Jeremy Collier

“ To those who are overgrown with Pleasure, and hardned in Ill Custom? Who have neither Patience to hear, nor Conscience to take hold of? You may almost as well feed a Man without a Mouth, as give Advice where there's no disposition to receive it. 'Tis true; as long as there is Life there's Hope. Sometimes the Force of Argument, and the Grace of God, and the anguish of Affliction, may strike through the Prejudice, and make their way into the Soul. ”

“ 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 sure he is most Angry. ”

“ Throwing away of Time and ill example, has 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? ”

“ The Passions are up in Arms, and there's a mighty Contest between Duty, and Inclination. The Mind is over-run with Amusements, and commonly good for nothing sometime after.
I don't say the Stage Fells all before them, and disables the whole Audience: 'Tis a hard Battle where none escapes. However, Their Triumphs and their Tropheys are unspeakable. Neither need we much wonder at the Matter. They are dangerously Prepar'd for Conquest, and Empire. There's Nature, and Passion, and Life, in all the Circumstances of their Action. ”

“ To love what we punish, and lessen those whom we admire! To cry up the Mystery, and censure the practise; For a Man to be as it were eclips'd upon the score of Merit is certainly an odd sort of Justice! True. But the Inference lies stronger another way. What a Confession then is this of an Ill Business; when the very Excellency of it is not without Infamy?
'Since therefore Humane Prudence has thought fit to degrade the Stage, notwithstanding the Divertingness of it. Since Pleasure can't make them an Interest Here, nor shelter them from Censure.Ibid. ”

“ They are likely to combat Vice with success, who destroy the Principles of Good and Evil! Take them at the best, and they do no more than expose a little Humour, and Formality. But then, as the Matter is manag'd, the Correction is much worse than the Fault. They laugh at Pedantry, and teach Atheism, cure a Pimple, and give the Plague. ”

“ A Lewd Play with good Musick is like a Loadstone Arm'd, it draws much stronger than before.
Now why should it be in the power of a few mercenary Hands to play People out of their Senses, to run away with their Understandings, and wind their Passions about their Fingers as they list? Musick is almost as dangerous as Gunpowder; And it may be requires looking after no less than the Press, or the Mint. 'Tis possible a Publick Regulation might not be amiss. No less a Philosopher than Plato seems to be of this Opinion. He is clearly for keeping up the old grave, and solemn way of Playing. ”

“ 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 'tis all but Poyson handsomly prepared.' Didac. ”

“ Is a Reading upon Vice so Entertaining, and do they love to see the Stews Dissected before them? One would think the Dishonour of their own Sex, the Discovery of so much Lewdness, and the treating Human Nature so very Coarsly, could have little Satisfaction in't. ”

“ And what hope is there of Health when the Patient strikes in with the Disease, and flies in the Face of the Remedy? Can Religion retrive us? Yes, when we don't despise it. But while our Notions are naught, our Lives will hardly be otherwise. ”

“ If your Servants or your Childrens Tongues run Riot, they presently smart for't. And yet at the Play-House you are quite another Thing. These little Buffoons have a strange Ascendant! A luscious Sentence is hugely welcome from their Mouth: And instead of Censure, they have thanks and encouragement for their Pains. Now if a Man would be so just as to wonder at himself, here's Madness, and Contradiction in Abundance. ”

“ The Epicureans had the Liberty to state the Notion, and determine the Object of Pleasure. Why can't we have the same Privilege? What Offence is it then if we differ from you in the Idea of Satisfaction? If we won't understand to brighten our Humour, and live pleasantly, where's the harm? If any body has the worst on't, 'tis only our selves.'
His Book de Spectaculis was wrote on purpose to diswade the Christians, from the publick Diversions of the Heathens, of which the Play-House was one. ”

“ And which is more, these Love-representations oftentimes call up the Spirits, and set them on work. The Play is acted over again in the Scene of Fancy, and the first Imitation becomes a Model. Love has generally a Party Within; And when the Wax is prepared, the Impression is easily made. Thus the Disease of the Stage grows Catching: It throws its own Amours among the Company, and forms these Passions when it does not find them. And when they are born before, they thrive extreamly in this Nursery. ”

“ Now were you not unreasonable, you would perceive the Liberalities of Providence, and find your self almost in the midst of Satisfaction. For what can be more transporting than the Friendship of Heaven, and the Discovery of Truth, than the Sense of our Mistakes, and the Pardon of our Sins? ”

“ Let us set Conscience aside, and throw the other World out of the Question: These Interests are but the greatest, but not all. The Ladies have other Motives to confine them. The Restraints of Decency, and the Considerations of Honour, are sufficient to keep them at Home. ”

“ They are contriv'd on purpose to excite a sportive Humour, and spread a Gaity upon the Spirits. To banish all Gravity and Scruple, and lay Thinking and Reflection a sleep. This sort of Musick warms the Passions, and unlocks the Fancy, and makes it open to Pleasure like a Flower to the Sun. It helps a Luscious Sentence to slide, drowns the Discords of Atheism, and keeps off the Aversions of Conscience. It throws a Man off his Guard, makes way for an ill Impresion, and is most Commodiously planted to do Mischief. ”

“ Accidents are no Faults. The strictest Virtue may sometimes stumble upon an Ill Sight. But Choise, and Frequency, and ill Ground, conclude strongly for Inclination. To be assured of the inoffensiveness of the Play is no more than a Necessary Precaution. ”

“ So the Devils road to Destruction lies through Sensuality and Epicurism. And as pretended Evils lead us on to uncounterfeited Bliss; So Visionary Satisfactions are the causes of Real Misery. In short, These Inviting Things are all stratagem. Let us, take care the softness and Importunity of the Pleasure does not surprise us, nor the Bait bring us within the snare. ”

“ The Practise at the Play-House is the same thing, only there he has more Company to keep him in Countenance.
'A well work'd Poem is a powerful piece of Imposture: It masters the Fancy, and hurries it no Body knows whither.——If therefore we would be govern'd by Reason let us stand off from the Temptation, such Pleasures can have no good Meaning. Like delicious Morsels they subdue the Palate, and flatter us only to cut our Throats. Let us prefer Reality to Appearance, Service, to Show; and Eternity to Time.Ibid. ”

“ Tis often the governing Concern: The Incidents make way, and the Plot turns upon't. As matters go, the Company expect it: And it may be the Poets can neither Write, nor Live without it. This is a cunning way enough of stealing upon the Blind Side, and Practising upon the Weakness of humane Nature. People love to see their Passions painted no less than their Persons: And like Narcissus are apt to dote on their own Image. This Bent of self Admiration recommends the Business of Amours, and engages the Inclination. ”

“ If 'tis said these Diversions are taken only to unbend the Mind, and refresh Nature a little. To this I answer. That the spaces between Business should not be fill'd up with such Rubbish. A wise man has a Guard upon his Recreations, and always prefers, the Profitable to the Pleasant.'
Minutius Felix delivers his Sense in these Words:Ann. 206.
'As for us, who rate our Degree by our Virtue, and value our selves more upon our Lives, than our Fortunes; we decline your Pompous Shews, and publick Entertainments. And good Reason we have for our Aversion. ”

“ No body can be pleas'd without Sensible Impressions. Nor can such Perceptions be received without a Train of Passions attending them. These Consequences will be sure to work back upon their Causes, solicite the Fancy, and heighten the Original Pleasure. But if a Man pretends to be a Stoick at Plays, he falls under another Imputation. For where there is no Impression, there can be no Pleasure: And then the Spectator is very much Impertinent, in going where he gets nothing for his Pains. And if this were all; I suppose Christians have something else to do than to ramble about to no purpose.Ibid. ”

“ These Things have their Rise from Idols, and are the Train of a false Religion. The Pleasure is ill Descended, and likewise Vitious and ensnaring. For who can do less than abominate, the Clamorous Disorders of the Race-Ground, and the profession of Murther at the Prize. And for the Stage, there you have more Lewdness, tho' not a jot less of Distraction. Sometimes your Mimicks, are so Scandalous and Expressing, that 'tis almost hard to distinguish between the Fact and the Representation. Sometimes a Luscious Actor shall whine you into Love, and give the Disease that he Counterfeits.'
St. ”

“ But then we should do well to remember that Nothing is not in our Power. Our Desires did not make us, neither can they unmake us. But I hope our wishes are not so mean, and that we have a better sense of the Dignity of our Being. And if so, how can we be pleas'd with those Things which would degrade us into Brutes, which ridicule our Creed, and turn all our Expectations into Romance. ”

“ Thou liest sighing and hankering after the Play-house. Prethee recollect thy self: Thou knowest Death ought to be our Pleasure, And therefore I hope Life may be a little without it. Are not our Desires the same with the Apostles, To be Dissolv'd and to be with Christ. Let us act up to our pretentions, and let Pleasure be true to Inclination.
'But if you can't wait for Delight; if you must be put into present Possession, wee'l cast the Cause upon that Issue.Ibid. ”

“ Discipline and general Restraint makes up the Meaning of the Law; and common Reason will tell you what the Scripture has left unsaid. I would have every one examine his own Thoughts, and inquire at Home into the Duties of his Profession. This is a good way to secure him from Indecency. For those Rules which a Man has work'd out for himself he commonly makes most use of.'——And after having describ'd the infamous Diversions of the Play-house ”

“ They grow strong, and they grow Charming too. This is the best Place to recover a Languishing Amour, to rowse it from Sleep, and retrieve it from Indifference. And thus Desire becomes Absolute, and forces the Oppositions of Decency and Shame. ”

“ I don't say this part of the Entertainment is directly vitious, because I am not willing to Censure at Uncertainties. Those who frequent the Play-House are the most competent Judges: But this I must say, the Performances of this kind are much too fine for the Place. 'Twere to be wish'd that either the Plays were better, or the Musick worse. I'm sorry to see Art so meanly Prostituted: Atheism ought to have nothing Charming in its Retinue. 'Tis great Pity Debauchery should have the Assistance of a fine Hand, to whet the Appetite, and play it down. ”

“ A Christian who has not the Liberty so much as to think of an ill Thing. Why does he entertain himself with Lewd Representations? Has he a mind to discharge his Modesty, and be flesh'd for the Practise? ”

“ Nothing will serve to settle them but a plain Text of Scripture. They hover in uncertainty because 'tis not said as expresly thou shalt not go to the Play-House, as 'tis thou shalt not Kill. But this looks more like Fencing than Argument. For we have the Meaning of the prohibition tho' not the sound, in the first Psalm. Blessed is the Man that walks not in the Council of the Ungodly, nor stands in the way of Sinners, nor sits in the Seat of the Scornful. ”

“ Thus Rage and Resentment, Blood and Barbarity, are almost Deified: Pride goes for Greatness, and Fiends and Hero's are made of the same Mettal. To give Instances were needless, nothing is more frequent. ”

“ To all the Faithful in the Town of Arras Health and Benediction. A man must be very ignorant of his Religion, not to know the great disgust it has always declar'd, for Publick Sights, and for Plays in particular. ”