Introduction xix 



an epistle dedicatory to My Lord; three prose-dedica- 

 tions to the noble readers; a " General Prologue to all 

 my Playes;" an address in verse from the Duke to his 

 lady which begins, 



" Terence and Plautus wits we now do scorn; " 



seven more prose-addresses or dedications to the 

 noble readers, and finally a dramatic prelude or 

 introduction to the first play in which the proverbial 

 " Three Gentlemen " take part. The opening pages 

 show her concern for the reader's attitude toward a 

 play-writing woman. " A woman write a Play! " says 

 the second gentleman; " Out upon it ... a woman 

 and a lady to write a play; fye, fye!" "Why may 

 not a woman write a good Play ? " asks the third gentle- 

 man, and the first says, " But if a woman hath wit, or 

 can write a good Play, what will you say then ? " 

 " Why," says the second gentleman, " I will say no 

 body will believe it." 



After this one turns to the plays with some anxiety 

 for her fate in the struggle with public opinion; and as 

 it happens the first play, which has already been quoted. 

 Love's A dventures, is the best : almost good enough to make 

 one hope the Duchess, having wagered herself against 

 the pigmies, is going to achieve at least one success. 



In this, as in all her plays, the characters suffer from 

 their names which according to a bad old fashion are 

 the labels of their owners' qualities. The hero is " The 

 Lord Singularity," and his father. The Lord Fatherly; 

 the other male personages include Sir Serious Dumbe 

 and Sir Timothy Complement. Among the ladies we 

 find the Lady Ignorant, the Lady Wagtaile, the Lady 

 Amorous, the Lady Bashful; the heroine is the Lady 

 Orphant. The story is the familiar one of a soldier 

 loved by a true maid, who puts on boy's attire and follows 

 him to the wars, under the absurd name, Affectionata. 

 In the course of the war, the Lady Orphant, in the boy's 

 guise, is adopted by her lover, the Lord Singularity, 

 General of the forces, as his heir. She has her feminine 

 triumph, too; for she is invited by the Venetian States 



