburs, to ad- ' mic them to the Sacraments, unkfs they * fhall repent them of their Crime, make * proof of their Reformation, renounce * their Bufnefs, and retrieve the Scandal * they have given, by fuch publick Satisfa- * ftion as we fhall think proper to injoyn ' them. Made and Decreed at Arras the * fourth day of December 1695. Guy Biftiop of Arras. Sic. I 2 $0 €:ije ©pmiott of tlie Cljuccft I (hall now in the Third Place, give a fhort Account of the Senfe of the Primitive Church concerning the Stage : And firft I fhall inftance in her Councils. The Council of llliherU^ or Collioure in cAs Light mth Darknefs .<* No Mm can ferve S wo 2 5 8 Zl)z ©pinion of tDe (Sljurclj tm M^JlerSj nor have Life and Death in ' him at the fame time. Hid * ^^^^ ^^^^ '^^^^^ s^^^ of cap^ 27/ Infeftion? The very Air fuffers by their ' Impurities; And they almoft pronounce the Plague. What tho' the performance ' may be in fome meafure pretty and cnter- * taining ? What tho' Innocence, yes and ' Virtue too,iliines through fome part of it ? ' 'Tis not the cuftom to prepare Poyfon ^ unpalatable, nor makeup Ratzbanewith * Rhubarb and Sena. No. To have the ' Mifchief fpeed, they muft oblige the * Senfe, and make the Dofe pleafant. ' Thus the Devil throws in a Cordial * Drop to make the Draught go down ; ' And fteals fome few Ingredients from the * Dijpenfitory of Heaven. In fhort, look ' upon all the engaging Sentences of the ' Stage ; Their flights of Fortitude, and ' Philofophy, the Loftinefs of their Stile, ' the Mulick of the Cadence, and * the Finefs of the Conduct ; Look upon * it only I fay as Honey dropping from ' the Bowels of a Toad, or the Bag of a ' Spider : Let your Health Qver-rule your ' Pleafure, and don't die of a little Liquor- ' ijhnefs. * In earneft Chriftian, our time for En- Uid. cap. ' tertainment is not yet : you are too cra- is. < ving and ill managed if you are fo violent ' for ^ Oiancermngtlje Stage. 2^9 ' for Delight. And let me tell you, no * vvifer than you fhould be, if you count * fuch things Satisfaftion. Some Philofo- * phers placed their Happinefs in bare * Tranquility. Eafinefs of Thought, and « Abfence ot Pain, was all they aim'd at. *But this it feems won't Satisfie Thee. < Thou lieft fighing and hankering after < the PU)-Houj'e. Prethee recolleft thy felf : * Thou knowefi Death ought to be our * Pleafure ; And therefore I hope Life may * be a little without it. Are not our De- * fires the fame with the Apoftles, To be ' * Dijfolv^d and to be rvith Chrtfi ? Let us a£l * up to our pretentions, and let Pleafure ' be true to Inclination. * But if you can't wait for Delight ; if ca». * you muft be put into prefent PofTelTion, 's*- * wee'l caft the Caufe upon that Iffue. * Now were you not unreafonable, you ' would perceive the Liberalities of Provi- ' dence, and find your felf almofl: in the * mid it of Satisfaction. For what can be * more tranfporting than the Friendfhip of * Heaven,and the Difcovery of Truth,thaa ' the Senfe of our Miftakes, and the Par- ' don of our Sins ? What greater Pleafure * can there be, than to fcorn being Pleased ? * to contemn the World ? And to be a * Slave to Nothing ? 'Tis a mighty fatis- * fa^ion I take it,to have a clear Confcience ; S 2 * To 26o C \)t S)pinion of tlje €()iirc& ' To make Life no Burthen, nor Death * any Terror ! To trample upon the < Pagan Deities ; To batter PriMcipali- * ties and Powers^ and force the DeviJs to 'By Exit i Rgfign ! ^ Thefe are the Delights, thefe * are the noble Entertainments of Chrifti- * ans : And befides the advantage of the * Quality, they arc always at hand, and * coft us nothing. Lii j_ Clemens AkxanMnus affirms ' That the P'dag. < Cmtis and Theatre may not improperly f;" /°4.*be caird the Chatr of Pefiileme. '"^ ' Away then with thefe Lewd, Ungodly * Diverfions, and which are but Imperti- * nence at the Beft. What part of Impu- * dence either in words or praftice, is omit- * ted by the Stage ? Don't the Buffbons * take almort all manner of Liberties, and * plunge through Thick and Thin, to make * a jeft ? Now thofe who are affeftedwith a * vitious fatisfaftion, will be haunted with * the Idea, and fpread the Infection. But * if a man is not entertain'd to wliat pur- * pole fhould he go Thither ? Why fhould * he be fond where he finds nothing, and * court that which fleeps upon the Senfe ? * If 'tis faid thefe Diverfions are taken on- * ly to unbend the Mind, and refrelh Na- *ture a little. To this I anfwer, That * the fpaces between Bufinefs fhould not ConCECning ttC Stage. 261 * be fill'd up with fuch Rubbifli. A wife * man has a Guard upon his Recreations, * and always prefers, the Profitable to the * Pleafant. Minutim ivZ/'jc delivers his Scnfe inthefe^„„. Words: * As for us, who rate our Degree by ' our Virtue, and value our felves more ' upon our Lives, than our Fortunes ; we * decline your Pompous Shens^ and pub- * lick Entertainments. And good Reafon ' we have for our Averfion. Thefe Things * have their Rife from Idols, and are the * Train of a falfe Religion. The Plea- * fure is ill Defcended, and likewife Viti- * ous and enfnaring. For who can do lefs * than abominate, the Clamorous Difor- * ders of the Race-Ground^ and the pro- * feflion of Murther at the Prize ? And •* for the Stage^ there you have more * Lewdnefs, tho* not a pt lefs of Diftra- * ftion. Sometimes your Mimuks^ are fo ' Scandalous and Expreffing,that'tis almoft ' hard to diftinguifli between the FaB and * the Reprefentaiofj. Sometimes a Lufci- * ous J^or fhall whine you into Love, ' and give the Difeafe that he Counterfeits. St. CyfriAn or the Author de Speciaculis^ will furnifh us farther. ' Here this Father argues again ft thofe who thought the Flhy-Houfe no unlawful ^ S J Diveriion, €f)e (Dpfmon of tlje Cf)urcb I Diverfion, becaufe 'twas not Condemn'd i by exprefs Ssnpture. ' Let meer Modefty ' (fays he) fupply the Holj Text : And * let Nature govern where Re'velation ^ does not reach. Some Things arc too * black to lie upon Paper, and are more ' rtrongly forbidden, becaufe unmention'd. * The Divine Wifdom muft have had a . ' low Opinion of Chrtftians^ h^d it defcen- * ded to particulars in this Cafe. Silence ' is fometimes the bell Method for Autho- * rity. To forbid often puts People in ' mind of what they fhould not do ; And * thus the force of the Precept is loft by . » * naming the Crime. Befides, what need ^ ' we any farther Inftruction ? Difcipline ' and general Reftraint makes up the I ' Meaning of the Law •, and Common Rea- 1 ' fon will tell you what the Scripture has I * left unfaid. I would have every one « ' examine his own Thoughts, and inquire ffj * at Home into the Duties of his Profef- ^ ' fion. This is a good way to fecure ^ * him from Indecency. For thofe Rules ^ '■ which a Man has work'd out for him- J| ^ felf, he commonly makes moft ufe of. — . And after having defcrib'd the infamous *' Diverfions of the Flaj-Houfe ; He expoftu- lates in this Manner. * What bufmefs has a Chriftian at fucli ^ f laces as thefc ? A Chriftian who has not ' tl^e €onceru(iiff tl)C Stage. 2 the Liberty fo much as to think of an ill Thing. Why does he entertain him- ' felf with Lewd Reprefentations ? Has * he a mind to difcharge his Modefty, * and be flefh'd for the Praclice? Yes ; this * IS the Confequence. By ufing tofeethefe * Things, hee'l learn to do them. * What need I mention the Levities, and ' Impertinence in Comedies, or the ranting *Diftraftions of Tragedy ? Were thefe ' Things unconccrn'd with Idolatry, Chri- ' ftians ought not to be at them. For * were they not highly Criminal, tlie Fool- ■* ery of them is egregious, and unbecom- * ing the Gravity of Believers * As I have often faid thefe Foppifh, ' thefe pernicious Diverfions, muft be a- * voided. We muft fet a Guard upon * our Senfes, and keep the Sentinel always ' upon Duty. To make Vice familiar to ' the ear, is the way to recommend it. ' And iince the mind of Man has a Natu- * ral Bent to Extravagance ; how is it * likely to hold out under Example, and ' Invitation ? If you pufh that which tot- ' ters already, whither will it tumble ? ^ In earneft, we muft draw of^ our Incli- ' nations from thefe Vanities. A Chriftian ' has much better &ghts than tliefe to * look at. He has lolid Satisfactions in his S 4 * Power, 264. ' COe ©pinion of tije c&urclj *^ Power, which will pleafc and improve ' him at the fame time. ( ' Would a Chriliian be agreeably Re- * frefhM ? Let him read the Scriptures ; *■ Here the Entertainment will luit his ' Gharafter, and be big enough for his Qua- ' lity. — Beloved, how noble, how moving, ' Jiow profitable a pleafure is it to be thus ' employed ? To have our Expeftations al- ' ways in profpe^l, and be intent on the ' Glories of Heaven ? He has a great deal more upon this Sub- jecl in his Epifiles to Donates and Eucra~ ?;>*f, which are undoubtedly genuine. The later being fomewhat remarkable, I lhall Tranflate part of it for the Reader. 'Dear Brother, your ufual Kindnefs, MEw *^ together with your defn-e of relieving crat. i your own Modelly and mine, has put *■ you upon asking my Thoughts concer- ' ninga certain P/ajer in your Neighbour- ' hood, whether inch a Perfon ought to * be allow'd the Privilege of Conmunion .- ' This Man it fecms continues in his Scan- •■ dalous Profeflion, and keeps a Nurfery * under him. He teaches that which 'twas ' a Crime in him to Jearn, fets up for a ' Mafter of Debauch, and Propagates the ' lewd Myftery. The Cafe ftanding thus, * 'tis my Opinion that the Admiflion of ' fiich a Mtmber would be a Breach of the ' Difcipline Concf rning tfje S t a g e. 2 ' Difciplineof theGofpel, and aPrefump- ' tion upon the Divine Majefty : Neitiier ' do I think it fit the Honour of the Church * Ihould fuffer by fo Infamous a Corre- ' fpondence. LAcimtiui's Teftimony fliall come next. This Author in his Divine Injlitutions^ ub which he Dedicates to ConUmtine the '"^ Great, cautions the Chriftians againft the ' PUy-HofiJe, from the Diforder, and dange r of thofe places. For as he obfervcs. * The debauching of Virgins, and the * Amours of Strumpets, are the Subject * of Comedy, And here the Rule is, the * mo-e Rhetorick the more Mifchief, and * the beft Poets are the worft Common- * Wealths-men. For the Harmony and *'Ornament of the Compofition fcrves *onIy to recommend the Argument, to * fortifie the Charm, and engage the Me- mory. At lafl: he concludes with this *advice. ' ' Let us avoid therefore thefe Diverfions, ' left fomewhat of the Malignity Qiould * feize us. Our Minds fhould be quiet ' and Compos'd, and not over- run with ' Amufements. Befides, a Habit of Plea- * fure is an enfnaring Circumftance. 'Tis ' apt to make us forget God, and grow cool * ' * m the Offices of Virtue. * Should 4 0 266 €l)e aDpittloit of tl)e Cburcft ' Should a Man have a Stage at Home, * would nothisReputationXufFer extream- * ly, and all people count him a notorious * Libertine ? molt undoubtedly. Now the ' Place does not alter the Property. The * Practice at the Pky-Houfe is the fame * thing, only there he has more Company * to keep him in Countenance. ' A well work'd Poem is a powerful * piece of Impofture : It mafters the Fan- * cy, and hurries it no body knows whi- ' ther. If therefore we would be go- * vern'd by Reafon let us ftand oflf from ' the Temptation, fuch Pleafures can have * no good Meaning. Like delicious Mor- * fels they fubdue the Palate, and flatter * us only to cut our Throats. Let us pre- ih^d. tap. * fer Reality to Appearance, Service, to * Show ; and Eternity to Time. ' As God makes Virtue the Condition * of Glory, and trains men up to Hap- * pinefs by Hardfhip and Induftry. * So the Devil's Road to Deftruftion lies * through Senfuality and Epicurifw. And * as pretended Evils lead us on to un- ' counterfeited Blifs, fo Vifionary Satis- * faftions are the caufes of Real Mifery. * In fhort, Thefe Inviting Things are all * ilratagem. Let us take care the loft- * nefs and Importunity of the Pleafure does not furprife us, nor the Bait bring ' us , (SoncetnttiffttjeSTA GE. * us within the fnare. The Senfes are * more than Oat-Works, and fhould be * defended accordingly. I fhall pafs over St. Jmbrofe, and go i on to St. Chryfojlom. This Father is copi- ' ous upon the Subjeft, I could tranflate fome Sheets from him were it neceflary. But length being not my Bufinefs, a few Lines may ferve to difcover his Opinion, His 1 5 Homily ad Fovulum Anttochenum, runs thus. ' Moft People fancy the Unlawfulnefs * of going to VUys is not clear. But by their * favour, a world of Diforders are the * Confequences of fuch a Liberty. For * frequenting the PUy-Boufe has brought * Whoring and Ribaldry into Vogue, and ' -finifh'd all the parts of Debauchery. Afterwards he feems to make the fup- pofition better than the FaB^ and argues upon a feign'd Cafe. ^ Let us not only avoid downright Sin- * ning, but the Tendencies to it. Some In- * difierent Things are fatal in the Confe- * quence, and ftrike us at the Rebound. * Now who would chufe his iianding with- ' in an Inch of a Fall ; or fvvim upon the * Verge of a Whirlpool?He that walks upon * a Precipice, fhakes tho' he does not tum- * ble. And. commonly his Concern brings . * him to the Bottom. The Cafe is. much * the 26B Cfje ©pmiDit of tijc Cfjurcfj * the fame in reference to Confci'ence, and ' Morality. He that won't keep his Di- *ftance from the Gulph, is oftentimes ' fuck'd in by the Eddy ; and the leaft " * overfight is enough to undo Him. In his -^7 Homily upon the Eleventh Chapter of St. Mmhetv^ he declaims more • • .• at large again fl: the Stage. | * Smutty Songs ( fays he) are much J 'more abominable than Stench and Or- fl ' dure. And which is rnofl: to be lament- I ' ed, you are not at all uneafy at fuch - ' Licentioufnefs. You Laugh when you \ ' fhould Frown ; and Commend what i ' you ought to abhor.-— Heark you, you | * can keep the Language of your own * Houfe in order : If your Servants or * your Child rens Tongues run Riot, they i ' prefently fmart for't. And yet at the * ' PUj-Hoiife you are quite another Thing. ' * Thefe little Buffoons have a ftrange Af- t ' cendent ! A lufcious Sentence is huge- iS ' ly welcome from their Mouth : And in- % * Itead of Cenfure, they have thanks and * ' encouragement for their Pains. Now * if a Man would be fo juft as to won- * der at himfelf, here's Madnefs, and Con- '' tradition in Abundance. ' But I know you'I fay what's this to * me, 1 neither fing nor pronounce, any of * this Lewd ftuff ? Granting your Plea, * what ^ Conccrmiiiy t\]t St ag e. ' what do you get by't ? If you don't re- ' peat thefe Scurrilities, you are very wil- '• ling to hear them. Now whether the ' Ear, or the Tongue is mifmanaged, comes ■ much to the fame reckoning. The diffe- rence of the Orgaff^ docs not alter the Aftion fo mightily, as you may imagine. But pray how do you prove you don't re- peat riiem ? They may be your Difcourfe, or the Entertainments of your Clofet for ought we know to the contrary This is certain; you hear them with Fleafure in your Face, and make it your Bu- finefs to run after them : And to my Mind, thefe are ftrong Arguments of your Approbation, 'Idefire to ask you aQueftion. Sup^ pofeyou hear any Wretches Blafpheme, are you in any Rapture about it ? And do y9ur Geftufes appear Airy, and obli- ged ? Far from it. I doubt not but vour Blood grows CIiill,and your Ears are i^opt at the Prefumption. And what's the Hea- fon of this Averfion in your Behaviour ? Why 'tis becaufe you don't ufe to Blaf- pheme, your felf. Pray clear your feif the fame way from the Charge of Obfce - nity.. We'll then believe you don t talk; Smut, when we perceive you careful not to hear it. Lewd Sonnets, and Serenades are quite different from the Prefcriptions 'of €f)C ©pinfan of tljc Cfjiitcb * of Virtue. This is ftrange Noiirifliment * for a Chriftian to take in \ I don't wbn- * der you (hould lofe your Health, when 'you feed thus Foul. It may be Chaftity * is no fuch eafy Task ! Innocence moves ' upon an Afcent, at leaft for fome time. ' Now thofe who are always Laughing 1 ' can never ftrain up Hill. If the beft pre- H ' parations of Care will juft do, what muft gj ' become of thofe that are dilTolv'd in Plea- ll * fure, and lie under thelnfliruQionsof De- * bauchery ? - — ~ Have you not heard how ' that St. Paul exhorts us to rejoyce in the - ' Lord.! He faid in the Lord; not in the Devil. ' But alas/ what Leifure have you to mind i ' St. Paul ? How fhould you be fenfible of 'your Faults, when your Head is always * kept Hot, and as it were intoxicated with ' Buflboning? He goes on, and . lafhes the Impudence of the Stage with a grean deal of Satyr and Severity ; and at lail propofes this Objection. ^' You'll fay, I can give you many In- ' fiances where tlie Plaj-Huufe has done no ' Harm. Don't millake. Throwing away i ' of Time and ill Example, has a great deal * of Harm in't •, and thus far you are guil- ty at the beft. For granting your own "Virtue impenetrable, and out of Reach, Granting the Proteftion of your Temper , has brought you off unhurt, are all People thus ( atoncerni'ng tfjc Stage. 274 thus Fortified ? By no means. However, * many a weak Brother has ventur'd after * you, and mifcarricd upon your Precedent. * And fince you make others thus Faulty^ * how can you be Innocent your felf ? All * the People undone There, will lay their *Ruia at your Door. The Company are * all Acceflary to the Mifchief of the Place. * For were there no Audience^ we fhould * have no A6iing. And therefore thofe * who joynin the Crime, will ne'er be part- * ed in the Punifliment. Granting your * Modefty has fecur'd you, which by the 'way I believe nothing of; yet fince many * have been debauch'd by the Play-Houje^ * you muft expeft a fevere Reckoning for * giving them Encouragement. Tho' after * all, as Virtuous as you are, I doubt not, * you wou'd have been much Better, had ' you kept away. - 'In fine, Let us not difpute to no pur- * pofe ; The Praftice won't bear a Defence I * Where the Caufe is naught 'tis in vain to * rack our Reafon, andftrain for Pretences. * The befl: excufe for what is paft, is to * ftand clear from the Danger, . and do fo no * more. One citation more from St. Chryfojlom^ and I take leave. In the Preface of his Com- mentary upon St. jf(?/;»'s Gofpel fpeakingof 1 FUyszndi other Publick Shews, he has thefe I words. But ti)t ©pfiuon of tfje €tmcl) ' But what need I branch out the Lewd- * nefs of thofe Spectacles^ and be particular ' in Defcription ? For what's there to be * met with but Lewd Laughing, but Smut, ' Railing, and Buftbonry ? In a word. ' Tis all Sc;andal and Confufion. Obferve * me, I fpeak to you all ; Let none who 'partake of this Holy-Table y unqualifie * themfelves with fuch Mortal Diver- ' (ions. St. Hiemn on the i/. Verfe, 32 Pfal. makes this Expofition upon th^Text. ' Some are delighted with the Satisfafti- ' ons of the World, fome with the Circus, * and fome with the Theatre : But the Pfal- mift commands every good Man to de- ' light himjclf in the Lord. For as Ifatah * fpeaks, Wo to them that put bitter for Jiveety and Jweet for bitter. And in his Epiflles hq ^ cautions the Ladies againft having any Idw!^ thing to do with the Play-Houfe^ a^ainll jo-vinian. Lcwd Soiigs, and 111 Converfation. Be- ^'f^^- caufe they fet ill Humours at work, Carefs the Fancy, and make Pleafure a Convey- ance for Deftruftion. In the 6th. Book of his Commentary on Chap. 19. Ezektel he lets us underftand ; 'That ' when we depart out jEgypt we muft ' refine our Inclinations, and change our * Delights into Averfion. And after fome 'other Inllances, He tells us we muft * decline ConccrnutfftfjC Stage. ' decline the Theatres^ and all other dan- *gerous Diverfions, which ftain the In- * nocence of the Soul, and flip into the * through the Scnfes. St. Jugafime in his Epiftle to A/^r- Ke^i»f(s will afford us fomething upon the feme Argument. ■ They are moft PunifhM when they are •overlook'd. By this means their bad emper is encouraged, and they are more inclin'd to be falfe to themfelves ; And we know an Enemy within, is more dan- gerous than one mthout. But the per- verfe Reafonings of the Generality, make different Conclufions. They fancy the World goes wonderfully well when People make a Figure. When a Man is a Prince in his Fortune, but a Begger in his Virtue ; Has a great many fine Things about him, but not fo much as one good Quality to deferve them. When the PUy-Houfes go up, and Religion go's down. When Prodigality is admir^, and Charity laugh'd at. When the PUy- ers can revel with the Rich Man's purfe, md the Poor have fcarce enough to keep Life and Soul together. When God fuffers thefe Things^to flourifh, we may |3e fure he is moft Angry. Prefent Im- T * punity. 274 Wutoit Of tf)e CljurcD 1 * punity, is the deepeft Revenge. But i * when he cuts off the Supplies of Luxury, ! ' * and difables the Powers of Extravagance, ' then as one may fay,heis mercifully fevere. ^ In his ifi. Book de confenju Evange- i ^ lijiarum, He anfwers an Objection of the Heathens ^znA comes up to the Cafe in Hand . *■ Their Complaint as if the Times i * were lefs happy fince the Appearance of * Chriftianity is very unrealonable.I.et them * read their own Philofophers : There they '1 ] * find thofe very Things cenfured, which \ * they now are fo uneafy to part with : , ' This Remark muft fhut up their Mouths, , ' and convince them of the Excellency of , ' our Religion. For pray what Satisfa- ] ' ftions have they loft ? None that I know i^ ' of, excepting fome Licentious ones , j ' which they abufcd to the Difhonour of ' ' their Creatour. But it may be the Times ( ' are bad becaufe the Theaters are Turn- ' bling almott every where. The Thea- j * ters thofe Cages of Vncleannejs^ and pub- | * lick Schools of Debauchery. And , ' what's the Reafon of their running to ' Ruine ? Why 'tis the Reformation ot' i * the Age: 'Tis becaufe thofe LewdPra- t * ftices are out of Fafhion, which firft built < ' and kept them in Countenance. Their i ' own Tally's Commendation ot the Jcior < ' Rp/f/«iisremiirkable. He was fo much < a t j Cohcer m'lm tte^s t a g b. * a Mafter ( fays be ) that none but him- * felf was worthy to Tread tlie Siage. And - * on the other hand, fo good a Man, that * he was the moft unfit Perfon of the Gang * to come There. And is not this a plain * Confeflion of the Lewdnefs of the P/ay- * Honfe J And that the better a Man was, * the more he was obliged to forbear it ? I could go on much farther with St. AuguHine, but I bve to be as brief as may be. I could likewifc run through the fucceeding Centuries^ and collect Evidence all along. But I conceive the beft Ages, and the biggeR AuthoritieSjmaybe fuffici- ent : And thefe the Reader has had already. However, one Inftaiice more from the Mo- dems may notbeamifs. Didacus deTapiann. eminent Spaniard^ (hall clofe the Evidence. This Author in debating the Queftion whe- ther Players might be admitted to the Sa- crament^ amongft other thinps encounters an Objection. Some People it feems pre- tended there was fome good to be learnM at the P lay- Houje. To thefe, he makes this reply. 'Granting your Suppofition, (fays he) * your Inference is naught. Do People ufe * to fend their Daughters to" the Stem for * Difcipline ? And yet it may be, they * might meet lome there lamenting their * own Debauchery. No Man will breed ' his Son upon the High-mjy to harden his T 2 * Courage 276 Clje Conclusion. ^ Courage ; Neither will any one go on * board a.Leaky Veffel, to learn the Art of ' Hiifting in a Wreck the better. My con- . ' clufion is, let no body go to the Infamous ' Play-Houfe. A place of fuch flaring Con- ' tradition to the Stridnefs and Sobriety of ' Religion: A Place hated by God,and haunt- * ed by the Devil. Let no man I fay learn to fnom^' ^ ^^^^^ that's faid there ; For 'tis s^6. * all but Poyfon handfomly prepared. Thus I have prefented the Reader w^ith a fhort View of the Senfe of Chrijlianity, This was the opinion of the Church for the firft 500 Years. And thus fhe has Cenfured the Stage both in Coumils, and Single Juthorities. And fmce the Sa- tyr of the Fathers comes full upon the Modern Poets^ their Caution muft be ap- plicable. The parity of the Cafe makes their Reafons take place, and their Autho- rity revive upon us. If we are Chrifitans^ the Canons oi Councils, and the Senfe of the Primitive Church muft have a weight. The very Time is a good argument of it felf. Then the Apoftolical Traditions were frefh, and undifputed ; and the Church much bet- ter agreed than flic has been fmce. Then, Difcipline was in Force, and Virtue FIou- rilh'd, and People liv'd up to their Profef- fion. And as for the Fe>y(?»J, they are bc- j ond all exception. Their Station, their Learning, ' -^JjC Conclusion. 277 Learning, and Sufficiency was very Con- fiderable ; Their Piety and Refolution, ex- traordinary. They afted generoufly, and wrote freely, and were always above the little Regards of Intereft or Danger. To be ftiort ;They were, as we may fay the PVor- thtes of Chrtjlendom^ the Flower of Humane Nature,and the Top of their Species. No- thing can be better eltablifh'd than the Cre- dit of thefe Fathers : Their Affirmation goes a great way in a proof ; And we might ar- gue upon theftrength of their Character. But fuppofing them contented to wave their Privilege, and difpute upon the Le- vel. Granting this, the Stage would be undone by them. The Force of their Rea- foning, and the bare Intrinfck of the Ar- gument, would be abundantly fufficient to carry the Caufe, . But it may be obje£led, is the Refem- blance exa£l between Old Rorm and Lon- don, will the Parallel hold out, and has the Englijh Stage any Thing fo bad as the Da»- cing of the Pantomimi ? I don't fay that : The Modern Gejiures tho' bold, and Lewd too fometimes, are not altogether fo fcan- iialous as the Roman. Here then we can make them fome little Abatement. ■ And to go as far intheir Ejff^^y^ as we ^an, 'tis probable their Muftck may not be altogether fo exceptionable as that of the T I An. 278 Cfje'jCoNCLUSION. Antients. I don't fay this part of the Enter- tainment is direftly vicious, becaufe I am not ■willing to Cenfure at Uncertainties. Thofe who frequent the PUy-Hoafe are the moft competent Judges : But this I muft fay, tlie iPerformances of this kind are much too line for the Plaee. 'Twere to be wifh'd that either the Plays were better, or the Mnfick worfe. Pm forry to fee An fo meanly Pro- ftituted : Atheifm ought to liave nothing Charming in its Retinue . 'Tis great Pity De- bmchery flhiould have the AfTiftance of a fine Handjto whet the Appetite, and play it down. Now granting the V Uy-Houfe-Muftck not " vicious in the Compolitioi;!, yet the defign of it is to refrefh the Jdexh of the Actio;? ^ to keep Time with the Poem^ and be true to t\\tSubje^. For this Reafon among others j the Turns are generally Airy and Gailliar- dizing ; They arecontnv'd on purpofe to ex- cite a fportive Humour, and fpread a Gaiety upon the Spirits. To banifh all Gravity and Scruple, and lay Thinking and Reflection afleep. This fort of Mufick warms the Paf- lions, and unlocks the Fancy, and makes it • open to Pleafure like a Flower to the Sun, It helps a Lufcious Sentence to Aide, drowns the Difcords of 'Atheifm^ and keeps off the Averfionscf Confcicnce. It throws a JVIan off his Guard, makes way for an ill Impref- Ct)C[CoKCLUS10N. 279 Hon, and is moft Commodioufly planted to do Mifchief. A Lewd Play with good Mu- lick is like a Loadftone ArnPd^ it draws much ftronger than before. Now why fhould it be in the power of a few mercenary Hands to Play People out of their Senfes, to run away with their Un- derftandings, and wind their Paflions about their Fingers as they lift ? Mufick is al- moft as dangerous as Gunpowder ; And it may be requires looking after no lefs than the Prefs^ or the Mint. Tis poffible a Publick Regulation might not be amils. No lefs a Philofopher than Pkto feems to be of this Opinion. He is clearly for keep- ing up the old, grave, and folemn way of Playing. He lays a mighty ftrefs upon this Obfervation : He does not ftick to af- firm, that to extend th^ ^cicnce^ and alter oe Re^ub. the Notes J is the way to have the Laws l. 4. repealM and to unfettle the Conjiitution. I fuppofe He imagined that if the Power of Sounds, the Temper of Conftitutions, and the Diverfities of Age, were well ftu- died ; If this were done, and fome general Permiflions formed upon the Enquiry, the Commonwealth might find their Account in't . Tully does not carry the Speculation thus ^ .^ high : However, he owns it has a weight / j. in't, and fhould not be overlook'd, He de- nies not but that when the Mufick is foft, T 4 exqui- ogo Cfie Conclusion. exquifite, and airy, 'tis clangerous and en- fnaring. He commends the Difcipline of the antient Greeks^ for fencing againft this Inconvenience. He tells us the Lacedemo- nians fixt the number of Strings for the Harp, by exprefs Law. And afterwards fi- lenc'd Timotheus, * and feiz'd his Harp, for *M„^Zr having One String above publick AII0W7 ' ance. To return. If the Englt(h-Stage is more Ibid. referv'd than the Roman in the Cafe above mentioned ; If they have any advantage in their Injlrumental Mufick, they lofe it ini their Vocal. Tlieir Songs are often ram- pantly Lewd, and Irreligious to a flaming Excefs. Here you have the very Spirit and EJJence of Vice drawn off ftrong fcented, seec!j.ip. thrown into a little Compafs. Now ' ' the Jntients, as we have feen already, were inoffenfive inthisrefpeft. To go on. As to Ranknefs of Lan- guage we have feen how deeply the Mo- derns ftand charged upon the Comparifon. And as for their Carefling of Libertines, their ridiculing of Vertue, their horrible Profanenefs, and Blafphemies, there's no- thing in Jntiquit) can reach them. ' Now were the Stage in a Condition to wipe oft' any of thefe Imputations, which They are not, there are two Things be- I hind, which would ftick upon them, and have an ill Effect upon the Judience. ' The Cl&e Conclusion. ' The firft is their dilating fo much upon ^he Argument of Love. This Subject is generally treated Home, and in the moft tender and paflionate man- ner imaginable. 'Tis often the governing Concern: The Incidents make way, and the Plot turns upon't. As matters go, the Company expeft it : And it may be the Po- ets can neither Write, nor Live without it. This is a cunning way enough of iiealing upon the Blind Side, and Praftifing upon the Weaknefs of humane Nature. People love to fee their Fafflons painted no lefs than their Perfons \ And like Narcijfus are apt to dote on their own Image. This Berit of felf- Admiration recommends the Bufinefs of Amours^ and engages the Inclination. And which is more, thefe Love-reprefentations oftentimes call up the Spirits, and fct them on work. The PUj is afted over again in the Scene of Fancy, and the firfl Imita- tion becomes a Model. Love has generally a Pmy Within \ And when the Wax is pre- pared, the Impreflion is eafily made. Thus the Difeafe of the Stage grows Catching : It throws its own Amours among the Com- pany, and forms thefe Paflions when it does not tind them. And when they are born before, they thrive extreamly in this Nur- Jery. Here they feldom fail either of Growth, or Complexion, They grov/ ftrong, and C0i?CLUSION. they grow Charming too. This is the beft* Place to recover a LanguiQiing Amour, to rowfe it from lleep, and retrieve it from Indifference. And thus Defire becomes Abfolute, and forces the Oppofitions of Decency and Shame. And tf the Misfor- tune does not go thus far, the confequences are none of the beft. The Paflions are up in Arms, and there's a mighty Conteft be- tween Duty, and Inclination. The Mind is over-run with Amufements, and com- monly good for nothing fome time after. I don't fay the Stage Fells all before them, and difables the whole Audience : 'Tis a hard Battle where none efcapes. However, Their Triumphs and their Tro- fheys are unfpeakable. Neither need we much wonder at the Matter. They are dangeroufly Prepar'd for Conqueff, and Empire. There's Nature, and Pafflon, and Life, in all the Circumftances of their Aclion. Their Declamation, their Mten, their Geftures, and their Equipage, are very moving and fignificant. Now when the Subject is agreeable, a lively Reprefen- tation,and a Paflionate way of Expreflion, make wild work, and have a ftrange force upon the Blood, and Temper. And then as for the General Strains of Courtlbip, there can be nothing more Pro- fane and extravagant. The Heroe's Miftrefs CONC LUSION. is noiefsthan his Deity. She difpofes of his Reafon, prefcribes his Motions, and Com- mands his Intereft. What Sovereign Re- fpeft, what Rehgious Addrefs, what Idoliz- ing Raptures are we pefter'd with ? Shrines, and Offerings^ and Adorations, arc nothing upon fuch folemn Occafions. Thus l.ove and Devotion, Ceremony and WorOiip, are Confounded ; And God, and his Creatures treated both ahke ! Thefe Slireds of Di- ftraclion are often brought from the FUy- Houfe into Converfation : And thus the Sharks are taught to Court their MiitrefTes, in the fame Language they fay their Prayers. A Second Thing v^hich I have to objeft againft the Stage is their encouraging Re- venge. What is more Common than Du- els and Quarrelling in their Characters of Figure ? Thofe Pra£lices which are in- famous in Reafon, Capital'm Lm, and Dam- nable in Rel^ion,are the Credit of the Stage. Thus Rage and Refentment, Blood and Bar- barity, are almoft Deified : Pride goes for Greatnefs, and Fields and HerxPs are made of the lame Metal. To give Inftances were needlefs, nothing is more frequent. And in this refpeft the French Dra/natijls have been to blame no iefs than the Englfjh. And thus the Notion of Honour is mif-ilated, the^ '^" c^r- Maxims of Chriftianity dcfpifed, and thec/„'J';, i*eace of the World duHirb'd. I grant this ''vn^et. defpcrare 284 • CIjC Conclusion. defperate Cuftom is no Origind of the Stage. But then why was not the Growth of it check'd ? I thought the Foets bufi- nefs had not been to back falfe Reafoning and ill Pradlice ; and to fix us in Frenfy and Miftake. Yes, They have done their endeavour to cherifh the Malignity, and keep the Diforder in Countenance. They have made it both the Mark, and the Merit of a Man of Honour ; and fet it off with ^T^. 3-nd Commendation. But I have difcours'd on this Subjefl clfwhere, and therefore fhall purfue it no further. Todraw towards an End. And here I muft obfervethat.thefe two later Excepti- ons are but Petty Mifmanagemcnts with refpeft to the Former. And when the beft are thus bad, what are the worft ? What muft we fay of the more foul Re- prefentations, of all the Impudence in Lan- guage and Gefture ? Can this fluff be the Inchnation of LaUes ? Is a Reading upon Vice fo Entertaining, and do they love to fee the Stews Differed before them ? One would think the Difhonour of their own Sex, the Difcovery of fo much Lewdnefs, and the treating Human Nature fo very Coarfly, could have Little Satisfaction in't. Let us fet Confcience afide, and throw the other World out of the Qiieftion ; Thefeln- terefts are far the gi eateft, but not all. The Ladies / Conclusion. 285 Ladies have other Motives to confine them. The Refti-aints of Decency, and theCon- fiderations of Honour, are fufBcient to keep them at Home. But hoping They will be jult to'themfelves I (hall wave this unaccept- able Argument. I fhall only add, that a Surprize ought not to be Cenfured. Acci- dents are no Faults. The ftriftell: Virtue may fometimes ftumble upon an IllSight. But Choice, and Frequency, and ill Groundj conclude ftrongly for Inclination. To be af- fured of the inoffenfivenefs of the Play is no more than a NecelTary Precaution. In- deed the PUyers^QxM. be generally difcou- raged. They have no relifti of Modefty, nor any Scruples upon the Quality of the Treat. The groffeft Dijh when 'twill down is as ready as the Beft. To fay Money is their Bufmefs and they muft Ltze^ is the Plea of Pick-Dockets, and High-rvay-Men. Thefe later may as well pretend their Fo- citton for a Lewd practice as the other. But To give the Charge it's due Compafs: To comprehend the whole Audience^ and take in the Motives of Religion. And here I can't imagine how we can re- concile fuch Liberties without ourProfefli- on. Thefe Entertainments are as it were Literally renounc'd in Baptifm. They are the Vanities of the wicked World, and the Works of the Devil, in the moft open, and em- 286 CljC Conclusion. aCffr.5.14 emphatical Signification. IVhat Commum- on has Light rvith Dttrknefs^ and what concord hits Chrifi with Belial. Call you this Diver- fion ? Can Profanenefs be fuch an irrefifti- ble Delight ? Does the Crime of the Per- formance make the Spirit of the SatisfaQiion, and is the Scorn of Chriitianity the Enter- tainment of Chriftians ? Is it fuch a Plea- fure to* hear the Scriptures burlefqu'd ? Is Ribaldry fo very obliging, and Atheifm fo Charming a Quality ? Are we indeed wil- ling tq quit the Priviledgeof our Nature; to furrender our Charater of Immortality, and throw up the Pretences to another Life? It may be fo ! but then we fhould do well to remember that Nothing is not in our Power. Our Delires did not make us, nei- ther can they unmake us. But I hope our WiQies are notfo mean, and that We have a better Senfe of the Dignity of our Being. And ilTo, how can we be pleasM with thofe Things which would degrade us into Brutes, which ridicule our Creed, and turn all our Expeftations into Romance ? And after all, the Jeft on't is,thefe Men would make us believe their Defign is Vir- tue and Reformation. In good time! They are likely to combat Vice with fuccefs, who dcftroy the Principles of Good and Evil! Take them at the beft,and they do no more than expofe a little Humour,and Formality. But I ■^1)0 Conclusion. But then, as the Matter is manag'd, the Correftion is much worfe than the Fault. They laugh at Fedantry, and teach Athe- ifm^ cure a Piniple, and give the Plague. 1 heartily vvifh they would have let us alone. To exchange Virtue for Behaviour is a hard Bargain. Is not plain Honefty much bet- ter than Hypocrify well DrefsM ? What's Sight good for without Subftance? What is a well-Bred Libertine but a well-Bred Knave ? One that can't prefer Confcience to Pleafure, without calling hinifelfFool : And will fell his Friend, or his Father, if need be, for his Convenience. In fhort : Nothing can be more differ- viceable to Probity and Religion, than the management of the Stage. It cheriflies thofe Paflions, and rewards thofe Vices, which 'tis the Bulinefs of Reafon to difcounte- nance. It ftrikes at the Root of Principle, draws off the Inclinations from Virtue, and fpoils good Education : 'Tis the moit etleftual means to baffle the Force of Dif- cipline, to emafculate peoples Spirits and Debauch their Manners. How manj of the Unwary have thefe Syrens devour'd ? And how often has the beft Blood been tainted, with this Infection ? What Difappointment of Parents, what Confufion in Families, and what Beggary in Eftates have been hence occafion'd? And which is ftill worfe, the sSS Cfje Conclusion. the Mifchief fpreads daily, and the Malig- nity grows more envenomM. The Fever works up towards Madneft, and will Icarcely endure to be touch'd. And what hope is there of Health when th6 Pa- tient ftrikes in with the Difeafe, and flies in the Face of the Remedy ? Can Religion retrieve us? Yes, when we don't defpife it. But while our Notions are naught, our Lives will hardly be otherwife. What can the Affiftance of the Chlirch fignify to thofe who are more ready to Rally the Preacher, than Pra6:ife the Sermon? To thofe who are overgrown with Pleafure, and hardned in 111 Cuftom? Who have neither Patience to hear, nor Confcience to take hold of ? You may almoft as well feed a Man with- out a Mouth, as give Advice where there's no difpofition to receive it, 'Tis true ; as long as there is Life there's Hope. Some- times the Force of Argument, and the (Grace of God, and the Anguifh of Affli- ftion, may ftrike through the Prejudice, and make their Way into the SouK But thefe Circumflances don't always meet, and then the Cafe is extremely dangerous. For this miferable Temper, we may thank t\\G Stage in a great Meafure: And there- fore, if I miftake not, They have the leaft pretence to Favour, and the moft need of Repentance, of all Men Living. THE END.