So regular and beautiful a Piece as this cannot
but greatly please and divert, as well as instruct the Audience. Nor
is it, I imagine, from want of Knowledge of the Rules of Writing,
nor of sufficient Genius, in which this Nation abounds, that so few
Comedies, distinguish'd by these Perfections, have been produc'd: But
this Defect arises partly from this, that the Comick Poets are often
Men of loose Manners, and therefore unlikely Persons to undertake the
Promotion and Encouragement of Vertue, of which they have no Taste,
and to discountenance Imprudence and Immorality, when by doing so,
they must expose their own Character to derision; tho sometimes it may
happen, that a loose Poet as well as Preacher, merely from his just
Manner of Thinking, and his Sense of Decency in forming Discourses
becoming his Character, may entertain the Audience with laudable
Performances.
Another, and the chief Cause of the Immorality of the Theatre, is
the ill Taste of the People, who, notwithstanding they have applauded
several clean and regular Ttagedies, such as those which have of late,
appear'd that are worthy of the greatest Commendation, especially
_Cato_ and the Plays for the most part of Mr. _Row_, as great a Genius
for Tragedy as any Nation in any Age has produc'd, yet still frequent
and encoutage the loosest Comedies. It happens, that the greatest part
of Men of Wit and Humour, who not being easy in their Fortunes,
work for the Stage, and are Day-Labourers to the Muses, lie under
a Necessity of bringing those Productions to Market, which are in
Fashion, and therefore vendible; while others, tho of ever so much
greater Value, would be turn'd back upon their Hands; nor would the
Actors, who live by their Employment, as the Comick Writers do by
theirs, undertake to represent an Innocent, and much less a Comedy of
yet higher Merit.
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