A Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage / Together with the Sense of Antiquity on this Argument

by Jeremy Collier

CONTENTS.

CHAP. I.
The Introduction.	Page [1]
The Immodesty of the Stage.	p. [3]
The Ill Consequences of this Liberty.	p. [5]
Immodesty a Breach of good Behaviour.	p. [6]
The Stage faulty in this respect to a very Scandalous degree.	p. [8]
Modesty the Character of Women.	p. [9]
The Natural Serviceableness of this Quality.	p. [11]
Immodesty much more insufferable, under the Christian, than under the Heathen Religion.	p. [14]
The Roman, and Greek Theatres more inoffensive than the English.	p. [15]
This proved from Plautus.	Ibid.
From Terence.	p. [20]
From Seneca's Tragedies.	p. [25]
The Comparison carried on to the Theatre at Athens.	Ibid.
A short Character of Æschylus.	p. [26]
The Cleaness of his Expression.	p. [27]
The Genius and Conduct of Sophocles.	p. [28]
The Sobriety of his Plays.	p. [29]
Euripides's Character distinguished from the two former.	p. [30]
The Reserv'dness of his Stile.	p. [31]
All Humours not fit for Representation.	p. [35]
A Censure of Aristophanes.	p. [36]
Aristophanes his Testimony against himself.	p. [48]
The Authorities of Ben. Johnson. Beaumont & Fletcher. And Corneille. against the present Stage.	p. [51] p. [52] p. [53]
CHAP. II.
The Prophaneness of the Stage.
This Charge prov'd upon them,
I. By their Cursing and Swearing.	p. [57]
The English Stage formerly less hardy in this respect.	Ibid.
The provokingness of this Sin.	p. [58]
This Offence punishable by Law, and how far.	p. [59]
Swearing in the Play House an Un-Gentlemanly, as well as an Un-Christian practise.
A Second Branch of the Profaness of the Stage, consisting in their Abuse of Religion, and the Holy Scriptures.	p. [60]
Instances of this Liberty in the Mock Astrologer.	Ib.
In the Orphan.	p. [62]
In the Old Batchelour, and Double Dealer.	p. [63], [64]
In Don Sebastian.	p. [65]
Breif Remarks upon a Passage or two in the Dedications of Aurenge Zebe, and the Translation of Juvenal.	p. [66], [69]
Farther Instances of Profaneness in Love Triumphant.	p. [72]
In Love for Love.	p. [74]
In the provok'd Wife.	p. [77]
And in the Relapse.	p. [78]
The Horrid Impiety of this Liberty.	p. [80]
The Stage guilty of down right Blasphemy.
This Charge made good from several of the Plays above mention'd.	p. [82]
The Comparative Regularity of the Heathen Stage, exemplyfied in Terence, and Plautus.	p. [86]
And in the Greek Tragedians.	p. [87]
Seneca more exceptionable than the Greeks, but not so faulty as the Modern Stage.	p. [94]
This outraging of Religion Intolerable.	p. [95]
CHAP. III.
The Clergy abused by the Stage.	p. [98]
This Usage both And Unpresidented. Unreasonable.	p. [112] p. [127]
The Misbehaviour of the Stage upon this account.	p. [138]
CHAP. IV.
Immorality encouraged by the Stage.	p. [140]
The Stage Poets make Libertines their Top-Characters, and give them Success in their Debauchery.	p. [142]
A Character of their fine Gentleman.	p. [143]
Their fine Ladies Accomplish'd much after the same manner.	p. [146]
The Young People of Figure in Plautus and Terence, have a greater regard to Morality.	Ibid.
The Defence in the Preface to the Mock-Astrologer, not sufficient.	p. [148]
The Christian Religion makes a great difference in the Case.	p. [149]
Horace of a Contrary Opinion to the Mock-Astrologer.	p. [150]
The Mock-Astrologer's Instances from Ben Johnson Unserviceable.	p. [151]
The Authority of Shakespear against the Mock-Astrologer.	p. [154]
His Maxim founded on the difference between Tragedy, and Comedy, a Mistake.	p. [155]
Delight not the Chief-End of Comedy.	p. [157]
This Assertion prov'd against the Mock-Astrologer from the Testimonies of Rapin.	Ibid.
And Ben Johnson.	p. [158]
Aristotle, and Quintilian, cited to the same purpose	p. [159], [161]
To make Delight the main Business in Comedy, dangerous, and unreasonable.	p. [162]
The improper Conduct of the Stage with respect to Poetry, and Ceremony.	p. [165]
Extravagant Rants.	p. [167]
Gingles in the Spanish Fryar, King Arthur, and Love Triumphant.	p. [169]
Women roughly treated by the Stage.	p. [171]
Their coarse Usage of the Nobility.	p. [173]
These Freedoms peculiar to the English Stage.	p. [175]
CHAP. V.
SECT. I.
Remarks upon Amphytrion.	p. [177]
The Machines prophane, smutty, and out of the Character.	p. [178]
The singularity of the Poet in this point.	p. [180]
Blasphemy in Absalom and Achitophel.	p. [184]
A Poem upon the Fall of the Angels, call'd a Fairy way of Writing.	p. [189]
The Punishment of the Damned ridiculed.	p. [192]
SECT. II.
Remarks on the Comical History of Don Quixot.	p. [196]
The Poets horrible Prophaneness.	p. [197]
His want of Modesty, and Regard to the Audience.	p. [202]
All Imitations of Nature not proper for the Stage.	p. [204]
The Poets Talent in Raillery, and Dedication.	p. [205]
SECT. III.
Remarks on the Relapse.	p. [209]
A Misnommer in the Title of the Play.	p. [210]
The Moral Vitious.	p. [211]
The Plot ill Contriv'd.	p. [212]
The Manners or Characters out of Order.	p. [218]
The three Dramatick Unities broken.	p. [228]
CHAP. VI.
The Opinion of the Heathen Philosophers, Orators, and Historians, concerning the Stage.	p. [233]
The Stage censured by the State. This proved from the Constitutions of Athens, Sparta, and Rome.	p. [240]
Farther Instances of this publick Discountentance in the Theodosian Code.	p. [241]
In our own Statute Book.	p. [242]
And in the late Order of the French King.	p. [243]
An Order of the Bishop of Arras against Plays.	p. [245]
The Stage Condemn'd by the Primitive Church.	p. [250]
The Councils of Illiberis, Arles, &c. cited.	Ibid.
The Testimony's of the Fathers against the Stage, particularly, of Theophilus Antiochenus.	p. [252]
Of Tertullian.	p. [253]
Of Clemens Alexandrinus.	p. [260]
Of Minutius Fœlix.	p. [261]
Of St. Cyprian.	Ibid.
Lactantius.	p. [265]
St. Chrisostom.	p. [267]
St. Hierom.	p. [272]
And St. Augustine cited to the same purpose.	p. [273]
The Censure of the Fathers, and Councils &c. applicable to the English Stage.	p. [276]
The Conclusion.	p. [280]

ERRATA.

Page [31] Margin for Κῶρον, r. Μῶρον. p. [37]. l. 1. for by his, r. his. l. 2. for other, r. his other. l. 25. for præstr, r. præter. p. [39]. l. 18. for Poets, Knaves, r. Poets Knaves. p. [44]. l. 14. for Concianotores, r. Concionatores. p. [45]. l. 25. for Debaush, r. Debauchee. p. [46]. l. 9. for Enterprizes, r. Enterprize. p. [47]. l. 9. for ridicules, r. ridiculous. p. [52]. l. 1. for justifying, r. and justifie. p. [60]. l. 2. for tempestiuous, r. tempestuous. l. 31. for pray, r. should pray. p. [80]. for executed, r. exerted. p. [108]. l. 4. for Antarkick. r. Antartick. p. [117]. l. 12. for Angitia, r. Angitiæ. p. [121]. l. 24. for Auger, r. Augur. p. [135]. margin, for Heglins Cogmog, r. Heylins Cosmog. p. [154]. l. 22. dele up. p. [163]. l. 28. for then, r. therefore. p. [183]. l. 6. for to, r. too. p. [186]. l. 6. dele And. p. [191]. l. 18. for Circumstance, r. Circumstances. p. [222]. l. 9. for Cup, r. a Cup. p. [237]. l. 2. for apon't, r. upon't. [245]. l. 25. for Le, r. Les. p. [257]. l. 28. for Correspondence r. this Correspondence. p. [272]. l. 9. for himself. r. themselves.

The Litteral mistakes the Reader is Desired to Correct.

Essays upon several Moral Subjects in two parts the Second Edition Corrected and Enlarged by Jeremy Collier, M.A.

Human Prudence, or the Art by which a man may raise himself and his Fortune to Grandure, the Seventh Edition.

An Answer to all the Excuses and Pretences that men usually make for their not coming to the Holy Communion, by a Divine of the Church of England: Fitted for the meanest Capacity, and proper to be given away by such Persons as are Charitably Inclin'd. Price 3 pence.

THE INTRODUCTION.

The business of Plays is to recomend Virtue, and discountenance Vice; To shew the Uncertainty of Humane Greatness, the suddain Turns of Fate, and the Unhappy Conclusions of Violence and Injustice: 'Tis to expose the Singularities of Pride and Fancy, to make Folly and Falsehood contemptible, and to bring every Thing that is Ill Under Infamy, and Neglect. This Design has been oddly pursued by the English Stage. Our Poets write with a different View, and are gone into an other Interest. 'Tis true, were their Intentions fair, they might be Serviceable to this Purpose. They have in a great measure the Springs of Thought and Inclination in their Power. Show, Musick, Action, and Rhetorick, are moving Entertainments; and rightly employ'd would be very significant. But Force and Motion are Things indifferent, and the Use lies chiefly in the Application. These Advantages are now, in the Enemies Hand, and under a very dangerous Management. Like Cannon seized they are pointed the wrong way, and by the Strength of the Defence the Mischief is made the greater. That this Complaint is not unreasonable I shall endeavour to prove by shewing the Misbehaviour of the Stage with respect to Morality, and Religion. Their Liberties, in the Following Particulars are intolerable. viz. Their Smuttiness of Expression; Their Swearing, Profainness, and Lewd Application of Scripture; Their Abuse of the Clergy; Their making their Top Characters Libertines, and giving them Success in their Debauchery. This Charge, with some other Irregularities, I shall make good against the Stage, and shew both the Novelty and Scandal of the Practise. And first, I shall begin with the Rankness, and Indecency of their Language.