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            <pb facs="tcp:0222600200:1" rendition="simple:additions"/>

THE
STAGE
DEFENDED,
FROM
SCRIPTURE, REASON, EXPERIENCE,
and the Common Senſe of MANKIND,
for Two Thouſand Years.

Occaſion'd by Mr. <hi>Law</hi>'s late Pamphlet againſt
STAGE-ENTERTAINMENTS.

In a LETTER to * * * * * *

By Mr. <hi>DENNIS.</hi>

               <hi>LONDON:</hi>
Printed for N. BLANDFORD, at the <hi>London-Gazette,</hi>
               <hi>Charing Croſs</hi>; and ſold by J. PEELE, at <hi>Locke's-Head</hi>
in <hi>Pater-noſter-Row.</hi> MDCCXXVI. (Price One Shilling.)

            <pb facs="tcp:0222600200:2"/>
            TO THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE
<hi>GEORGE DODINGTON,</hi>
               Eſq
One of the LORDS COMMISSIONERS of His
Majeſty's Treaſury.
            <opener>
               <salute>SIR,</salute>
            </opener>

               <seg rend="decorInit">T</seg>HE following little Treatiſe is, to all Ap<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>pearance,
ſo very a Trifle, that I ſhould
not have the Aſſurance to addreſs it to a
Gentleman of your diſtinguiſh'd Rank, if
my chief Deſign were not to engage you,
in order to promote the Honour of your
Country, and the Good of the learned World, to take
upon you the Protection of the <hi>Britiſh</hi> Dramatical Muſes,
ſo far at leaſt as to pronounce in their Favour. 'Tis the
Senſe of all who have the Honour to be acquainted with
you, that you have a perfect Knowledge of the Merits of
the Cauſe, and Ability and Authority to determine it in
the laſt Appeal. The <hi>Britiſh</hi> Dramatick Muſes make this
Requeſt to you, <hi>Sir,</hi> who have been barbarouſly uſed both
by their Friends and their Enemies; for by their Friends
they have been more than once poorly deſerted, and a<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>bandon'd
<pb n="iv" facs="tcp:0222600200:3"/>
to the Slanders and the unjuſt Accuſations of
their moſt inveterate Enemies.

I appeal to you, <hi>Sir,</hi> if they are not idle Dreamers
who believe, that a great, a powerful, and an opulent Peo<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ple
can be without publick Diverſions; or if it is fitting
they ſhould be without them. I appeal to you, <hi>Sir,</hi> if
a great and a brave People, by being often aſſembled and
pleaſed together, will not be the more pleaſed with one
another, and the more among themſelves united.

But as all Pleaſures and Diverſions, both publick and
private, are barbarous or gentle, rational or ſenſual, man<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ly
or effeminate, noble or baſe and degenerate; 'tis agreed
on by all the ſenſible World, that the publick Diverſions
of a free Nation, ought neither to be barbarous, nor ſen<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſual,
nor baſe, nor effeminate; becauſe publick Diverſions
of the firſt Kind reflect Diſhonour upon a brave Nation;
and Diverſions of the other three Kinds have a natural
Tendency to the introducing a general and total Corrup<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tion
of Manners, which is inconſiſtent with Liberty.

The publick Diverſions which are at preſent eſtabliſh'd
in <hi>Great Britain,</hi> are either the Combats of our modern
Gladiators, or the <hi>Italian</hi> Opera's, or the Maſquerades,
or Tragedies and Comedies, which are the only genuine
legitimate Entertainments of the Stage.

As for the firſt of theſe, the Combats of our modern
Gladiators, I appeal to you, <hi>Sir,</hi> who by travelling have
had the Advantage of knowing the Sentiments and Man<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ners
of other Nations, if they are not regarded by all
<hi>Europe,</hi> excepting our ſelves, with Horror, and eſteem'd to
be neither agreeable to the Spirit of Chriſtianity, nor to
the Manners of a civilized People.

               <pb n="v" facs="tcp:0222600200:4"/>
As to the <hi>Italian</hi> Opera's, they are allow'd by all the
impartial World to be ſenſual and effeminate, compared to
the genuine Drama, and a greater real Promoter of wanton
and ſenſual Thoughts than ever the Drama was pretended
to be, becauſe too great a Part of them conſiſting of Soft<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>neſs
of Sound, and of Wantonneſs of Thought, they have
nothing of that good Senſe and Reaſon, and that artful
Contrivance which are eſſential to the Drama. No, you
know very well, <hi>Sir,</hi> that good Senſe and Reaſon, and
every ſtrict Attention to an artful Deſign, are ſo many
natural and moral Reſtraints upon wanton and ſenſual
Thoughts.

I now, <hi>Sir,</hi> deſire Leave to ſay ſomething concerning
Maſquerades, which Mr. <hi>Law</hi> affirms to be more innocent
than the Drama, which is a frontleſs Aſſertion, and the very
Reverſe of Reaſon. I remember one of our Comick Poets
obſerves, that young Ladies run a greater Risk of their
Reputations by being familiar with Fools, than with Men
of Senſe; becauſe Fools have but one Way of paſſing their
Time with them: So Maſquerades having neither the
Senſe of the Drama, nor the Sound of the Opera, Perſons
of both Sexes may go to them either with no Deſign, or
with a very vile one. To which I might add the late Re<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>mark
of a wiſe and pious Prelate, which is, <hi>That Maſque<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>rades
deprive Virtue and Religion of their laſt Refuge, Shame;
which,</hi> ſays he, <hi>keeps Multitudes of Sinners within the
Bounds of Decency, after they have broke thro' all the Ties
of Principle and Conſcience. But this Invention ſets them
free from that alſo; being neither better nor worſe, than an
Opportunity to ſay and do there, what Virtue, Decency, and
Good Manners, will not permit to be ſaid or done in any other
Place.</hi>

               <pb n="vi" facs="tcp:0222600200:5"/>
This wiſe and pious Prelate, in this very Paſſage, cen<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſures
the Perſons of either Sex, who frequent lewd and
prophane Plays: But he does not aſſert here, that there
are no Plays but what are lewd and prophane. And he
affirms, that Maſquerades are of more dangerous Conſe<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>quence
to Virtue and Good Manners, than ev'n Plays
which are prophane.

Thus, <hi>Sir,</hi> I have endeavour'd to ſhew, that of three
of the preſent reigning Diverſions, one is cruel and bar<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>barous,
and not at all becoming either of a Chriſtian or a
civilized Nation; the Second effeminate, wanton, and ſen<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſual;
and the Third, either very unmeaning, or elſe neither
moral nor chriſtian.

No Art of Man in the moſt happy Age of the moſt
happy Nation, has been able to find out a publick Diver<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſion
that has been reaſonable, noble, manly, and virtuous,
but the Drama, when it is writ as it ought be. And yet
theſe wild Enthuſiaſts, who have ſhot their Bolts againſt
the Stage, have ſaid not a Word againſt the other three,
which cannot be defended by the leaſt Pretence that any
of them can have to Goodneſs or moral Inſtruction.

               <hi>Sir,</hi> The following Treatiſe is not only a Defence of
Dramatick Poetry, but of the Eſtabliſh'd Government, in
the Adminiſtration of which the Wiſdom of the King has
given you an illuſtrious Share, and againſt which Mr.
<hi>Law</hi>'s Pamphlet is obliquely deſigned; as were the Writ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ings
which his two Predeceſſors, <hi>Collier</hi> and <hi>Bedford,</hi> pub<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>liſh'd
againſt the Stage. <hi>Collier,</hi> by his Action, and <hi>Bed<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ford,</hi>
by his other Writings, becauſe profeſs'd and declar'd
Enemies to the Government: One of them abſolved an im<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>penitent
Traytor, who died with Treaſon in his Mouth;
<pb n="vii" facs="tcp:0222600200:6"/>
and the other, upon publiſhing his Book upon Hereditary
Right, was impriſon'd for High Treaſon.

But, <hi>Sir,</hi> the following Treatiſe was likewiſe deſign'd
in Defence of all the People of Quality of both Sexes in
<hi>England,</hi> and of all the People in any Country throughout
the Chriſtian World, where they frequent any Theatres;
all which numerous People he has very charitably given
to the Devil to have and to hold for ever.

            <q>
               <l>Nor Engine nor Device Polemick,</l>
               <l>Diſeaſe nor Doctor Epedemic,</l>
               <l>E'er ſent ſo vaſt a Colony</l>
               <l>To the infernal World as he.</l>
            </q>

But all that I have been able to do in the Defence of ſo
good a Cauſe, is to ſhew, that I heartily wiſh well to it.
It belongs to you, <hi>Sir,</hi> and to thoſe few who reſemble
you, who have Diſcernment and Taſte, that qualify you
to determine ſurely, and Honour and Juſtice enough to
engage you to pronounce and judge impartially, to take
the <hi>Britiſh</hi> Drama into your Protection and Patronage,
in order to retrieve its former Luſtre, and augment its
Glory.

By taking the <hi>Britiſh</hi> Theatre into your Protection and
Patronage, you would protect and patronize every other
Branch of the <hi>Britiſh</hi> Poetry. For as the <hi>Britiſh</hi> Theatre,
as long as it was juſtly and judiciouſly managed among us,
was the only publick Rewarder of Dramatick Poetry, ſo
it has been the only chief Support and Encouragement of
every other Species of that noble Art. It has cheriſh'd
and inflamed the Spirit of Poetry, and raiſed a noble E<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>mulation
among us, more than all our Kings and all our
<pb n="viii" facs="tcp:0222600200:7"/>
Miniſters together. From the very building of <hi>London,</hi>
to the erecting the firſt Theatre in it, which Time con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tains
about thirty Centuries, we had but two <hi>Britiſh</hi>
Poets who deſerve to be read: But from the Eſtabliſh<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ment
of our Theatres to the preſent Time, which contains
ſcarce a Century and a half, we may boldly affirm, that
more than ten times that Number of Poets have appear'd
and flouriſh'd in <hi>England.</hi>

And here, <hi>Sir,</hi> I beg Leave to obſerve the Advantage
of Genius that <hi>Great Britain</hi> has over <hi>France</hi> with Rela<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tion
to the Drama: For our Neighbours the <hi>French,</hi> not<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>withſtanding
the vaſt Encouragement that was given by
Cardinal <hi>Richlieu,</hi> and by <hi>Lewis</hi> the XIVth, at the Inſti<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>gation
of Monſieur <hi>Colbert</hi> his Firſt Miniſter, never could
with Juſtice boaſt of more than one Comick and two
Tragick Poets; whereas more than ten of our Country<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>men,
have, without any publick Encouragement but what
they derived from the Stage itſelf (and that, how incon<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſiderable!)
ſignalized themſelves in Comedy alone, with<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>in
the Compaſs of thoſe fifty Years that followed the
Reſtoration.

I know, indeed, very well, <hi>Sir,</hi> that other Reaſons may
be aſſigned, beſides the Want of a Theatre, why no more
Poets flouriſhed before Queen <hi>Elizabeth</hi>'s Time. But I
am at the ſame Time convinced, that the Reaſon why we
have had ſo many ſince, has been the Eſtabliſhment of
our Theatres. For the Dramatick Poets, the Caſe is plain,
few would have given themſelves the Trouble to write
Dramatick Poems, if there had not been Theatres in
which they might be acted. And ſome, who were by
Nature qualified to ſucceed better in other Kinds of Poetry
<pb n="ix" facs="tcp:0222600200:8"/>
than the Dramatick, had, by Reaſon of the Lowneſs of
their Fortunes, been uncapable of exerting their Genius's
in thoſe other Kinds, if they had not been firſt encou<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>raged,
and raiſed, and ſupported by the Stage. And 'tis
very natural to conceive, that ſeveral others, who at the
ſame time that they had large Revenues, were qualified
both by Nature and Art to excel in the other Kinds, were
rouzed and excited to try their Fortunes in them, by the
animating Applauſes which they ſaw that our Dramatick
Poets received from their raviſh'd Audiences. The Sen<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>timent
of <hi>Virgil</hi> might, on ſuch Occaſions, very naturally
preſent itſelf to their Minds.<q>
                  <l>—Tentanda via eſt quâ me quoque poſſim</l>
                  <l>Tollere humo, victorque virûm volitare per ora.</l>
               </q>

And now, <hi>Sir,</hi> ſince the chief Encouragement not only
of Plays, but of every other Kind of the <hi>Britiſh</hi> Poetry,
which is none of the meaneſt Branches of the <hi>Britiſh</hi>
Learning, depends upon the Stage, and conſequently the
Honour of <hi>Great Britain</hi> in ſome meaſure depends upon
it, I humbly conceive, that the flouriſhing Condition of
our Theatre is a Matter of Importance and publick Con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cern,
and not unworthy the Conſideration of the greateſt
Men in the State.

Since Dramatick Poetry was firſt introduced into <hi>England,</hi>
it never was ſunk ſo deplorably low as it is at preſent, and
every other Branch of Poetry is declined proportionably;
I mean as far as it has been managed by moſt of thoſe who
have liſted themſelves under <hi>Apollo</hi>'s Standard, and who
engage for their Pay. That little that has appeared that
<pb n="x" facs="tcp:0222600200:9"/>
has been writ with more Spirit and more Grace than ordi<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>nary,
has come, for the moſt Part, from Volunteers.

               <hi>Sir,</hi> with Submiſſion to your better Judgment, there is
but one Way of reviving the expiring Drama, of reſtoring
its original Innocence, and of augmenting its ancient Lu<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſtre,
and that is by eſtabliſhing two annual Prizes of two
hundred Pound each; the one for Comedy, the other for
Tragedy, to be given, beſides the ordinary Profits of the
Theatre, to him who performs beſt in each of them, which
is to be decided by Judges appointed on purpoſe, and
ſworn to determine impartially; with this Proviſo, that
no Play ſhall be received, that ſhall be judged to be ever
ſo little offenſive to good Manners; and that every Play
ſhall be rejected, whoſe Author can be proved to have ta<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ken
the leaſt Step towards the forming a Cabal; which
Deſign I humbly conceive is in your Power to reduce to
Practice, if you would vouchſafe to recommend it to the
Government, or to a Number of Gentlemen who may be
every way qualify'd to engage in ſo good a Cauſe.

Several Cauſes may be aſſigned of the Decay of Dra<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>matick
Peotry, as the <hi>Italian Opera,</hi> which never was e<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſtabliſhed
in any Country, but it immediately debaſed the
Poetry of that Nation: The Strangers who have been in<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>troduced
among us, by ſeveral great Events, as the <hi>Revo<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>lution,</hi>
the <hi>Union,</hi> the <hi>Hanover Succeſſion,</hi> who not under<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſtanding
our Language, have been very inſtrumental in
introducing Sound and Show; the new Gentry that has
ſtarted up among us, ſome by the Fortune of War, and
ſome by the Fortune of <hi>Exchange-Alley,</hi> who are fond of
their old Entertainments of <hi>Jack-Pudding</hi>; but yet none
of theſe has done half the Harm that has been done by
<pb n="xi" facs="tcp:0222600200:10"/>
Cabal. For 'tis in Poetry as 'tis in Politicks, Things go
quite wrong
<q>
                  <l>When Merit pines, while Clamour is prefer'd,</l>
                  <l>And long Attachment waits among the Herd;</l>
                  <l>When no Diſtinction where Diſtinction's due,</l>
                  <l>Marks from the Many the ſuperior Few.</l>
               </q>

A Cabal to eſpouſe a Coxcomb, may get him Money, but at the ſame Time it will procure him Infamy. Wri<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ters
who have Genius will leave the Stage with the ut<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>moſt
Indignation, and every Man who underſtands it
will have it in Contempt.

            <q>
               <l>The Men who contradict the publick Voice,</l>
               <l>And ſtrive to dignify a worthleſs Choice;</l>
               <l>Attempt a Task that on that Choice reflects,</l>
               <l>And lend us Light to point out new Defects.</l>
               <l>One worthleſs Man, that gains what he pretends,</l>
               <l>Diſguſts a Thouſand unpretending Friends.</l>
            </q>

And therefore every Writer who pretends to ſucceed by
Cabals, ought to be baniſhed from every Theatre. But
to ſhew the Judgment or the Integrity of our Managers
of the Stage; they have for ſeveral Years paſt rejected
every Play that has not had a Cabal to ſupport it.

And now, <hi>Sir,</hi> tho' I am ſenſible that I have already
detain'd you a great deal too long, for which I humbly
and heartily beg your Pardon; yet, before I take Leave
of you, I cannot help acquainting you, that this is the
fourth Time that I have appear'd in Defence of the Stage,
and in this fourth Defence I have no manner of Intereſt,
but that it has been purely extorted from me by the Force
<pb facs="tcp:0222600200:11"/>
of Truth, and by the Love of my Country. In the for<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>mer
Three, I might appear to be maintaining my own In<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tereſts.
But I have, ſince the publiſhing them, been uſed
with ſuch extreme Ingratitude by the preſent Managers of
the Playhouſe, that I have this Ten Years been obliged,
by the moſt barbarous Treatment, to take Leave of the
Playhouſe for ever.

            <closer>I am, SIR,
<signed>Your moſt Obedient, and
moſt Humble Servant,
 <hi>JOHN DENNIS.</hi>
               </signed>
            </closer>

      </front>

            <pb n="1" facs="tcp:0222600200:12"/>
            The STAGE defended, <hi>&c.</hi>

            To <gap reason="blank" resp="#OXF" extent="1 word">
                  <desc> _____ </desc>
               </gap>
               Eſq

            <opener>
               <salute>SIR,</salute>
            </opener>

               <seg rend="decorInit">W</seg>HEN you deſire to know my Senti<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ments
concerning Mr. <hi>Law</hi>'s late Pam<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>phlet
againſt the Stage, you make a Re<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>queſt,
which 'tis not ſo eaſy for me to
ſatisfy as you may perhaps imagine:
For I really never was ſo much at a
Loſs to know what an Author meant.
Sometimes I am inclined to think him in good earneſt;
and ſometimes I believe, that there are Grounds to ſuſ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>bect,
that he deſign'd this whole Pamphlet for nothing
but a ſpiritual Banter; for there ſeems to me to be a Ne<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ceſſity
of believing, either that a Clergyman, as Mr. <hi>Law</hi>
is, ſhould be profoundly ignorant of the ſacred Writings,
a Man of Letters of the Nature of Dramatick Poems,
and one who had liv'd long enough in the World to have
ſome Experience of the preſent State of Religion, and
Virtue, and Vice, among us; or a Neceſſity of conclud<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ing,
<pb n="2" facs="tcp:0222600200:13"/>
that while Mr. <hi>Law</hi> is declaiming with ſo much fu<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>rious
Zeal againſt the Stage and Players, he is all that
while acting a Part, and ſhewing himſelf a great Come<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>dian.

When Mr. <hi>Law</hi> is putting Idolatry and frequenting the
Playhouſe upon an equal Foot, he ſeems to be playing a
Part: for he cannot but know, that St. <hi>Paul</hi> was of ano<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ther
Mind, who when he was at <hi>Athens,</hi> the very Source
of Dramatick Poetry, ſaid a great deal publickly againſt
their Idolatry, but not one Word againſt their Stage.
When he was afterwards at <hi>Corinth,</hi> as little did he ſay
againſt theirs: For St. <hi>Paul,</hi> who was educated in all the
Learning of the <hi>Grecians,</hi> who had read all their Poets,
who in the vjth Chapter of the <hi>Acts,</hi> Ver. 28, quotes <hi>A<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ratus,</hi>
and <hi>Epimenides,</hi> in the firſt Chapter of his Epiſtle
to <hi>Titus,</hi> Ver. 10, could not but have read all their noble
Dramatick Poems; and yet has been ſo far from ſpeaking
one Word againſt them, that he has made uſe of them for
the Inſtruction and Converſion of Mankind. And when
afterwards he wrote his Firſt Epiſtle to the <hi>Corinthians,</hi>
he did not ſcruple, for their Inſtruction, to make uſe of
an <hi>Athenian</hi> Play; for all the World knows, that <hi>Evil
Communications corrupt Good Manners,</hi> 1 <hi>Cor.</hi> xv. 33. is
taken from an <hi>Athenian</hi> Dramatick Poet. Does Mr. <hi>Law</hi>
believe that that Epiſtle, and conſequently that Verſe, was
dictated by the Holy Ghoſt or not? Can Mr. <hi>Law</hi> be<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>lieve,
that St. <hi>Paul</hi> was guided by the Spirit of God to
make Choice of that Verſe for the Inſtruction<g ref="char:punc">▪</g> and Con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>verſion
of the <hi>Corinthians?</hi> And can he believe at the
ſame Time, that the Theatre, as he more than once de<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>clares
<pb n="3" facs="tcp:0222600200:14"/>
it, is the Temple of the Devil? If any one ſhould
affirm, That St. <hi>Paul</hi> was guided by the Spirit of God,
to take a Verſe from the Temple of the Devil, would it
not be ſuch horrid Blaſphemy as would make even the
Blood of the moſt profligate of all Players to curdle with<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>in
the Miſcreant's Veins. But if St. <hi>Paul</hi> had in the
leaſt believed, that the <hi>Athenian</hi> Stage was the Sink of
Sin and Corruption, as Mr. <hi>Law</hi> ſays every Stage is, he
would not have fail'd to reproach them with it, in order
to check the ſpreading Evil. He who dares talk openly
and boldly againſt the National Religion of a People,
may very well venture to condemn their Vices and evil
Cuſtoms. But St. <hi>Paul</hi> not only ſays nothing at all
againſt Dramatick Poetry, but makes uſe of it for the
Converſion and Reformation of Mankind. Now I would
fain know, if quoting a Dramatick Poet, without giving
the leaſt Caution againſt the Stage, be not a downright
Approbation of Dramatick Poetry, and eſtabliſhing the
Stage by no leſſer an Authority than that of the Spirit of
God himſelf.

If we look into the Old Teſtament, we ſhall find, that
the Kings of <hi>Iſrael</hi> and <hi>Judah,</hi> they and their Reigns,
were declared righteous or wicked, according as thoſe
Kings were Idolaters or not Idolaters; and that no Sin
whatever was reckon'd ſo abominable as Idolatry. <hi>So<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>lomon,</hi>
who had ſeven hundred Wives, had no leſs than
three hundred Concubines; and yet when God threatened
to rend Ten Tribes of his Subjects from him, it was only
for his Idolatry, <hi>becauſe he had forſaken God, and had
worſhipped Aſhtoreth the Goddeſs of the Sidonians, Chemoſh</hi>
               <pb n="4" facs="tcp:0222600200:15"/>
               <hi>the God of the Moabites, and Milcom the God of the Chil<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>dren
of Ammon,</hi> 1 Kings xj. <hi>For it came to paſs, that
when Solomon was old, his Wives turned away his Hear
after other Gods, and his Heart was not perfect with the
Lord his God, as was the Heart of David his Father,</hi>
ibid. Ver. 4. Now <hi>David</hi> committed Adultery with <hi>Bath<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſheba,</hi> and murdered her Husband <hi>Uriah</hi>; yet theſe Sin
that were of ſo flagrant a Nature that they brought
a Plague upon <hi>Iſrael,</hi> were venial, compared to Idolatry.
They brought, indeed, a Plague upon the People, but
they depoſed the King from no Part of his Subjects, as
the Idolatry of <hi>Solomon</hi> did his Son <hi>Rehoboam.</hi> In ſhort,
Idolatry is by ſo much more criminal than the Tranſgreſ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſion
of any other divine Commandment, as the Attempt
to depoſe a King and to ſet up a Pretender, is a Crime
of a higher Nature than the Breach of any other human
Law.

As it is hard to imagine, that Mr. <hi>Law</hi> ſhould be ig<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>norant
of what has been ſaid above, it gave me juſt Cauſe
to ſuſpect his Sincerity: But when I came to the Paſſage
which he quotes from Archbiſhop <hi>Tillotſon,</hi> in the 38th
Page of his Pamplet, I found that he prevaricated
ſo vilely in it, that the Hypocriſy became immediately ma<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>nifeſt:
For he has omitted the former Part of the Paſſage,
becauſe it makes directly againſt him. It is as follows:

               <hi>To ſpeak againſt them</hi> (<hi>viz.</hi> Plays) <hi>in general, may
be thought too ſevere, and that which the preſent Age cannot
ſo well brook, and would not perhaps be ſo juſt and reaſon<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>able,
becauſe it is very poſſible they might be ſo framed, and</hi>
               <pb n="5" facs="tcp:0222600200:16"/>
               <hi>governed by ſuch Rules, as not only to be innocent and di<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>verting,
but inſtructive and uſeful, to put ſome Vices and
Follies out of Countenance, which cannot perhaps be ſo de<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cently
reproved, nor ſo effectually expoſed and corrected any
other Way.</hi> All this, as I have ſaid above, he has pur<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>poſely
omitted, becauſe it makes point blank againſt him.

For after he has told us, in this bleſſed Pamphlet, <hi>That
the Playhouſe is the Temple of the Devil, a more delightful
Habitation for him than ever any Temple that he had in the
Heathen World, where Impurity and Filthineſs, immodeſt
Songs, prophane Rants, Luſt, and Paſſions, entertain the
Audience, a Place, the peculiar Pleaſure of the Devil, where
all they who go, yield to the Devil, go over to his Party, and
become Members of his Congregation, where all the Laughter
is not only vain and fooliſh, but that it is a Laughter among
Devils; that all who are there, are upon prophane Ground,
and hearing Muſick in the very Porch of Hell.</hi> After he
has beſtow'd all this fine Language upon it, and all theſe
fragrant Flowers of Rhetorick, he aſſures us, that the
Playhouſe is all that he has ſaid, not thro' any accidental
Abuſe, as any innocent or good Thing may be abuſed,
but by its genuine Helliſh Nature; which is directly con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>trary
to what the foremention'd illuſtrious Prelate has ſaid.
Mr. <hi>Law</hi> ſays, that every Entertainment of the Stage is
in its Nature unlawful, abominable, and infernal. The
Archbiſhop aſſures us, that the Entertainments of the
Stage may be ſo managed, as not only to be innocent,
but uſeful and inſtructive; nay, that they may even be<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>come
neceſſary for the expoſing ſome certain Follies, and
the correcting ſome certain Vices.

               <pb n="6" facs="tcp:0222600200:17"/>
As Mr. <hi>Law</hi> has ſhewn his Want of Sincerity in the
foreſaid Quotation, he gives us great Reaſons to ſuſpect
it in his Invectives againſt the Drama. For 'tis hard to
conceive, that a Man of Letters ſhould be ſo ignorant of
the Nature of a legitimate Dramatick Poem, as thoſe In<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>vectives
ſuppoſe him; for 'tis ſuch only that we pretend
to defend, and abhor the Productions of ignorant and
impure Poetaſters as much as he does. 'Tis hard to con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ceive,
that a Man who has read the Claſſicks, ſhould not
know that a legitimate Dramatick Poem, either of the
Comick or Tragick Kind, is a Fable, and as much a Fa<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ble
as any one of <hi>Aeſop</hi>'s, agreeing in Genus, and differ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ing
only in Species. <hi>Terence</hi> has told him in almoſt every
one of his Prologues, that every Comedy is a Fable;
and he begins his very firſt to <hi>Andrea</hi> with it.
<q>
                  <l>Poeta cum primum animum ad ſcribendum appulit,</l>
                  <l>Id ſibi negoti credidit ſolum dari,</l>
                  <l>Populo ut placerent quas feciſſet Fabulas.</l>
               </q>
And <hi>Horace</hi> tells us the ſame Thing concerning Tragedy,
more than once or twice:
<q>
                  <l>Neve minor quinto, neu ſit productior actu</l>
                  <l>Fabula. <bibl>De Arte Poet.</bibl>
                  </l>
               </q>
And we find in the ſame Treatiſe;
<q>
                  <l>Interdam ſpecioſa locis, morataque recte</l>
                  <l>Fabula.</l>
               </q>
And likewiſe again;
<q>
                  <l>Nec Quodcunque volet poſcat ſibi Fabula credi.</l>
               </q>

Mr. <hi>Law</hi> cannot but know, that the Inſtruction by
Fables and Parables, which mean the ſame Thing, was
<pb n="7" facs="tcp:0222600200:18"/>
mightily in Uſe among the wiſe Ancients, and eſpecially
among the ſacred Writers; that we have an Example of
it, of about three thouſand Years ſtanding, in the Parable
of <hi>Jothan.</hi> And that <hi>Jeſus Chriſt,</hi> who beſt knew the
Nature of Men, made uſe of Fables or Parables, as moſt
proper at the ſame Time, both to pleaſe, and inſtruct, and
perſwade. For a Fable is a Diſcourſe moſt aptly con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>trived
to form the Manners of Men by Inſtructions diſ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>guiſed
under the Allegory of an Action. And therefore
he could not chuſe but know, that every legitimate Dra<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>matick
Poem, either of the Comick or Tragick Kind, is not
a mere Diverſion, as he pretends, but a philoſophical and
moral Lecture, in which the Poet is Teacher, and the
Spectators are his Diſciples, as <hi>Horace</hi> inſinuates in the
three following Verſes:
<q>
                  <l>Nec minimum meruere Decus veſtigia Graeca</l>
                  <l>Auſi deſerere & celebrare Domeſtica Facta</l>
                  <l>Vel qui Praetextas, vel qui docuere togatas.</l>
               </q>
And knowing all this, he could not but know that 'tis
very hard, if not very extravagant, to put the frequenting
moral Lectures upon the ſame Foot with Idolatry.

If Mr. <hi>Law</hi> has read either <hi>Ariſtotle</hi> or any of his In<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>terpreters,
as 'tis hard to imagine that he ſhould think
himſelf qualified to write againſt the Stage if he had read
none of them, he cannot but know, that as the Action of
a Dramatick Fable is univerſal and allegorical, the Chara<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cters
are ſo likewiſe. For as when <hi>Aeſop</hi> introduces a
Horſe, or a Dog, or a Wolf, or a Lion, he does not pre<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tend
to ſhew us any ſingular Animal, but only to ſhew the
<pb n="8" facs="tcp:0222600200:19"/>
Nature of that Creature, as far as the Occaſion where it
appears admits of; ſo when a Dramatick Poet ſets before
us his Characters, he does not pretend to entertain us
with particular Perſons, tho' he may give them particular
Names; but propoſes to lay before us general and alle<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>gorical
Fantoms, and to make them talk and act as Per<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſons
compounded of ſuch and ſuch Qualities, would talk
and act upon like Occaſions, in order to give proper In<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſtructions.

Now as a Dramatick Fable is a Diſcourſe invented to
form the Manners by Inſtructions diſguiſed under the Al<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>legory
of an Action, it follows, that in a Dramatick Fa<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ble
for the proving the Moral, 'tis as neceſſary to intro<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>duce
vicious as virtuous Characters, and to make them
ſpeak and act, as all Perſons compounded of their Qua<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>lities
would be obliged by Nature to ſpeak and act upon
the like Occaſions; as <hi>Aeſop,</hi> for the Sake of his Morals,
does not only introduce innocent and peaceable Creatures,
as Horſes, and Sheep, and Cows, and Dogs; but like<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>wiſe
noxious and violent ones, as Lions and Bears, and
Wolves, and Foxes: But the Poet at the ſame time ought
to take care that the Vices ſhould be ſhewn after ſuch a
Manner, as to render them odious or ridiculous, and
not agreeable or deſirable; and that the Reader ſhould
reap no Pleaſure from the Agreeableneſs of the Vices, but
only from a juſt Imitation of Nature.

I make no Doubt, Sir, but that I have ſaid enough to
ſatifie you or any of your Friends to whom you may
happen to ſhew this Letter, that as every true Dramatick
<pb n="9" facs="tcp:0222600200:20"/>
Poem is a Fable as much as any one of <hi>Aeſop</hi>'s; it has in
its Nature a direct Tendency to teach moral Virtue, and
can therefore never be contrary to a Chriſtian Temper and
Cirit, which, where-ever it is, incites us to good Works,
that is, to the Performance of moral Duties. But there is
every Jot as much Difference between a true Dramatick
Poem, and the Production of an ignorant obſcene Poe<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>taſter,
as there is between two religious Books, the <hi>Bible</hi>
and the <hi>Alcoran.</hi> Now will Mr. <hi>Law</hi> affirm, that becauſe
the <hi>Alcoran</hi> is full of egregious Falſhoods, and of mon<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſtrous
Fanatick Extravagancies, therefore we ought not
to read the <hi>Bible?</hi> It belongs to none but to an Atheiſt,
or ſome other unbelieving Sceptick, to make ſuch a Con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cluſion.

               <hi>Sir,</hi> As 'tis hard to conceive that Mr. <hi>Law</hi> ſhould be
ignorant of what we have ſaid above, both concerning the
ſacred Writings, and the Nature of a Dramatick Poem;
and equally hard, if he is not ignorant, to believe him a
Writer of Sincerity and Integrity; ſo it ſeems to be as
hard to conceive, that a Man of his Years, and conſe<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>quently
of his Experience, ſhould be utterly a Stranger
to the preſent State of Religion, and Virtue and Vice, a<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>mong
us; or that, if he is not a Stranger to it, he ſhould
be capable of writing ſo malicious or ſo erroneous a Trea<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tiſe
as that which he has lately publiſh'd againſt the Stage.

Before I come to ſpeak of the preſent State of Religion
among us, I deſire Leave to tranſlate a Paſſage from <hi>Da<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cier</hi>'s
Preface to his excellent Comment on <hi>Ariſtotle</hi>'s <hi>Art
of Poetry.</hi> If the Quotation appears to be of more than
<pb n="10" facs="tcp:0222600200:21"/>
ordinary Length to you, I comfort my ſelf with this Re<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>flection,
that you will attend to an Author of more than
ordinary Learning and Judgment, and who can ſpeak ſ
much better in this Cauſe than myſelf.

'Poetry, ſays that moſt judicious Critick, is an Art
which was invented for the Inſtruction of Mankind, and
an Art which is by Conſequence uſeful. 'Tis a Truth
acknowledg'd by all the World, that every Art is in
itſelf good, becauſe there is none whoſe End and Deſign
is not ſo: But as it is no leſs true, that Men are apt to
abuſe the very beſt Things, and to pervert the very beſt
Deſigns, that which was at firſt invented as a wholſome
Remedy, may afterwards become a very dangerous Poiſon.
I am obliged to declare, then, that in what I ſay of
Tragedy, I ſpeak not of corrupted Tragedy: For'tis
not in Works that are deprav'd and vicious that we are
to ſearch for the Reaſon and the Deſign of Nature, but
in thoſe which are ſound and intire; when I ſay this
ſpeak of ancient Tragedy, of that which is conformable to the Rules of <hi>Ariſtotle,</hi> which I dare pronounae
to be the moſt uſeful and moſt neceſſary of all Diver<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſions
whatever.'

'If it were in our Power to oblige all Men to follow
the Precepts which the Goſpel lays down, nothing could
be more happy for Mankind. In living conformably to
them, they would find true Repoſe, ſolid Pleaſure, and
a ſure Remedy for all their Infirmities; and they might
then look upon Tragedy as a uſeleſs Thing, and which
would be infinitely below them. How could they look
upon it in any other Light, ſince the Heathens themſelves
<pb n="11" facs="tcp:0222600200:22"/>
beheld it in the very ſame, as ſoon as they had embraced
the Study of Philoſophy. They confeſs, that if People
could be always nouriſh'd with the ſolid Truths of Phi<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>loſophy,
the Philoſophers had never had Recourſe to
Fables, in order to give them Inſtruction. But as ſo
much Corruption could not bear ſo much Wiſdom, the
Philoſophers were obliged to look for a Remedy for the
Diſorder which they ſaw in Mens Pleaſures; for which
they invented Tragedy, and they offered it to the World,
not as the moſt excellent Thing of which Men could
make their Employment and their Study, but yet as a
Means to correct thoſe Exceſſes, in which they were
wont to be plunged at their ſolemn Feaſts; and to ren<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>der
thoſe Diverſions uſeful to them, which Cuſtom and
their Weakneſs had render'd neceſſary, and their Cor<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ruption
very dangerous.'

'What Men were formerly, they are To-day; and what
they are To-day, they will be hereafter; they have the
ſame Paſſions which they always had, and run with the
ſame Eagerneſs after Pleaſure. To undertake to reduce
them in this Condition by the Severity of Precepts, is
endeavouring to put a Bridle on a mad Horſe in the
greateſt Rapidity of his Courſe. In the mean time,
there is no Middle; Men will fall into the moſt criminal
Exceſſes, unleſs we find Pleaſures for them which are
wiſe and regular. 'Tis ſome Degree of Happineſs, that
a Remnant of Reaſon inclines them to love ſuch Diver<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſions
as are conſiſtent with Order, and ſuch Amuſe<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ments
as are not incompatible with Truth. And I am
perſuaded, that we are obliged in Charity to make our
Advantage of this Inclination, that we may not give
<pb n="12" facs="tcp:0222600200:23"/>
time to Debauchery entirely to quench that Spark of
right Reaſon which ſtill may be ſeen to glimmer in them.
We preſcribe to diſtemper'd Perſons; and Tragedy is the
only Remedy, from which, in their preſent Condition,
they can reap any Advantage; for 'tis the only Diverſion
in which they can find the Profitable united with the
Pleaſant.'

Thus far Monſieur <hi>Dacier.</hi> And here, <hi>Sir,</hi> I beg Leave
to obſerve, that, notwithſtanding our Reformation, we
have as few Perſons here in <hi>England</hi> who have the true
Spirit of Chriſtianity in them, as there are in <hi>France:</hi>
But there is this Difference between them and us; In
<hi>France,</hi> all own themſelves Chriſtians publickly; none of
them dare renounce the Name, tho' few of them are the
Thing: But among us, How many open Diſſenters are
there from Chriſtianity itſelf? How many Atheiſts? How
many Deiſts? How many Free-thinkers of a Thouſand
Kinds? who all of them refuſe to join in our ſacred Rites;
ſome of them, as the Atheiſts, believing them to be ſenſ
leſs<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>and ridiculous; and others, as the Deiſts, eſteeming
them to be blaſphemous and idolatrous. Then what
School of publick Virtue and of publick Spirit have we
for too great a Part of our Youth, but our Theatres
only?

'Tis very ſtrange that Mr. <hi>Law</hi> ſhould be ſo ignorant
of the preſent State of Religion among us, as not to fore<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſee that the wild Enthuſiaſm, and the ſpiritual Fanatical
Rant, which abounds ſo much in his late Pamphlet, would
afford Matter of Scorn and Laughter to Infidels and Free<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>thinkers
<pb n="13" facs="tcp:0222600200:24"/>
of all Sorts, and render our moſt ſacred Religion
ſtill more contemptible among them.

When Mr. <hi>Law</hi> ſays, in the 16th Page of his Pamphlet,
that <hi>It cannot be doubted by any one, that the Playhouſe is
a Nurſery of Vice and Debauchery, and that the Effect it
has upon Peoples Manners is as viſible as the Sun at Noon</hi>;
he ſeems to know as little of the preſent State of Vice
among us, as he pretends to do of Religion. The pre<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſent
reigning Vices of the Town, are Drinking, Gaming,
Curſing, Swearing, Prophaneſs, Corruption of all Sorts,
as Bribing, Tricking, Oppreſſion, Cheating, Whoring and
execrable Sodomy. And Mr. <hi>Law,</hi> forſooth, has the Face
to tell the World, that the Playhouſe encourages all theſe;
that it is the Sink of Corruption and Debauchery; and
that that is not the State of it thro' any accidental Abuſe,
but that Corruption and Debauchery are the truly natural
and genuine Effects of the Stage-Entertainment, that is,
of any Stage-Entertainment. Now to ſhew the Folly and
the Arrogance of theſe Aſſertions, let us conſider theſe
Vices one by one.

Firſt then; Does the Theatre encourage Drunkenneſs?
No; it neither does nor can encourage it: To ſhew it,
is enough to render it odious or ridiculous. To ſhew a
Man drunk, is to ſhew a Fool or a Madman, in whom
the Creator's Image is for a Time intirely defaced, and
who, while he continues in that State, ſtands in need of a
Guardian. Beſides, nothing is more certain, than that
brutal Vice rages moſt in the Scum and Off-ſcowring of
the People, who neither have nor ever had the leaſt Com<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>munication
<pb n="14" facs="tcp:0222600200:25"/>
with the Playhouſe. 'Tis true, Men of Thought
may be ſometimes drawn into it, but they naturally hate
it; for Drunkenneſs is a mortal Enemy to Thought, and
conſequently Thought to that.

Does the Playhouſe encourage Gaming? So far from
that, that Gaming has increaſed ten-fold, ſince <hi>Collier</hi>'s
Books againſt the Stage were publiſhed; and ſince when,
whole Plays have been writ to ſhew it dangerous and de<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſtructive,
to ſhew the unſpeakable Harm it does to both
Sexes, and particularly to the Women; <hi>to ſhew that Gam<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ing,
by giving Men a Privilege of being familiar with, and
ſometimes rude to Women, removes that Awe which Nature
has placed between the Sexes, as the ſtrongeſt Bulwark of
Chaſtity; that when a young Lady, even of the ſtricteſt, the
moſt unblemiſh'd Honour, loſes a Sum of Money, which ſhe
dares not own to her Relations, and which ſhe cannot pay
without them, and loſes it to an agreeable young Fellow, who
perhaps loves her, and has a ſecret Deſign upon her, ſhe finds
a Temptation that trys her utmoſt Virtue.</hi>

Does the Playhouſe encourage Swearing and Curſing?
Both Reaſon and Experience aſſure us that it does not.
They who walk the Streets in the Weſt End of the Town
may be ſufficiently convinced, that it rages moſt in the
Lees of the People, who never knew what a Playhouſe was.
It infects even their Wives and their Children, as it very
rarely does thoſe of the better Sort. As common Swearing
is a fooliſh brutal Vice, that brings neither Pleaſure nor
Profit with it, and is the Reſult of want of Thought; it
follows, that the fooliſh brutal Part of the People muſt be
<pb n="15" facs="tcp:0222600200:26"/>
moſt infected with it. Of the Women that frequent the
Playhouſe, few are addicted to it but the common Strum<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>pets;
and of the Men, none but Bullies, Rakes, and gid<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>dy
Coxcombs. If a Comick Poet draws any of theſe, in
order to correct and amend them, he is obliged to ſhew
them ſometimes Swearing, or he leaves out one of their
Characteriſticks. But he cannot fail of ſhewing that very
Quality either odious or ridiculous, when it appears in
Perſons who are themſelves both the one and the other.
And if he ſhews it either odious or ridiculous, that ſurely
will invite none of the Audience to imitate it.

We equally deny, that the Playhouſe encourages any
other Sort of Prophaneſs. But as a Play is a Fable, that is, a
Compoſition of Truth and Fiction (as we have obſerved
above;) as the Action is feigned and the Moral true; as
Characters are neceſſary for the carrying on the Action, and
or proving the Moral, and vicious Characters as neceſſary,
and perhaps ſometimes more neceſſary, than are the good
ones; as to ſhew vicious Characters, and to expoſe them,
'tis abſolutely neceſſary to put vicious Sentiments into
their Mouths, it follows, that the moſt criminal Sentiments,
and the moſt violent Paſſions, are allowable in vicious and
violent Characters; the moſt ungovern'd Fury, and the
moſt outragious Blaſphemy itſelf, not excepted; provided
they are adapted to the Character and the Occaſion, and
the Character and the Occaſion are neceſſary for the Moral.
<hi>Virgil</hi> has every where ſhewn <hi>Mezentius</hi> a Contemner of
the Gods, and a Blaſphemer of them; yet we never heard
that the moſt bigotted of his Cotemporaries ever accuſed
<hi>Virgil</hi> upon that Account. <hi>Milton,</hi> in the ſecond Book of
<pb n="16" facs="tcp:0222600200:27"/>
               <hi>Paradice loſt,</hi> makes the Devils, in their infernal Council,
blaſpheme in a moſt outragious Manner; and yet, as they
ſpeak agreeably to their Characters and the Occaſion, no
Man has ever been ſo weak or ſo unjuſt, as to accuſe <hi>Mil<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ton</hi>
for that Blaſphemy, or to give all his Readers to the
Devil for being entertained with it. On the contrary, all
Men of good Underſtanding, and good Taſte, have been
peculiarly charm'd with that very Book, as one of the moſt
beautiful of that admirable Poem. <hi>Cowley</hi> makes not only
the Devil, but <hi>Goliah</hi> blaſpheme;
<q>
                  <l>Thus he blaſphem'd aloud; The Hills around,</l>
                  <l>Flatt'ring his Voice, reſtor'd the dreadful Sound.</l>
               </q>
and yet has been never blamed for it. The Book of <hi>Job</hi>
is canonical, and is firmly believed to have been writ by
divine Inſpiration. Tho' it is full of uncharitable Judg<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ments,
and is not free from Blaſphemy, yet the Inſtructions
which that divine Parable or Fable gives, proceed in a
great meaſure from that very Blaſphemy, and thoſe uncha<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ritable
Judgments. But now, if a Poet is allow'd to put
Blaſphemy into the Mouth of one of his Characters, pro<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>vided
he takes care to puniſh him for it, he is certainly at
Liberty to do the like by any inferior Prophaneſs.

The Three Nonjuring Prieſts who have attack'd the
Stage, have made ſuch a Noiſe about nothing as Propha<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>neſs;
it ſometimes drops three or four Times in one
Page from their tautologous Pens; and they have chiefly
accuſed our Comedies for it: The Unreaſonableneſs of
which may appear from hence, that all our true Comedies
are but Copies of the fooliſh or vicious Originals of the
<pb n="17" facs="tcp:0222600200:28"/>
Age. Certainly never Man knew what a Comedy was
better than did <hi>Moliere.</hi> Now when in the Critic of the
<hi>Ecole des Femmes,</hi> he is endeavouring to prove, by the
Mouth of <hi>Dorante,</hi> that Comedy is harder to write than
Tragedy, he gives the following Reaſon for it: <hi>Lors que
vous peignez des Heros, vous faites ce que vous voulez;
ce ſont des Portraits a plaiſir, ou l'ou ne cherche de reſſem<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>blance;
et vous n'avez qu'a ſuivre les Traits d'une Ima<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>gination
qui ſe donne l'eſſor, et qui ſouvent laiſſe le vrai pour
atraper le</hi> Merveilleux. <hi>Mais lors que vous peignez les Hom<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>mes,
il faut peindre d'apres Nature; on veut qui ces Portraits
reſſemblent, et vous n'avez rien fait ſi vous n'y faites recon<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>noitre
le Gens de votre Siecle.</hi> That is to ſay; When you
draw Heroes, you are at your own Liberty; thoſe are
Pictures at the Painter's Pleaſure, in which no Body looks
for Likeneſs; and you have nothing to do but to indulge
the Flight of a ſoaring Imagination. But when you paint
Men, you muſt draw after Nature; the World expects
that thoſe Pictures ſhould be like; and you have done
nothing at all, unleſs you ſhew your Readers or your
Spectators the People of the Age you live in.

Now with Regard to Prophaneſs, our Comedies are the
fainteſt Copies in the World, and you may often hear more
Prophaneſs in one Night's Converſation at a Tavern or an
Eating-houſe, than you ſhall hear from the Stage in a
year. For Atheiſts, Deiſts, Arians, and Socinians, are
wont to ſay at their private Meetings, what no one dares
to pronounce on the Stage. Now are not theſe Nonjuring
Prieſts either very wiſe, or very conſcientious Perſons? Our
Comedies are but Copies of the fooliſh and vicious Origi<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>nals
<pb n="18" facs="tcp:0222600200:29"/>
of the Age; and 'tis the Buſineſs of the Copies to
expoſe, and ſatyrize, and ridicule thoſe fooliſh and thoſe
vicious Originals. Now theſe Nonjuring Prieſts having
nothing to ſay againſt thoſe fooliſh and thoſe vicious Ori<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ginals,
which moſt certainly corrupt and debauch the Age,
make it their Buſineſs to fall foul on the Copies, which
chaſtiſe, and ſatyrize, and ridicule the Originals.

What I have ſaid of the Stage with Relation to Pro<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>phaneſs,
is in Proportion true, with Regard to all other
Vices. Now ſince our Comedies are but Copies of the fool<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>iſh
and the vicious Originals of the Age in which we live,
and Copies which do by no means come up to the Ori<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ginals,
I appeal to all the World, if it does not unanſwer<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ably
follow from what I have ſaid, that the Originals of
the Age debauch the Stage, by which latter, the Age never
poſſibly can be debauched. The Stage was eſtabliſh'd in
<hi>England</hi> towards the Beginning of Queen <hi>Elizabeth</hi>'s
Reign; whereas the Manners of the People continued ge<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>nerally
ſound till beyond the Middle of the laſt Century<g ref="char:punc">▪</g>
And the Manners of the People continuing generally ſound,
the Stage remain'd generally chaſte: But at the Reſtora<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tion
of <hi>Charles</hi> the Second, the Court returning from a<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>broad,
corrupted by foreign Luxury, quickly debauch'd
the Town; and the Court and the Town jointly endea<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>vour'd
to debauch the Stage, becauſe our Comick Poets
were obliged to copy their lewd Originals, in order to ex<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>poſe
and reform them.

As for Corruption of any Sort, whether it be Tricking,
Oppreſſing, Bribing, Sharping, Cheating, the true Poet,
<pb n="19" facs="tcp:0222600200:30"/>
who <gap reason="illegible" resp="#OXF" extent="1 word">
                  <desc>〈◊〉</desc>
               </gap> perfectly free from all Avarice, is leaſt of all ad<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>dicted
to it.

            <q>
               <l>—Vatis Avarus.</l>
               <l>Non temere eſt animus, verſus amat, hoc ſtudet unum</l>
               <l>Detrimenta, fugas ſervorum, incendia ridet;</l>
               <l>Non fraudem ſocio, puerove incogitat ullam</l>
               <l>Pupillo; <bibl>Horace Epiſt. ad Auguſtum.</bibl>
               </l>
            </q>

Their uſual Poverty is a ſignal Proof of this: For as the
Love of Money is the Source of all Corruption, he who
deſpiſes Gold, is above all the Vices that attend it. And
Poverty attended with great Parts, may very well paſs for
a pretty ſure Sign of Honeſty. A Dramatick Poet there<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>fore
being averſe from all Corruption himſelf, if ever he
deſcribes any Kind of it, is ſure to make it both odious
and ridiculous.

I come now to almoſt the only Charge againſt the Stage
which ſeems to have any thing of real Weight in it, and
that is, That it excites in Mens Minds the natural Love
of Women. And here by this Charge may be meant two
Things; the one is, That it excites in Men a Deſire to
the unlawful Enjoyment of Women; the other is, That it
inclines them to that violent Paſſion of Love, which is
ſometimes between the two Sexes.

As to the firſt Part of the Charge, that it excites in
Men a Deſire to the unlawful Enjoyment of Women; if
there are any Paſſages in our Plays that are chargeable
with that Guilt, or that defile the Imaginations of an Au<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>dience
with unchaſt and immodeſt Images, they are nei<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ther
<pb n="20" facs="tcp:0222600200:31"/>
natural to the Drama nor neceſſary, but flagrant A<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>buſes
of it, and contrary to the very Deſign of the Art;
and thoſe Paſſages ought to be baniſh'd from the Stage for
ever. And yet I cannot help thinking, that if ever thoſe
Paſſages could be excuſable, they would be ſo at this Jun<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cture,
when the execrable Sin of Sodomy is ſpread ſo
wide, that the foreſaid Paſſages might be of ſome Uſe to
the reducing Mens Minds to the natural Deſire of Wo<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>men.
Let Fornication be ever ſo crying a Sin, yet So<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>domy
is a Crime of a thouſand times a deeper Dye. A
Crime that forc'd down ſupernatural Fire from Heaven, to
extinguiſh its infernal Flames; a Crime that would have
obliged even righteous <hi>Lot</hi> to proſtitute his two chaſt and
virgin Daughters, in order to prevent it. I cannot here omit
obſerving one Thing, That this unnatural Sin has very
much increaſed ſince <hi>Collier</hi>'s Books were publiſh'd againſt
the Stage. There were no leſs than four Perſons con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>demned
for it the laſt Seſſions; and I am inform'd, that
ſeveral more have been ſince apprehended for it: The like
of which was never heard of in <hi>Great Britain</hi> before.

As for the Paſſion of Love, by which the Hearts of
Men and Women are ſometimes mutually and violently in<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>clined
to each other; if the Paſſion is kept within the
Bounds of Nature, if the Object and the Intention of it
is lawful, or if 'tis puniſh'd when 'tis unlawful, I am of
the Opinion, that it cannot have the leaſt ill Conſequence;
'tis certainly a Check upon wandring looſe Deſires; it gives a
very great and very harmleſs Pleaſure, and has a direct Ten<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>dency
to the keeping the two Sexes ſtedfaſt and firm to the
natural Love of each other: For not only the Affections of
<pb n="21" facs="tcp:0222600200:32"/>
the Men have wildly wander'd from Nature, as is mani<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>feſt
to all the World, but not a few of the Women too
have endeavour'd to make themſelves the Center of their
own Happineſs. St. <hi>Paul</hi> is pleas'd to reprove this unna<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tural
Affection of the <hi>Roman</hi> Dames in the firſt Chapter
of his Epiſtle to the <hi>Romans.</hi> And Mr. <hi>Law</hi> is deſired to
take Notice, that he lays thoſe unnatural Deſires not upon
their going to Plays, but upon their Idolatry; Verſe 22,
<hi>Profeſſing themſelves to be wiſe, they became Fools.</hi> Verſe
23, <hi>And changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an
Image made like to corruptible Man, and to Birds, and four<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>footed
Beaſts, and creeping Things.</hi> Verſe 24, <hi>Wherefore
God alſo gave them up to Uncleanneſs, to diſhonour their own
Bodies between themſelves.</hi> Verſe 25, <hi>Who changed the
Truth of God into a Lie, and worſhipped and ſerved the
Creature rather than the Creator, who is bleſſed for ever.
Amen.</hi> Verſe 26, <hi>For this Cauſe God gave them up to vile
Affections: For even their Women did change the natural
Uſe into that which is againſt Nature.</hi> Verſe 27, <hi>And like<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>wiſe
the Men, leaving the natural Uſe of the Women, burned
in their own Luſts one toward another, Men with Men work<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ing
that which is unſeemly, and receiving in themſelves that
Recompence of their Errors which was meet.</hi> And Mr. <hi>Law</hi>
may be pleaſed to obſerve, that the Apoſtle here gives us
another ſignal Proof, that he does not put Idolatry and
going to Plays upon an equal Foot. And here, <hi>Sir,</hi> I de<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>sire
Leave to make another Remark, and that is, That of
all the Countries of the Chriſtian World, that Country has
been, is, and is like to be, the moſt infamous for this ex<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ecrable
Vice, in which Idolatry has ſet up its Head Quar<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ters.

               <pb n="22" facs="tcp:0222600200:33"/>
               <hi>Sir,</hi> You are very well acquainted with the exact Judg<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ment
of the late <hi>French</hi> Satyriſt, who was an Honour to
<hi>France.</hi> That he was very far from being a Friend to the
Corruption of the Stage, will appear from the following
Paſſage of the fourth Canto of his <hi>Art of Poetry</hi>; where
he is giving his Advice to the Poets who were his Cotem<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>poraries.
<q>
                  <l>Que votre ame & vos moeurs peints dans tous vos ouvrages</l>
                  <l>N'offrent jamais de vous que de nobles Images.</l>
                  <l>Je ne puis eſtimer ces dangereux Auteurs,</l>
                  <l>Qui de l'honneur en vers infames deſerteurs,</l>
                  <l>Trahiſſant la vertu ſur un papier coupable,</l>
                  <l>Aux yeux de leurs Lectures rendent le vice aimable.</l>
               </q>
Tho' I know very well, that no one underſtands this Au<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>thor
better than you do; yet as this Letter is to paſs thro'
your Hand to the Preſs, I deſire Leave to tranſlate the
Paſſage, for the Benefit of thoſe who are not uſed to <hi>French.</hi>
               <q>Let your Soul and your Manners, appearing in your Works
to your Readers, never offer any but noble Ideas of you.
I can have no Eſteem for thoſe dangerous Authors, thoſe in<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>famous
Deſerters of Honour in their Verſes, who being Tray<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tors
to Virtue in their guilty Lines, render Vice lovely to the
Eyes of thoſe who peruſe them.</q>
And yet immediately after comes his Approbation of Love
in Dramatick Poems:
<q>
                  <l>Je ne ſuis pas pourtant de ces triſtes Eſprits</l>
                  <l>Qui banniſſant l'Amour de tous chaſtes êcrits,</l>
                  <l>D'un ſi riche ornement veulent priver la Scene:</l>
                  <l>Traitent d'empoiſonneurs & Rodrigue & Chimene.</l>
                  <l>
                     <pb n="23" facs="tcp:0222600200:34"/>
L'amour le moins honneſte exprimé chaſtement,</l>
                  <l>N'excite point en nous de honteux movement.</l>
                  <l>Didon a beau gemir & m'étaler ſes charmes;</l>
                  <l>Je condamne ſa faute, en partageant ſes larmes.</l>
               </q>
               <q>And yet, <hi>ſays he,</hi> I am none of thoſe ſplenetick Souls, who baniſhing Love from all chaſte Compoſures, endeavour to
deprive the Stage of ſo rich an Ornament. The moſt diſho<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>nourable
Love, if 'tis chaſtly expreſs'd, excites no ſhameful
Motion in us. In vain does <hi>Dido</hi> lament and groan, expoſing
all her Charms to me; I condemn her Conduct at the very
Time that I partake of her Grief.</q>

I now return to the Charge of Hypocriſy; for which
there are very juſt Grounds of Suſpicion from the Stile
and Language of this Pamphlet. For is not this little
Treatiſe, which is pretended to be writ thro' a Zeal for
the Chriſtian Religion, writ in downright Antichriſtian Lan<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>guage?
Is this Pamplet writ in the Language of Modeſty,
of Humility, of Meekneſs? Is it writ in the attractive
Language of Charity? On the contrary, Does not Mr.
<hi>Law</hi> ſeem to have taken all his Degrees at a certain Uni<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>verſity
between the Bridge and the Tower? And as the
Diſciples of our Saviour, from Dealers in Fiſh became the
Apoſtles of their Maſter; this falſe Apoſtle ſeems to ſet
up for Water Doctor, and from a Prieſt to become a Dealer
in Fiſh. For he has not only the Tropes, and the Figures,
and all the Rhetorical Flowers, but the very Tautologies
of thoſe obſtreperous Dealers in quiet and mute Animals.
For the foreſaid obſtreperous Dealers, are not contented
with calling Rogue, or Whore, or Bitch, or Villain, once,
<pb n="24" facs="tcp:0222600200:35"/>
they will repeat it fifty Times; and their Fellow-Colle<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>giate
who diſputes with them, will return it fifty-fold.

I deſire that you would give me leave to preſent you
with ſome of Mr. <hi>Law</hi>'s Rhetorical Flowers.

At the Bottom of the ſecond Page of his Pamphlet, he
tells us, That there is more to be ſaid in Behalf of Po<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>pery
than of going to Plays. For that is plainly his Mean<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ing,
tho' he diſguiſes it by the Terms that he uſes. And
towards the Top of the third Page, he is no leſs poſitive,
that God is leſs diſpleaſed with Popery than he is with
going to Plays. It looks as if Mr. <hi>Law</hi> would be very
glad to exchange Plays for Popery.

In all the reſt of the ſecond Page, he puts them upon
an equal Foot; and aſſures us, that the Entertainment of
the Stage is contrary to more Doctrines of Scripture than
the Worſhip of Images.

What, tho' we grant it; Intemperance in Eating, Drink<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ing,
and Venery, is contrary to more Doctrines of Scrip<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ture,
than is either Murder, or High-Treaſon; and yet
either Murder or High-Treaſon ſingly, is ten Times a
greater Sin than all the forementioned Three together.
Sometimes he is making Idolatry, that is Popery, leſs
criminal than going to Plays: Sometimes he is for ma<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>king
them equal, and endeavouring to revive the old ſto<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ical
Opinion, <hi>Omnia peccata ſunt aequalia</hi>; All Sins are e<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>qual:
A Paradox that would tend to make Chriſtianity as
ridiculous, as it help'd to do <hi>Pagan</hi> Stoiciſm.

               <pb n="25" facs="tcp:0222600200:36"/>
In the firſt Paragraph of the 4th Page. <hi>You go to hear
Plays you ſay—I tell you,</hi> ſays Mr. <hi>Law, you go to hear
Ribaldry and Prophaneſs; that you entertain your Mind with
extravagant Thoughts, wild Rant, blaſphemous Speeches,
wanton Amours, prophane Jeſts, and impure Paſſions.</hi> [Ay,
now the Language of the College begins.] And a little
lower, <hi>He who goes to a Play, diverts himſelf with the
Lewdneſs, Impudence, Prophaneſs, and impure Diſcourſes of
the Stage.</hi> And a little lower, in the ſame Page, <hi>This is
plainly the Caſe of the Stage; it is an Entertainment that
conſiſts of lewd, impudent, prophane Diſcourſes.</hi> And Pag. 7,
<hi>It is an Entertainment made up of Lewdneſs, Prophaneſs,
and all the extravagant Rant of diſorder'd Paſſions.</hi> At the
Top of Page 8. he is endeavouring once more to make
Popery leſs ſinful than going to Plays; and by the ſame
Piece of ſpiritual Sophiſtry, he confirms this religious Lie;
becauſe, forſooth, the Stage, with its <hi>lewd prophane Diſ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>courſes,</hi>
offends againſt more Doctrines of plain Scripture
than Popery: Which is proving one groſs Piece of Falſhood,
by another that is much greater.

About the Middle of the ſame Page, he brings an Ar<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>gument
againſt the Stage from the Iniquity of the Players,
againſt whom he inveighs with his uſual Sophiſtry and Un<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>charitableneſs:
Which is full as wiſe and as juſt, as it would
be to bring an Argument againſt the Church, from the Vices
of ſome ſpiritual Comedians. <hi>The Players are Men and Wo<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>men,</hi>
ſays he, <hi>equally bold, in all Inſtances of Prophaneſs,
Paſſion, and Immodeſty; whoſe Buſineſs,</hi> Pag. 9, <hi>is prophane,
wicked, lewd, and immodeſt</hi>; and a little lower in the ſame
Page, <hi>whoſe Employment is leſs Chriſtian than that of Robbers.</hi>
               <pb n="26" facs="tcp:0222600200:37"/>
               <hi>For he muſt know very little of the Nature of Religion,</hi> ſays
Mr. <hi>Law, who can look upon Luſt, Prophaneſs, and diſorder'd
Paſſions, to be leſs contrary to Religion, than the taking
Money from the right Owner.</hi> Which is directly contrary
to common Senſe and to common Utility.

            <q>
               <l>Queis paria eſſe fere placuit peccata, laborant,</l>
               <l>Cum ventum ad verum eſt: ſenſus moreſque repugnant.</l>
               <l>Atque ipſa utilitas juſti prope mater & aequi. <bibl>Hor.</bibl>
               </l>
            </q>

Page 10, He ſpeaks of <hi>the Blaſphemy, Prophaneſs, Lewdneſs,
Immodeſty, and wicked Rant of Plays.</hi> And a little
lower in the ſame Page, he mentions <hi>a Collection of all
the wicked, prophane, blaſphemous, lewd, impudent, deteſt<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>able
Things that are ſaid in the Playhouſe.</hi> And Page 11,
he ſpeaks of the Entertainment of the Stage, <hi>as it conſiſts
of Love-Intrigues, blaſphemous Paſſions, prophane Diſ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>courſes,
lewd Deſcriptions, filthy Jeſts, and all the moſt ex<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>travagant
Rant of wanton profligate Perſons of both Sexes;
heating and inflaming one another with all the Wantonneſs
of Addreſs, the Immodeſty of Motion, and the Lewdneſs of
Thought, that Wit can invent.</hi>

And here I deſire Leave to ſay a Word, by the way, in
Defence of Players, whoſe Profeſſion he very wiſely, hu<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>manely,
and Chriſtianly, makes as unlawful as that of
Robbers. Is he to be told at this Time of Day, that the
Players ſay nothing of Themſelves? They only ſpeak what
the Poet puts into the Mouths of his univerſal allegorical
Fantoms; which Fantoms the Players repreſent. Can this
poor Gentleman be ſo ſimple as to believe, that <hi>Reynard,</hi>
               <hi>Bruin, Iſgrim,</hi> and <hi>Grimalkin,</hi> ſay really of themſelves the
<pb n="27" facs="tcp:0222600200:38"/>
Things that <hi>Aeſop</hi> puts into their Mouths? The Players
are only the Poet's Inſtruments, by which he carries on
his Action, and proves his Moral. If any Muſician ſings
a treaſonable Song, and plays to it at the ſame time, he
ought to ſuffer for his Crime; but would you indict the
Fiddle or the Flute upon which the Tune is play'd?

What Turn Mr. <hi>Law</hi> deſign'd to ſerve, by being ſo pro<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>fuſe
of ſo much fine Language he beſt can tell, tho' we
perhaps may gueſs. But he could never poſſibly think
of making Poets, or Players, or Spectators, good Chri<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſtians,
by railing at them for an Hour together, and treat<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ing
them worſe than the great Archangel dared to treat
the Devil, <hi>who durſt not bring againſt him a railing Ac<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cuſation,
but only ſaid, The Lord rebuke thee.</hi> If he de<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſign'd
to convert People by ſuch a Proceeding, he might
as well pretend to begin a Friendſhip with another by abu<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſing
him, and throwing Dirt at him.

But to make ſome Amends for treating his Fellow-Crea<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tures
with ſo much Antichriſtian Language, he uſes the
Devil with a great deal of Reſpect and Civility. For be<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſides
the gentle Terms in which he ſpeaks of him; of his
Honour, of his Glory, of his Joy, his Delight, his Plea<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſure,
his peculiar Pleaſure; as if Damnation were an ho<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>nourable
and a happy State; beſides this, I ſay, he is
pleaſed, out of his great Bounty, to ſettle upon him and
his, to have and to hold for ever, the Freehold and Fee-Simple
of all our Theatres. <hi>One may, with the ſame Aſ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſurance,
affirm,</hi> ſays he, <hi>that the Playhouſe, not only when
ſome prophane Play is on the Stage, but in its daily common</hi>
               <pb n="28" facs="tcp:0222600200:39"/>
               <hi>Entertainments, is as certainly the Houſe of the Devil, as
the Church is the Houſe of God,</hi> Page 12. And a little low<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>er
in the ſame Page, <hi>The Manner and Matter of Stage-En<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tertainments,
is as undeniable a Proof, and as obvious to
common Senſe, that the Houſe belongs to the Devil, and is
the Place of his Honour, as the Matter and Manner of
Church Service prove that the Place is appropriated to God.</hi>

Now my Opinion is, That if the Devil ſhould once
become the Head-Landlord of our Theatres, he would im<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>mediately
turn them into ſo many <hi>Jacobite</hi> Conventicles:
For thoſe are properly his Houſes, thoſe are properly his
Temples. For the Sins which the Theatres are accuſed
by Mr. <hi>Law</hi> of encouraging, are not the Devil's Sins, but
our own, the Sins of Men and Women. The Devil neither
drinks nor whores, nor games, nor rants, nor gormandizes.
But the Sins which are carried on in a <hi>Jacobite</hi> Conven<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ticle,
are the Devil's own Sins; his two great original
Sins, Lying and Rebellion. There all thoſe falſe Doc<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>trines
are carried on, of Hereditary Right, Divine Right,
Indefeaſible Right, Abſolute Power, Uncontroulable Pow<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>er,
Paſſive Obedience, Unconditional Obedience; Doc<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>trines
invented on purpoſe to make and flatter Tyrants,
who are the Devil's Viceroys. <hi>For as good Kings are God's
Vicegerents, ſure a Tyrant is Hell's Viceroy.</hi> The Place
where the Pretender's Cauſe is carried on, is properly the
Temple of the Devil, the original Pretender.

When Mr. <hi>Law</hi> affirms, That the Playhouſe is the Sink
of Corruption and Debauchery, Page 15, and that this is
not the State of it, thro' any accidental Abuſe, as any in<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>nocent
<pb n="29" facs="tcp:0222600200:40"/>
or good Thing may be abuſed, but that Corruption
and Debauchery are the truly natural and genuine Effects
of the Stage Entertainments; is it poſſible that he can be
ſo ignorant as he pretends to make himſelf? Can he be
ignorant, that by affirming this, he contradicts what has
been the common Senſe of Mankind for two thouſand
Years; and that he contradicts the Opinions and the Judg<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ments
of the greateſt, and wiſeſt, and moſt virtuous Men,
of the greateſt, and wiſeſt, and moſt virtuous Nations,
during that vaſt Space of Time? If Corruption and
Debauchery were the natural and genuine Effects of The<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>atrical
Entertainments; would they have been encouraged
by the great Legiſlators, the moſt learned Philoſophers,
and the wiſeſt Rulers of the freeſt States in the World?

No Body knows better than Mr. <hi>Law,</hi> that of all pub<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>lick
Diverſions, the Drama is the moſt reaſonable, manly,
noble, and inſtructive Diverſion; the excelling in which,
ſhews the Excellence and the Strength of Genius of that
particular Nation where it appears, and by that Means
advances its Reputation with other Nations, and augments
its Power; and that therefore Dramatick Performances have
been ſo cheriſhed and eſteemed by the wiſeſt Rulers of the
nobleſt Nations, that they have been maintain'd by the
publick Treaſure; and the Magiſtrate has not thought it
at all below him, to have the Regulation and the imme<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>diate
Inſpection of it: Which is an undeniable Proof, that
they did not at all miſtruſt that it was natural to thoſe
Entertainments to corrupt and debauch their People.

               <pb n="30" facs="tcp:0222600200:41"/>
The Drama is in itſelf ſo excellent, and to excel in it
requires ſo many great Qualities, that of all the Nations
we hear of among the Ancients, but Two were capable of
proper conſtant Theatrical Entertainments; and thoſe Two
were the wiſeſt, braveſt, and moſt virtuous of all the Na<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>tions;
ſo famous for their great Actions in War, and ſo
illuſtrious for the Arts of Peace, that to know what they
were, is become a principal Part of the Learning of us
Moderns; and 'tis accounted ſcandalous in a Gentleman
to be ignorant of what they ſaid, and wrote, and did;
and yet to know what their Tragick and Comick Poets
were, and what they wrote, is none of the meaneſt Branches
of that very Learning.

What Opinion the <hi>Grecians</hi> themſelves had of their Drama;
how far they believed their Tragick Poets able to inſpire
their Countrymen with the Love of their Country, with the
Love of Liberty, of Virtue, and of true Glory, and with
a magnanimous Contempt of Death for the publick Good,
may be gathered from the unanimous Conſent of <hi>Greece,</hi>
and particularly from the Honours done by the <hi>Athenians</hi> to
their Tragick Poets, who made them Governors of Pro<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>vinces,
Generals of their Armies, and Guardians of the
publick Liberty. For when the <hi>Athenians</hi> ſettled a great<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>er
Fund for the ſupporting the Magnificence of their Tra<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>gick
Repreſentations, than for the Maintenance of their
Fleets and Armies, we may juſtly conclude that it was
their Opinion, that their Tragick Poets, by conſtantly
ſetting before them the Calamities of Tyrants, defended
them from far more dangerous Enemies than thoſe which
their Armies were ſent to encounter, and that was from
<pb n="31" facs="tcp:0222600200:42"/>
their own aſpiring Citizens. As no People were ever
more jealous of their Liberties than the <hi>Athenians,</hi> none
ever knew better that Corruption and Debauchery are in<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>conſiſtent
with Liberty; and therefore it never in the leaſt
enter'd into the Thoughts of that great People, that Cor<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ruption
and Debauchery were the natural Effects of Dra<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>matick
Entertainments.

Nor can it be objected with any manner of Juſtice, that
it was the Fury of the <hi>Athenian</hi> Populace, running mad
after their Pleaſures, that made them ſo warmly eſpouſe
the Drama. The greateſt and the wiſeſt Philoſophers of
that renown'd Republick declared moſt warmly and moſt
loudly for it. <hi>Ariſtotle</hi> writ an admirable Syſtem of Rules
for the compoſing Dramatick Poems, with that Right
Hand that has given us ſo many excellent Leſſons of
Morality. And <hi>Socrates,</hi> the wiſeſt and the moſt virtuous
of all the Philoſophers, who made it the whole Buſineſs
of his Life to inſtruct his Countrymen in moral Virtue,
did not think it in the leaſt below his Wiſdom and his
Virtue, to aſſiſt <hi>Euripides</hi> in the writing his Tragedies.

That the <hi>Romans</hi> did not yield to the <hi>Grecians</hi> in the
Eſteem which they had for Dramatick Entertainments, and
the Belief that they were capable of contributing to the
Glory and the Felicity of a mighty State, and to the Glo<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ry
and Felicity of the Authors of them, we may gather
from the Actions of their wiſeſt Stateſmen, their greateſt
Captains, and their ſevereſt Philoſophers. Their greateſt
Captains and their wiſeſt Stateſmen not only encouraged
Dramatick Poems, but vouchſafed to write them them<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſelves.
<pb n="32" facs="tcp:0222600200:43"/>
               <hi>Scipio,</hi> the wiſe, the virtuous <hi>Scipio,</hi> writ Come<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>dy
with that conquering Hand that won the Empire of the
World at <hi>Zama. Auguſtus Caeſar,</hi> as famous for the Arts
of Peace as his Succeſs in War, renown'd for the wholſome
Laws he enacted, and for his reforming the Manners of
the People, begun the Tragedy of <hi>Ajax,</hi> tho' he could not
finiſh it; but found it eaſier to make himſelf Emperor of
the World, than a great Dramatick Poet. <hi>Cicero,</hi> the Cham<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>pion
of the <hi>Roman</hi> Liberties, in twenty Places of his Phi<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>loſophick
Treatiſes, quotes the <hi>Roman</hi> Tragick Poets.
And <hi>Seneca,</hi> who thro' the Opinion which <hi>Agrippina</hi> had
of the Strictneſs and the Severity of his Virtue, was in<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>truſted
with the Education of a Prince, upon whoſe Con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>duct
the Happineſs of Mankind depended; <hi>Seneca,</hi> who,
by ſo many admirable Leſſons of moral Virtue, has obliged
all the Lovers of Wit and Virtue for ever, did not think
writing Tragedy an Employment at all below him.

Now, <hi>Sir,</hi> I appeal to you, whether it does not logi<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cally
and neceſſarily follow, from what has been ſaid,
that either Mr. <hi>Law</hi> muſt believe, that the Great Men a<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>mong
the ancient <hi>Grecians</hi> and <hi>Romans,</hi> their Captains,
Stateſmen, and Philoſophers, wanted common Senſe; or he
cannot poſſibly believe, that Corruption and Debauchery
are the natural Effects of Theatrical Entertainments; and
conſequently muſt be guilty of very vile Hypocriſy.

There remains another ſtrong Preſumption of Hypocriſy
againſt Mr. <hi>Law.</hi> For what is Mr. <hi>Law?</hi> And what are
his two Predeceſſors, <hi>Collier</hi> and <hi>Bedford,</hi> who attack'd the
Stage before him? Why <hi>Jacabite</hi> Nonjuring Parſons all
<pb n="33" facs="tcp:0222600200:44"/>
three of them, who have diſown'd our Eſtabliſh'd Church,
and diſown'd our Government. How come they to take
up this great Concern for our Salvation in a Matter about
which all our Paſtors, who have the immediate Care of
our Souls, are ſilent? Have they more Capacity to ſee the
enormous Crimes of Theaters, and the pretended fatal
Conſequences of them, than ſo many great and good Men,
who have been the exalted Lights of the Church ſince the
Reſtoration? No, all the World knows, that there is not
the leaſt Pretence for it, nor the leaſt Compariſon. Have
they more true Zeal and Concern for the Chriſtian Reli<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>gion?
No, that, as we obſerved above, is inconſiſtent
with their Manner of treating us. The Language of <hi>Bil<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>lingſgate</hi>
can never be the Language of Charity, nor con<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſequently
of Chriſtianity. Truth has not the impetuous
ſtormy Air which Mr. <hi>Law</hi> aſſumes, but comes in the ſoft
and ſtill Voice, like the God who inſpires it; and Truth
deteſts and abominates the Equivocating and Prevaricating
of Mr. <hi>Collier</hi> and Mr. <hi>Bedford.</hi>

But now let us conſider the Time that theſe People have
choſe to exert their pretended Zeal. It has been always
when ſomething has been about to be done, which it was
thought might prove favourable to the <hi>Pretender.</hi> Mr.
<hi>Collier</hi> publiſh'd his <hi>Short View</hi> when <hi>France</hi> declar'd for
the <hi>Chevalier,</hi> upon the Death of <hi>James</hi> II. and his <hi>Diſ<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>ſuaſive,</hi>
upon the great Storm, when the great Devaſtation
which that Huricane wrought, had amaz'd and aſtoniſh'd
the Minds of Men, and made them obnoxious to melan<g ref="char:EOLhyphen"/>cholly
and deſponding Thoughts. I formerly expos'd the
egregious hypocritical Folly of making that Storm a Divine
<pb n="34" facs="tcp:0222600200:45"/>
Judgment upon the Nation for the Enormities of our
Theatres. Mr. <hi>Law</hi> has taken the Opportunity to attack
the Stage, upon the great Preparations which he heard
were making abroad, and which the <hi>Jacobites</hi> flatter'd
themſelves were deſign'd in their Favour. As for Mr.
<hi>Bedford</hi>'s <hi>Serious Remonſtrance,</hi> tho' I know nothing of
the Time of publiſhing it, yet I dare to lay Odds it was
either upon the Duke <hi>D'Aumont</hi>'s being at <hi>Somerſet-Houſe,</hi>
or upon the late Rebellion. Now all theſe Attacks
upon the Stage have been Attacks upon the Government,
and thoſe three worthy Perſons ſeem to me to have been
at the Beck of ſome certain Superiors, and always ready
at their Command to divert the People of <hi>Great Britain</hi>
from their real Danger, by giving them Alarms in a wrong
Place.

            <trailer>FINIS.</trailer>

      <back>

               <hi>ERRATA,</hi> P. 1. laſt Line but one, a; after Experience.

      </back>
   </text>
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            styles: {
                position: "absolute",
                top: 15,
                left: 15,
                width: 300
            }
        }).appendTo(view);

        new MAF.control.TextButton({
            label: $_('CLOSE'),
            styles: {
                position: "absolute",
                top: 385,
                left: 15,
                width: 300,
                height: 40
            },
            textStyles: {
                anchorStyle: 'center'
            },
            events: {
                onSelect: function () {
                    MAF.application.exit();
                }
            }
        }).appendTo(view);

        new MAF.control.TextButton({
            label: $_('RESET'),
            styles: {
                position: 'absolute',
                top: 330,
                left: 15,
                width: 300,
                height: 40
            },
            textStyles: {
                anchorStyle: 'center'
            },
            events: {
                onSelect: function () {
                    reset();
                }
            }
        }).appendTo(view);

        getAnimationFrame = requestAnimationFrame || webkitRequestAnimationFrame || mozRequestAnimationFrame || oRequestAnimationFrame || msRequestAnimationFrame;

        function control(player, direction) {
            if (direction === 'left') { players[player].direction -= 4 * Math.PI / 180 }
            else if (direction === 'right') { players[player].direction += 4 * Math.PI / 180 }
        }

        function animateFrame() {
            var key, player;
            getAnimationFrame(animateFrame);
            for (key in players) {
                player = players[key];
                ctx.strokeStyle = player.color;
                ctx.beginPath();
                ctx.moveTo(player.position.x, player.position.y);
                movePlayer(key);
                drawPlayer(key);
                ctx.lineTo(player.position.x, player.position.y);
                ctx.stroke();
            }
        }

        function movePlayer(key) {
            var x = players[key].position.x,
                y = players[key].position.y,
                direction = players[key].direction,
                speed = players[key].speed;
            x += Math.sin(direction) * speed;
            y -= Math.cos(direction) * speed;
            if (x > canvas.width) x = canvas.width - 1;
            if (x < 1) x = 1;
            if (y > canvas.height) y = canvas.height - 1;
            if (y < 1) y = 1;
            players[key].position.x = x;
            players[key].position.y = y;
        }

        function drawPlayer(key) {
            ctx2.clearRect(0, 0, canvas2.width, canvas2.height);
            ctx2.translate(players[key].position.x, players[key].position.y);
            ctx2.rotate(players[key].direction);
            ctx2.drawImage(wormImg, -10,- 25, 21, 51);
            ctx2.rotate( - players[key].direction);
            ctx2.translate(- players[key].position.x, - players[key].position.y);
        }

        function generateColor() {
            var r = Math.round(Math.random() * 128 + 64),
                g = Math.round(Math.random() * 128 + 64),
                b = Math.round(Math.random() * 128 + 64);
            return "#" + r.toString(16).replace("0x","") + g.toString(16).replace("0x","") + b.toString(16).replace("0x","");
        }

        function reset() {
            var key;
            for (key in players) {
                players[key].position = {
                    x: canvas.width / 2,
                    y: canvas.height / 2
                };
                players.direction = Math.random() * 2 * Math.PI;
            }
            canvas.width = canvas.width;
        }

        getAnimationFrame(animateFrame);

        (function (event) {
            var payload = event.payload;
            switch (event.type) {
                case 'onConnected':
                    log('room connected');
                    // If connected but room not joined make sure to join it automaticly
                    if (!room.joined) room.join();
                    return;
                case 'onDisconnected':
                    players = {}; // Reset clients
                    log('connection lost waiting for reconnect and automaticly rejoin');
                    return;
                case 'onCreated':
                    // Create an url to the client application and pass the hash as querystring
                    var url = widget.getUrl('Player/controls.html?hash=' + payload.hash);
                    qrCode.setSource(QRCode.get(url));
                    log('room created', payload.hash, url);
                    return;
                case 'onDestroyed':
                    players = {}; // Reset clients
                    log('room destroyed', payload.hash);
                    return;
                case 'onJoined':
                    // If user is not the app then log the user
                    if (payload.user !== room.user) {
                        log('user joined', payload.user);
                        players[payload.user] = {
                            color: generateColor(),
                            position: {
                                x: canvas.width / 2,
                                y: canvas.height / 2
                            },
                            direction: Math.random() * 2 * Math.PI,
                            speed: 1
                        };
                    }
                    return;
                case 'onHasLeft':
                    // If user is not the app then log the user
                    if (payload.user !== room.user)
                        log('user has left', payload.user);
                    return;
                case 'onData':
                    var data = payload.data;
                    if (data.e === 'turn')
                        return control(payload.user, data.d);
                    break;
                default:
                    log(event.type, payload);
                    break;
            }
        }).subscribeTo(room, ['onConnected', 'onDisconnected', 'onCreated', 'onDestroyed', 'onJoined', 'onHasLeft', 'onData', 'onError']);

        // If Room socket is connected create and join room
        if (room.connected) room.join();

    },

    destroyView: function() {
        var view = this;
        if (view.room) {
            view.room.leave(); // Leave room, will trigger an onLeaved of the app user
            view.room.destroy(); // Destroy the room
            delete view.room; // Unreference from view for GC
        }
    }

});


text:
/**
 * File : memspool.cc
 * Author : Tuan Anh Nguyen
 * Description : Implementation of the memory management
 * Creation date : -
 *
 * Modifications :
 * Authors		Date			Comment
 */

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

#include "paroc_memspool.h"
#include "paroc_exception.h"

paroc_memspool::paroc_memspool()
{
}

paroc_memspool::~paroc_memspool()
{
	Free();
}

VOIDPTR paroc_memspool::Alloc(int sz)
{
	if (sz<=0) return NULL;

	VOIDPTR data;
	if ((data=malloc(sz))==NULL) paroc_exception::paroc_throw(errno);
	memtemp.AddTail(data);
	return data;
}

void paroc_memspool::Managed(VOIDPTR data)
{
	if (data!=NULL) memtemp.AddTail(data);
}

void paroc_memspool::Free()
{
	POSITION pos=memtemp.GetHeadPosition();
	while (pos!=NULL)
	{
		VOIDPTR tmp=memtemp.GetNext(pos);
		free(tmp);
	}
	memtemp.RemoveAll();
}


text:
package com.google.j2objc.runtime.block;

import com.google.j2objc.annotations.Mapping;

/**
 * Block which takes a single {@code int} argument and returns no value.
 * This is used to map the Objective-C {@code void (^)(int)} block type.
 */
public interface VoidIntBlock {

    /**
     * Runs this block.
     *
     * @param v the block argument.
     */
    @Mapping("run:")
    void run(int v);
}


text:
namespace meshy{
	class EpollStream : public BasicStream{
		EpollStream(EpollStream const&) = delete;
	public:
		EpollStream(NativeSocket socket, NativeSocketAddress const& address = { 0 });

		virtual size_t receive(char* buffer, size_t bufferSize, size_t& readSize)override;
		virtual size_t send(ByteArray const& byteArray)override;

		void events(uint32_t evts);
		uint32_t events()const;
	protected:
		uint32_t	m_events = 0;
	};

	typedef std::shared_ptr<EpollStream>	EpollStreamPtr;
}