Eternal Providence seems over watch'd,

And with a slumbring Nod assents to Murther.

In the next page, she bellows again much after the same manner. The Double Dealer to say the least of him, follows his Master in this Road, Passibus æquis. Sr. Paul Plyant one would think had done his part: But the ridiculing Providence won't satisfie all People: And therefore the next attempt is somewhat bolder.

Sr. Paul. Hold your self contented my Lady Plyant,——I find Passion coming upon me by Inspiration.Double Dealer. p. 19.
p. 17.
p. 44.[158] In Love Triumphant, Carlos is by the Constitution of the Play a Christian;[159] and therefore must be construed in the sense of his Religion. This Man blunders out this horrible expression. Nature has given me my Portion in Sense with a P—— to her. &c. The Reader may see the Hellish Syllable at Length if he pleases. This Curse is borrow'd for Young Fashion in the Relapse.[160] The Double Dealer is not yet exhausted. Cynthia the Top Lady grows Thoughtful. Upon the question she relates her Contemplation. Cynth. I am thinking (says she) that tho' Marriage makes Man and Wife one Flesh, it leaves them two Fools.Double Dealer. p. 18.
Gen. 2.
St. Math. 9.[161] This Jest is made upon a Text in Genesis,[162] and afterwards applyed by our Saviour to the case of Divorse. Love for Love will give us a farther account of this Authors Proficiency in the Scriptures. Our Blessed Saviour affirms himself to be the Way, the Truth, and the Light, that he came to bear witness to the Truth, and that his Word is Truth. These expressions were remembred to good purpose. For Valentine in his pretended Madness tells Buckram the Lawyer; I am Truth,——I am Truth——Who's that, that's out of his way, I am Truth, and can set him right.Love, &c. p. 59, 61.[163] Now a Poet that had not been smitten with the pleasure of Blasphemy, would never have furnish'd Frensy with Inspiration; nor put our Saviours Words in the Mouth of a Madman. Lady Brute, after some struggle between Conscience and Lewdness, declares in Favour of the later. She says the part of a downright Wife is to Cuckold her Husband.Provok'd Wife. p. 3.[164] And tho' this is against the strict Statute Law of Religion, yet if there was a Court of Chancery in Heaven, she should be sure to cast him.p. 4.[165]

This Brass is double guilt. First, It supposes no Equity in Heaven. And Secondly, If there was, Adultery would not be punish'd! The Poet afterwards acquaints us by this Lady, that Blasphemy is no Womans Sin.p. 65.[166] Why then does she fall into it? Why in the mid'st of Temper and Reasoning? What makes him break in upon his own Rules? Is Blasphemy never unseasonable upon the Stage, And does it always bring its excuse along with it? The Relapse goes on in the same strain. When Young Fashion had a prospect of cheating his Elder Brother, he tells Lory, Providence thou see'st at last takes care of Men of Merit.Relapse. p. 19.[167] Berinthia who has engag'd to corrupt Amanda for Worthy; attacks her with this Speech, Mr. Worthy used you like A Text, he took you all to peices,p. 96.[168] and it seems was particular in her Commendation, Thus she runs on for several Lines, in a Lewd, and Profane Allegory. In the Application she speaks out the Design, and concludes with this pious Exhortation! Now consider what has been said, and Heaven give you Grace to put it in practise; that is to play the Whore. There are few of these last Quotations, but what are plain Blasphemy, and within the Law. They look reeking as it were from Pandæmonium, and almost smell of Fire and Brimstone. This is an Eruption of Hell with a witness! I almost wonder the smoak of it has not darken'd the Sun, and turn'd the Air to Plague and Poyson! These are outrageous Provocations; Enough to arm all Nature in Revenge; To exhaust the Judgments, of Heaven, and sink the Island in the Sea! What a spite have these Men to the God that made them. How do They Rebell upon his Bounty, and attack him with his own Reason? These Giants in Wickedness, how would they ravage with a Stature Proportionable? They that can Swagger in Impotence, and Blaspheme upon a Mole-Hill, what would they do if they had Strength to their Good-Will? And what can be the Ground of this Confidence, and the Reason of such horrid Presumption? Why the Scripture will best satisfie the question. Because sentence against An Evil work is not excuted speedily, therefore the heart of the Sons of Men, is fully set in them to do Evil.Eccles. 8. 11.[169]

Clemency is weakness with some People; And the Goodness of God which should lead them to Repentance, does but harden them the more. They conclude he wants Power to punish, because he has patience to forbear. Because there is a Space between Blasphemy and Vengeance; and they don't perish in the Act of Defiance; Because they are not blasted with Lightning, transfixt with Thunder, and Guarded off with Devils, they think there's no such matter as a day of Reckoning. But let no Man be Deceiv'd, God is not mock'd;Gal. 6.[170] not without danger they may be assur'd. Let them retreat in time, before the Floods run over them: Before they come to that place, where Madness will have no Musick, nor Blasphemy any Diversion.

And here it may not be amiss to look a little into the Behaviour of the Heathens. Now 'tis no wonder to find them run riot upon this Subject. The Characters of their Gods were not unblemish'd. Their prospect of the other World, was but dim; neither were they under the Terrors of Revelation. However, they are few of them so bad as the Moderns.

Terence does not run often upon this rock. 'Tis true Chærea falls into an ill Rapture after his Success.Eunuch.
Heauton. A. 5. 1.
Adelp. A. 5. 7.[171] Chremes bids his Wife not tire the Gods with Thanks:[172] And Æschinus is quite sick of the Religious part of the Weding.[173] These Instances; excepting his Swearing, are the most, (and I think near all the) exceptionable Passages of this Author.

Plautus is much more bold. But then his sally's are generally made by Slaves and Pandars.

This makes the Example less dangerous, and is some sort of extenuation. I grant this imperfect excuse wont serve him always. There are some Instances where his Persons of better Figure are guilty of lewd Defences, Profane Flights, and Sawcy Expostulation.Lyconides. Aulular. A. 2. 4.
Palæstra. Rud. A. 1. 3.
Dinarchus. Trucul. A. 2. 4.[174] But the Roman Deities were Beings of ill Fame, 'tis the less wonder therefore if the Poets were familiar with them. However, Plautus has something good in him, and enough to condemn the Practise. Pleusides would gladly have had the Gods changed the method of Things, in some Particulars. He would have had frank good Humour'd People long live'd, and close-fisted Knaves die Young. To this Periplectimenes Gravely answers, That 'tis great Ignorance, and Misbehaviour to Censure the Conduct of the Gods, or speak dishonorably of them.Mil. Glor.[175] In his Pseudolus the Procurer Ballio talks Profanely. Upon which Pseudolus makes this Reflection. This Fellow makes nothing of Religion, how can we trust him in other matters? For the Gods whom all People have the greatest reason to fear, are most slighted by him.Pseud. A. 1. 3.[176]