PUBLIC LALY.. 936641A ASTOR, LENGY AND R SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK, ss. Be it remembered, that on the 30th day of November, A. D. 1825, in the 50th year of the L.S.Independence of the United States of America, George Champley of the said district hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as Proprietor, in the words following, to wit:— "A Defence of the Drama, containing Mansel's Free Thoughts, Extracts from the most Celebrated Writers, and a Discourse on the lawfulness and unlawfulness of plays, by the celebrated Father Caffaro, Divinity Professor at Paris. "Nothing can more strongly prove the importance of Dramatic amusements, than the opposite opinions entertained on the subject.-Opinions that have uniformly run like parallel lines for centuries, unbending and without the smallest inclination to converge; From a reflecting mind this view of it alone must claim the most serious investigation." In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned." And also to an act, entitled, "an act supplementary to an act, entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." JAMES DILL, Clerk of the Southern District of New-York. TO THE MANAGERS, PROFESSORS, SUPPORTERS, AND FRIENDS, OF THE DRAMA; THIS COLLECTION IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED: By an unknown supporter and friend to the Stage. NEW-YORK, FEBRUARY, 1826. ADVERTISEMENT. THE appearance of this collection at the present time, arose from the late pitiful attempts to subvert the drama, under the hypocritical mask of morality, and hostility to an individual. The following pages are chiefly Extracts from a number of works, which the compiler bas bad the pleasure to peruse. Except some trifling local omissions, Mansel's “Free Thoughts” are included, and numerous quotations from the most celebrated christian and moral writers, which will add weight in favor of the utility of the stage. It was the object of Mr. Mansel to draw the attention of the Stage opponents to the point at once; whether drama B tic amusements are diametrically opposite to Religion and morality, or are they to be considered as handmaids in the cause of gradually reforming the vicious part of mankind. In Mr. Mansel's address to the public on the publication of his "Free Thoughts," he expresses his obligations to Mr. Mathews, for his kindness in furnishing him with corrections and additions to certain parts in the body of the work. As to the latter gentleman, on his late visit to our shores, his amiable and unassuming deportment, gained the esteem of most classes of the community that had the pleasure of his acquaintance; and in his "Trip to America," has evinced the feelings of a man, by tolerating those, who, had they the power, would not have tolerated him, |