Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

The danger of Stage-plaies. [ 782]

ZEuxis,* 1.1 the curious Painter, painted a boy, holding a dish full of grapes in his hand, done so livelily, that the birds being deceived, flew to peck the grapes: But Zeuxis,* 1.2 in an ingenious choler, was angry with his own workmanship: Had I (said he) made the boy as lively as the grapes, the birds would have been afraid to touch them.* 1.3 Thus, two things are set out to us in Stage-plaies, some grave sentences, prudent counsells, and punishments of vitious examples; and with these, desperate oaths, lustfull talk, and riotous acts, are so personated to the life, that Wantons are tickled with delight, and feed their palats upon them. It seems, the goodnesse is not pourtraied out, with equall accents of

livelinesse, as the wicked things are; otherwise, men would be deterred from viti∣ous courses, with seeing the wofull successe that followes after. But the main is, wanton speeches on Stages, are the devills ordinance, to beget badnesse. But it is a a question, whether the pious speeches spoken there, be Gods ordinance, to encrease goodnesse, as wanting both his institution and benediction.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plin. hist. lib. 53. cap. 10.
• * 1.2

  Fulgosus.
• * 1.3

  T. Fullers Holy State.