Appear ye fat Fiends that in Limbo do groan,
  That were, when in flesh, the same Souls as his own.

Instead of—­ that wore when in flesh, &c.

  You that always in Lucifer’s Kitchin reside,
  ’Mongst Sea-coal and Kettles, and grease newly Try’d,
  That pamper’d each day with the Garbidge of Souls,
  Broil Rashers of Fools for a Break-fast on Coals.

  [Footnote:  Collier, p. 198.]

Words adapted only to Sancho’s Clownship, course Breeding, and Kitchin Profession, and with no more intent of Impiety in them, than if one should put on a Devils Vizard to play with a Child, does he note again as horrible Prophaneness, and says he does me no wrong in’t; now if he insists that Hell is too serious a thing to ridicule, why, perhaps, I think so too, in its Intense quality; but to act a Goblin, a Ghost, a Frog, or a Fury, and to sing to a Country Clown of such Bugbear matters, only to cause a little Diversion in a Noblemans House, has always been very customary, especially at Festivals, and far from being thought to ridicule the main matter.  The Absolver, to turn back a little, affirms indeed, That those that bring Devils upon the stage, can hardly believe them any where else [Footnote:  Collier, p. 189.]; but I can give an instance, that our famous Ben Johnson, who I will believe had a Conscience as good as the Doctors, and who liv’d in as Pious an Age, in his Comedy call’d the Devil’s an Ass [Footnote:  Vid. Devil’s an Ass, p. 9.], makes his first Scene a Solemn Hell, where Lucifer sits in State with all his Privy-Council about him:  and when he makes an under Pug there beaten and fool’d by a Clod-pated Squire and his wanton Wife, the Audience took the Representation morally, and never keck’d at the matter.  Nay, Milton, tho’ upon his secred Subject, comes very near the same thing too; but we must not laugh at silly Sancho, nor put on a Devils face to fright him, but we must be disciplin’d; nay, more, Presented for it.  Here, tho’ I digress a little, I cannot forbear telling some, that were too busie in doing that Office, that ’tis more easie to accuse our Writings for Blasphemous, than to prove them to be so.  To detect us indeed fairly, and prove it upon us, would deserve severe Chastisement; but if it be mistake, and our reputations are injur’d by Rashness and Injustice, or Ignorance, reflection upon it is at least reasonable, and just reproof I think not improper.  But to go on; my next fault is the Ass that’s brought upon the Stage in the Epilogue, with two lines alluding to Balaam’s.

  And as ’tis said a Parlous Ass once spoke,
  When Crab-tree Cudgel did his rage provoke, &c.