And in another place, He informs us that 'the German Women were Guarded against danger, and kept their Honour out of Harms way, by having no _Play-Houses_ amongst them.'[448]
_Plays_, in the Opinion of the Judicious _Plutark_ are dangerous to corrupt Young People; And therefore _Stage_ Poetry when it grows too hardy, and Licentious, ought to be checkt.[449] This was the Opinion of these Celebrated _Authors_ with respect to _Theatres_: They Charge them with the Corruption of Principles, and Manners, and lay in all imaginable Caution against them. And yet these Men had seldom any thing but this World in their Scheme; and form'd their Judgments only upon Natural Light, and Common Experience. We see then to what sort of Conduct we are oblig'd. The case is plain; Unless we are little enough to renounce our Reason, and fall short of Philosophy, and live _under_ the Pitch of _Heathenism_.
To these Testimonies I shall add a Couple of _Poets_, who both seem good Judges of the Affair in Hand.
The first is _Ovid_, who in his Book _De Arte Amandi_, gives his _Reader_ to understand that the _Play-House_ was the most likely Place for him to Forage in. Here would be choice of all sorts: Nothing being more common than to see Beauty surpriz'd, Women debauch'd, and Wenches Pick'd up at these Diversions.
_Sed tu præcique curvis venare Theatris, Hæc loca sunt voto fertiliora tuo. ---- ruit ad celebres cultissima Fæmina Ludos; Copia judicium sæpe morata meum est. Spectatum veniunt, veniunt Spectentur ut ipsæ; Ille locus casti damna pudoris habet._[450]
And afterwards relating the imperfect beginning of _Plays_ at the Rape of the _Sabine_ Virgins, he adds,
_Silicit exillo solennia more Theatra Nunc quoque formosis insidiosa manent._
This _Author_ some time after wrote the _Remedy_ of _Love_. Here he pretends to Prescribe for Prudence, if not for Sobriety. And to this purpose, He forbids the seeing of _Plays_, and the reading of _Poets_, especially some of them. Such Recreations being apt to feed the _Distemper_, and make the _Patient_ relapse.
_At tanti tibi sit non indulgere Theatris Dum bene de cacuo Pectore cedat amor. Enervant animos Citharæ, Cantusque, lyraque Et vox, & numeris brachia mota suis. Illic assidue ficti saltantur amantes, Quid, caveas, actor, quid juvet, arte docet_.[451]