'But as he goes on,[478] some peoples Faith is either too full of Scruples, or too barren of Sense. Nothing will serve to settle them but a plain Text of _Scripture_. They hover in uncertainty because 'tis not said as expresly thou shalt not go to the _Play-House_, as 'tis thou shalt not Kill. But this looks more like Fencing than Argument. For we have the Meaning of the prohibition tho' not the sound, in the first _Psalm. Blessed is the Man that walks not in the Council of the Ungodly, nor stands in the way of Sinners, nor sits in the Seat of the Scornful._ 'The _Censors_ whose business 'twas to take care of Regularity and Manners,[479] look'd on these _Play-Houses_ as no other than _Batteries_ upon Virtue and Sobriety, and for this reason often pull'd them down before they were well built, so that here we can argue from the _Precedents_ of meer _Nature_, and plead the _Heathens_ against themselves. Upon this view _Pompey_ the Great, when he built his _Dramatick_ Bawdy-House, clapp'd a _Chappel_ a Top on't. He would not let it go under the Name of a Play-House, but conven'd the people to a Solemn Dedication, and called it _Venus's_ Temple; Giving them to understand at the same time that there were _Benches_ under it for Diversion. He was afraid if he had not gone this way to work, The _Censors_ might afterwards have razed the Monument, and branded his Memory. Thus a Scandalous pile of Building was protected: The Temple, cover'd the _Play-House_, and Discipline was baffled by _Superstition_. But the Design is notably suited to the Patronage of _Bacchus_[480] and _Venus_. These two Confederate Devils of Lust and Intemperance, do well together. The very Functions of the _Players_ resemble their _Protectors_, and are instances of Service and Acknowledgment. Their Motion is effeminate, and their Gestures vitious and Significant: And thus they worship the Luxury of one _Idoll_, and the Lewdness of the other. 'And granting the Regards of Quality, the Advantages of Age, or Temper, may fortifie some People;[481] granting Modesty secur'd, and the Diversion as it were refin'd by this Means: Yet a Man must not expect to stand by perfectly unmoved, and impregnable. No body can be pleas'd without Sensible Impressions. Nor can such Perceptions be received without a Train of Passions attending them. These Consequences will be sure to work back upon their Causes, solicite the Fancy, and heighten the Original Pleasure. But if a Man pretends to be a _Stoick_ at _Plays_, he falls under another Imputation. For where there is no Impression, there can be no Pleasure: And then the _Spectator_ is very much Impertinent, in going where he gets nothing for his Pains. And if this were all; I suppose Christians have something else to do than to ramble about to no purpose.[482]