writers, but to those by whom writers are employed, to the Licencer who sanctions their productions, and to the hearers and readers, who give currency to them, and who will undoubtedly be influenced by them. 3. The office of Licencer, which is lodged in the breast of the LordChamberlain, an officer immediately attendant on the person of royalty, presents a station of the utmost importance, as he is the arbiter of the amusements of a people, enlightened beyond any other nation in the world, and enjoying a greater degree of liberty, and, consequently, liable to fall into greater degrees of licentiousness. But, it is to be feared, that this power is rarely exercised, except for the purposes of checking political liberties.* The honour of God is left to shift for itself. “When, in any nation, (says an excellent writer) we see offences against man punished with severity, and offences against God passed over in silence, depend upon it that nation is hastening to destruction." The Author of the valuable Works on the Duties of Men and of Women, hath made the following remarks on this subject: "The super intendance of the Drama, exercised by legal * Note G. authority to prevent the Stage from being rendered an instrument of political machinations, and of personal calumny and resentment, is extremely useful. Other benefits of the highest value would attend its exertions, were they directed with an increase of energy to purify the Stage from incidents, expressions and allusions, offensive to modesty, and injurious to the principles of moral rectitude. Whoever possesses a power of accomplishing a change of such moment to the interests of morality and virtue, cannot but be responsible for the use and for the neglect of it. The influence of the Managers of our Theatres, aided by the authority of the Lord Chamberlain, would probably be adequate to accomplish the purification of the Stage in this particular. But if not, there is a quarter from which it might be effected at once. To those who act under a royal licence," (and will not this apply to all, by whatever LICENCE they act?) "a single hint from Royal Authority" (or that particular authority under which they act) "would be sufficient. The respect due to wishes intimated from that authority would, of itself, insure the rejection of every future composition contaminated with indecency, and the omission of every scene, passage, and expression, liable to similar objection in any of the performances, whether of ancient or of modern date, already in possession of the Stage.* Nor could the interposition, to which I have ventured to allude, fail of proving in its consequences, an act of extreme kindness to the performers at the public theatres. That dissoluteness of manners and conduct, which, whatever meritorious exceptions may exist, is admitted to be prevalent among them, cannot but be ascribed, in part, to the profane and profligate language put into their mouths by the Authors whose works they exhibit.”† [We are informed by a traveller in Italy, that "before an Opera is to be performed in Turin, the King himself takes the pains to read it over, and to erase every line that can admit of an indecent or double meaning. This attention is particularly paid to the Theatre, on account of the morals of the Royal Family."‡ And are not the morals—is not the soUL of the meanest subject of infinite value in the sight of every PRINCE, of EVERY MAN? most undoubtedly it is in the sight of GOD; for he hath expressly said, that the most trifling animals in the creation do not perish without his knowledge, and that man is of far greater value in * Note H. + Gisborne's Duties of Women, ch. viii. p. 182. Mrs. Miller's letters from Italy, i. 200. quoted in Bishop Horne's Essays and Thoughts, &c. Article, KINGS. represen his sight. (Matt. x. 29-31.) If the tations of the Stage have corrupted as many as it is said, may not all who have been corrupted, and all their connections, who have suffered in consequence, justly charge the Licencer of such exhibitions, as the cause of all this evil? When Eli, knowing of the wicked, ness of his sons, disapproved their wickedness, but did not exert himself to prevent it, his condemnation was, "I have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." (1 Sam. iii. 13.)] 4: The question of the lawfulness of the profession of a Player hath been considered before.* If the Stage be an innocent amusement, the profession must be as innocent as any other, which contributes merely to the amusements of mankind; more so than those, which administer to the vanities of life. If the Stage be a useful source of instruction, then the profession of a Player rises in importance; and this, in some measure, depends upon the Players themselves, whose duty it is to refuse to bear any part in that which does not conduce to the benefit of mankind; much less should they ever utter that which hath the least tendency to corrupt. (Eph. iv. 29, 30.) * See p. 17, It is a disadvantage to people in this profession, and a great obstacle in the way of its improvement, that it labours very much under the obloquy of mankind, though the conduct of many respectable individuals, of late years, hath greatly tended to do away much of the reproach. The profession, therefore, being, in a manner, shut against those of family and education, is supplied by persons of lower origin, or by those who do not set so high a value upon character as they ought to do, and who, in consequence of this, are, in a great degree, cut off from an intercourse with the polished and the pious part of mankind. Let persons in this situation, then, be aware of these circumstances, let them make it their business to guard against, and to reform them; and, by pursuing the path of duty, "with well-doing," they may put to silence" the objections made against them, (1 Pet. ii. 15.) and retrieve the individual and general character of the pro fession.* [Some persons have contended for the absolute unlawfulness of the military profession; but when the Soldiers came to John the Baptist, on account of his preaching repentance, for the kingdom of Heaven was at hand, to know What they were to do-he merely regulated * Note I. |