Page:An Essay on the Opera's After the Italian Manner.pdf/15

 giving Men a privilege to be familiar with, and ometimes rude to Women, removes that awe which Nature has plac’d between the Sexes as the trongevt Bulwark of Chatity; that when a young Lady ev’n of the trictet and mot unblemih’d Honour, looes a Summ of Money, which he dares not own to her Relations, and which he cannot pay without them, and looes it to a young agreeable Fellow, who perhaps loves her, and has a ecret Deign upon her, he finds a Temptation that tries her utmot Virtue.

We have endeavour’d to hew in the following Treatie, by the force of Reaon, that the Italian Opera, another Entertainment, which is about to be etablih’d in the room of Plays, is a Diverion of more pernicious conequence, than the mot licentious Play that ever has appear’d upon the Stage. It would be no hard matter to upport thoe Proofs by the Authorities of ome of the mot celebrated Authors among the Ancients and Moderns, but we hall content our elves with that of Boileau, becaue be is equally fam’d for Judgment and Sincerity, excepting Matters in which his King is concern’d, and is Known by all the World to be perfectly Mater of the Subject. Let us ee then what this celebrated Author, who has approv’d of Plays, in o olemn and publick a manner, ays in relation to Opera’s. The Paage is in his Tenth Satyr, which is writ by way of Letter to a Friend to advie him not to marry.

L’Epoue