imagin'd, and to no other, is evident. Why was he not elfe a Law-giver to himfelf, but a tranfgreffor, and to be expell'd by his own Magiftrates; both for the wanton epigrams and dialogues which he made, and his perpetuall reading of Sophron, Mimus, and Aristophanes, books of groffeft infamy, and alfo for commending the latter of them though he were the malicious libeller of his chief friends, to be read by the Tyrant Dionyfius, who had little need of fuch trash to spend his time on? But that he knew this licencing of Poems had reference and dependence to many other provifo's there fet down in his fancied republic, which in this world could have no place and fo neither he him

felf, nor any Magiftrat, or City ever imitated that cours, which tak'n apart from those other collaterall injunctions muft needs be vain and fruitleffe. For if they fell upon one kind of strictneffe, unleffe their care were equall to regulat all other things of like aptnes to corrupt the mind, that fingle endeavour they knew would be but a fond labour; to shut and fortifie one gate against corruption, and be neceffitated to leave others round about wide open. If we think to regulat Printing, thereby to rectifie manners, we must regulat all recreations and pastimes, all that is delightfull to man. No mufick must be heard, no fong be fet or fung, but what is grave and Dorick. There must be licencing dancers,

that

that no gefture, motion, or deportment, be taught our youth but what by their allowance shall be thought honeft; for fuch Plato was provided of; It will ask more then the work of twenty licencers to examin all the lutes, the violins, and the ghittars in every house; they must: not be fuffer'd to prattle as they doe, but: must be licenc'd what they may say. And who fhall filence all the airs and madrigalls, that whisper foftnes in chambers? The Windows alfo, and the Balcone's muft be thought on, there are fhrewd books, with dangerous frontifpices fet to fale; who fhall prohibit: them, fhall twenty licensers? The vil lages also must have their visitors to enquire what lectures the bagpipe and the

rebbeck

rebbeck reads ev'n to the ballatry, and' the gammuth of every municipal fidler, for these are the Countrymans Arcadia's and his Monte Mayors. Next, what more Nationall corruption, for which England hears ill abroad, then houfhold gluttony; who fhall be the rectors of our daily rioting? and what fhall be done to inhibit the multitudes that frequent those houfes where drunk'nes is fold and harbour'd? Our garments alfo fhould be referr'd to the licencing of fome more fober work-mafters to fee them cut into a leffe wanton garb. Who fhall regulat all the mixt converfation of our youth, male and female together, as is the fa-` fhion of this Country, who shall still appoint what shall be difcours'd, what

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prefum'd, and no furder? Laftly, who fhall forbid and feparat all idle refort, all evill company? These things will be, and must be; but how they fhall be left hurtfull, how left enticing, herein confifts the grave and governing wisdom of a State. To fequefter out of the world into Atlantick and Eutopian polities, which never can be drawn into use, will not mend our condition; but to ordain wifely as in this world of evill, in the mid'ft whereof God hath plac't us unavoidably. Nor is it Plato's licencing of books will doe this, which neceffarily pulls along with it fo many other kinds of licencing, as will make us all both ridiculous and weary, and yet frustrat; but those unwritt'n, or at least unconftraining