(as corrupt as it is) can furnish us with many Instances of those of your Sex, who think the Beauty of the Mind does far surpass the gay Appearances of the most splendid Outside:  But yet, it must be confessed, that there are others, (and those not a few) whose Lives are almost one continued Circle of Vanity and Folly.  Such as divide the best and most precious part of their Time between their Toilet, the Exchange, and the Play-House.  This, I believe, upon Enquiry, will appear to be no unjust Censure; tho’ at the same time, Madam, I must freely own to you, that I think it a most amazing thing, that the Ladies (at least those who make any Pretensions to Virtue and Goodness) should ever be seen at the last of these Places; where they find themselves so scandalously treated.  I am apt to think, that very few of ’em have read Mr. Collier’s ‘View of the Stage’; if they had, they would there see the Corruptions of the Plays set in so clear a Light, that one would believe, they should never after be Tempted to appear in a Place where Lewdness and Obscenity (not to mention other Immoralities) are so great a part of the Entertainment; a Place that is now become the Common Rendezvouz of the most Lewd and Dissolute Persons; the Exchange, (if I may so call it) where they meet to carry on the vilest and worst of Practices.  ’Tis the Nursery of all manner of Wickedness, where the Seeds of Atheism and Irreligion are sown, which Weak and Tender Minds too readily cultivate, and from thence are easily led into a Contempt of all that’s Serious.  It is impossible to say, how many, and how great the Mischiefs are that spring from thence; which if a Man should take a View of, it would perhaps, be one of the most Melancholy Prospects that ever he beheld.  To look into our Modern Plays, and there to see the Differences of Good and Evil confounded, Prophaneness, Irreligion, and Unlawful Love, made the masterly Stroaks of the fine Gentleman; Swearing, Cursing, and Blaspheming, the Graces of his Conversation; and Unchristian Revenge, to consummate the Character of the Hero; Sharpness and Poignancy of Wit exerted with the greatest Vigor against the Holy Order; in short, Religion and all that is Sacred, Burlesqu’d and Ridicul’d; To see this, I say, and withall, to reflect upon the fatal Effects which these things have already had, and how much worse are likely to follow, if not timely prevented, cannot but fill the Minds of all good Men with very dismal Apprehensions.

And are these then the Entertainments for a Christian to be pleas’d with; for one whose Salvation is to be wrought out with Fear and Trembling?  Will the Strictnesses of Virtue and Religion be ever relished by a Mind tinctur’d with such Licentious Representations?  Must not such Diversions (to say no worse of ’em) insensibly steal upon the Affections, especially of the Younger sort;