A Short View of the Immorality, and Profaneness of the English Stage. Jeremy Collier
the Habit of Jack-Puddings, and Merry-Andrews. But Aristophanes has still higher Flights of Absurdity. He won't so much as spare the Gods but makes them act these little Parts of Clownishness and Infamy. Bacchus and Hercules in his Ranæ are forced to talk Smut and rally like Link-boys, and do almost all the Tricks of Bartholomew-Fair. To mention something that will bear the quoting. Bacchus enquires of Hercules the readiest way to Hades, or the other World. He bids him either Hang, or Poyson himself, and he can't miss the Road. This is Hercules's Humour to a Tittle! And represents him as much to the Life, as an Ape would do the Grand Signior at a publick Audience! This with a short Sentence or two of Lewdness,Ranæ p. 186. p. 182.[86] is the hardest of Hercules his Usage: And 'tis well he escaped so; for Bacchus is treated much worse. He appears under the disadvantages of a Clownish Debauchee, and a Coward. And is terribly afraid of a Spectre.p. 192, 194, 196.[87] When he comes before Æacus, this Judge is very rough with him; and tries his pretences to a Deity by Bastinado: Bacchus howls in the drubbing and had almost spoil'd all.Act 2. Sc. 6.[88] Now do's this paultry Behaviour agree with the Heathen Theology, with the Common Opinion concerning Bacchus and Hercules? Do's a Blew-Cap and a Ladle, become the Sons of Jupiter and the Objects of Religious Worship? Those who at the lowest, were counted the Conquerors of the World, and more than Men both by Birth and Enterprize? Sophocles and Euripides make these two Persons manage at a quite different rate of Decency. 'Tis no defence to say Aristophanes wrot Comedy, and so was obliged to make his Scenes more diverting. This excuse I say is defective; for a Comedian ought to imitate Life and Probability, no less than a Tragedian. To Metomorphose Characters, and present Contradictions to Common Belief, is to write, Farce instead of Plays. Such Comedians like Thespis ought to have a travelling Stage, and take the Air with Porcupines and Dromedaryes. If 'tis said that Gravity and greatness do's not suit the Complection and Entertainment of Comedy. To this I answer, that therefore the Persons should be chosen accordingly. They should have nothing in their known Humour, and Condition too Noble, and solemn for Trifling. 'Tis Horaces advice.
Aut famam sequere, aut convenientia finge Scriptor. De. Art. Poet.
Let us remember that Operations always resemble the Nature from whence they flow. Great Persons should therefore have a correspondent Behaviour assign'd them. To make Beings much Superior to the Biggest of Mankind, talk below the Least, is absurd and ridiculous. This Aristophanes seems sensible of in his defence of Æschylus. Here Euripides objects to Æschylus,Ranæ p. 242.[89] that he was too rumbling, noisy, and bombastick, over affecting that which Horace calls
Ampulla, & sesquipedalia Verba.
To this Æschylus Answers, that the Thoughts, and Designs of Heroes must be deliver'd in Expressions proportioned to their Greatness. It being likely that the Demi-Gods spoke up to their Dignity and Stature: And as they were distinguish'd by the richness of their Habit, so they had a more Magnificent Language than other Mortals. To this Euripides replys nothing; from whence you may conclude the Poet thought the Apology not unreasonable. In short Aristophanes had Sense but he does not always use it. He is not equal, and uniforme. Sometimes you have him flat and foolish a good while together. And where he has Spirit, 'tis oftentimes lavished away to little purpose.Ranæ A. 1. Sc. 1. Concionat.[90] His Buffoonery is commonly too strong for his Judgment. This makes him let fly his jests without regard to Person or occasion: And thus by Springing the Game too soon, the Diversion is lost. I could make several other Material Objections against the Conduct of his Plays; But this being not necessary I shall observe in the
3d. Place. That notwithstanding the scandalous Liberty for which Aristophanes is so remarkable; yet in his Lucid Intervalls, when Sence and Sobriety return upon him, he pronounces against his own Practise. In the contest between Æschylus and Euripides, Bacchus is made the Umpire of the Controversie. Æschylus begins with a Question,Ranæ p. 238.[91] and asks Euripides what 'tis which makes a Poet admired? He answers. 'Tis for the address of his Conduct, and the handsome Turns of Morality in his Poems. 'Tis because his performance has a tendency to form the Audience to Virtue, and Improvement, Æschylus demands of him farther; But suppose you debauched the Age, and made an Honest and a brave People Lewd, and good for nothing, what do you deserve then? Here Bacchus interposes, and crys out, what does he deserve? A Halter! pray don't ask so plain a question. And afterwards we are told, that Poets are valuable only for describing Things useful, in Life and Religion, for polishing Inventions, and setting off great Examples with Lustre, and Advantage.p. 240.[92] In the progress of the Dispute, Æschylus taxes Euripides with being too uncautious in his Representations; And tells him that Poets ought to conceal that which is vicious in Story; And entertain with nothing but Virtue, and Sobriety: He goes on reprimanding Euripides for his Dramatick incests, Strumpets, and Amours: And as for himself, to his best remembrance, He never brought any Love-Intrigues upon the Stage.p. 242. 244.[93]
This is very significant expostulation: and contains very good Rules for the Trial of the Muses: But if the English Stage, should be obliged to this Test; Aristophanes must set fire to it, and that with much more reason than to Socrates his School. Now that Æschylus spoke Aristophanes's Sense is pretty plain: For first; As to the Business of Love, Aristophanes always declines it; He never patches up a Play with Courtship, and Whining, tho' he wrote nothing but Comedy. In the next place the Chorus which is usually the Poets Interpreter, speaks honourably of Æschylus even to a Preference;255. 267.[94] And at last Judge Bacchus gives Sentence for him.
Thus we see Aristophanes Confutes his own Lewdness, and comes in Evidence against himself. This with the other two Exceptions I have made good against him, are sufficient to take off the Force of the Precedent, and make him an insignificant Authority.
To what I have observ'd from the Stage of the Antients, I could add the Authorities of Aristotle, and Quintilian, both extraordinary Persons, but I shall reserve their Testimony till Afterwards.
To come Home, and near our own Times: The English Theatre from Queen Elizabeth to King Charles II. will afford us something not inconsiderable to our purpose.
As for Shakespear, he is too guilty to make an Evidence: But I think he gains not much by his Misbehaviour; He has commonly Plautus's Fate, where there is most Smut, there is least Sense.
Ben. Johnson is much more reserv'd in his Plays, and declares plainly for Modesty in his Discoveries, some of his Words are these.
A just Writer whom he calls a True Artificer, will avoid Obscene and Effeminate Phrase. Where Manners and Fashions are Corrupted, Language is so too.Discov. p. 700.[95] The excess of Feasts and Apparel, are the Notes of A Sick State, and the Wantonness of Language of a sick Mind.p. 701.[96] A little after he returns to the Argument, and applies his Reasoning more particularly to the Stage. Poetry, (says he) and Picture, both behold Pleasure, and profit, as their common Object, but should abstain from all base Pleasures, least they should wholly Err from their End; And while they seek to better Men's Minds, Destroy their Manners, Insolent and obscene Speeches, and Jests upon the best Men, are most likely to excite Laughter. But this is truly leaping from the Stage to the Tumbrill again, reducing all Wit to the Original Dung-Cart.p. 706. 717.[97] More might be cited to this purpose, but that may serve for an other Occasion: In the mean time I shall go on to Beaumont and Fletcher.
Fletchers Faithfull Shepheardess is remarkably Moral, and a sort of Exhortation to Chastity. This Play met with ill Judges, 'twas Hiss'd before half Acted, and seems to have suffer'd on the account of its Innocence.Beauments, &c. Works. Ibid.[98] Soon after Ben. Johnson and Beaumont appear and justifie the Author in a Copy of Verses. And as Beaumont commends Modesty in Fletcher, so he is commended himself