Essays on the Stage eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about Essays on the Stage.

Essays on the Stage eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 78 pages of information about Essays on the Stage.
Lady, Bull in the Relapse, Say-grace, Cuff-cushion, and others, all learning their Lessons of their stubborn Superior our Reformer, and all tending to governing, brow-beating, snubbing, commanding Families, and the like, but not one word of humility tack’d to’t, for fear of spoiling the Character; there you may find 24 pages, one after another, all written to prove most gloriously, that ’tis impossible for a Chaplain to be a Servant; that tho’ you find a poor fellow in a tatter’d Excommunicated Gown with one sleeve, Shoes without heels, miserable Antichristian breeches, with some two dozen of creepers brooding in the seams; and tho’ you take him charitably to your House, feed, clothe, and give him wages, yet he belongs only to God, and not you, and you must not think him your Domestick, but your Superior.  Why, what a Scheme is here laid for Vanity and Folly, add how much more shining and beautiful does gratitude and humility appear in such a Depender, than such a bloated opinion as this?  Would any honest Gentleman, that has his sences, shew his Indulgence and Generosity to Wit or Learning, on such terms as these?  And does not this Chapter shew more the Spirit of Pride in our Absolver, relating to his own humour, than the veneration he has for the Clergy, or the Justice he would seem to do them in it?  I dare affirm, most of them are against this Opinion, at least I’m sure all the modest part are, who cannot but own themselves subservient to their Patrons that maintain them, tho’ at the same time they are Ministers of Gods holy Words and Sacraments.  Yet he buffly goes on, He is Gods Minister, not Mans Servant. [Footnote:  Office of a Chaplain, p. 178.] And a little way further, he clenches this admirable Notion through and through; therefore, says he, for a Patron to acconnt such a Consecrated Person, as if he belong’d to him as a Servant, is in effect to challenge Divine Honours, and set himself up for a God. [Footnote:  Ib. p. 185.] Here’s Ambition, here’s Perfection, here’s old Bonner for ye.  Now by his Hollidame, for I can’t forbear that Oath now, what can a squeamish Critick, that would make Remarks upon the Remarker call this?  But stay, he’s at it again, Dolopion, says he, was Priest to Scamander_, and regarded like the God he belong’d to_. [Footnote:  Collier, p. 113.] Pray mind him, the Priest was worshipp’d equal with the God—­oh rare Moralist—­if he were, ’twas an AEgyptian Worship, where only Calves and Apes, and Carrots and Onions, were Gods.  But pray let us see a little, has not this Divine quotation a tang of Blasphemy in’t?  Oh fie, no; what, the Moralist! Reformer of Vices!  Speak Blasphemy!  Impossible! he can’t sure!  Yes, yes, he may, when he thinks no body can find him out:  and faith, to my sence now, this smells as rank of
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Essays on the Stage from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.