The Preface.
giving Men a privilege to be familiar with, and ſometimes rude to Women, removes that awe which Nature has plac’d between the Sexes as the ſtrongevt Bulwark of Chaſtity; that when a young Lady ev’n of the ſtricteſt and moſt unblemiſh’d Honour, looſes a Summ of Money, which ſhe dares not own to her Relations, and which ſhe cannot pay without them, and looſes it to a young agreeable Fellow, who perhaps loves her, and has a ſecret Deſign upon her, ſhe finds a Temptation that tries her utmoſt Virtue.
We have endeavour’d to ſhew in the following Treatiſe, by the force of Reaſon, that the Italian Opera, another Entertainment, which is about to be eſtabliſh’d in the room of Plays, is a Diverſion of more pernicious conſequence, than the moſt licentious Play that ever has appear’d upon the Stage. It would be no hard matter to ſupport thoſe Proofs by the Authorities of ſome of the moſt celebrated Authors among the Ancients and Moderns, but we ſhall content our ſelves with that of Boileau, becauſe be is equally fam’d for Judgment and Sincerity, excepting Matters in which his King is concern’d, and is Known by all the World to be perfectly Maſter of the Subject. Let us ſee then what this celebrated Author, who has approv’d of Plays, in ſo ſolemn and publick a manner, ſays in relation to Opera’s. The Paſſage is in his Tenth Satyr, which is writ by way of Letter to a Friend to adviſe him not to marry.
L’Epouſe
