Another collection of philosophical conferences of the French virtuosi upon questions of all sorts for the improving of natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. & J. Davies ..., Gent.

CONFERENCE CCXXIV. Of Stage-Plays; and whether they be advantageous to a State, or not?

HUmane Life is travers'd by such a vicissitude of distractions and disturbances, that not only the Civil, but also the Ecclesiastical Magistrates have unanimously concluded it neces∣sary, that men should have some divertisements, whereby their minds and bodies, not able to undergo continual labour, might receive some relaxation, for want whereof they would be crush'd under the burthen of their affairs. Now among those re∣laxations, there is not any brings greater delight with it, then what is perform'd on the Theatre, that is, Plays; which repre∣sent unto us things past, heighten'd with all the circumstances they are capable of, which cannot be done by History, as being a thing dead, and not animated by Voice, Gestures, and Habits. But if we add thereto, that this innocent divertisement is at∣tended by those advantages which may be deduc'd from excel∣lent Sentences and Instructions, we must conclude him who finds fault with it, to be of a more than Timonian humour, and a pro∣fess'd enemy to civil Society. The proof hereof is deriv'd from the Use of it, the true Touch-stone, whereby good and profitable things are to be distinguish'd from such as are hurtful and unprofitable. For there have been an infinite number of things taught by Men, which have been smother'd as soon as brought forth; and there are others also, which the Inventors of them have out-liv'd; but when an Invention finds a kind enter∣tainment through many Ages, it is the best argument that may be of its goodness. And such is that of Comedy, which (how weak or ridiculous soever it might be at the beginning, at which time Thespis got himself drawn through the Streets in a Chariot, as he recited his Poems) presently met with those who made it their business to cultivate and heighten it to that pitch of per∣fection, whereto it is now come, which is such that it is no won∣der the greatest minds should yield to the charms of it. For as those things that are sensible, are more apt to move and make impressions on the spirits of men, then such as are purely intel∣ligible; so Plays, exposing to our eyes all things with a greater circumspection, decorum, and order, then is observable in the actions of men commonly disturbed by unexpected emergencies, and the unconstancy of their passions, accordingly raise in us a greater aversion for crimes, and greater inclinations to vertue. Nay, these cause more apprehensive emotions in our souls, than they are apt to receive from any other representations whatso∣ever, not excepting even the precepts of Philosophy it self, which

are weak enough when they are destitute of their examples, im∣printing in us such Characters as can hardly be blotted out, in regard they force their passage into our Minds through several of our senses; and as History prevails more by its Examples than the reason of its Precepts, so Playes have the advantage of History in this regard, that in the former, things act upon us with greater effi∣cacy. This Influences it hath on us in captivating our Senses and Understanding, is the more remarkable, in that the greatest Witts are incapable of other reflections, while they behold what is re∣presented on the Stage. Besides, if the great business of the world be truly consider'd, it is but a Stage-Play, wherein every one acts a part; he who would avoid Plays, and not see the va∣nity of humane actions, must find out some way to get out of the world. Nor are all persons in a capacity to learn how they should demean themselves by Books and Precepts, but all are susceptible of some instruction by Playes; since that in these, there are such sensible Lessons, that the most ignorant may find in them certain encouragements to Vertue, which on the Stage appears to them in her lustre, and attended by those honourable rewards which the Poets bestow on Heroick Actions. And as Geogra∣phical Maps cannot so well acquaint those who study them with the dispositions of people, together with all the circumstances of places, as Travels and Relations may: In like manner, Philo∣sophy smites not the Senses, as those passages do which are re∣presented on the Theatre, where such as are in Love (the ordina∣ry subject thereof) may observe their own Adventures persona∣ted, and take notice of their vain pursuits, and the unhappy events of those which are carried on by unjust wayes. In fine, if immor∣tality flatters ours labours with promises to transmit our Memory to Ages; yet at a great distance from us, what greater satisfaction can there be, than to hope that our noble actions shall be repre∣sented on Theaters before Princes and Magistrates?

The Second said, That Humane Nature being more enclin'd to evil than to good, those confus'd representations which are made on the Stage, of all sorts of good and bad things, are more like∣ly to make impressions of evil in the minds of men, than to render them more inclinable to that which is good. Whence it is to be inferr'd, that the danger and inconveniences of Plays will out∣weigh their advantages. This consideration occasion'd the ba∣nishing of them out of several States. And whereas the Subjects of them are commonly taken from the Loves of some extra∣vagant persons, and the crimes attending them, the end there∣of must be answerable to the means, which are lewd Artifices, whereby it is compassed, and where-with mens minds are imbu'd, and so inclin'd to wicked actions, and such as are most likely to promote the execution of their pernicious designs; which would not happen, were they ignorant of them. Nay, to go to the ori∣ginal of this kind of entertainments, the most ancient of them, acted in the time of Romulus, was contriv'd for the surprizal and

carrying away of the Sabine Virgins; it being easily inferr'd, that what produc'd so bad an effect must of necessity have been a bad cause.

The Third said, That Playes consider'd in themselves were in∣different, but that according to the diversity of their Minds who frequent them, they have a different operation; as Wine exces∣sively taken besots and layes some asleep, and enlivens others, ac∣cording to the difference of their Temperaments. For if they meet with weak Minds, they imprint in them the Passions of the things that are represented, much more easily than Books usually do. But if they are persons of a strong Constitution of Intellectuals, they consider what they see as a pure Fiction, and a draught of Painting, in the intrigues whereof they find a certain divertisement, much like that of excellent P••inters in their Per∣spectives; they are pleas'd to see a mist cast before the eyes of the vulgar, while they themselves are sufficiently satisfi'd, that what others think represented to the life, is only perform'd by the interposition of Scenes: So that, from this diversity of ope∣rations, this only can be inferr'd, that Playes and Opera's are ad∣vantageous and innocent divertisements to such as are well-vers'd in the affairs of the world, who, being over-press'd with a continu'd earnestness in the prosecution of their more serious concerns, find a certain relaxation therein; not in a melancholy sloath, such as is inconsistent with the activity which is natural to them, but in those less serious employments; as on the con∣trary, those persons who are already too much enclin'd to idle∣ness, vanity, and effeminacy, ought not to be admitted to Plays, in regard they can have no other effect on them, than to make them more effeminate.

The Fourth said, That as Women are justly forbidden the use of the Sciences, so ought they also to be forbidden the sight of Plays; inasmuch as it is not expedient, in order to frugal House-keeping, that that Sex should be allow'd an acquaintance with those curiosities which might divert them from the care they ought to have of their domestick affairs. For, besides the loss of time, idleness is extreamly prejudicial to that Sex, whose por∣tion should be assiduity in labour, frugality, and a constant keep∣ing of the House, which is not consistent with the frequenting of Shews and Play-houses, and seeing the representations made there: Which, the more instructive they are, and the more likely to fill Womens heads with new things, the more ought they to be forbidden the sight of them; there being not any thing a Husband should fear so much in his Wife, as an excess of Wit, upon the conceit whereof she assumes to her self a certain autho∣rity over him, contrary to the Institution of Matrimony, or at least thinks her self equal to him, which is not much less to be fear'd, inasmuch as it is a great disturbance to the domestick tran∣quillity. This may be the better apprehended by the example of two Men equally learned, who disputing one against the other,

seldom come to any agreement, as a knowing and an ignorant person many times do; for if the latter chance to contradict himself, he is easily convinc'd, and acquiesces. And though the Greeks sometimes admitted Women in their Academies, to exe∣cute the functions of Professors and Regents, yet are not those examples to be introduc'd into this Age, whereof the corruption is such, as is able to change Vertues into Vices. But, from this general Rule we are to except such Heroina's, as are the great Exemplars of all Vertues, who surpassing the greatest part of Men in Wit and Intellectuals, it were injurious to think them susceptible of those bad impressions, which the Men are able to resist.

The Fifth said, That the example of the Romans who gave extraordinary salaries to Comedians, as Cicero assures us they did to Roscius, sufficiently shews the advantages of publick represen∣tations. And indeed, if there be any thing to be blam'd in Plays, it is this, that they are too Pathetick, that is, too apt to raise and express Humane Passions. For as an Oration mea∣sur'd in Verse, is more elaborate than Prose; so Verses, dispos'd by a sound Judgement for the Stage, are extreamly beyond those of Exegematick Poems, wherein only the Poet speaks himself. Moreover, the observance of Time, whereto all the Acts are confin'd, and the other Laws of Dramatick Pieces, discover their excellency above all others. So that to question, Whe∣ther they are advantageous, is to bring into doubt, Whether the Master-pieces of Poets, Orators, and Historians, are advanta∣geous to a State.