A Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage. Jeremy Collier
is absolute and unconfin'd. 'Tis under no restraint, of Company, nor has any regard to Quality or Sex. Gentlemen talk it to Ladies, and Ladies to Gentlemen with all the Freedom, and Frequency imaginable. This is in earnest to be very hearty in the cause! To give Title and Figure to Ill Manners is the utmost that can be done. If Lewdness will not thrive under such encouragement it must e'en Miscarry!
4ly. Plautus his Prologues and Epilogues are inoffensive. 'Tis true, Lambinus pretends to fetch a double entendre out of that to Pœnulus, but I think there is a Strain in the Construction. His Prologue to the Captivi is worth the observing.
Fabulæ huic operam date.
Pray mind the Play. The next words give the reason why it deserves regarding.
Non enim pertractate facta est
Neque spurcidici insunt versus immemorabiles.
We see here the Poet confesses Smut a scandalous Entertainment. That such Liberties ought to fall under Neglect, to lie unmention'd, and be blotted out of Memory.
And that this was not a Copy of his Countenance we may learn from his Compositions. His best Plays are almost alwaies Modest and clean Complexion'd. His Amphitrio excepting the ungenuine Addition is such. His Epidicus the Master-Piece of his whole Collection is inoffensive Throughout: And so are his Menechmi, Rudens, and Trinummus, which may be reckon'd amongst some of his next Best. His Truculentus another fine Play (tho' not entire) with a Heathen Allowance, is pretty Passable. To be short: Where he is most a Poet, he is generally least a Buffoon. And where the Entertainment is Smut, there is rarely any other Dish well dress'd: The Contrivance is commonly wretched, the Sence lean and full of Quibbles. So that his Understanding seems to have left him when he began to abuse it.
To conclude, Plautus does not dilate upon the Progress, Successes, and Disappointments of Love, in the Modern way. This is nice Ground, and therefore He either stands off, or walks gravely over it, He has some regard to the Retirements of Modesty, and the Dignity of Humane Nature, and does not seem to make Lewdness his Business. To give an Instance. Silenium is much gone in Love,Cistellear. A. 1.[28] but Modest withall, tho' formerly debauch'd.
She is sorry her Spark was forced from her, and in Danger of being lost. But then she keeps within compass and never flies out into Indecency. Alcesimarchus is strangely smitten with this Silenium, and almost distracted to recover her.Ibid. A. 2.[29] He is uneasy and blusters, and threatens, but his Passion goes off in Generals. He Paints no Images of his Extravagance, nor descends to any nauseous particulars.
And yet after all, Plautus wrote in an Age not perfectly refin'd, and often seems to design his Plays for a Vulgar Capacity. 'Twas upon this view I suppose his Characters exceed Nature, and his ill Features are drawn too large: His old Men over credulous, his Misers Romantick, and his Coxcombs improbably singular. And 'tis likely for this reason his Slaves might have too much Liberty.
Terence appear'd when Breeding was more exact, and the Town better polish'd; And he manages accordingly: He hasHeauton.[30] but one faulty bordering Expression, which is that of Chremes to Clitipho. This single Sentence apart, the rest of his Book is (I think) unsullied and fit for the nicest Conversation. I mean only in referrence to the Argument in Hand, for there are things in Him, which I have no intention to warrant. He is Extreamly careful in the Behaviour of his Women. Neither Glycerium in Andria, Pamphila in Eunuchus, or Pamphila in Adelphi, Phanium in Phormio, or Philumena in Hecyra, have any share of Conversation upon the Stage. such Freedom was then thought too much for the Reservedness of a Maiden-Character. 'Tis true in Heautontimoroumenos the Poets Plot obliged Antiphila, to go under the Disguise of Bacchis her Maid. Upon this Occasion they hold a little Discourse together. But then Bacchis tho' she was a Woman of the Town, behaves her self with all the Decency imaginable. She does not talk in the Language of her Profession. But commends Antiphila for her Virtue: Antiphila only says how constant she has been to Chinia, seems surprised at his Arrival, and salutes him civilly upon't, and we hear no more from her. Mr. Dryden seems to refer to this Conduct in his Dramatick Poesie. He censures the Romans for making Mutes of their single Women. This He calls the Breeding of the Old Elizabeth way, which was for Maids to be seen and not to be heard. Under Favour the old Discipline would be very serviceable upon the Stage. As matters go, the Mutes are much to few. For certainly 'tis better to say nothing, than talk out of Character, and to ill purpose.
To return. The Virgin injured by Chærea does nothing but weep, and won't so much as speak her misfortune to the Women.Eunuch. Love Triump.[31] But Comedy is strangly improved since that time; For Dalinda[32] has a great deal more Courage, tho' the loss of her Virtue was her own Fault.
But Terence has that regard for Women, that he won't so much as touch upon an ill Subject before them. Thus Chremes was ashamed to mention any thing about his Sons Lewdness when his Wife was present.
Pudet dicere hac præsente verbum turpe.Heauton. A. 5. 4.[33]
The Slaves in this Comedian are kept in order and civilly bred. They Guard and Fence when occasion requires, and step handsomly over a dirty place.Eunuch A. 5. 4. 5. Adelph. A. 2. 3.[34] The Poet did not think Littleness and low Education a good Excuse for Ribaldry. He knew Infection at the weakest, might seize on some Constitutions: Besides, the Audience was a Superior Presence, and ought to be considered. For how Negligent soever People may be at Home, yet when they come before their Betters 'tis Manners to look wholsom.
Now tho' Plautus might have the richer Invention; Terence was always thought the more judicious Comedian. His Raillery is not only finer, and his stile better polish'd; but his Characters are more just, and he seems to have reach'd farther into Life than the other. To take Leave of this Author, even his Strumpets are better behaved than our honest Women, than our Women of Quality of the English Stage. Bacchis in Heautontimoroumenos and Bacchis in Hecyra, may serve for example. They are both modest, and converse not unbecoming their Sex. Thais the most accomplish'd in her way,Eunuch.[35] has a great deal of Spirit and wheadling in her Character, but talks no Smut.
Thus we see with what Caution and Sobriety of Language Terence manages. 'Tis possible this Conduct might be his own Modesty, and result from judgment and Inclination. But however his Fancy stood, he was sensible the Coarse way would not do. The Stage was then under Discipline, the publick Censors formidable, and the Office of the Choragus was originally to prevent the Excesses of Liberty.
To this we may add the Nobless had no Relish for Obscenity; 'twas the ready way to Disoblige them.Casaub. Annot. in Curcul. Plauti.[36] And therefore 'tis Horaces Rule.
Nec immunda crepent ignominiosaque dicta.
Offenduntur enim quibus est Equus & Pater, & res.De A te Poet.[37]
The Old Romans were particularly carefull their Women might not be affronted in Conversation: For this reason the Unmarried kept off from Entertainments for fear of learning new Language.Var. apud. Nonium. Corn. Nep. Arist. Lib. 4. de Mor. cap. 14. Vit. Eurip. ed Cantab. 1694.[38] And in Greece no Woman above the degree of a Slave was treated abroad by any but Relations.[39] 'Tis probable the old Comedy was silenced at Athens upon this Score, as well as for Defamation. For as Aristotle[40] observes the new Set of Comedians were much more modest than the former. In this celebrated Republick, if the Poets wrote any thing against Religion or Good Manners, They were tryed for their Misbehaviour, and lyable to the highest Forfeitures.[41]
It may not be amiss to observe that there are no Instances of debauching Married Women, in Plautus, nor Terence, no nor yet in Aristophanes. But on our Stage how common is it to make a Lord, a Knight, or an Alderman