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 1 * 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. his sight. (Matt. x. 29-31.) If the representations 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 wickedness 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 profession.* 66 [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. not " their lives, and "said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages." (Luke iii. 14.) So, should the Player inquire what he is to do, might we not answer to him, Fear God, and do corrupt" any one by "evil communication?" and, indeed, he, who fears God, will never offend against man. Cornelius, the Roman Centurion, was "a devout man, and feared God with all his house," (Acts x. ii.) and God was pleased by especial favour, to make him a convert, and the first fruits of the Gentile Church: and, were the ruler of a Company of Players to fear God with all his house, we cannot doubt but his labours would ascend as a memorial before God.] It may, however, be profitable to consider a little more at length some objections which are made against the profession. [The Author of the Essay on "The Absolute unlawfulness of the Stage," in language stronger than I am willing altogether to adopt, hath said, “It is no uncharitable assertion to affirm, that a Player cannot be a living member of Christ, or in a true state of grace, till he renounces his profession with a sincere and deep repentance. Christianity no more allows such Plays and Players as ours ARE, than it allows the grossest vices. They are objects of no other charity or 89 kindness, than such as may reduce them to a sincere repentance." (Law, p. 426.) " I speak to this matter (says he) with thus much plainness, because there is so much reason for it; and because I think there is as much justice and tenderness in telling every player, that his employment is sinful, and inconsistent with the Christian Religion, as in telling the same thing person employed in any other sinful course. (Ditto, p. 376.)] to a" The Author of the "Serious Inquiry into the Nature and Effects of the Stage," hath said, that "the employment directly leads to the corruption of the heart.--That no human passion or character, can be well represented, unless it be felt-and that every human passion, especially when strongly felt, gives a certain modification to the blood and spirits, and makes the whole frame more susceptible of its return. Therefore, whoever has justly and strongly acted human passions, that are vicious, will be more prone to these same passions; and, indeed, with respect to the whole character, they will soon be in reality, what they have so often seemed to be."* If this remark were true, or true to any extent, it were, undoubtedly, as the Stage now Witherspoon, p. 134. quoted also in Styles, p. 61, |
