A PROPOSITION FOR ADVANCEMENT OF morality, By a new way of Entertainment of the PEOPLE.  
LONDON: Printed in the year 1654.   

A Proposition for advancement of Morality, by a new way of Entertainment of the People.  
AS 'tis the principal Art of Military Chiefs to make their Armies civil, so is it of Statesmen to civilize the people; by which Governours procure much ease to themselves, and benefit to those that are governed: For the civilising of a Nation makes them not effeminate, or too soft for such discipline of war as enables them to affront their Enemies, but takes off that rudeness by which they grow injurious to one another, and impudent towards Authority. And subjects should receive good education from the State, as from virtuous Philosophers, who did anciently with excellent success correct the peoples manners, not by penal Statutes and Prisons, but by moral schools and heroic Representations at the public charge; obliging them thus to the supreme Power for their mutual quiet, without which Life is not a benefit, but punishment from God.  
All Nations are swayed by the Powers that rule in Religion, arms and Laws; but 'tis not amiss to observe how ill the generality of men digest these Three ingredients of Government, by the operations of which the public health is conserved.  
Religion hath long had diversity of Rulers, and though they have been anciently dignified by States, and heard as their Tutors, yet 'tis so far from begetting our continued quietness, that it can hardly establish its own peace; which is wholly to be excused, because the nature of divine doctrine brings in things not easily digested by human capacity; or perhaps, the menaces of everlasting torments imprint a stronger sense of fear( the proper disease of weak minds) then of love, and thereby beget aversion. And though with some tempers it find a quick and implicit obedience, yet it prevails slowly upon the wicked and faithless, because it promiseth no earthly recompense, which obedience doth reasonably expect in this world.  
Armies, whose Leaders are the Guardians of Empire( for Empire should be still in Nonage, and ever growing) are improper to command belief and conformity, because they do it by compulsion; for the mind( being of too subtle a nature to be touched with human force) should be governed by the insinuations of persuasion; and we may say, though Armies are obeyed, they are not reverenced, and they rather enforce then command, since no command can be perfectly and prosperously obeyed, without willingness and veneration.  
Laws( whose Enactors and Judges are the peoples civil Guards, defending them from the mischiefs of one another) have not had much success; since old laws, like the letters they were writ in, become illegible and out of fashion; and new Laws want not only the reverence which Time uses to confer, but even the interest of their Enactors is suspected.  
New Laws are maliciously called the projects of necessitous Power, like new Nets spread to entangle us, the old being accounted too many, since most are believed to be made for forfeitures; and such letting of blood( though intended by Law- makers for our health) is to the people always out of season: For those that love life with too much passion( and money is the life blood of the people) ever fear a consumption. But be Law-makers as able as Nature, or Experience ( which is the best Art) can make them; yet, though I will not yield the wicked to be wiser then the virtuous, I may say, offences are too hard for the laws, as some beasts are too wily for their Hunters; and that 'vice overcomes virtue, as much as weeds grow faster then medicinable herbs; or rather that sin, like the fruitful slime of Nilus, doth increase into so many various shapes of Serpents( whose walks and retreats are winding and unknown) that even Justice( the painful pursuer of mischief) is become weary and amazed.  
If the principal aids of Government have been accompanied with little success, it follows next we should introduce to strengthen them( still making the people our direct object) some collateral help; which I presume to consist in the improvement of instructive Morality; not speculative Moralty, but that which is active and brought home to the senses.  
And we are to consider, that the generality of mankind are solely instructed by their senses, and by immediate impressions of particular objects, never vexing their heads with reviews and subtle examinations; and are so much the sooner gained, by how much the first representations are either more illustrious or more charming; whether this be by the Eye or ear, wants not its several effects; it being in the most refined and ethereal Spirits a curiosity and desire of knowledge; in common souls, an abject admiration: For as great Buildings, fair Pictures, Statues, and Medals, entice the Virtuosi, so Triumphs, Pageants, Caualcades, or any thing new, brings the common people about them.  
What is hitherto said, infers, that since there hath not been found a perfect means to retain the people in quiet( they being naturally passionate and turbulent, and yet reducible) and that persuasion must be joined to Force, it can be compassed no other way then by surprisal of their Eyes and Ears.  
The people will ever be unquiet whilst they are ignorant of themselves, and unacquainted with those engines that scrue them up, which are their passions, in true characters of the beauties and deformities of virtue and 'vice. For commonly Divinity speaks in abstractions and high Theories above their understanding, and seldom descends to those useful parts which are necessary to be learnt; Supposing perhaps that our first Tutors( which are Parents and Grammarians) have prevented the Pulpit in documents of this plain and easy Nature; but Morality( especially that which is needful to direct our behaviour in public) can hardly be taught by unpractis'd persons, as being onely to be learned from such singular understandings as have been experienced in variety of men and affairs.  
By these omissions the clouds of common mindes continue undisperst, and breed despair of knowledge, which begets aversion, and aversion begets open defection; but if the peoples senses were charmed and entertained with things familiar to them, they would easily follow the voices of their shepherds; especially if there were set up some Entertainment, where their Eyes might be subdued with heroical Pictures and change of Scenes, their ears civilized with music and wholesome discourses, by some academy where may be presented in a theatre several ingenious mechanics, as Motion and Transposition of Lights, to make a more natural resemblance of the great and virtuous Actions of such as are eminent in Story; without any scandalous disguising of men in womens habits, as have been used in plays; the former would not onely divert the people from disorder, but by degrees enamour them with consideration of the conveniencies and protections of Government. This the wise Athenians knew; who dividing into three parts the public revenue, expended one in Shows to divert the people from meeting to consult of their Rulers merit and the defects of Government; and the Romans had not long continued their Empire, but for the same diversion at a vaster charge.  
music hath so strong Sympathy with good mindes, that( as Plato says) he cannot be virtuous that loves it not. The wonders it can produce may be imagined by the two Fictions of Orpheus and Amphion; the one by his music civilising a rude people; the other by the sound of his Harp making pleasant their toils who built up the walls of Thebes. But why should we descend to instance Fictions when we may take notice of the great effects that David's Harp wrought upon Saul?  
Discourses are of excellent advantage to those that want experience; we mean not intellectual School disquisitions, but smart reflections upon manners, which make reason familiar with Sense, and enforce the gravest and most considerable Truths from the smallest and most domestic hints; which is not mere Poetry, but a pleasant mixture of it with verbal painting; and was the way our Saviour took to convey his Doctrine into the mindes of his Auditors; for, Without a Parable spake he not them; In this way did Solomon declare the mystical love of Christ to his Church, and( if it be lawful to join any ethnic Record to sacred Story) we may mention that by this means Demosthenes and Menenius Agrippa( the one with the tale of Wolves and Sheep, the other with that of the belly and limbs) did pleasantly procure their Countreys safety. But this is Poetry in an home and country dress; she has also her States and magnificencies, her wraths and familiarities; and there is no degree of life which she cannot teach.  
To work these to the best advantage, and make their touches strengths and heights, not only for delight but instruction, there can be no better way then by bringing all into the channel of Morality; for the scandalous and extravagant parts being cut off, there will remain an entire body, full of grace and proportion, able to 'allure and overcome the variety of Spectators: This will be the great commander of mindes, and like Hercules in the emblem draw all by the ears.  
We may then infer, that no design can promise itself fairer success upon the people then if an academy or school of Morality were set up; where several Scenes and Representations to the Eye, several speeches and entertainments to the mind, might court even the coursest of the people into goodness; for though virtue must needs be transcendently amiable, yet since her beams are too dazzling for the Eyes of the vulgar, her meaner approaches, through the disguises of moral Poety and other Arts, lessen her into a due proportion to their sight.  
The chiefest objects represented, should be those famous Battels at Land and Sea by which this Nation is renowned; presenting the Generals and other meritorious Leaders in their conduct, Dangers, successses, and Triumphs; and the interlocution, between the changing of the Scenes, should be in praise of Valor, Vigilance, Military painfulness, Temperance, and Obedience to Authority; which will not, like the softer arguments of plays, make the people effeminate, but warm and incite them to heroical Attempts, when the State shall command them; and bring into derision the present Vices and Luxury.  
But perhaps the devotion of some( which with all meekness and civility should be satisfied) may except against this way of teaching the people, as if it were new, or that the doctrine of Morality were not needful where that of faith is freely preached.  
But this kind of representation( consisting partly in the variety of objects by the change of Scenes, like historical Painting) is no other then that of Parables, unless this be made more lively then if it were delivered merely by discourse: and is not new; for by Parables in moral Fictions the Prophets of old did often teach; and likewise by that way our Saviour hath oftenest taught; and Morality was not only the onely theme of the Prophets, but was also half that great precept in which our Saviour contracted his whole Doctrine; which was divided between our manners or behaviour towards one another( which is Morality) and our Piety towards God.  
Others may object, that recreations though never so innocent, are a loss of time to the people in giving them too great a diversion of pleasure.  
To this I reply, that whosoever in Government endeavours to make the people serious and grave( which are attributes that may become the peoples Representatives, but not the people) doth practise a new way to enlarge the State, by making every Subject a States-man; and he that means to govern so sadly( as it were without any music in his Dominion) must lay but light burdens on his Subjects; or else he observes not the ordinary wisdom of those, who to their beasts that are much Laden whistle all day to encourage their travel. For that supreme Power which expects a firm obedience in those who are not used to rejoicing, but live mournfully, as if they were still preparing for the funeral of peace, hath erred in contriving the lastingnesse of Government, which is the principal work of Art; and less hath that Power considered Nature; as if such new austerity did seem to tax even her for want of gravity in bringing in the spring merrily, with a musical variety of birds. And tis requisite to observe that battles( the most solemn and serious business of Death) are begun with Trumpets and Fifes, and anciently were continued with more diversity of music; and that the graecian Laws( laws being the gravest endeavour of human councells for the ease of life) were long before the dayes of Lycurgus( to make them more pleasant to memory) published in verse.  
Others may object that these Presentments, by drawing too great a concourse, might endanger the public Peace; which is a jealousy that suits not with the dignity and courage of a State, and may render its growth and strength suspected: But we will answer this objection with a plain question: How is it possible an Assembly that is not more numerous then any one of a hundred( which are in each parish of the City every sabbath) can in any kind affront the Military Power?  
It should not be forgotten, that as the way we have proposed, is the most probable of evincing the necessity of virtue unto vulgar mindes, so is it the most likely to contain them in quiet: several religions teach contrariety, or contradictions, and by perverted principles often led the people into commotions; but their mindes will be more tractable and sooner instructed, when the ways to sacred Religion( which are rough and shady) be made more plain and passable by the footsteps of her usher, Morality; and Morality, as it is still the same, so is it faithful to the same ends, and excludes debates; which too often attend the remote, and undiscernible pureness of Divinity; But this would not onely divert the people from suspicious thoughts of their Governors( which is commonly the first effect of their idleness) but also ease them in the midst of their burdens, and make them believe they have peace round about them; whereas the sound of Trumpets and clashing of arms, when no such Entertainments are made for diversion, puts them into jealousies, and makes them apt for commotion; and though it may seem presumption to note so much, yet will it not be amiss to say, that even the wisest Governors have held it convenient thus to divert the people; and that there is not an easier means to bring them to the thought and love of public tranquillity.  
It is also proposed( since it may be conceived such a work will bring some profit to the undertakers) that out of the product the State would accept of the maintenance of Fifty maimed Soldiers; which is more then at most any hospital of this iceland does support.  
These things are spoken to the rational and ingenious; therefore we may boldly hope this tender will be received with the same affection and readiness, as good Governors use to e●●ertain Propositions for the advantage of the people, and such as in any little kind improve the public revenue. And since this comes from sincerity in the undertakers, and will conduce to the common benefit and quiet, we cannot( in such a concourse of promising circumstances) doubt of the success.  
FINIS.