A Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage: Together with the Sense of Antiquity on this ArgumentCollier, Jeremy
General
A Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage: Together with the Sense of Antiquity on this Argument
Collier, Jeremy
Theater -- England -- Early works to 1800; Theater -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Early works to 1800
In this and the following page, the _Redemption_ of the World is treated
with the same respect with the _Creation_. The word _Redeemer_, which among
Christians is appropriated to our Blessed Saviour, and like the Jewish
Tetragrammaton peculiarly reserv'd to the Deity; This adorable Name
(_Redeemer and Dear Redeemer_,) is applyed to the ridiculous Don _Quixote_.
These Insolencies are too big for the Correction of a Pen, and therefore I
shall leave them. After this horrible abuse of the Works, and Attributes of
God, he goes on to make sport with his Vengeance. He makes the Torments of
Hell a very Comical Entertainment: As if they were only Flames in Painting,
and Terrors in _Romance_. The _Stygian Frogs_ in _Aristophanes_ are not
represented with more Levity, and Drolling. That the _Reader_ may see I do
him no wrong, I shall quote the places which is the main Reason why I have
transcrib'd the rest of his Profaness.
_Appear ye fat Feinds that in Limbo do groan,
That were when in Flesh the same souls with his own:
You that always in Lucifers Kitchin reside,
'Mongst Sea-coal and Kettles, and Grease newly try'd:
That pamper'd each day with a Garbidge of Souls,
Broil Rashers of Fools for a Breakfast on Coals._
In the Epilogue you have the History of _Balaam_'s Ass exposed, and the
Beast brought upon the _Stage_ to laugh at the Miracle the better;
_And as 'tis said a parlous Ass once spoke,
When Crab-tree Cudgel did his rage provoke.
So if you are not civil,----I fear
He'el speak again.----_
In the second _Part_ the Devil is brought upon the _Stage_.[378] He cries
as _he hopes to be Saved_. And _Sancho warrants him a good Christian_.
Truly I think he may have more of Christianity in him than the Poet. For he
trembles at that God, with whom the other makes Diversion.
I shall omit the mention of several outrages of this Kind, besides his deep
mouth'd swearing, which is frequent, and pass on to the Second Head, which
is His Abuse of the Clergy. And since Reveal'd Religion has been thus
horribly treated, 'tis no Wonder if the _Ministers_ of it have the same
Usage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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