our Plays have had so ill effect as some wou'd imagine. The best of
our Plays have nothing in them that is so scandalous; and for the
worst, I wou'd not allow them the Credit, nor the Authors the Vanity
to think they could influence any one Man. The evil Conversation of
some of them wou'd frighten a Man from being vicious; so that they are
serviceable against their Wills, and do the World a Kindness through
mistake. I dare not stay any longer with you, tho' I have a great
Inclination to beg you'd excuse the roughness of my Stile: But you
know I have been busie in _Virgil_; and that they say, at _Will_'s, is
enough to spoil it: But if I had begg'd a more important thing, and
ask'd you to forgive the length of my Letter, I might assure my self
you wou'd oblige,

Your Humble Servant.


FINIS.




THE Occasional Paper:
Number IX.

Containing some
CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE DANGER
Of going to PLAYS.


In a Letter to a Friend.