A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage

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 'tis not to be expected that people ſhould check their Appetites, and balk their Satiſfactions, ''they don't know why. If Virtue has no Proſpect, &apos;tis 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 Senſe, to preſerve the Spirit of the Original, and keep the Engliſh upon its Legs.

There's one thing more to acquaint the Reader with; 'Tis 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 have 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.