tines wou'd certainly think him weak. Our Preachers wou'd by no means suffer a confusion of the Pulpit and Theatre; or that the People should go and learn those matters from the mouth of Comedians, which themselves deliver in their Churches, with authority to the whole People.
Besides this, it wou'd give too great an advantage to the Libertines, who might ridicule in a Comedy those very things which they receive at Church, with a seeming submission; either out of respect to the Place where they are deliver'd, or to the Character of the Person that utters them.
But let us put the case, that our Doctors should freely leave all holy matters to the liberty of the Stage: let us likewise take it for granted, that men of the least devotion would hear them with as great an inclination to be edified, as Persons of the profoundest resignation; yet certain it is, that the soundest Doctrines, the most Christian Actions, and the most useful Truths, wou'd produce a kind of Tragedy that wou'd please us the least of any thing in the world.
The spirit of our Religion is directly opposite to that of Tragedy. The humility and patience of our Saints carry too direct an opposition to those heroical Virtues, that are so necessary for the Theatre. What zeal, what force is there which Heaven does not bestow upon Nearchus and Polieuctes? and what is there wanting on the part of these new Christians, to answer fully the end of these happy gifts? The passion and charms of a young lovely Bride, make not the least impression upon the mind of Polieuctes. The politick considerations of Felix, as they less affect us, so they make a less impression. Insensible both of Prayers
