Coat. The Vices of the Wicked are not to be represented so nicely, as
punish'd severely; that is, a Vicious Person is not to be allow'd to
plead in favour of his Vices, or to represent his Villany so calmly as
to tempt any Man to try Practices in another Place. Vice is only to be
brought there to be condemn'd, and the reason of this is, that our
Terrour may be excited, and all our Passions vent themselves with
Strength and Reason. Our Pity is not to be extended in a wrong place.
In short, The Disposition of the play is to be such that all the
Characters have a proper Effect with us. Our Fear, Love, and Anger are
to be exerted with Justice; and we are to learn from a just Fable how
to behave our selves in earnest. Thus may we exercise our Souls by
examining our reasonable Faculties, and try how we can love to
extremity, and yet without a Fault; to be angry and sin not; to be
just without partiality, and rejoyce with them that rejoyce. We are
there instructed to Love, Hate, and Fear within measure, how we may be
Men without debasing our Souls; and all this by moving Examples, which
in spite of Stubbornness, will force its Impressions; and 'tis our own
Fault if they are not lasting. This certainly must recommend the Stage
to the Vertuous; and Piety can't be offended at the decent reproving
of Vice, and the insinuating recommendation of Vertue. Here we find
Morality urg'd by Precept and Example, and the Stage reprehending
those Follies which the Pulpit wou'd blush to correct; for tho' the
Church is the Place to declaim against Sin, yet there are some sorts
of Wickedness which can't be so decently reprov'd there; so that the
Stage is serviceable on this account, to supply the Defects of the
Pulpit. In short, whatever may be objected against the present
management of the Stage, is of no force against such Proceedings as
these. Religion and Morality can receive no Damage here; for as long
as these Rules are observ'd, they strictly include both.