| Citation |
NYM(G.761.086
28 Dec 1761:23 (491)
New-York, December 28. . . . [1 paragraph follows, then]
Having lately perused the pieces relating to the play-
house, in this city, which I think are calculated to impose
on the credulous and ignorant, I have thrown together a few
thoughts in answer to these performances. It is not my
purpose to arraign the author or authors, for want of
charity, good-nature, or good breeding, these are qualities,
he seems not even desirous the world should think he has any
claim to.---He as openly rejects them, as he does any
instruction from the reading or acting of a play.---I omit
his polite compliments to the ladies, who are pleased with
reading plays, or seeing them acted; whom he characterizes
in a manner peculiar to himself, but agreeable to his own
morose mind, from which has sprung such an answer to Amanda,
as disgraces our publick papers.---If jumbling the bible and
his base scurrility and general defamations; and denouncing
God's judgments so liberally, purely to satisfy his own
prejudices and heated imagination; is not to treat both with
levity and outrage, I know not what is.
Antient Greece and Rome encouraged plays, and even
rewarded their most celebrated actors, and authors, in that
branch of literature, with publick honours. But what's that
to us you'll say. Are we to be directed by them, or the
example of our Mother country, or of every civilized and
polish'd state in Europe? No, we must think and act as you
do, or at least profess to do, or we are all fools,
villaines, and rogues. This puts me in mind of Peter, in the
Tale of a Tub, where he concludes his letter with. If you
fail in this G-d d-m you and yours to all eternity, and so
we bid you heartily Farewell. I had almost said it was a
pity there was not a vacancy in the assembly, for this
zealous reformer of morals, this controuler of our purses.
Could we do less than use our interest and votes for such a
kind guardian, such a polite champion for the ladies. I
don't however doubt but this overflowing of his righteous
spirit, will be tossed to the heap of his other merits,
whenever an opportunity offers of soliciting the publick
favour again. But may not this busy watch tower spy, this
braying reverberator, have other motives for all this
clamour, and spirit of reflection, than the much boasted
wellfare of the community? Perhaps he gratifies some
peevish humour, or servily prostitutes his talents to party
rage, and ill founded prejudice. Why does he not display
his rhetoric against the abuses in the practice of the law,
and the iniquitous delay, in the administration of justice.
No, it is more consonent to his interest, and I apprehend
to his designs, too, to divert the attention of the people,
from this great grievance, which they have at this
particular reason to expect, will be redress'd...[18 more
lines suggesting other targets at which he might aim.] No,
they have put more fus into the lawyer's pockets than are
ever like to come from this peaceable Play House.
There are certainly excesses in most amusements. The
best things are too often perverted, and even the church is
not exempt from abuse. I could venture to aver that, more
private interviews and assignations have been made at a
nocturnal conventicle, in a meeting house, than has every
yet been made in the play house here.---But I dare this
champion to instance one intrigue, or one riotous scenes
raised at the theatre, since it was open'd.---As to the
plays which have been acted, they speak for themselves; they
are such as were wrote by some of the greatest and best men
of our country; and are read and admired by the gravest and
most virtuous. With what notorious falsity does he aver,
that in these plays, the Sovereign of the Universe is
treated with levity; matrimony ridiculed; adulterous
lewdness [blurred] into refined galantry, &c. What can
exceed this effrontery? I appeal to the audience of every
play yet acted, if any such entertainment has been
exhibited: or to the plays themselves, where it will appear
that the design, and natural tendency of them, is the very
reverse of what he asserts.---It is possible there are some
plays, which are liable to censure, but sure I am none such
have been acted here: And it is remarkable that this
conscientious penman, is so well acquainted with such; or
that if he has perused any other plays, he is like his
kindred wasp, which attracts the poisonous parts, while
others like the beneficent and industrious bee, carry away
the instructive honey, and improve by the moral of what is
represented.
The unchristian-like temper of this declaimer, is not more
evident in any thing, than in the very ungenerous manner in
which he treats the characters of the company of comedians
now here. He gives them the vilest epithets, without perhaps
being acquainted in the least with one of them, or having
given himself the trouble to enquire about them; if he had,
I am certain he could not have learnt any thing in their
behaviour which could give any ground for such base and
abusive language. Mr. Douglass, the director of the company,
is of a good family, and has a genteel and liberal
education; and if we my judge from behaviour, conduct, and
conversation, has better pretentions to the name of a
gentleman in every sense of the word, than he who so
politely and generously lavishes the appellation of vagrant
and stroller on him.
I cannot conclude without taking notice of one other
glaring instance of this pious gentleman's little regard to
candour or truth; he tells us the expence of the Play-House
to the public for the season will amount to L6000, by which
he certainly intends to make the credulous believe, that the
comedians will carry away that sum from the city. They have
as yet permission to act but for two months from their
beginning. They act but twice a week, which will be 16 plays
in the two months. The greatest sum they have received any
night was about L180; they cannot get more, for the house
will not hold a larger audience than they then had; but at a
medium we may set them down at L120 a night, which for 16
nights amounts to L1920. The current expence of these 16
nights will amount to L250; the house cost them not less
than L650, and they have laid out about L400 in scenes and
cloaths, which sums, amounting to L1300, all expended by
them in this city, when deducted from the other, leaves
L620, out of which they are to pay for their lodging,
washing, and diet, for a much longer time than they have
acted.
What shall we now think of this terrible tax upon the
publick of L6000? or what shall we think of the man who so
impudently imposes upon the publick? Sure I am, whatever the
favour of the place shall enable the actors to carry away
with them, they earn it much more fairly and honestly than
those who have raked together thousands by an inflexible
attachment to their own dear interests, by oppressing the
fatherless and widows, and unfeelingly grinding the face of
the poor. How opposite has been the conduct of those very
comedians? In justice to them, I appeal to the inhabitants
of the city. It is well known that when they were last
here, tho' they were permitted to act only 13 plays, they
nevertheless very generously offered to act one for the
benefit of the poor, by which a very considerable charity
would have been raised for their relief. That they behaved
with the same benevolent disposition at Rhode Island, was
candidly acknowledged in their publick papers; and I don't
in the least doubt that they will now again be willing to
contribute their endeavours to succour the necessitous and
indigent.
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