r 7^ I 



a fort of drowfy monfter ; which muft be waked from its flum- 

 bers, by the keeper, and expeds to be fed with a competent pro- 

 vifion of daily novelties ; and, provided the mefs be fre(h and in 

 fufficient quantity, the many-headed beaft little regards the qua- 

 lity. Thus, luxury gradually depraves the tafle, and imbrutes the. 

 mind ; until, by infenfible approaches, it comes to lofe itfelf in the 

 grofs fenfuality, the childifh prediledions, and the rude barbarifm 

 of the early, unlettered ages. The mind then requires to be 

 roufed, and ftimulated, by fomething extravagant, far-fetched, 

 and uncommon. It no longer takes pleafure in the chafte and, 

 modeft beauties of fimple nature ; the jaded fancy calls for the 

 paint, the tinfel, the nakednefs, and meretricious allurements of 

 the venal wanton : Horace complains, that, even in his time, 



. Jam migravit ab aure voluptas 



Omnis ad incertos oculos & gaudia vana. 



How much more juftly might the complaint be made at prefent ! — 

 In how great a degree does the theatre depend for fupport on the 

 mechanift, the painter, and the tailor !— Even when the crouded 

 benches do condefcend to liften to the dialogue, what bribes- 

 them into attention ? Are they attraded by the fterling wit and 

 humour, the difplay of charader, or the genuine pathos that reign. 

 in our admirable mafters of the Drama ?_No— they are drawn to- 

 gether by the tranflated trafh of fome foreign novelty— they wait 

 the appearance of a ghoft -or goblin— they hope to be roufed from 



their 



