The felf-denying apologies common with authors, of their being fenfible of their unfitness for the task they undertake, their doing it to stir up a better hand, and so on, I wholly pass, having never read any of them with approbation. Prudence is good, and I would not willingly lofe fight of it, but zeal and concern for the glory of God, and faithfulness to the fouls of others, are duties equally neceflary in their place, but much

more rare.

How far I am fenfible of my own unfitness for treating this fubje&t, and of the reputation that is rifked by attempting it, the world is not obliged to believe upon my own teftimony; but in whatever degree it be, it is greatly overbalanced at prefent, by a view of the declining ftate of religion among us, the prevalence of national fins, and the danger of defolating judg

ments.

It is fome difcouragement in this attempt, that it is very uncertain whether many of those, for whofe fakes it is chiefly intended, and who ftand moft in need of information upon the fubject, will take the pains to look into it. Such a levity of spirit prevails in this age, that very few perfons of fashion will read or confider any thing that is written in a grave or ferious ftyle. Whoever will look into the monthly catalogues of books, published in Britain for fome years paft, may be convinced of this at one glance. What

an immense proportion do romances, under the titles of lives, adventures, memoirs, hiftories, &c. bear to any other fort of production in this age? Perhaps therefore it may be thought that it would have been more proper to have gratified the public taste, by raising up fome allegorical ftructure, and handling this subject in the way of wit and humour; efpecially as it seems to be a modern principle, that ridicule is the teft of truth, and as there feems to be fo large a fund for mirth, in the character of a stage-playing prieft. But, though I deny not the lawfulness of ufing ridicule in fome cafes, or even its propriety here, yet I am far from thinking it is the teft of truth. It seems to be more proper for correction than for inftruction; and though it may be fit enough to whip an offender, it is not unusual, nor unfuitable, first to expoftulate a little with him, and fhew him that he deferves it. Befides, every man's talent is not equally fit for it, and indeed, now the matter feems to have been carried beyond a jeft, and to require a very serious confideration.

There is alfo, befides fome difcouragement, a real difficulty in entering on this difquifition. It will be hard to know in what manner to reafon, or on what principles to build. It were easy to fhow the unlawfulness of ftage-plays, by fuch arguments as would appear conclufive to thofe

who

who already hate both them and their supporters : but it is not fo easy to make it appear to those who chiefly frequent them, because they will both applaud and juftify some of the very things that others look upon as the worst effects of the practice, and will deny the very principles on which they are condemned. The truth is, it is our having different views of the nature of religion, that caufes different opinions upon this fubject. For many ages there was no debate upon it at all. There were players, but they did not pretend to be Chriftians themfelves, and they had neither countenance nor fupport from any who did. Whereas now, there are abundance of advocates for the lawfulness, fome for the usefulness of plays; not that the stage is become more pure, but that Chriftians are become less fo, and have lowered the ftandard or measure requifite to attain and preferve that character.

But there is fill another difficulty, that whoever undertakes to write against plays, though the provocation is given by what they are, is yet always called upon to attack them, not as they are, but as they might be. A writer on this fubject is actually reduced to the neceffity of fighting with a fhadow, of maintaining a combat with an ideal or imaginary fort of drama, which never yet exifted; but which the defenders of the caufe form by way of fuppofition, and which shall appear, in

fact, in that happy future age, which shall fee, what thefe gentlemen are pleafed to style, a well regulated ftage. However little fupport may feem to be given by this to a vicious and corrupted ftage there is no attender of plays but, when he hears this chimæra defended, imagines it is his own cause that is espoused, and with great composure and felf-fatisfaction, continues his practice. A conduct not lefs abfurd, than if one who was exprefsly affured a certain difh of meat before him was poifoned, fhould answer thus, All meat is not poisoned, and therefore I may eat this with fafety.

It is very plain, that were men but seriously difpofed, and without prejudice defiring the knowledge of their duty, it would not be neceffary, in order to fhow the unlawfulness of the ftage, as it now is, to combat it in its imaginary reformed state. Such a reformation, were not men by the prevalence of vicious and corrupt affections, in love with it, even in its prefent condition, would have been long ago given up as a hopeless and vifionary project, and the whole trade or employment detefted, on account of the abuses that had always adhered to it. But fince all advocates for the ftage have, and do ftill defend it in this manner, by forming an idea of it feparate from its evil qualities; fince they defend

it

it fo far with fuccefs, that many who would otherwife abstain, do, upon this very account, allow themselves in attending the theatre fometimes, to their own hurt and that of others; and, as I am convinced on the most mature deliberation, that the reason why there never was a well regulated ftage, in fact, is because it cannot be, the nature of the thing not admitting of it. I will endeavour to fhew, that PUBLIC THEATRICAL REPRESENTATIONS, either tragedy or comedy, are, in their general nature, or in their beft poffible state, unlawful, contrary to the purity of our religion; and that writing, acting or attending them, is inconfiftent with the character of a Chriftian. If this be done with fuccefs, it will give great weight to the reflections which shall be added upon the aggravation of the crime, confidering the circumftances that at prefent attend the practice.

But, though I have thus far complied with the unreasonable terms impofed by the advocates for this amusement, they must not proceed to any higher demand, nor expect, because they have prevailed to have plays confidered in the way. that they themfelves defire, that therefore the fame thing must be done by religion, and that it muft be lowered down to the defcriptions they are fometimes pleafed to give of it. I will by no means attack plays upon the principles of modern relaxed morality. In that cafe, to be fure,