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ON AMUSEMENTS,

“Pleasure and recreation of one kind or other, are absolutely necessary to relieve our minds and bodies from too constant attention and labour. When, therefore, public diversions are tolerated, it behoves persons of distinction, with their power and example, to preside over them in such a manner, as to check any thing that tends to the corruption of manners, or which is too mean and trivial for the entertainment of reasonable creatures." Luther, upon most subjects, would be attended to with respect if not with conviction : one would imagine his view of the stage, alone would induce the serious part of the community to attend to the direction of the stage, not to its destruction. He says that in “ Comedies, particularly in those of the Roman writers, the duties of the various situations of life, are uc

held out to view, and as it were reflected from a mirror. The office of parents and the proper conduct of children, are faithfully delineated ; and, what to young men may be advantageous, the views and characters of profligate women, are exhibited in their true colours. Excellent lessons are given to them, how they should conduct themselves towards virtuous women in courtship. Strong exhortations to matrimony are brought forward, without which state no government can subsist. Celibacy is the plague of any nation.”

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What does the amiable Watts say on this long contested theme ? "It is granted that a dramatic representation of the affairs of human life, is by no means sinful in itself. I am inclined to think, that valuable compositions might be made of this kind, such as might entertain an audience with innocent delight, and even with real profit,

Such have been written in French and have, in times past, been acted with applause."

Is this authority to go for nothing? yes but

remember their yechictions

What does Addison say of the stage? He complains of its licentiousness, but observes "Were our plays subject to proper inspections and limitations, we might not only pass away several of our vacant hours in the highest entertainments, but should always rise from them wiser and better than when we sat down to them.”

Can the opponents of the drama produce an individual in the long catalogue of moral writers, that has laboured with greater assiduity to reform the manners of the vicious, than "Hannah More." She has not only wrote plays, but even dramatized the "Holy Scriptures"! and had this a tendency to alienate the regard and affections

of her friends ? No; it gained her the acquaintance and friendship of the most distinguished characters of the British nation; and even the highest dignitaries of the church in this country, as well as in Europe, have thought it an honour to be ranked amongst her list of friends and ardent admirers of her works. And are we to imagine for a moment, that she considered herself as acting opposite to the principles of Christianity; or even weakening the foundations of morality, by the composition of her dramatic pieces. Absurd !

Her writings proclaim her to be, not only charitable towards the failings of her fellow-creatures, but likewise piously devout. A few more such writers would do more good to mankind in a few years, than an army of unlettered canting demagogues, in as many centuries. Should Holcroft's drama of “ Deaf and Dumb "ever be performed, and those who are the most opposed would lay prejudice aside, and witness its performance, I will venture to predict that it alone, if in the hands of skillful performers, would make them converts to the utility of the stage.

This play is a truely moral drama, and purifies the affections by terror and pity. That it is founded on fact, does not lessen the interest, nor as it ends happily, embitter the pleasure; the effect is greatest on the stage, but it is not confined to it; in the reading, it has all the effect of the most romantic novel.” *

* Why is this beautiful drama not brought forward : some of our performers in it would certainly be “at home."

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