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%)
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. |
|