02531cam a22003493u 4500 16335 UtSlPG 20260610133400.0 m cr n 260607r2005||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d 50002264 UtSlPG en iso639-1 PN D'Urfey, Thomas, 1653-1723 Essays on the Stage : Preface to the Campaigners (1689) and Preface to the Translation of Bossuet's Maxims and Reflections on Plays (1699) Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2005 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Augustan Reprint Society, publication number 12 Release date is 2005-07-20 Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "Essays on the Stage" by Thomas D'Urfey is a collection of dramatic essays and prefaces written in the late 17th century. The work addresses controversies surrounding morality and the stage, reflecting ongoing debates about the nature of comedy and its role in society at that time. D'Urfey's essays notably include a response to criticisms from Jeremy Collier, who condemned the "immorality and profaneness" of contemporary plays. At the start of the collection, the author outlines his motivations for penning a familiar yet satirical preface to his comedy "The Campaigners." D'Urfey reacts to the criticism he received from Collier, aiming to defend the value of theatrical expression against the moralistic lens of the contemporary critics. In a humorous and combative style, he addresses the specific points of critique laid out by Collier, asserting the importance of comedy as a form of entertainment that also serves to expose vice and encourage virtue. This opening portion effectively sets the tone for a spirited defense of the theatrical art form, blending wit with serious discourse on the moral implications of comedy in society. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Collier, Jeremy, 1650-1726. Short view of the immorality and profaneness of the English stage Theater -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Early works to 1800 Krutch, Joseph Wood, 1893-1970 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16335 57723 57723