JEREMY COLLIER'S View of the Immorality and Profane-
ness of the English Stage appeared in March 1697/8 --
not before it was needed. The immorality and indecency
of the stage by this time was such that ladies, if they
were bold enough to go to a new play, were forced to
wear masks, presumably to hide their blushes, or the
fact that they could not blush. This custom of wearing
masks dated from Restoration times, and greatly facili-
tated the pursuit of scandalous intrigues. In fact the
term Vizard-mask had long been a synonym for prostitute,
in which sense it was frequently used by Dryden in his
Prologues and Epilogues. Not until the reign of Anne
was an edict issued to forbid the use of these dainty but
dangerous trifles of silk or velvet.

Tertullian has a story, gravely quoted by Collier, of
how a priest, exorcising the devil out of a woman,
asked how he had dared enter a Christian. The devil
replied that he had caught this particular Christian
on his own ground -- she was at the theatre! But it
must be conceded that quotations from the Fathers
against the stage were no argument for future ages,
since the stage of their day was far worse than anything
which came, or could come, after; though Genest went
a little too far when he declared Nell Gwynne and her
sisterhood to have been Vestal Virgins in comparison
with some of the actresses of ancient Rome. ¹

The nonjuring cleric, Collier, was no respecter of
persons. He made his attack courageously and unspar-

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