fancy himself a Macheath or a Shepherd, and there is a rogue made at
once. Since, therefore, example, has such force, the stage ought to be
reformed, and nothing exhibited but what might be represented before a
bishop. They may be merry and wise: let them take the Provoked Husband
for a pattern.

A good physician seeks the cause, and weighs the symptoms before he
proceeds to prescribe; and if we trace this evil from its radix, we
shall find a cause antecedent to the two operas aforesaid: namely,
accursed Geneva, the bane and ruin of our lower class of people.

Those who deny an inferior class of people to be necessary in a body
politic, contradict reason and experience itself; since they are most
useful when industrious, and equally pernicious when lazy. By their
industry our manufactures, trade, and commerce, are carried on. The
merchant in his counting-house, and the captain in his cabin, would find
but little employment, were it not that many hands carried on the
different branches of the concerns they superintended.

But now so far are our common people infatuated with Geneva, that half
the work is not done now as formerly. It debilitates and enervates them,
nor are they near so strong and healthy as formerly.

So that if this abuse of Geneva be not stopped, we may go whoop for
husbandmen, labourers, &c.; trade must consequently stand still, and the
credit of the nation sink. Nor is the abatement of the excise, though
very considerable, and most worthy notice, any ways comparable to the
corruption of manners, destruction of health, and all the train of evils
we are threatened with from pernicious Geneva.

We will suppose a man able to maintain himself and family by his trade,
and at the same time to be a Geneva drinker. This fellow first makes
himself incapable of working by being continually drunk; which runs him
behindhand, so that he either pawns, or neglects his work, for which
reason nobody will employ him. At last, fear of arrests, his own hunger,
the cries of a family for bread, his natural desire to support an
irregular life, and a propense hatred to labour, turn but too many an
honest tradesman into an arrant desperate rogue. And these are commonly
the means that furnish us with thieves and villains in general.

Thus is a man, who might be useful in a body politic, rendered obnoxious
to the same: so that if this trade of wickedness goes on, they will
increase upon us so much that we shall not dare to s