| Citation |
NYJ-N.768.067
7 Apr 1768:11 (1318 Supplement)
I am one of those unfashionable creatures among the fair
sex, who am not ashamed to confess myself an enemy to the
play-house; not from an affectation of singularity, but from
a principle of piety and public spirit. . . [3 lines] Others
may wonder to hear a woman talk of public spirit and love to
her country; as the word in general seems to think us formed
only for pleasures and amusements. . . [13 lines] The last
week being set apart by our church as a proper season to be
employed in devout meditation, preparatory to the
commemoration of the death and pasion of our Saviour,
occasioned the play-house to be shut up for that time. By
this indeed was shewn a regard to religion, which all must
confess to be decent and becoming; but does it now shew
more?--Why this breach upon the entertainments of the
theatre; but because they must have tended to unfit the mind
for a proper attention to the religious duties set before
us? . . . [7 lines] A few days ago I paid a visit to a young
lady of my acquaintance, who is as remarkably fond of plays
as I am averse to them: And in short her passion for the
theatre had got so much the better of her religioun, that
she was lamenting the evenings unimproved at the play-house,
as so much lost time; . . . [11 lines] I would not however
have it understood that this calm indifference of mine
proceeds from a want of taste for plays, for I flatter
myself there are few of the many that frequent them, who
have the advantage of me in that respect. It is owing to
the rigour with which I have persevered in denying myself an
indulgence that does but heighten our passion for those
entertainments--. . . [36 more lines, col.2 torn, sentences
incomplete] That the play-house is. . . [torn, 4 lines]
destroy a play-house by the. . . [13 lines torn]the play-
house, stand foremost [torn, sentence ends missing for the
final 4 lines.]
|