ington, Hooker, Perkins, Downham, Williams, and all other commentators on the seventh commandment, have condemned and forbid the writing, printing, selling, or teaching any amorous, wanton play-books, histories, or heathen authors, especially Ovid's Art of Love, Catullus, Tibullus, Propertius, Martial, Plautus, and Terence. Osorius also condemns them. Æneas Sylvius, afterwards Pope Pius II. strongly reprobates them; and Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, forbade the reading of Terence to the youth in all the public schools under the direction of that learned and holy order.

The Jews even, so notorious for their uncleanliness, did not permit their youth in ancient times to read the Canticles, till they arrived at thirty years of age, for

fear they should turn the spiritual passages which it contains to a carnal sense, and make them instruments of inflaming their own lusts; and for the same reason Origen adviseth such as are of an amorous temper to forbear reading that work of Solomon.

It is not to be wondered at, that so much immorality and Jacobinism prevails during the present time in this country; when, in this sinful Babylonian London, our plays, replete with love, intrigue, and deceit, are so constantly resorted to by both sexes, as well as our operas, where the dancers display such wanton, lascivious attitudes, which are too indelicate for any moral person to behold but with disgust.

Our youth, both male and female, are also educated in a manner so repugnant

to decency, religion, and virtue ! The girls, from their infancy, read nothing but romances, novels, and tales of love; while the boys, in learning the dead languages, study the heathen poets, who certainly were inspired by Satan, or they would not have drawn their very gods in such monstrous characters, carrying debauchery and adultery to the very throne of Jupiter. Our youth might be as soon perfected in the dead languages, without ever being permitted to study the heathen authors, if some of our learned men would take upon them to translate into the dead languages some pious and moral books for instance, Baxter's Shove to a Heavy-breeched Christian; a Heel-piece to a Limping Sinner; Huntingdon's Bank of Faith; with various other works of equal instruction and piety.

With poetry they might be supplied by translating into heroic verse Tillotson's and Sherlock's Sermons, Pope's Essay on Man, and Young's Night Thoughts. And for variety, which is so necessary to education, the Rolliad and Probationary Odes might be converted into excellent Latin lyrics. Then, indeed, might we live in hopes of seeing the golden age revived, and those pure and simple manners, which characterised that celebrated period, universally practised. But if a stop be not speedily put to the licentiousness of the present times, we may shortly expect to see the brutality of Tarquin, and the ravishing of the Sabine nymphs, publicly exhibited on our theatres, and openly acted to the life; when the corners of every street would be decorated with the following play bill :

Mr. Johnston, Mr. Incledon, Mr. Barrymore, Mr. Dignum, Mr. Munden, Mr. Bannister, Mr. Fawcett, and Mr. Hull.

Sabine Nymphs:

Mrs. Siddons, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Pope, Mrs. Maddocks, Mrs. Crouch, Mrs. Martyr, Mrs. Davenport, &c. &c.

To which will be added, an After-piece, intituled,

THE VIOLATION OF LUCRETIA.

The part of Tarquin

by a Noble Lord.

Lucretia, by a distinguished Lady of Fashion.

Being their first appearance in those

characters.