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preſſion enough to work any change in the Souls of an Audience; or if they are not like to be wholly loſt in the ſoftneſs of luſcious ſounds; or if the mind is fit to attend to its duty, while the whole Man is diſſolv’d in the wantonneſs of effeminate Airs.
After what has been ſaid, I appeal to any Lover of his Country, if Poetry which begets a publick Spirit, ought to be baniſh’d for Muſick which deſtroys it, which as it corrupts Mankind has a natural tendency to the Inſlaving them; and indeed where-ever Opera’s have been a conſtant Entertainment they have been attended with ſlavery. We are at preſent contending for Liberty, and hard is the Contention, and the event doubtful, and we can not ſo much as hope to ſucceed, but by the Virtue of that magnanimous Spirit, which Poetry exalts, and which effeminate Mufick debaſes.
I know not by what Fate it has happen’d, that when in ſome late Reigns, in which Arbitrary Pow’r was the thing that was aim’d at, the Stage the Protector of Liberty was chiefly encourag’d, in a Reign like this which Deſigns and Breaths forth nothing but Liberty; Pleaſures ſhould be encourag’d ev’n by Lovers of Liberty, which are Independant of Reaſon, and tend to nothing but Slavery. A long experience has told us, that what My Lord Roſcommon has ſaid in his Eſſay on tranſlated Verſe is true.
True Poets are the Guardians of a State,
And when they fail portend approaching Fate.
For that which Rome to Conqueſt did inſpire,
Was not the Veſtal but the Muſes Fire;
Heav’n Joyns the Bleſſings, no declining Age
E’re felt the Raptures of Poetick Rage.
The Declenſion of Poetry in Greece and Ancient Rome was ſoon follow’d by that of Liberty and Empire. And
the
