is, that, even in what does appear there, he speaks very favourably of
acting Plays upon Sundays. Now admitting, that all the Profession are
not such sowr Criticks as _Mr. Collier_, yet this is a Liberty, which I
do not remember to have heard, that any Modern Divines of that Church
allow. And whatever the Poet's Friend may be in _His_ esteem, I shrewdly
suspect, that He would hardly pass for a very _Worthy Divine_, who
should so far Countenance these _Diversions_, as to let them into a
share of that Holy day, dedicated to the Worship and more immediate
Service of Almighty God,

One would not hastily question Testimonies in matters of Fact, where
there appears any probable Arguments to support them. And therefore
I am far from objecting against the Knowledge and Integrity of the
Booksellers called in to vouch for that Letter, But withall I must beg
leave to think it strange, that a Person of Learning and Character
should so incautiously espouse a _Discourse_, and recommend it for the
direction of a Gentleman's Conscience, who consulted him for Advice; the
Reasoning whereof is not only so weak and Superficiall, but grounded
upon Misconstruction in some, and Misrepresentation in Other Authorities
cited by it. Methinks these ought to have been well examined, before a
man had so perfectly gone into the Consequences drawn from them: such of
them at least as are exceeding obvious, and might have been detected by
recurring to Books, which almost every Divine hath ready at hand.

In this translated Reply the Reader will not have cause to complain of
such Neglect. The Passages out of _Thom: Aquinas, St. Jerom_, and some
others, have been diligently compared, and the Originals faithfully
inserted in most material points. And I cannot but wish, that this Book,
extant at Paris ever since _1694_, had fallen into the hands of this
Doubting Gentleman, instead of that _Discourse_, which it was intended
to confute: That neither the Translator, nor his Friend the _Worthy
Divine_, might have given themselves the Trouble of a Vindication of
Plays; so reproachfully treated, and so substantially answered, that
one would wonder it should have the confidence to appear in English
afterwards, to tempt the same Scorn here, when followed cross the Seas
by the Bishop of Meaux.

By some expressions, I confess one might be apt to think, that the
Author of the Discourse was not perfectly known. But of that no
reasonable Doubt can remain, when we fin