| Citation |
BEP(F.767.015
6 Apr 1767:21 (1646)
Messrs. Fleets, It is notorious that acting of plays and
tragedies in this town is now practiced with impunity:
Whether the law prohibiting theatrical entertainments is
insufficient to put a stop thereto, or those whose proper
business it is to see such laws enforced, neglect their
duty, is not for me to determine.----I well remember a few
years since, when a number of credible young gentlemen
entertained some of their friends with a noble and decent
comedy or tragedy, a method was soon found to put a stop to
them: With more propriety should those of so insignificant
a character be prevented acting in such high life. It
certainly concerns the parents & masters of the young to
discountenance such; for give me leave to inform them, that
those entertainments are chiefly designed for assignations,
which in the end may be of sorrowful consequence: I am
certain they little suspect these assignations, & would
highly resent the choice of their daughters companions
especially to gallant away at such unseasonable hours as
from eleven o'clock at night to four in the morning:--This
judge of by an adventure the other evening, for having had
business which detained me pretty late, I was returning near
the O--nifi--ds, two misses ran out, and with their sparks
passed me, very merrily relating how they had bilk'd their
parents after they had gone to bed, & were concern'd least
some others, whom they nam'd pretty loud, had not succeeded
so well:--As I am a great admirer of the fair sex, I choose
not to be more explicit at the present, tho' they could be
easily pointed out.
I would just add, that it would not be foreign from the
office of our teachers to exhort the youth against such
immoralities: I am very sure had a late worthy divine
survived to this time, the present place of resort would not
have passed unnoticed: for he embraced every opportunity to
discountenance those vices which are a reproach to youth,
and to inculcate those virtues that are an ornament to them;
at the same time he allowed sundry diversions to be
consistent with Christian Sobriety, which many of his order
would not chuse publicly to recommend. B.S.
P.S. It is apprehended that when the American Company of
Comedians, who are now at New York or Philadelphia, hear
there is so great an inclination for such entertainments in
this place, they will endeavor to introduce themselves, and
certainly with more justice than these bunglers and coblers
in every business.
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