p. 184 A Poem upon the Fall of the Angels call'd a Fairy way of Writing p. 189 The Punishment of the Damned ridiculed p. 192 SECT II. REmarks on the Comical History of Don Quixot p. 196 The Poets horrible Prophaneness p. 197 His want of Modesty and Regard to the Audience p. 202 All Imitations of Nature not proper for the Stage p. 204 The Poets Talent in Raillery and Dedication p. 205 SECT III. REmarks on the Relapse p. 209 A Misnommer in the Title of the Play p. 210 The Moral Vitious p. 211 The Plot ill Contriv'd p. 212 The Manners or Characters out of Order p. 218 The three Dramatick Unities broken p. 228 CHAP. VI. THE Opinion of the Heathen Philosophers Orators and Historians concerning the Stage p. 233 The Stage censured by the State This proved from the Constitutions of Athens Sparta and Rome p. 240 Farther Instances of this publick Discountenance in the Theodosian Code p. 241 In our own Statute Book p. 242 And in the late Order of the French King p. 243 An Order of the Bishop of Arras against Plays p. 245 The Stage Condemn'd by the Primitive Church p. 250 The Councils of Illiberis Arles c. cited Ibid The Testimony 's of the Fathers against the Stage particularly of Theophilus Antiochenus p. 252 Of Tertullian p. 253 Of Clemens Alexandrinus p. 260 Of Minutius Foelix p. 261. Of St. Cyprian Ibid. Lactantius p. 265 St. Chrisostom p. 267 St. Hierom. p. 272 And St. Augustine cited to the same purpose p. 273 The Censure of the Fathers and Councils c. applicable to the English Stage p. 276 The Conclusion p. 280 ERRATA PAge 31 Margin for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 37. l. 1. for by his r. his l. 2. for other r his other l. 25. for praeetr r. praeter p. 39. l. 18. for Poets Knaves r. Poets Knaves p. 44. l. 14. for Concianotores r. Concionatores p. 45. l. 25. for Debaush r. Debauchee p. 46. l. 9. for Enterprizes r. Enterprize p. 47. l. 9. for ridicules r. ridiculous p. 52. l. 1. for justifying r. and justifie p. 60. l. 2. for tempestinous r. tempestuous l. 31. for pray r. should pray p. 80. for executed r. exerted p. 108. l. 4. for Antarkick r. Antartick p. 117. l. 12. for Angitia r. Angitiae p. 121. l. 24. for Auger r. Augur p. 135. margin for Heglins Cogmog r. Heylins Cosmog p. 154. l. 22. dele up p. 163. l. 28. for then r. therefore p. 183. l. 6. for to r. too p. 186. l. 6. dele And. p. 191. l. 18. for Circumstance r. Circumstances p. 222. l. 9. for Cup r. a Cup. p. 237. l. 2. for apon't r. upon 't 245. l. 25. for Le r. Les. p. 257. l. 28. for Correspondence r. this Correspondence p. 272. l. 9. for himself r. themselves The Litteral mistakes the Reader is Desired to Correct Essays upon several Moral Subjects in two parts the Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged by Jeremy Collier M. A. Human Prudence or the Art by which a man may raise himself and his Fortune to Grandure the Seventh Edition An Answer to all the Excuses and Pretences that men usually make for their not coming to the Holy Communion by a Divine of the Church of England Fitted for the meanest Capacity and proper to be given away by such Persons as are Charitably Inclin'd Price 3 pence THE INTRODUCTION THE business of Plays is to recomend Virtue and discountenance Vice To shew the Uncertainty of Humane Greatness the suddain Turns of Fate and the Unhappy Conclusions of Violence and Injustice 'T is to expose the Singularities of Pride and Fancy to make Folly and Falsehood contemptible and to bring every Thing that is Ill Under Infamy and Neglect This Design has been oddly pursued by the English Stage Our Poets write with a different View and are gone into an other Interest 'T is true were their Intentions fair they might be Serviceable to this Purpose They have in a great measure the Springs of Thought and Inclination in their Power Show Musick Action and Rhetorick are moving Entertainments and rightly employ'd would be very significant But Force and Motion are Things indifferent and the Use lies chiefly in the Application These Advantages are now in the Enemies Hand and under a very dangerous Management Like Cannon seized they are pointed the wrong way and by the Strength of the Defence the Mischief is made the greater That this Complaint is not unreasonable I shall endeavour to prove by shewing the Misbehaviour of the Stage with respect to Morality and Religion Their Liberties in the Following Particulars are intolerable viz. Their Smuttiness of Expression Their Swearing Profainness and Lewd Application of Scripture Their Abuse of the Clergy Their making their Top Characters Libertines and giving them Success in their Debauchery This Charge with some other Irregularities I shall make good against the Stage and shew both the Novelty and Scandal of the Practise And first I shall begin with the Rankness and Indecency of their Language CHAP. 1. The Immodesty of the Stage IN treating this Head I hope the Reader does not expect that I should set down Chapter and Page and give him the Citations at Length To do this would be a very unacceptable and Foreign Employment Indeed the Passages many of them are in no Condition to be handled He that is desirous to see these Flowers let him do it in their own Soil 'T is my business rather to kill the Root than Transplant it But that the Poets may not complain of Injustice I shall point to the Infection at a Distance and refer in General to Play and Person Now among the Curiosities of this kind we may reckon Mrs. Pinchwife Horner and Lady Fidget in the Country Wife Widdow Blackacre and Olivia in the Plain Dealer These tho' not all the exceptionable Characters are the most remarkable I 'm sorry the Author should stoop his Wit thus Low and use his Understanding so unkindly Some People appear Coarse and Slovenly out of Poverty They can't well go to the Charge of Sense They are Offensive like Beggars for want of Necessaries But this is none of the Plain Dealer's case He can afford his Muse a better Dress when he pleases But then the Rule is where the Motive is the less the Fault is the greater To proceed Jacinta Elvira Dalinda and Lady Plyant in the Mock Astrologer Spanish Friar Love Triumphant and Double Dealer forget themselves extreamly And almost all the Characters in the Old Batchelour are foul and nauseous Love for Love and the Relapse strike sometimes upon this Sand and so likewise does Don Sebastian I don't pretend to have read the Stage Through neither am I Particular to my Utmost Here is quoting enough unless 't were better Besides I may have occasion to mention somewhat of this kind afterwards But from what has been hinted already the Reader may be over furnish'd Here is a large
A SHORT VIEW OF THE Immorality and Profaneness OF THE English Stage TOGETHER With the Sense of Antiquity upon this Argument By JEREMY COLLIER M. A. London Printed for S. Keble at the Turk's-Head in Fleetstreet R. Sare at Gray's-Inn-Gate and H. Hindmarsh against the Exchange in Cornhil 1698. THE PREFACE BEing convinc'd that nothing has gone farther in Debauching the Age than the Stage Poets and Play-House I thought I could not employ my time better than in writing against them These Men sure take Vertue and Regularity for Great Enemies why else is their Disaffection so very Remarkable It must be said They have made their Attack with great Courage and gain'd no inconsiderable Advantage But it seems Lewdness without Atheism is but half their Business Conscience might possibly recover and Revenge be thought on and therefore like Foot-Pads they must not only Rob but Murther To do them right their Measures are Politickly taken To make sure work on 't there 's nothing like Destroying of Principles Practise must follow of Course For to have no good Principles is to have no Reason to be Good Now 't is not to be expected that people should check their Appetites and balk their Satisfactions they don't know why If Virtue has no Prospect 't is not worth the owning Who would be troubled with Conscience if'tis only a Bugbear and has nothing in 't but Vision and the Spleen My Collection from the English Stage is much short of what They are able to furnish An Inventory of their Ware-House would have been a large Work But being afraid of over charging the Reader I thought a Pattern might do In Translating the Fathers I have endeavour'd to keep close to their Meaning However in some few places I have taken the Liberty of throwing in a Word or two To clear the Sensé to preserve the Spirit of the Original and keep the English upon its Legs There 's one thing more to acquaint the Reader with 'T is that I have Ventured to change the Terms of Mistress and Lover for others somewhat more Plain but much more Proper I don't look upon This as any failure in Civility As Good and Evil are different in Themselves so they ought to be differently Mark'd To confound them in Speech is the way to confound them in Practise Ill Qualities ought to bave ill Names to prevent their being Catching Indeed Things are in a great measure Govern'd by Words To Guild over a foul Character serves only to perplex the Idea to encourage the Bad and mislead the Unwary To treat Honour and Infamy alike is an injury to Virtue and a sort of Levelling in Morality I confess I have no Ceremony for Debauchery For to Compliment Vice is but one Remove from worshipping the Devil March 5th 1697 8. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE Introduction Page 1 The Immodesty of the Stage p. 3 The Ill Consequences of this Liberty p. 5 Immodesty a Breach of good Behaviour p. 6 The Stage faulty in this respect to a very Scandalous degree p. 8 Modesty the Character of Women p. 9 The Natural Serviceableness of this Quality p. 11 Immodesty much more insufferable under the Christian than under the Heathen Religion p. 14 The Roman and Greek Theatres more inoffensive than the English p. 15 This proved from Plautus Ibid From Terence p. 20 From Seneca 's Tragedies p. 25 The Comparison carried on to the Theatre at Athens Ibid. A short Character of Aeschylus p. 26 The Cleaness of his Expression p. 27 The Genius and Conduct of Sophocles p. 28 The Sobriety of his Plays p. 29 Euripides 's Character distinguished from the two former p. 30 The Reserv'dness of his Stile p. 31 All Humours not fit for Representation p. 35 A Censure of Aristophanes p. 36 Aristophanes his Testimony against himself p. 48 The Authorities of Ben. Johnson p. 51 Beaumont Fletcher p. 52 And Corneille against the present Stage p. 53 CHAP. II. The Prophaneness of the Stage THis Charge prov'd upon them I. By their Cursing and Swearing p. 57 The English Stage formerly less hardy in this respect Ibid The provokingness of this Sin p. 58. This Offence punishable by Law and how far p. 59 Swearing in the Play House an Un-Gentlemanly as well as an Un-Christian practise A Second Branch of the Profaness of the Stage consisting in their Abuse of Religion and the Holy Scriptures p. 60 Instances of this Liberty in the Mock Astrologer Ib. In the Orphan p. 62 In the Old Batchelour and Double Dealer p. 63 64 In Don Sebastian p. 65 Breif Remarks upon a Passage or two in the Dedications of Aurenge Zebe and the Translation of Juvenal p. 66 69 Farther Instances of Profaneness in Love Triumphant p. 72 In Love for Love p. 74 In the provok'd Wife p. 77 And in the Relapse p. 78 The Horrid Impiety of this Liberty p. 80 The Stage guilty of down right Blasphemy This Charge made good from several of the Plays above mention'd p. 82 The Comparative Regularity of the Heathen Stage exemplyfied in Terence and Plautus p. 86 And in the Greek Tragedians p. 87 Seneca more exceptionable than the Greeks but not so faulty as the Modern Stage p. 94 This outraging of Religion Intolerable p. 95 CHAP. III. THE Clergy abused by the Stage p. 98 This Usage both Unpresidented p. 112 And Unreasonable p 127 The Misbehaviour of the Stage upon this account p. 138 CHAP. IV. IMmorality encouraged by the Stage p. 140 The Stage Poets make Libertines their Top-Characters and give them Success in their Debauchery p. 142 A Character of their fine Gentleman p. 143 Their fine Ladies Accomplish'd much after the same manner p. 146 The Young People of Figure in Plautus and Terence have a greater regard to Morality Ibid The Defence in the Preface to the Mock-Astrologer not sufficient p. 148 The Christian Religion makes a great difference in the Case p. 149 Horace of a Contrary Opinion to the Mock-Astrologer p. 150 The Mock-Astrologer's Instances from Ben Johnson Unserviceable p. 151 The Authority of Shakespear against the Mock-Astrologer p. 154 His Maxim founded on the difference between Tragedy and Comedy a Mistake p. 155 Delight not the Chief-End of Comedy p. 157 This Assertion prov'd against the Mock-Astrologer from the Testimonies of Rapin. Ibid And Ben Johnson p. 158 Aristotle and Quintilian cited to the same purpose p. 159 161 To make Delight the main Business in Comedy dangerous and unreasonable p. 162 The improper Conduct of the Stage with respect to Poetry and Ceremony p. 165 Extravagant Rants p. 167 Gingles in the Spanish Fryar King Arthur and Love Triumphant p. 169 Women roughly treated by the Stage p. 171 Their coarse Usage of the Nobility p. 173 These Freedoms peculiar to the English Stage p. 175 CHAP. V. SECT I. REmarks upon Amphytrion p. 177 The Machines prophane smutty and out of Character p. 178 The singularity of the Poet in this point p. 180 Blasphemy in Absalom and Achitophel
a great deal of Harm in 't And thus far you are guilty at the best For granting your own Virtue impenetrable and out of Reach Granting the Protection of your Temper has brought you off unhurt are all People thus Fortified By no means However many a weak Brother has ventur'd after you and miscarried upon your Precedent And since you make others thus Faulty how can you be Innocent your self All the People undone There will lay their Ruine at your Door The Company are all Accessary to the Mischeif of the Place For were there no Audience we should have no Acting And therefore those who joyn in the Crime will ne're be parted in the Punishment Granting your Modesty has secur'd you which by the way I believe nothing of yet since many have been debauch'd by the Play-House you must expect a severe Reckning for giving them Encouragement Tho' after all as Virtuous as you are I doubt not you wou'd have been much Better had you kept away In fine Let us not dispute to no purpose The practise won't bear a Defence Where the Cause is naught 't is in vain to rack our Reason and strain for Pretences The best excuse for what is past is to stand clear from the danger and do so no more One citation more from St. Chrysostom and I take Leave In the Preface of his Commentary upon St. John's Gospel speaking of Plays and other Publick Shews he has these words But what need I branch out the Lewdness of those Spectacles and be particular in Description For what 's there to be met with but Lewd Laughing but Smut Railing and Buffoonry In a word 'T is all Scandal and Confusion Observe me I speak to you all Let none who partake of this Holy-Table unqualifie himself with such Mortal Diversions St. Hierom on the 1 st Verse 32 Psal. makes this Exposition upon the Text. Some are delighted with the Satisfactions of this World some with the Circus and some with the Theatre But the Psalmist commands every good Man to delight himself in the Lord. For as Isaiah speaks woe to them that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter And in his Epistles he cautions the Ladies against having any thing to do with the Play-House against Lewd Songs and Ill Conversation Because they set ill Humours at work Caress the Fancy and make pleasure a Conveyance for Destruction In the 6 th Book of his Comentary on Ezechiel he lets us understand That when we depart out of Aegypt we must refine our Inclinations and change our Delights into Aversion And after some other Instances He tells us we must decline the Theatres and all other dangerous Diversions which stain the Innocence of the Soul and slip into the Will through the Senses St. Augustine in his 5 th Epistle to Marcellinus will afford us something upon the same Argument The prosperity of Sinners is their greatest Unhappiness If one may say so They are most Punish'd when they are overlook'd By this means their bad Temper is encourag'd and they are more inclin'd to be false to themselves And we know an Enemy within is more dangerous than one without But the perverse Reasonings of the Generality make different Conclusions They fancy the World goes wonderfully well when People make a Figure When a Man is a Prince in his Fortune but a Begger in his Vertue Has a great many fine Things about him but not so much as one good Quality to deserve them When the Play-Houses go up and Religion go's down When Prodigality is admir'd and Charity laugh'd at When the Players can revel with the Rich Man's purse And the Poor have scarse enough to keep Life and Soul together When God suffers these Things to flourish we may be fure he is most Angry Present Impunity is the deepest Revenge But when he cuts off the Supplies of Luxury and disables the Powers of Extravagance then as one may say he is mercifully severe In his 1 st Book de consensu Evangelistarum He answers an objection of the Heathens and comes up to the Case in Hand Their Complaint as if the Times were less happy since the Appearance of Christianity is very unreasonable Let them read their own Philosophers There they 'l find those very Things censured which they now are so uneasy to part with This Remark must shut up their Mouths and convince them of the Excellency of our Religion For pray what Satisfactions have they lost Nonethat I know of excepting some Licentious ones which they abused to the Dishonour of their Creatour But it may be the Times are bad because the Theatres are Tumbling almost every where The Theaters those Cages of Uncleaness and publick Schools of Debauchery And what 's the Reason of their running to Ruine Why 't is the Reformation of the Age 'T is because those Lewd Practises are out of Fashion which first built and kept them in Countenance Their own Tully's Commendation of the Actor Roscius is remarkable He was so much a Master says he that none but himself was worthy to Tread the Stage And on the other hand so good a Man that he was the most unfit Person of the Gang to come There And is not this a plain Confession of the Lewdness of the Play-House And that the better a Man was the more he was obliged to forbear it I could go on much farther with St. Augustine but I love to be as brief as may be I could likewise run through the succeeding Centuries and collect Evidence all along But I conceive the best Ages and the biggest Authorities may be sufficient And these the Reader has had already However one Instance more from the Moderns may not be amiss Didacus de Tapia an eminent Spaniard shall close the Evidence This Author in debating the Question whether Players might be admitted to the Sacrament amongst other things encounters an Objection Some People it seems pretended there was some good to be learn'd at the Play-House To these he makes this reply Granting your Supposition says He your Inference is naught Do People use to send their Daughters to the Stews for Discipline And yet it may be they might meet some there lamenting their own Debauchery No Man will breed his Son upon the High-way to harden his Courage Neither will any one go on board a Leaky Vessel to learn the Art of shifting in a Wreck the better My conclusion is let no body go to the Infamous Play-House A place of such staring Contradiction to the Strictness and Sobriety of Religion A Place hated by God and haunted by the Devil Let no man I say learn to relish any thing that 's said there For 't is all but Poyson handsomly prepared Thus I have presented the Reader with a short View of the Sense of Christianity This was the opinion of the Church for the first 500 Years And thus she has Censured the Stage both in Councils and Single Authorities And since the Satir of