very action ought to flow, in order to be agreeable to God, is fo far from being approved, that it is defpifed and derided by the ungodly, which is evident from many paffages of fcripture; and that what is faid of the amiablenefs of a good character in the eyes of mankind in general, will no more warrant us to make the judgment of bad men the ftandard or measure of true religion, than it will warrant us, to aim at their praife as the reward of our compliance, a thing so often and so strongly condemned.

He acknowledges, that a defective imperfect form of virtue is approved by the generality of the world, and that they are very much fwayed in their actions by a view to public praife; and fays, that therefore vice is not seen on a theatre in a grofs, but commonly in a more dangerous, because an engaging and infinuating form; and concludes this part of the fubject as follows.

"Thus it appears, that, in the ftage, the audience gives law to the poet; which is much the fame thing as the fcholar chufing his own leffon. And whether this be a fafe or profitable method of inftruction, is easy to judge. Every one who knows human nature, especially who believes the representation given of it in fcripture, muft conclude, that the young will be feduced into the commiffion, and the older confirmed and hardened in the practice of fin; because characters fundamentally wrong, will be there painted out in an amiable light, and divefted of what is moft fhameful and fhocking. By this means confcience, inftead of being alarmed, and giving faithful teftimony, is deceived, and made a party in the caufe. In fhort, vice in the theatre must wear the garb, affume the name, and claim the reward of virtue. How ftrong a confirmation of this have we from experience? Have not plays in fact commonly turned upon the characters most grateful, and the events most interesting to corrupt nature? Pride, under the name of greatnefs of mind; ambition and revenge, under thofe of valour and heroism, have been their conftant fubjects. But chiefly love: this, which is the ftrongest paffion, and the

most dangerous in the human frame, and from which the greateft number of crimes, and crimes the most atrocious, have fprung, was always encouraged upon the ftage. There, women are fwelled with vanity, by feeing their fex always deified and adored; there, men learn the language, as well as feel, by fympathy, the tranfports of that paffion; and there, the hearts of both are open and unguarded to receive the impreffion, because it is covered with a mask of honour. Hath this then been only the cafe at particular times of occafional corruption, or for want of a proper regulation of the ftage? No; it is infeparable from its conftitution. Such hath been the nature and tendency of plays in all former ages, and fuch, from the taste and difpofition of those who attend them, it is certain they will for ever continue to be."

Another argument for the corrupting influence of the ftage is drawn from its own nature. It is a picture of human life; and therefore a great plurality of the characters there reprefented must be bad, and the impreffion they make hurtful to the fpectators. He fays, "It has all the effect of bad example, which yet every Chriftian is bound to avoid as much as poffible;" and adds, "It ought not to be forgotten, that attending dramatic reprefentations, is not only feeing a great plurality of bad characters without neceffity, and feeing them with patience, but it is seeing them with pleafure. Whether or not entertainment be yielded to be the only or ultimate effect of plays, furely it cannot be denied to be one effect fought and expected from them, and from every part of them. An actor is as much applauded, and gives as much pleasure to the spectators, when he reprefents a bad character to the life, as a good. Is there no danger, that a heart foftened by delight, fhould then be more liable to infection from evil than at other times? Is there no danger, that an affociation should be formed in the mind, between the sense of pleasure and the commiffion of fin? Will any person affirm, that, in fuch circumftances, he feels that holy indig

nation against fin, which every Chriftian ought to conceive upon feeing it committed? or that he is able to preserve that awe and fear, which he ought to have of the juft judgment of God, when he fees the crimes that merit it boldly reacted, and finely mimicked in a perfonated character ?"

The laft general argument in this treatife is, That occafional attending plays by those who are of good character, even fuppofing it not hurtful to themselves, contributes to the fins of others, 1. by supporting the players in an anchristian occupation; 2. encouraging, by their example, those to attend all plays indifcriminately, who are in moft danger of infection.

That the occupation of players is un christian, he proves, not only by referring to the former arguments against the ftage in general, but from the vanity of the end proposed by it. He fays, "It is a mean proftitution of the rational powers, to have no higher end in view, than contributing to the pleasure and entertainment of the idle and vitious part of mankind ;"—————— and adds, "But the life of players is not only idle and vain, and therefore inconfiftent with the character of a Chriftian, but it is ftill more directly and grofsly criminal. We have seen above, that, not only from the taste of the audience, the prevailing tendency of all fuccefsful plays must be bad, but that, in the very nature of the thing, the greatest part of the characters reprefented must be vitious. What then is the life of a player? It is wholly fpent in endeavouring to exprefs the language, and exhibit a perfect picture of the paffions of vitious men. For this purpose, they must ftrive to enter into the fpirit, and feel the fentiments proper to fuch characters. Unless they do fo, the performance will be quite faint and weak, if not wholly faulty and unnatural. And can they do this fo frequently, without retaining much of the impreffion, and, at laft, becoming in truth what they are so often in appearance? Do not the characters of all men take a tincture from their employment and way of life? How much more VOL. XIX.

muft theirs be infected, who are converfant, not in outward occupations, but in characters themselves, the actions, paffions, and affections of men? If their performances touch the audience fo fenfibly, and produce in them fo lafting an effect, how much more must the fame effects take place in themselves, whose whole time is spent in this manner? ... 2. Men of good character going occafionally to the theatre, contributes to the fins of others, by emboldening those to at tend all plays indifcriminately, who are in moft danger of infection. If there be any at all, especially if there be a great number, to whom the stage is noxious and finful, every one without exception is bound to abstain. The apostle Paul exprefsly commands the Corinthians to abftain from lawful things, when their ufing them would make their brother to offend, that is to fay, would lead him into fin, 1 Cor. viii. 9.-13. There are many who seem to have entirely forgot that this precept is to be found in the word of God, and discover not the leaft fenfe of their obligation to comply with it. If, by any plaufible pretences, they imagine they can vindicate their conduct with regard to themselves, or palliate it with excufes, they are quite unmindful of the injury which they do to others! I fpeak not here of offending, in the fenfe in which that word is commonly, though unjustly taken, as difpleafing others: Such as are displeased with the conduct of those who attend the theatre, because they efteem it to be finful, are not thereby offended in the fcripturefenfe of that word, except in so far as fome few of them are provoked to unchriftian resentment, or induced to draw rash and general conclufions, from the indifcretion of particular persons, to the prejudice of whole orders of men. vaft multitudes are truly offended, or made to offend, as they are led into a practice, which, whatever it be to those who fet the example, is undoubtedly pernicious to them. Is it poffible to deny, that, under the beft regulation of the theatre that can reasonably be hoped for, to great numbers it must be hurtful, efpecially as it is enticing to all?

Y

But

And

And if that be but allowed, perfons of character and reputation cannot attend without contributing to the mischief that is done."

The morality of flage-plays feriously con fidered, he fays, fell into his hands when he had near finished his pamphlet. In answer to the argument there infifted on, That whatever perfons of grave and respectable character do, either in oppofing licentious performances, or in promoting the good [79.], he says,

"How fhall we refute this new and wonderful doctrine, of its being neceffary that good men fhould attend the theatre. I cannot think of a better way of doing it, than tearing off some of the drapery of words, with which it is ad. orned and disguised, and fetting this author's own affertions together in the form of a fyllogifm:The manager of every theatre muft fuit his entertainments to the company, and, if he is not fupported by the grave and fober, he must fuit him felf to the licentious and profane.-We know that in every nation there must be amufements and public entertainments, and the stage has always made one in every civilized and polished nation. We cannot hope to abolish it.'-Ergo, according to this author, it is the duty of good men to attend the stage. But I leave the reader to judge, whethee, from the first of his propofitions, which is a certain truth, it is not more juft to infer, that, till the majority of thofe who at tend the stage are good, its entertain ment cannot be fit for a Christian ear; and because that will never be, no Chriftian ought to go there."

He thinks it were worth while to confider a little our improvements in know ledge in this age, which are often the boat of not the most knowing writers; and then says,

ture itself.'- -The fact is not denied, though he has given but a poor specimen of the knowledge of this age, by mistaking, in the first of these remarks, the expreffion quoted by the apostle: for this fentence, In him we live, and move, and have our being, which he fays is a very fublime expreffion, and beautifully applied by the apoftle, was not cited from the poet; but the following, For we are alfo bis offspring. But fuppofing he had (as he eafily might have) hit upon the true citation, what follows from it? Did ever any body affirm, that no poet could write, or no player could speak any thing that was true? And what is to hinder an inspired writer from judging them out of their own mouths?

What concern has this with the stage? If it implies any defence of the ftage in general, it must imply a ftronger defence of the particular play and poem from which the citations are taken. Now, I dare fay, neither this author, nor any other, will affert, that these are in all respects agreeable to the Christian character. These citations do no other way connect the defence of the stage with the honour of scripture, than a minifter's citing, in writing or difcourfe, a paffage from Horace or Juvenal, would connect the defence of all the obfcenity that is to be found in the reft of their works, with the honour of preaching."

After thus endeavouring to show, that the stage is not capable of fuch a regula tion as to make it confiftent with the pu rity of the Chriftian character, the con cludes with an earnest diffuafive from attending it in its prefent ftate; because the maxims there established are quite contrary to thofe of the gofpel; contempt is often poured upon religion, and its minifters; love and intrigue is the perpetual theme; the diverfion feldom concluded without fomething obfcene; and the younger of both sexes must acquire a turn to romance and extravagance.

He just mentions, at the conclufion, the inconfiftency of the stage with the character of minifters; but refuses to enter into any debate on the fubject, as

looking

That if, during that time, any perfon whatsoever shall make, &c. or procure to be made, &c. any low wines or fpirits, from any wheat, &c.; or fhall ufe or mix, or procure to be used or mixed, any wheat, &c. in any worts or wash, in order for the making, &c. low wines or spirits, or fhall put, or procure to be put, in any tun or other veffel, any wheat, &c. for preparing any worts or wash, or for making low wines or fpirits, whether fuch vessel hath or hath not been duly entered at the excife-office; that then, and in each of thefe cafes, fuch perfon acting contrary to the directions of this act, or the perfon in whose custody any fuch veffel which fhall be made ufe of contrary to the intention of this act, fhall be found, fhall respectively, for every fuch offence, forfeit 2001.; and all fuch wheat, &c. and fuch worts and wash, low wines and fpirits, fhall be also forfeited.

That if any wheat, wheat-meal, or wheat-flour, fhall, within the time before limited, be found in any workhouse or other place wherein low wines or fpirits, or worts or wash, fhall be made,

That, during the time before limited, it shall be lawful for any person who fhall be authorised for that purpofe by the commiffioners of the excife, or any two or more of them, within the limits of the chief office of excife in London, or by one or more juftices of the peace in any other part of G. Britain, at any time, with any officer of excife, to enter into any workhouse, or any other place wherein any low wines or fpirits, &c. fhall be, or are fufpected to be made, or fhall have been made fince the ift of January. 1757, and fhall have free admittance into the fame, and may infpect all the materials, veffels, and utenfils therein contained, (giving thereby as little interruption as may be to the bufinefs which fhall be carrying on); and in cafe any fuch officer fhall have reason to fufpect that any wheat, barley, malt, or other grain, meal or flour, is mixed in any worts or wash, or in any other material or preparation, for making low wines or fpirits, it shall be lawful for him, upon payment of 2 s. 6 d. to take a fample, not exceeding two quarts, of any fuch worts or wafh, material or preparation; and in case any diftiller, or the owner or occupier of any fuch house or place, or any workman or fervant to any fuch diftiller, owner, or occupier belonging, fhall refufe admittance to or obftruct fuch person so authorised, or any officer of excise, in making fuch infpection as aforefaid, or fhall not allow the officer to take fuch fample, after the faid z s. 6 d. fhall be paid or tendered for the fame, fuch di tiller, owner, or occupier fhall, for e-" very fuch offence refpectively, forfeit 100 1.: and it fhall be lawful for fuch officer, &c. to feize and carry away all fuch wheat, wheat meal, and wheatflour, as fhall be found in any fuch house or place, together with all the facks and other things in which the faid commodities fhall be contained.

Y 2

That

That if any distiller fhall, after the 11th of March 1757, and before the 11th of May 1757, have in his cuftody, or in the cuftody of any perfon in trust, or for his ufe, more than five quarters of wheat, wheat-meal, or wheat-flour, at any one time, in any place or places (not being a place for making or keep. ing worts or wash, low wines or fpirits), every such distiller fhall, for every fuch offence refpectively, forfeit all fuch wheat, meal, and flour, exceeding five quarters, and 5 1. for every quarter fo forfeited.

Provided, That this act fhall not ex tend to inflict the laft-mentioned penalty and forfeiture upon any distiller who fhall be the actual grower of wheat, and fhall be poffefied of any quantity of it grown by him, in the ftraw, or after it is threfh, ed out: provided fuch wheat fhall not be kept in his poffeffion, or in that of any other person in truft for him, for more than twenty days after being thresh. ed; and fo as fuch wheat be not kept in any place used for making fpirits, &c. or for preparing or keeping worts or wash. That this act fhall not extend to in fict the faid laft-mentioned penalty and forfeiture upon any diftiller who pract tifes the trade of a miller, and who was poffeffed of and worked any mill for grinding wheat, on or before the 1ft of January 1757, on account of any quantity of wheat, wheat-meal, or wheatflour, which fhall, during the time be fore limited, be found in any fuch mill Enacted, That in cafe any officer of excife, or any other perfon, fhall at a ny time have cause to fufpect, that any wheat, wheat meal, or wheat-flour, exceeding five quarters, fhall be kept in a ny storehouse or other place belonging to any diftiller, contrary to the true intent of this act; then, upon oath made by fuch officer or perfon, before any two commiffioners of excife, or before one or more juftices of the peace refiding near the place fufpected, fetting forth the ground of their fufpicion, it fhall be lawful for the faid commiffioners or juftices refpectively, (if they judge it rea. fonable), by fpecial warrant under their hands and feals, to impower fuch officer

or perfon, authorised as aforefaid, by day or by night, (but if in the night, then in the prefence of a constable, or other lawful officer of the peace), to enter into every such storehouse, or other place; and to feize and carry away all fuch wheat, meal, and flour, as they fhall fo find, over and above five quarters, together with all the facks or other things wherein the fame fhall be contained; and fuch diftiller, or the perfon in whofe cuftody fuch wheat, meal, or flour, belonging to fuch diftiller, fhall be found, fhall, for every fuch offence refpectively, forfeit 5 1. for every quarter exceeding five; and the faid officer and other perfon are hereby impowered, together with fuch perfon or perfons as they fhall take to their affiftance, to enter fuch ftorehouses and other places, and break open the doors thereof in cafe they be not forthwith opened on demand.

That all penalties and forfeitures by this act impofed, fhall be fued for and recovered in any of the courts of record at Westminster, or in the court of exchequer in Scotland; and that the court may (if they think fit) mitigate any of the pecuniary mulets, to any fam not lefs than a fourth of the fum herein mentioned; and that one moiety of these penalties and forfeitures fhall go to the King, and the other to the profecutor, or informer.

Provided, That all profecutions or informations for offences committed againft this act, fhall be commenced within two calendar months after the fact is committed, and not otherwise.

And whereas there have been contracts made by the diftillers with feveral perfons for yeft, to be delivered and received after the 29th of September 1756; be it enacted, That all fuch contracts for any yeft to be delivered during the continuance of this act be fufpended.

That if any action fhall be commenced against any perfon, for any thing done in purfuance of this act, the fame fhall be commenced in the space of four calendar months after the offence; and if fuch action fhall be commenced in England, the defendant may plead the general iffue, and give this act and the

fpecial