Page:An Essay on the Opera's After the Italian Manner.pdf/30

 the Drama had never like to have fall’n, but that and Liberty tumbled almot together.

In the time of the late Civil Wars, when the Bigotry of Hypocritical Zeal had once uppres’d our Theatres, a Military Government oon follow’d, which is the wort of Slaveries.

And when in the Reign of King Charles II, upon the breaking out of the Popih Plot, the Theatres were both abandon’d, it was not long before all the Charters were urrender’d.

And yet tho’ the Reformation and Liberty and the Drama were etablih’d among us together, and have flourih’d among us together, and have till been like to have fall’n together; notwithtanding all this, at this preent Juncture, when Liberty, and the Reformation are in the utmot Danger, we are going very bravely to oppres the Drama, in order to etablih the luxurious Diverions of thoe very Nations, from whoe Attempts and Deigns both Liberty and the Reformation are in the utmot Danger.

That o unhappy a Change will be as little conducive to the Glory of England, as it will be to its Interet, is not in the leat to be doubted; for what mut thoe Strangers ay who arrive among us, if they have any tate, when they behold a People o lofty, o fierce, and formerly o famous for their Contempt of Foreign Manners, forgetting their old Pride to o trange a degree, that very Pride by which they have o long maintain’d their Liberties, to imitate the prodigious Luxury of Italy with an awkward and vile Imitation, and ome Men of the greatet Parts in the Kingdom, applauding and encouraging that vile Imitation with all their Indutry and all their Diligence, and in order to that dicountenancing intructive Comedy, in which the En- glih