Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-09-02
For the .alenandria Gazette.

FOT UbG U1LG.CHHUTIu Uu~cs'0'
To wake the soul by tender strokes OF
art,
To raise the genius, and to mend the|
heart,
To make mankind In conscious virtue
bold,
For this the Tragic muse first trod the
stage.
Pope.
Comedia, non sine
multa
Laude, sed in vitium libertas excidit,
Hor. De Art. Poet.
Nh. EDITOR
Under the hope of seeing reply from
an ADLER pen, we have deferred some OBJ
servations Of the Essays, which have APP
[peared in your Gazette, or Theatrical
Entertainments. From the author of those
remarks we differ indeed in funda-
mental principle which, however strongIj
I it might affect our argument, it would be
both vain and useless for US to debate
That continual sacrifice of pleasure to
profit which he recognises as a first pln-
ciple, and adauces as leading argument
appears to us to be carried te strange
| extreme; VINO find this sacrifice econ
nended even By orthodox moralists but as
the means of more durable pleasure, ant
who cannot comprehend its proprlety
when IT involves the rciinquishment Of
EVERY ENJOYMENT, which does not imme
Aiately minister to spiritual benefit. Pro
! fl, in our creed, consists IN the high
est and most durable pleasure, and not IN
the sacrifice of all pleasure; and II your
Essayist will allow any human pursuit OF
enjoyment to be u.eful and lawful, be-
sides what more inmediatell concerns
the affair of salvation, we see little in his
Iinvectives against the Stage which applies
not, in very forcble degree, to aImost
every other liberal art and study. Foi
the existence. or, at least, the credit OF
all these, it is but reasonable for Us to en-
terrain some approximations, when one Of
the most liberal 4 elegant among them,-
an art which, Notwithstanding Amor Ia,
Itriaa's quotations, has ever been admired
and eulogized by scholars, wits and mo
ralists, SIS denounced as the most hostile
TO the Gospel; and the most destructive
OF the morals of society.
We have too much respect for caDdCr,
and too much zeal too, for the purity and
'propriety of the Drama, to deny aItoge-
Their any one of .arsor Patriae's four pro.
positions. That the Stage is too often a
school of licentiou, ness, and too often
hostile to the Gospel that too much
time and money are often thrown away
OH it, and that its retainers are not, for
the most part, the n2st orderly or repu-
tablets only additional proof Of The a.
Juse to witch the best things are uniortu-
nate!y subject. These are points So en-
tirely established, that they would readl-
| ly have been allowed, is .9ner Fat},aG
had never written: hat tbeY are prope,
Arguments ioi the entire abolition Of the
Drama, 1t will require some additional
ESSAYS 10 demonst ate.
While these facts may serve as very
foreible reasons loi the ryform of the Dra-
ma, very different torn Of argument
would be requisite to pr0ve lie propriety
of its total di5countenarce. 1t must be
shown to be Inherently and irnmutabIy
immoral, and to be Incapable Of pleasing.
unless it be Corrupt. 1t is vaiG, there
fore, for its assailants to tel us, that ma
ny, or even most o.! its productions are
liceutlous, as long as its advocates have it
IN their power to exhibit most respecta
bic list Of popular dramas which conflict
with the principles neither of morality
ror the Gospel; which, indeed, promote
their cause, T. impress their ihiuDctions !;
and yet lose none of their power to int
rest aud fascnate. % adduce the nu~
merous instances in which prohigGcy may
have corrupted this scarce of Instruction
and harmless entertainment, is only TO
drive US to the trite principle. that the "a
buse Of things is no argument against
heir use vice has, in all ages, been
skuful IN welding the weapons of viz
tue
IF therefore, when he lenounccs The
Theatre to have $. always beer school
of false sentiment and licentious prac-
tice," your correspondent only means
that the larger portion OF Its exhibitions
are indecorous or immoral, we very rea-
Oily assent to the fact; but we can b. n"
means allow that this is Any argument fer
the total abolition of the Drama: 1t he
means to assert, that it cannot impart
pleasure but by violating decency and