Description

George Farquhar (1678-1707) was an Irish dramatist. His first comedy, Love and a Bottle, was premiered in 1698. In 1700, Farquhar's The Constant Couple was acted at Drury Lane and proved a great success. He followed up with a sequel, Sir Harry Wildair, the following year, and in 1702 wrote both The Inconstant; or, The Way to Win Him and The Twin Rivals. Also in 1702, he published Love and Business, a collection that included letters, verse, and A Discourse Upon Comedy. He was engaged in recruiting for the army for three years, writing little except The Stage Coach in collaboration with Peter Motteux; this was an adaptation of a French play. He drew on his recruiting experience for his next comedy, The Recruiting Officer (1706). He was ill and in distress when he wrote his last play The Beaux' Stratagem (1707). He died not quite two months after the opening of his last play.