th
so much time to be spent in Diversion, tho' I can't think this a
reasonable Objection where so much Profit may attend our Delight. If
it be lawful to recreate our selves at all, it can never be amiss to
frequent such a Diversion, that only takes up our Time to make us
wiser. I wou'd to God all of them were directed to the same End. No
Man is to employ himself so as to exclude the Duties of Religion; and
there is as much danger in minding too much the Business of the World,
as the Pleasures of it; both of them are to be kept within bounds, and
both subservient to Religion. The Passions of Men are active and
restless; and 'tis the Prudence of every State to encourage some
publick Exercise to keep them at quiet. If the Theatre was down, the
Churches wou'd not be the fuller for't. Or if they shou'd, Religion is
not always the design of them who come there; so that I cannot see
that any thing can be allow'd for the publick Diversion with so much
Innocence and so much, Advantage. I'm only afraid that such a
Regularity wou'd be too Vertuous for the Age; and I don't doubt but
the Beaux and Poetasters wou'd be full of Exclamation: For it wou'd be
a dreadful Time if the Ladies should regard the Play more than their
Beaux Airs; and how wou'd _Vanbroug_ be able to pass a Comedy on them,
if they shou'd once be so nice in their Taste as to disgust Obscenity;
this indeed wou'd be a Vexation, and such a Delicacy which Mr.
_Congreve_ cou'd not be pleased with: And if the Town shou'd be so
refin'd to admit of nothing but what is Natural, we can't expect that
ever he will gratifie us with another Tragedy. _Durfey_ and _Motteux_
wou'd write no more Farces; _Guildon_ and _Tom_. _Brown, &c._ wou'd be
the Saints with wry Mouthes and scrue'd Faces: Mr. _Guildon_ indeed
has Philosophy enough to support himself under such a Calamity, and
knows a Method to prevent starving; for who can think that he who writ
_Blunt_'s Life can be at a loss for a decent dispatch of his own? 'Tis
a deplorable Case, indeed, and I pity a Man who cannot get Bread by
Writing, and yet must beg or starve without it.

The Prince of _Conti_ believ'd the _French_ Stage wou'd not have been
so bad if the Priests had begun sooner to declaim against it: It is
possible that some of our Defects may be owing to such a Negligence.
However 'tis never too late to mend; and since Mr. _Collier_ has took
up the Cudgels, I wish the rest of the same Coat wou'd so far as is
just and re