3 0 On ^THEATRE, 
virtue which we call decency, fhould appear more amiable,' 
and indecency more shameful, in your fex than in mine. One 
may eaftly difcern how custom triumphs over common fenfe: 
even fome of the mold facred regards of life fubmit to the ty- 
ranny of it. That which a woman would blufh to see, or 
hear in private, or be obliged to confefs her corruption of 
heart, fhe both hears and fees in public, with all the eyes of 
an audience upon her, with an eafy indifference. There are 
paffages in fome of our plays, which very few women, who are 
truly model!:, hear or fee without blulhing. But luppoling 
that perfons advanced in years, could hear and fee all that 
paffes on the ftage, with the utmoft indifference, which is mak- 
ing a compliment few of us deferve, can this be the cafe with 
the youthful of both fexes, who compofe the greater part of an 
audience ? Impoffible ! 
“ Vice is a monjler of fuch horrid mein , 
“ As to be hated needs but to be feen ; 
i 1 Yet feen too oft , familiar with her face , 
£C TVe frjl endure , then pity, then embrace?' 
So fays Mr. pope ; and is not this one of the dictates of com- 
mon fenfe and experience ? 
But can any thing be more apparent, than that the correc- 
tion of this fcandalous abufe of the ftage, depends on women 
of diftin&ion ? You may do juft as you pleafe. We may fay, 
with great propriety, that you have an abfolute authority in 
this inftance. Go to thefe immoral, or lewd plays, and you 
fupport them. Absent yourfelves, fhow your dislike by not 
appearing 
