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VVHen one accused the Comicall Poet,* 1.1 that he brought a lewd debauch∣ed Ru••••ian on the Stage, and so gave bad example to young Men: He answered; True, I brought such a Man on, but I hang'd him before he went off, and so gave good example to young men: Thus it is to be supposed, that he that goes to see a Play, intends not to see a Truth, but a Fable, a Morall presented to his eye, that
should convey some profitable document to his heart.* 1.2 But that any man should say, He can learn as much good at a Play, as at a Sermon, this is a wretched blas∣phemy, able to rot out the tongue of him that speaks it. Again, when a Tyrant objected to a Player his sawcinesse, that he durst personally tax men on the Stage, he made him this answer,* 1.3 Be content; for while the people laugh at our foolery, they never mind your villany. Thus, there are some that seek to defend Stage-playing, saying, Cities are populous, and vvhere are many men, are most commonly many leud men; if their time were not spent so, it might in all likelyhood be spent Worse. But this is no argument, to defend sin by sin, to prevent an evill not allowable, by allowing an evill that is preventable. In a word, that which makes a man evill, is his own evill mind.
T. Adams ex∣posit. on ep. 2 Pet.
Lucianus de saltatione.
In omni ••o ••inis & intentio spe∣ctari de••et. Polyb. lib. 1.