himself with such lewd things as Plays, and he very dutifully reads a thousand as fast as he can; nay, scans and weighs ’em, and, no doubt, not without tickling satisfaction, at the present, for all his Saturnine Remarks at last.  Now if his Answer to this is, That it belongs to his Office, as a Church-man, and that he could not reprehend the Vices in ’em without reading the Books themselves, I must tell him, That St. Cyprian, nor the rest of the Fathers, did not allow that, neither do we find they did it themselves, for all their inveighing against the Stage; so that he makes his own Quotation altogether invalid, He not being to do ill that good might come of it.

And therefore, why may not a Poet now, who, perhaps, is a greater Votary to St. Cyprian in other Matters than the Absolver is in this, rally him thus, and turn his Quotation upon himself, Phrase by Phrase?  “What business has a Parson with such Books as these?  A Parson who has not the liberty so much as to think of an ill thing?  Why does he entertain himself with lewd Comedies?  Has he a mind to discharge his Priestcraft, and flesh himself up for a Poet?  Yes, this is the consequence, by using to see these smutty things, he’ll learn to write ’em.  What need I mention the Sham-Oaths, and looseness of Farce, or the Fustian raving against the Gods in Tragedy, were these things really unconcern’d with Idolatry, a Parson, of all Mankind, should not be known to ogle them, for were they not highly Criminal, the foolery of them is Egregious, and unbecoming the gravity of all that thump the Cushion, or intend to thump a true Belief into the Pates of an incorrigible Congregation.”

And now methinks I see the Spiritual Critick, with a certain sallow Male-contented Phiz, poring upon this Page, and sucking his Ring-finger, gives himself an unpleasurable minute to Judge whether I have paraphras’d right or no; well, all’s one, fall back fall edge, I’m resolv’d to bait him with St. Cyprian a little more.  “A Parson has, or should have, much better Books than Plays to look in; he has many Authors of Pious and Solid Authorities to please, and improve himself with, at the same time.  Would a Parson be agreeably refresh’d, let him read the Scriptures, let him find out Treatises of Morality, Meekness, Charity, and holy Life, there the Entertainment will suit his Character.  Ah, Beloved, how noble, how moving, how profitable a pleasure would it be to us, to see a Parson thus employ’d, to let the Stage’s diversions be too little for his grave Consideration, and be intent himself on the glories of Heaven!” And here now, I do not at all question but the Absolver, a little nettled at this last Parallel, will fall to biting of his fingers again, his Righteous Spirit being offended at my Insolence, in scribling the Word Parson so oft, it being a Nickname, and only invented by some idle fellow, who resolv’d to use the Order with no more respect.  Why truly, I confess, in