'And granting the Regards of Quality, the Advantages of Age, or Temper, may fortifie some People;[481] granting Modesty secur'd, and the Diversion as it were refin'd by this Means: Yet a Man must not expect to stand by perfectly unmoved, and impregnable. No body can be pleas'd without Sensible Impressions. Nor can such Perceptions be received without a Train of Passions attending them. These Consequences will be sure to work back upon their Causes, solicite the Fancy, and heighten the Original Pleasure. But if a Man pretends to be a _Stoick_ at _Plays_, he falls under another Imputation. For where there is no Impression, there can be no Pleasure: And then the _Spectator_ is very much Impertinent, in going where he gets nothing for his Pains. And if this were all; I suppose Christians have something else to do than to ramble about to no purpose.[482]
'Even those very Magistrates who abet the _Stage_, discountenance the _Players_. They stigmatize their _Character_, and cramp their Freedoms. The whole Tribe of them is thrown out of all Honour and Privilege. They are neither suffer'd to be Lords, nor Gentlemen: To come within the _Senate_, or harangue the People, or so much as to be Members of a _Common-Council_. Now what Caprice and Inconsistency is this! To love what we punish, and lessen those whom we admire! To cry up the Mystery, and censure the practise; For a Man to be as it were eclips'd upon the score of Merit is certainly an odd sort of Justice! True. But the Inference lies stronger another way. What a Confession then is this of an Ill Business; when the very Excellency of it is not without Infamy?
'Since therefore Humane Prudence has thought fit to degrade the _Stage_, notwithstanding the Divertingness of it. Since Pleasure can't make them an Interest Here, nor shelter them from Censure.[483] How will They be able to stand the shock of Divine Justice, and what _Reckoning_ have they _Reason_ to expect Hereafter?
'All things consider'd 'tis no wonder such People should fall under _Possession_. God knows we have had a sad Example of this already. A certain Woman went to the _Play-House_, and brought the Devil Home with Her.[484] And when the Unclean Spirit was press'd in the _Exorcism_ and ask'd how he durst attack a Christian. I have done nothing (says he) but what I can justify. For I seiz'd her upon my own Ground. Indeed, how many Instances have we of others who have apostatiz'd from God, by this Correspondence with the Devil? What _Communion has Light with Darkness? No Man can serve two Masters_, nor have Life and Death in him at the same time.