The Sun.
London, England, 1817-08-29 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

• MR. Cotton,—SOme time ago I noticed in
your Paper the melancholy catastrophe which took
place at Leeds, in the death of an Actor of re-
spectability on that Stitge, and your former recital
of a similar event equally awful in its result, in the
death of •the late 111 r. PALMER, of histrionic cele
brity, and I cannot but regret that some abler
person than myself has not made use of the op-
poriunity these fatal occurrences afford of calling
the attention of the Gentlemen who cater for us
in the theatrical line, to the lesson so awfully im-
pressed upon us by these divine Judgments—that
the Almighty God has great displeasure in hear•
-
ing his name used, and prayers and invocations
addressed to him with such serious -Solemnity,
when it is well known and understood that the
'persons offering them up are merely mocking his
'Divine Majesty by the relation of unreal afflic-
tions, and by invoking his assistance to relieve
them from troubles which they do not experience.
Safely, Sir, this is a subject that deserves your
notice as an Editor, and your consideration whe-
ther a remedy may not be applied ? lam a lover
of, the Drama, and highly admire the personation
of characters, when the actors are scarcely distin-
guishable from that which they repreient, and
when fiction is cloathed with all tile force and ex-
pression of reality. But when•l see them kneel-
ing with. uplifted eyes to the Throne of Grace,
and with all the appearance of actual and sincere
devotion bear them imploring protection,- bless-
ings, or the removal of such ideal afflictions, 1
tremble—l tremble, lest the Almighty should
visit both actors and audience with some dreadful
calamity. Since then this second warning, this
recurrence of a dispensation so awful, is now given
to us, I would beseech most earnestly all persons
who are connected with the Stage, or in the ma-
nagement thereof, to expunge from every Play
and Farce all things relating' to our God, or his
Most Holy Religion--;u purge at once from the •
Stage, by mutual consent, all such infamous and
irreligious passages. I know k will be alledged
that the performances will lose much of their effect
by so doing, but had we not better part with
some share of our amusement, rather than pro-
voke him who has the power to destroy us in a
moment ; who can at his own pleasure visit us'
with such ter-1)1)01.0, afflictions as will 'defy the ut-
most exertions of human science and practice,
and after this life leave us in:endless affliction
and punishment ?
.1 would most earnestly entreat and persuade the
British Public, as they value the Religion of their
Country, by every demonstration of displeasure, to
banish from the Stage such mockery. Well may
our morels be corrupt,•solong.as. we introduce in
our amusements such familiarity with the sacred
name of the Deity,.and'his attributes, which ought
never to be used in thought or word, hut with a
mind peepared for solemn devotion•and worship..
It is almost a ridicule upon all decency and pro-
priety for Churchmen, On the Sundry, going to
Church, and praying that God may incline their
hearts not to take his name in vain, and on th.e
following clays countenancing by • their presence
the utmost profanation of it.
I put it to the good sense of every man whe-
ther, if he had witnessed these late awful dispen-
sations of Providence, he wool(' not have trem-
bled, whether the stoutest heart amongst us would
not have been abashed and confounded at such a
visitation. Let the advocates (if any there be)
for the continuance of sit-eh blasphemy only ima-
gine themselves to have been present when Mr.
CUMMINS fell to rise no more. Perhaps a. loud
clap of applause accompanied his final exclama-
tion, and filled his imagination with the most
lively emotions of satisfaction at the success of his
performance, at the very moment the dart of Death
plunged into his heart. He, elevated perhaps in
his heart by the proud joy and satisfaction arising
from the praise of an approving audience, fell pro-
strate on- the Stage, a lamentable instance of' the
uncertainty and mutability of human joy and hap-
piness, and the victim of a depraved state,—and
will they then. still advocate its continuance ?
May we humbly and charitably hope that at the
moment of his filial exclamation, Mr. Cumserries's
invocation was sincere,. and that the feelings Of
the Actor were at that awful.period the real and
undisguised sentiments of his heart as a Christian,
and that God accepted his prayer and pardoned
his impiety*. Oh, that his Relatives, may be able
in their private circle to bear.testiniony to the
soundness of his religious principles ;, and that,
although the Almighty may have chosen bier-as
an instt (uncut to skew to mankind his displeasure,
at such proceedings ; yet that in ineicy he may
have pardoned this man's otfence, and- removed
a-far from them the everlasting punishment de-
servedly doe for it. •
Permit me in conclusion to urge my earnest
wish that you. will either insert this Letter, im-
perfect as it is, in your:Newspeper, or turn your
own attention to the subjvct by a more forcible
appeal to oar know-countrymen, which from your
habits of life you are well able to do, that they
may feel the necessity there exists that our Thea-
tres may -be purged front such disgraceful and irre-
ligious prayers and invocations.

A FRIEND TO THE PURITY OF THE STAGE.
Yarmouth, Aug. 2G, 1817.

* We knew Mr. CumtiNs in early life ; and the propriety
of his conduct at that period gave a promise which, by all
accounts, was tborouzbily fulfilled by the respectability Of hie
character till the a‘Ntul terminatiou csf his

A .11,4547,14

sTATs OF 11-IF, COUNTRY.
AGRICULTUILE, ALINUCA URES,

~:

CORN-EXCUANGE, AUG. 29.-We had not miny

Arrivnis this morning, Init owing to the precari tits
state of the weather, Fine Wheat sold- at an ad-

;lance of from 3s. to 4s. from. ►loniluy, and there

was more demand foir inferio- Grain ; narley and
I\l4lt support their ; Fine Oats arc brisk,

and ls. per quarter clearer ; in Pease and Beans

there is no alteration

LIVERMOI,—T, the opinion of some expe-
rienced commercialnntn, MOre mercantile b tsiness
has been transacted in Liverpool, during eit.c last
three months, .thau in any former period of the
same lit!gth, ,:inoe the establishment of the port.
Flour and Cotton have been the leading articles
of import. The exports have comprised almost
every, product of our domestic and colonial in-
dustry,.
. ,
MANcutsTEß.—ln addition to our previous
statements of :the fVatteriiik, aspect-of business itt
this district, we have the.pleasure to report, that
Tuesday s,e'nnight'smarltet evinced an activity
fully surpassing its precursors of reviving pros-.
perity. .

)4AINTRET TRADR.-7--Tfie lilariLet Trade at Wit-
now imeompotily rtlll all the nia•..
natieturers thereare fully employed.

FOR THE SUN.