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No. 3

THE REFORMER

THURSDAY the 11th of February, 1747-8.

Eam calamitatem vostra intelligentia
Sedabit: Si erit adjutrix nostrae industriae.

Ter.

IN our Last we made a few general Reflections on some of our most taking Writers; in this we shall consider, how much the Players cooperate with, or rather exceed them in the Propagation of Vice, or what is near as bad, Folly, by their Manner of acting. The most obvious Fault they are guilty of, and which may be considered as the Source of the Rest, is, their Presumption in changing, what they think proper, in the Play, either by adding or diminishing. When an Actor has got a Reputation, he fancies that all his Applauses are owing to his own Genius, and, in Consequence, thinks the Play will be as much set off by his Wit, as his Action. When he has once got this Notion, nothing can escape him; the Plays he performs serve but as Opportunities of shewing his Wit, or serving some private End; he never considers how improper what he says is, either to the Character he appears in, or the general Tenor of the Piece; 'tis enough he flatters his own Vanity, and raises a Clap, from the ill-judging Part of the Audience. It was one of the greatest Charges on Zoilus the Detractor of Homer, that he dare abuse a Man by whom so many lived; how much more might it be objected to those Players, who daily more than burlesque by their vile Alterations, the Authors from whom they have their daily Bread; and, not content with the many Pieces they have already of that Nature, they turn all that we have, great or noble, to Farce: To give but one instance from a thousand, the Scene of the Witches in Macbeth, perhaps the most solemn that can be represented, is burlesqued in such a manner, that it is surprising how the People bear, much less applaud it; to see the ridiculous Jiggs they dance, the heavy jest of the Brooms, the smutty Entendre of the red hair'd Wench, Hecate's Spectacles, and the other such choice Buffooneries; all this before an Audience who profess themselves Admirers of Shakespear: 'Tis true, the Players have not made these Alterations, but they who have the Election of two Pieces, and chuse the worst, are chargable with all its Faults. Mr Addison mentions a Club of Duellists, where none sat at the first Table who had not kill'd his Man, there was a Side-table for those who had only drawn Blood; 'tis so with the Players, the highest of them change whole Speeches, and even the Plot, which is the Murther of a Piece; the Inferior are content with putting in an Entendre, or Quibble of their own, which may be called drawing Blood.-It might be laid down as a Rule, that no Actor should change any thing in a Play, because his acting it, is a tacit Confession that he thinks himself inferior to the Author.

The Practice of Kissing, methinks, should be banished the Stage, or at least, used very sparingly; the Rule which prevails on the French Stage is, that nothing shall be done on it, which was not allowable in a genteel private Company. The French if they be inferior to us in Matters of Genius, certainly exceed us in the Decorum and Regularity of their Stage; and sure 'tis a Shame that we should be excell'd in Judgment, and good Sense, by those whom we esteem a Nation of Fops.

A Stranger can have no better Way of forming a Judgment on the People's manners, than by going to one of their Plays, for as the politest are gathered for their Instruction or Entertainment, it must be supposed that what they suffer, they certainly approve, and accordingly as the Diversion is lewd or moral, coarse or polite, wild or ingenious, it speaks the Sense of the People. How much then should any Man, who regards the Honour of his Country, endeavour the correction of Stage Abuses?

But such a Transition from the grossest of Buffooneries to real Action, cannot be soon expected, on People long immersed in Folly, Conviction works but slowly.

We know the Actors will say in their Defence, that in all these Faults, they comply with the Taste of their Audience; we answer, that 'tis not so much from their own Judgment, that People approve these things, as from Custom; they see this the daily Practice of the Stage, and I dare say, were they used a while to better plays, and better Customs, they would as much despise these Things as they now approve them: but as Matters stand, it must be some great Indecency that would shock, the ordinary ones being conformable to Stage Custom; so that to many very honest, tho' not well inform'd Men, a Play and something immoral seem synonymous; at this Rate, 'twould be better to have no Plays, no Theatre at all, than such as must by its Immorality exclude Men of Virtue, and by its Dulness, Men of Taste.

We shall now make some few Remarks on the Audience, and the rather, as the Faults of Writers, are but an Echo of their ill Taste; for the Poet depending as well for his Reputation as Subsistence on the People, is often oblig'd to please them at the Expence of his Judgment. The Audience may chuse whether or no they will be rationally entertained; were they once resolved to condemn whatever scenes struck at the Foundation of any Virtue they would seldom be troubled with them. One of Euripides' Pieces scarce escap'd on the Athenian Stage because some Things were said in it, to invalidate the Sanction of Oaths, tho' in the Mouth of one who spoke them in Character. I am sorry to say, that so far from being disgusted at seeing any thing immoral represented, we are seldom better pleas'd; for which Reason, tho' it be the Business of a Writer to move the Passions, he finds it more easy, as well as advantageous to apply to the Appetites; hence the luscious Descriptions of which our1 Tragedies as well as Comedies are full, and the numberless indecent Customs which are received not only with Indifference, but Approbation on the Stage.

The Faults of an Audience, may be reduced to these general Heads: A Taste for what is vicious, what is unnatural, and their Customs of clapping, hissing, &c., the First we have already mentioned, the Second is

1 Orphan, Fair Penitent, Lee's Tragedies.

a very glaring Evil, and unless this Taste too much prevail'd, we should long ago have seen farcical Scenes excluded from Tragedy, dancing Statues banished to Dr Faustus, and Faustus himself with all his Brethren, banished the Stage; for as Miracles are unnecessary to convince thinking Men; so are Prodigies to please Men of Taste.

I scarce remember a taking Tragedy of the English in which there is not some Body butchered on the Stage; but what is the greatest Hindrance to the laying aside this barbarous Practice is the Passion the People have for the Actor's dying; but this Practice of fighting and killing is so far from having the desired Effect, in raising Terror that it carries something ridiculous with it: A Couple of Men clattering Foils will sooner give the idea of a pushing School, or a Drunken Duel, than of two great Warriors engag'd. The Narrative (for which we have so little Taste, and which made so beautiful a Part of the antient Tragedy) if judiciously manag'd, will not only raise a greater Idea than Representation possibly can, but perhaps than such a real Combat would.

The Generality of those who frequent Plays, may rather be called Spectators, than an Audience; their whole Delight is in their Eyes: Ask one how he lik'd the Play, "Mechel did Wonders," or if they mention the Beauty of a Scene, they mean the Painting: In short, the Play seems the least Part of their Concern. To Fools true Comedy is displeasing, because it holds the Glass to them, and the ill-natur'd don't care to see a generous Distress, but dancing Buffooneries and Harlequin eases them of these, as well as all other Thoughts. Few can judge what is sublime or witty, but no Understanding is so mean, as not to perceive an high Spring, or a dextrous Cut.

Clapping is another obvious Grievance in our Theatre; our People have so exquisite a Sensation of the Beauties of an Author, or Actor, that they cannot forbear this expression of their Rapture, even before the Sentence is out of his Mouth, by which means they lose that, and some of the following Parts of the Speech. Every person who goes to a Play, should endeavour to persuade himself, he sees some real Action, this one consideration would put a Stop to impertinent Clapping, at least, to the End of the Scene. A thinking Audience gives, and a judicious Actor receives, a profound Silence as the best Applause.

Hissing is still worse than the former, being an unmanly Insult on those, who do their best to please. If the Play is not lik'd, to go to it no more, and if the Actor, to desire his Removal, is the best Method of proceeding.

We hope our Readers will let us see this good Effect of our Writings, that henceforth they will be none of the Clappers, that they will not be above Measure transported with the Dancers or Harlequins; or if they hiss, it will be when only 'tis allowable: when the Actor put in any thing of his own, or commit any thing against Decency. And this we are sure of, that the Ladies will not countenance by their Presence such Plays as discountenance Virtue and good Manners. If we can see this done, we shall proceed with Boldness and Pleasure not doubting to make a thorough and lasting Reformation.

Æ.

THE REFORMER

THURSDAY the 18th of February, 1747-8.

No. 4

Omnium Societatum nulla est gravior, nulla carior, quam ea quae cum Republica est unicuique nostrum. Tull. Off.

WE laid it down as a Certainty in our First Paper, that Taste and Virtue had a close Connection; in Consequence to which, before we attempted to reform the Morals of the People, we began with their Taste; and the Encouragement we have met with makes up hope, that our Industry may at last prove effectual to the Amendment of both: Several perhaps might have been alarmed, and attributed that to particular Prejudice, which was meant for the public Emolument: The Ladies might have feared this Paper was design'd to destroy their Pleasures, when its Aim was but to refine, and render them worthy their Attention.

When we set up for Reformers, we expected a violent Opposition, therefore we enter'd boldly on our Design, and threw the Odium where we thought it due; we excus'd none thro' Partiality, nor attacked any thro' Prejudice, but in warring with Ignorance, we could not let those escape who publickly countenanced it, nor could we in endeavouring to overthrow Vice pass by so great an Obstacle as the Theatre, for which Reason we exposed the ill Choice of some Plays, and recommended those which we thought at once instructive and entertaining. We are very easy about those who for this Reason brand us with the Name of Party, and equally despise the Appellation, and those who give it, unless they mean, that by their Dulness they have made all Persons of Taste a Party against them, and then we Glory in the Title. But 'twas no Hatred to particular Persons, but a Love of the Publick that gave life to this Design; and we would endeavour as much as in us lies, to infuse the same Spirit into our Readers.

Hospitality and Public-Spirit have the same Source, namely, the Love of Mankind; yet 'tis no less certain than surprising, that we who are remarkable for the former, discover very little of the latter, tho' it seems more strongly enforced by Nature, yet thro' an odd Perverseness, all People are welcome to our Favour, but those whom Nature and their own Merits make worthy of it; while several of the Nobility and Gentry, in whose power alone it is to prevent this Evil, are not only passive, but Assistants to it, as if conscious of the Poverty and Infamy their Behaviour raises to their Country, they fly it and bestow their Riches, where, as they are less wanted, the People are less thankful for them.

Men of Virtue will require no other Incentive to doing Good than Virtue itself; but as if that was not sufficient, Providence often joins Honour and Interest in rewarding it, but to no Virtue more than this of Publick

Spirit: What can the ambitious Man hope for more, than to live where all Men honour him as a Friend or Benefactor, to meet none but those who have been made happy by his Influence, and whom his Goodness hath tied in a Relation nearer and dearer than that of Blood? such are not only Rewards for what is done, but Incentives to proceed in so honourable a Course; and surely no Country has more need of the Exertion of such a Virtue, whose Men of Fortune are not satisfied with impoverishing, but also despise it. The Complaint of our Manufactures is so generally known, we need not instance it, but let us beg leave to mention that those Gentlemen who are the most violent Decryers of them are the most easily deceived, not chusing goods from their own Knowledge, but the Shop-keeper's Testimony of their being Foreign; what an unaccountable Temper is this, that Men must be cheated to do good! But even if our Manufactures were inferior to other Nations, (which we will by no Means allow) what is the greatest Hindrance to their Improvement, is Want of Encouragement; the Trader meeting no Reward adequate to his Labour contracts a Poverty of Spirit that restrains him from contending with Foreigners, who he knows will gain more Credit from their Name, than he from Years of Labour; whereas were our People properly zealous for their Honour, in bearing indifferent Things at first, they would shortly have Goods of equal excellence with any in Europe: And who would think his Expence ill bestow'd, because not he but his Children were to have the Reward.

If in so few years the DUBLIN SOCIETY could be of such signal service to our Country, what might we not expect from the joint Endeavours of Nobility, Gentry, and People?

It seems very odd that a civilized Country should labour to deserve the Name of the only Nation whose People entirely neglected their own Interest, yet such it is, that had not a few risen up for the publick Good, even the manual Arts would have wanted a Support, and all the Industry of the Trader had never made this Country emerge from Scandal or Poverty. But besides Riches there are many Things necessary to the Prosperity of a Nation, and bad as the State of Trade is, that of Science is still worse, which as the noblest may be made the most profitable Acquisition of Man. Not to mention how few Patrons of it there are, Learning is fallen into such Disrepute that an Author is generally hated or contemn'd.

The first Reflection a good and wise Man has, after his Studies is, how to make them useful to Mankind; but he generally meets so many Obstacles from the Pride or Dulness of many that he must sit down content with the Appellation of Learned; or, if he does write, comply with the capricious Multitude, and follow the Road their vitiated Taste points out, rendring those Talents designed for their Instruction, the Debauchers both of their Taste and Manners.

With many it is a Fault to be above the common Level in Knowledge, and to have Wit odious, because unfashionable or unintelligible;-from such Science can have no hopes; but 'tis hard that those who owe much of their own Fortune to their Parts, should be so slow in rewarding them in others, and be so diligent in raising Funds for Folly, but none for Science.

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