James Plumptre

Rev. James Plumptre (1770-1832) became a fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge, in 1808, and served as vicar at Great Gransden, Huntingtonshire, from 1812 to 1832.  He published Four discourses on subjects relating to the amusement of stage: preached at Great St. Mary’s Church, Cambridge, on Sunday September 25, and Sunday October 2, 1808; with copious supplementary notes, in 1809. He attempted to find a middle ground between Christianity and the theatre, which eventually led to his book, The English drama purified: being a specimen of select plays, in which all the passages that have appeared to the editor to be objectionable in point of morality, are omitted or altered (1812), followed that same year by his English drama purified with An inquiry into the lawfulness of the stage.  Taken principally from Four discourses on subjects relating to the stage ... and from the preface to The English drama purified (1812).