have already told you, That I am far from vindicating the present
Stage. I don't know a regular Play, or that ought to be represented on
a regular Stage; yet I know a great many Plays that I would not loose
for want of that Regularity. Who wou'd not have Sir _G. Etheridge_,
Mr. _Wicherly_, and even some of Mr. _Dryden_'s Plays? Who would
reject the _Orphan_, because Mr. _Collier_ objects against a loose
Speech in it.

But Mr. _Collier_ has laid other things to the Poet's Charge besides
the Abuse of the Clergy; and that the profane Characters in the Play,
has had an ill Effect on the Age, by promoting of Immorality and Vice.
This I very much question; for I can't apprehend so much danger even
in the present Stage as Mr. _Collier_ wou'd suggest. The greatest
Faults of our Plays are their being generally, in one part or other,
unnatural: That which is regular in any of them can never be an
Offence; and where that Monster appears, it rather frightens than
allures; so that we are not in so much danger, even from our very bad
Plays: For the more monstrous, the less Power it has to please; and
whatever looses the Power, can never do much damage. So that if Mr.
_Collier_ should make a Collection of _D'urfey_'s Works, who is there
that wou'd become a Convert? And who wou'd turn Parson to be drunk and
beat the Watch? Or who wou'd be proud of an Imitation of any of his
Heroes? Has any Body brought themselves under his Character, in hopes
to recommend them to the World? It would be happy if the World had
learnt no more Irreligion from the Pulpit than it has from the Stage;
at least, the Consequence of the first has been more fatal. What
dismal Effect has the holy Cant had upon the Multitude: What
Rebellion, Blood-shed and Mischief have been encourag'd under the Name
of _Sanctity_, _Religion_, and the _Good old Cause_. Whoever learnt to
cut a King's Throat by seeing of Plays? But by going to Church, the
People were instructed to _bind the King in Chains, and his Nobles in
Fetters of Iron, That the Kingdom ought to be taken away, and given to
the Saints_; And who wou'd not be a Saint for such an Inheritance? Who
cou'd refuse resisting of Authority, when instead of _Damnation_, it
was _coming forth to the Help of the Lord against the Mighty_? But
this is but one Mischief of the Pulpit; this is only putting a Kingdom
in Civil Broils, intestine Wars, and unnatural Murthers. But when Men
of debauch'd Principles shall become the Teachers