A Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage. Jeremy Collier
he advances farther, and endeavours to get Strepsiades under Articles to acknowledge no other Gods, but Chaos, the Clouds, and the Tongue.Nub. p. 110.[70] At last the Poet brings the Philosopher to publick Pennance for his Singularities. He sets fire to his School for teaching Young People (as he pretends) to dispute against Law and Justice; for advancing Atheistick Notions, and burlesquing the Religion of the Country.Act. 5. p. 176.[71]
That Socrates was no Atheist is clear from Instances enough. To mention but one. The Confidence he had in his Dæmon, or Genius by which he governed his Affairs puts it beyond all dispute.Plat. Apol. Socrat.[72] However 'tis plain Aristophanes was not of his Religion. The Comedian was by no means for correcting the Common Perswasion. So that he must either be an Orthodox Heathen or nothing at all. Let us see then with what Respect he treats the Receiv'd Divinities. This Play, where one would not expect it, discovers somewhat of his Devotion. In the beginning of it Phidippides, who was a sort or New-Market Spark, swears by Jocky Neptune,Nub. p. 86.[73] that he had a strange Kindness for his Father Strepsiades. upon this the old Man replies; No Jocky, if you love me; that Deity has almost undone me. This was making somewhat bold with Neptune who was Jupiters Brother, Soveraign of a whole Element, and had no less than the Third Share of the Universe! Certainly Aristophanes had no Venture at Sea, or else must think the Trident signified but very little. But this is meer Ceremony to what follows. In his first Play Plutus pretends he had a mind to oblige only Men of Probity, but Jupiter had made him blind on purpose that he might not distinguish Honest men from Knaves: For to be plain Jupiter had a Pique against Good people. Towards the end of this Comedy Mercury is abused by Cario,Plut. A. 1. Sc. 2.[74] and acts a ridiculous, and lessening part himself. Afterwards he complains heavily that since Plutus was cured of his Blindness, the business of Sacrifing fell off, and the Gods were ready to starve. This Mercury has the same ill Usage with the Poets Knaves, Informers, and Lewd Women; From all this stuff put together, his meaning is pretty plain, viz. That Religion was no better than an Imposture supported by Art, and Ignorance: And that when Men's Understandings were awake, and their Eyes a little open, they would have more discretion than to be at any expence about the Gods.
This I take to be part of the Moral of his Fable. If we look farther into him we shall see more of his Mind. His Ranæ makes Merry with the Heathen Scheme of Heaven and Hell. Here Charon and the Stygian Frogs are brought in Comically enough. And that you may understand his opinion more perfectly we are told, that He that Bilks his Catamite after a Sodomitical Abuse, is thrown into the Common shore of Hades. And what Company do you think he is lodg'd with? Why with those who Perjure themselves, with those who Kick their Fathers and Mothers? It seems in the Poets Justice a Man might as good be false to his Oath, as to his Lewdness.Ran. p. 188.[75] To disappoint the Stews, is every jot as great a Crime; as to fly in the Face of Nature, and outrage our Parents. His Quartering his Malefactors thus critically, was without question on purpose to Banter the perswasion of future Punishment. In the same Play Xanthias bids Æacus answer him by Jove, Ὅς ἡμὶν ἐστὶν ὁμομαστιγίας. This little Scoundrel of a Slave has the Manners to make Jupiters Quality no better than his own. To go on with him: In his Aves he speaks out to purpose. Here Pisthetærus tells Epops that if the Birds would build a Castle in the Air, they might intercept the Fumes of the Sacrifices, and starve the Gods unless they would come too, and be Tributary. It seems the Birds had very good Pretences to execute this project; for they were ancienter than Jupiter and Saturn, and Govern'd before the Gods. And to speak truth were more capable of the Function. Their Adviser goes on to inform them,536. 538. 546.[76] that after they had built their pensile City, and fortifyed the Air, their next business was to demand their ancient Soveragnity: If Jupiter refused to quit, they were to declare a Holy War against Him, and the rest of the Confederate Gods, and to cut off the Communication between Heaven and Earth. Pisthæterus542.[77] grows very warm in his new Interest, and swears by Jove that Men ought to Sacrifice to the Birds, and not to Jupiter. And if things came to a Rupture, and Jupiter grew Troublesome, he undertakes582.[78] to send a Detachement of Eagles against Him; with Orders to storm his Palace with Flambeaux, and fire it about his Ears. At last to prevent the Calamities of a War, Hercules proposes an Accomodation,Ibid.[79] and is willing Jupiter should Resign. Neptune calls him a Block-head for his pains, because he was Heir at Law, and after Jupiters Decease was of Course to succeed in his Dominions: Once more, and I have done: In Eirene, Trygæus speaks in a menacing way.602.[80] That unless Jupiter gave him Satisfaction in his business, he would inform against Him as a disaffected Person, and a betrayer of the Liberties of Greece.Eiren. 616.[81] I might add many other Instances, and some more Scandalous than any I have mentioned; But these are sufficient to shew the Authors Sentiment: And is it any wonder an Atheist should misbehave himself in point of Modesty? What can we expect less from those who laugh at the Being of a God, at the Doctrines of Providence, and the Distinctions of Good and Evil? A Sceptick has no notion of Conscience, no Relish for Virtue, nor is under any Moral restraints from Hope or Fear. Such a one has nothing to do but to consult his Ease, and gratifie his Vanity, and fill his Pocket. But how these Ends are compassed, he has no squeamishness, or Scruples about it. 'Tis true when the Methods of Lewdness will Take, they are generally most agreeable. This way suits their Talent, and screens their practise, and obliges their Malice. For nothing is a greater Eye-sore to these Men, then Virtue and Regularity. What a pleasure is it then to be admired for Mischeif, to be reveng'd on Religion, and to see Vice prosper and improve under our Hands! To return: Beside Aristophanes Atheisme, I have a Second objection to his Authority, and that is want of Judgment. If we examine his Plays we shall find his Characters improper, or ununiform; either wrong at first, or unsteady in the Right. For the purpose. In his Nubes. A. 3. S. 3. p. 146. 150. He puts dirty expressions in the Mouth of his Man of Probity, makes him declaim vitiously against Vice, and Corrects scurrility with Impudence; Now what can be more idle and senceless, than such Conduct as this? Epecially when this Justus as he calls him had told them in the beginning of his speech, that People used to be well slash'd for such Fooling, when Government and Discipline were in their due Force. The Chorus of his Ranæ slidesp. 142. p. 200.[82] into the same Inconsistency of Precept, and Practise. Farther, in the Progress of this Play; Æschylus falls a rallying contrary to his Humour, and jests away his own Arguments at a very unseasonable Juncture, when he was disputing for no less prize than the Laureatship. This Tragedian after he had play'd a little with the Story of Bellerophon,242.[83] goes on in the same strain; And charges Euripides that he had furnish'd all sorts of People with Sawciness and Prattle. The Schools and Academies were spoil'd by this means; So that the Boys were often whip'd, and the Boatswains drubb'd, for their Chattering.p. 244.[84] These Comical Levities come with an ill Grace from Æschylus. His Character was quite different both in Reality, and in the Play before us. He is all along represented as a Person of a serious Temper, of a reserv'd Loftiness, Cholerick, and tender of his Honour to an Excess, and almost in a rage at the Affront of a Rival, and being forc'd to enter the Lists with Euripides. The case standing thus, neither the Man, nor the Business, would admit of Drolling. Another Instance of his want of Conduct we have in his Concionatores. Here Blepyrus and some others of his Legislative Assembly, talk at a very dirty insipid rate. The Lowest of the Mob, can hardly jest with less Wit, and more Lewdness. And to make their Discourse more remarkable; These douty Members were just going to the House, and had their Heads full of the Good of the Nation, when they entertain'd themselves thus decentlyp. [ … … ] p. [ … … ][85]. And are these little Buffoons fit to consult de Arduis Regni, &c. to give Authority to Law, and Rules for publick Life? Do's Ribaldry and Nonsence become the Dignity of their Station, and the Solemnity of their Office? To make his Parliament-Men play the Fool thus egregiously, must needs have a great deal of Decorum, and State-Policy in the Contrivance; And is just as wise as if a Painter should have