224 Poetry. 



the most popular dramatic productions of this 

 period, indelicate scenes sometimes occur, and the 

 general moral tendency of many is highly censur- 

 able. Bat there has doubtless been, for a number 

 of years past, a decency in the public taste, and in 

 that of authors, which has revolted from open and 

 gross obscenity, and, of course, given the dramatic 

 publications of the day a great superiority, in a 

 moral view, over those which were fashionable in 

 the time of Otway, Congreve, Vanburgh, and 

 Dryden. Among the first who signalized them- 

 selves by discarding grossly sensual descriptions 

 and indecent expressions from English Tragedy, 

 were Mr. Rowe and Mr. Addison; and the like 

 service was rendered to Comedy, by Sir Richard 

 Steele, and some who immediately succeeded him. 

 But, though the dramatic productions of the 

 eighteenth century are, in general, more decent, 

 and much less offensive in the exhibition of coarse 

 licentiousness, many of them may be charged with 

 a fault, which, though less obvious, is, perhaps, 

 more mischievous in its tendency. This is the 

 artful interweaving of false principles in religion 

 and morals, w^ith the whole structure of their fable 

 and sentiments. Theatrical exhibitions, as well 

 as Novels, have been employed to insinuate the 

 poison of corrupt opinions, decorated and con- 

 cealed, into unsuspecting minds. A splendid hero 

 is made to inculcate and recommend the most 

 hateful principles; and an ingeniously contrived 

 series of incidents to prepossess the mind in favour 

 of vice. This, considered as a system deliberately 

 instituted for the purpose of operating on public 

 opinion, it is believed, is peculiar to the eighteenth 

 century. Both Great- Britain and France have 

 given birth to a few dramatic productions formed 

 on this plan; but they have still more abounded 

 in Germany. 



