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SPECIAL PUBLIC EVILS.

[Part VI.

rical representations was amusement. The persons, in every age,who have, for the most part, attended them, are the wealthy, thefashionable, the young, and the gay ; those who live for pleasure,and the very business of whose lives is amusement. The writerswho have defended them, have generally made their defence toconsist in attempting to show, that they are an innocent amuse-ment, the perfection of the poetic and imitative arts, and thatthey contribute to refine the taste of the audience. Few havehad the hardihood even to attempt to exalt them into schools ofvirtue, or to represent them as a barrier against vice. Most de-fenders have supposed they have done well, by proving that theywere innocent amusements, without advancing any higher claimsfor them.

2. Serious Christians, of every name, have, in all ages, beenunfriendly to theatrical representations, on the ground of their in-jurious tendency to good morals. The Catholic and Protestantchurches have equally taken decided ground against them, accom-panied by earnest dissuasives addressed to their members, againstcountenancing them by their attendance. “ It is so true,” saysa society of Roman Catholic clergy, “ that plays are almost al-ways a representation of vicious passions, that the most part ofChristian virtues are incapable of appearing upon the stage.Silence, patience, moderation, wisdom, poverty, repentance, areno virtues, the representation of which can divert the spectators ;and above all, we never hear humility spoken of, and the bearingof injuries. It would be strange, to see a modest and silent re-ligious person represented. There must be something great andrenowned according to men, or at least something lively and ani-mated, which is not met withal in Christian gravity and wisdom ;and, therefore, those who have been desirous to introduce holymen and women upon the stage, have been forced to make themappear proud, and to make them utter discourses more properfor the ancient Roman heroes, than for saints and martyrs. Theirdevotion upon the stage must, also, be always a little extraor-dinary.” #

3. We shall do much towards determining the character and

* Quoted by Dr. Witherspoon, from an Essay against Plays, by the Messrs,de Port Royal, in his Works, Vol. III. p, 57, note.