The School for Husbands | Page 3

for this Presumption, and am, with the greatest Respect
that's possible, _Madam, Your Ladyship's Most Obedient and most
Humble Servant_,
THE TRANSLATOR.
Sir Charles Sedley, well known through a history of a "frolick" which
Pepys relates in his "Diary," [Footnote: See Pepys' Diary, October 23,
1668.] wrote _The Mulberry Garden_, of which Langbaine, in his "An
Account of the Dramatick Poets," states "I dare not say that the
character of Sir John Everyoung and Sir Samuel Forecast are copies of
Sganarelle and Ariste in Molière's _l'École des Maris_; but I may say,
that there is some resemblance, though whoever understands both
languages will readily and with justice give our English wit the
preference; and Sir Charles is not to learn to copy Nature from the
French." This comedy, which was played by his Majesty's servants at
the Theatre Royal, 1688, is dedicated to the Duchess of Richmond and
Lennox, a lady who has "'scap'd (prefaces) very well hitherto," but,
says Sir Charles, "Madam, your time is come, and you must bear it
patiently. All the favour I can show you is that of a good executioner,
which is, not to prolong your pain." This play has two girls like Isabella,
called Althea and Diana, two like Leonor, Victoria and Olivia, and four
lovers, as well as a rather intricate plot. The Epilogue is amusing, and
we give the beginning of it:--
Poets of all men have the hardest game, Their best Endeavours can no
Favours claim. The Lawyer if o'erthrown, though by the Laws, He quits
himself, and lays it on your Cause. The Soldier is esteem'd a Man of
War, And Honour gains, if he but bravely dare. The grave Physician, if
his Patient dye, He shakes his head, and blames Mortality. Only poor
Poets their own faults must bear; Therefore grave Judges be not too
severe.
Flecknoe has also imitated several of the scenes of The School for
Husbands in _The Damoiselles à la Mode_, which is a medley of

several of Molière's plays (see Introductory Notice to _The Pretentious
Young Ladies_).
James Miller has likewise followed, in The Man of Taste (Act i., Scene
2). (see Introductory Notice to _The Pretentious Young Ladies_), one
scene of the first act of Molière's The School for Husbands.
Murphy, in _The School for Guardians_, has borrowed from three
plays of Molière. The main plot is taken from _The School for Wives_;
some incidents of the second act are taken from The Blunderer (see
Introductory Notice to _The Blunderer_), but the scenes in which
Oldcastle and Lovibond state their intention of marrying their wards,
and the way in which one of the wards, Harriet, makes her love known
to Belford is taken from _The School for Husbands_, though Leonor
does not betray in the French comedy, as she does in the English, the
confidence placed in her. The French Isabella acts like Harriet, but then
she has a foolish and jealous guardian.
Wycherley in _The Country Wife_, probably acted in 1672 or 1673,
and which is partly an imitation of Molière's _School for Wives_, has
borrowed from _The School for Husbands_, the letter which Isabella
writes to Valère (Act ii., Scene 8), and also the scene in which Isabella
escapes disguised in her sister's clothes: but, of course, to give an
additional zest to the English play, the author makes Pinchwife himself
bring his wife to her lover, Horner. The scene hardly bears transcribing.
He has also partly imitated in _The Gentleman Dancing-Master_, first
performed in 1673, some scenes of The School for Husbands.
Otway, in _The Soldier's Fortune_ (see Introductory Notice to
_Sganarelle, or The Self-Deceived Husband_), has borrowed from
Molière's School for Husbands that part of his play in which Lady
Dunse makes her husband the agent for conveying a ring and a letter to
her lover.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
SGANARELLE, [Footnote: This part was played by Molière himself.

In the inventory taken after Molière's death, and given by M. Soulié,
we find: "A dress for _The School for Husbands_, consisting of
breeches, doublet, cloak, collar, purse and girdle, all of a kind of brown
coloured (_couleur de muse_) satin."] } } brothers. ARISTE, )
VALÈRE, lover to Isabella.
ERGASTE, _servant to Valère_.
A MAGISTRATE.
[Footnote: The original has _un Commissaire_, who in Molière's time,
appears to have been a kind of inferior magistrate under the authority of
the _Lieutenant-général de la Police_. The Commissaires de Police
were not established till 1699; and The School for Husbands was
played for the first time in 1661.]
A NOTARY.
ISABELLA, ) ) sisters. LÉONOR, }
LISETTE, maid to Isabella.
Scene.--A PUBLIC PLACE IN PARIS.

THE SCHOOL FOR HUSBANDS.
(_L'ECOLE DES MARIS_).
* * * * *

ACT I.
SCENE I.--SGANARELLE, ARISTE.
SGAN. Pray, brother, let us talk less, and let each