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Essays on the Stage - Preface to the Campaigners (1689) and Preface to the Translation of Bossuet's Maxims and Reflections on Plays (1699) by Thomas D'Urfey
page 32 of 76 (42%)
They shall Cant long enough e're I believe,
Or pin my Soul's Salvation on their sleeve.

[Footnote: Weesils, p. 11.]

Here now, ten to one, but I shall make our Reformer fall into another
fit, by pretending to Counsel him, or take his Office of Ordinary upon
my self; for in page 138, he will not give up that leave, _What, is the
Pulpit under the Discipline of the Stage? And are those fit to correct
the Church, that are not fit to come into it_? [Footnote: Collier, p.
138.] Ah! Doctor, rub your eyes a little, and see what the Vindicator
of the Stage says, quoting Divine _Herbert_:

A Verse may find him who a Sermon flies,
And turn delight into a Sacrifice.

Besides I do assure you, spite of your Ghostly Authority, and
Uncharitable Position, that we are not fit, we will come in, and not
only imbibe the Mystery of _Divinity_ from the Pulpit, but unriddle
the Mystery of _Iniquity_, if we can find any there. _Ben Johnson_
found out _Ananias_ and _Rabby Buisy_; _Fletcher_, _Hypocritical
Roger_; _Shakespear_, _Sir John_ of _Wrotham_; _Congreve_, _Say-grace_;
_Vanbrook_, _Bull_; _Shadwell_, _Smirk;_ and if _Durfey_ can find out
a proud, stubborn, immoral _Bernard_, [Footnote: The Chaplains Name
in _Don Quixot_.] one, that when he was a Country Curate, _would not
let the Children be brought to Church to be Christned for some odd
Jesuitical Reasons_ best known to himself, he shall presume to draw his
Picture, tho the _Absolver_ drop another Chapter of Abuse upon him for
so doing.

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