To return to his _Plays_. In _Love Triumphant_, _Garcia_ makes _Veramond_ this Compliment:
_May Heaven and your brave Son, and above all, Your own prevailing Genius guard your Age._[131]
What is meant by his Genius, in this place, is not easy to Discover, only that 'tis something which is a better Guard than Heaven. But 'tis no Matter for the Sense, as long as the Profaness is clear. In this _Act_, Colonel _Sancho_ lets _Carlos_ know the old Jew is dead, which he calls good news.
Sanch. _Why the rich Jew my Father. He is gone to the Bosom, of_ Abraham _his Father, and I his Christian Son am left sole Heir_.[132] A very mannerly Story! But why does the Poet acquaint us with _Sanchos_ Religion? The case is pretty plain: 'tis to give a lustre to his Profaness, and make him burlesque St. _Luke_ with the better Grace. _Alphonso_ complains to _Victoria_ that _Nature doats with Age_.[133] His reason is, because Brother and Sister can't Marry as they did at first: 'Tis very well! We know what _Nature_ means in the Language of Christianity, and especially under the Notion of a Law-giver. _Alphonso_ goes on, and compares the Possession of Incestuous Love to Heaven. Yes, 'tis _Eternity in Little_.[134]
It seems Lovers must be distracted or there's no diversion. A Flight of Madness like a Faulcons _Lessening_, makes them the more gaz'd at! I am now coming to some of the Poets Divinity. And here _Vengeance is said to be so sweet a Morsel_,
_That Heaven reserves it for its proper Tast._[135]
This belike is the meaning of those Texts, _that God is good and Gracious, and slow to anger, and does not willingly afflict the Children of Men_! From expounding the Bible he goes to the _Common Prayer_. And as _Carlos_ interprets the _Office_ of _Matrimony_, For Better, for Worse, is _for Virgin for Whore_;[136] And that the Reference might not be mistaken, the Poet is careful to put the Words in _Italick_, and great Letters. And by the way, He falls under the _Penalty_ of the Statute for Depraving the _Common Prayer_.[137]