The SCHOOL for WIVES, a Comedy of Five' Acts in Verfe, acted at Paris at the Theatre of the Palace-Royal, December 26, 1662.

THE School for Wives drew all Paris to Moliere's Theatre; how

ever the multitude of Spectators

op could not guard him against a vast many Criticisms being publifh'd upon his Work, tho' it afforded himComfort in it. Such was the Malice or Ca bal against it, that they infifted on the flighteft Faults, and cry'd out against the smallest Neglects; but the most effential Fault was not taken notice of, I mean fome dangerous Images in it which fhou'd never be brought on the Stage. But if we confider only the Art which appears in this Piece, we fhall be forc'd to acknowledge that the School for Wives is one of the most excellent Productions of human Genius. The repeated Confidence which Horatio places in the jealous Arnolph, who was always made a Dupe in spite of his Precautions by a filly innocent young Girl; the inimitable Character of Agnes, the Humour of the under Characters which were chofen to attend her, together with the natural and quick Transition from one Surprise to another,

en furprife, font autant de coups de maître. Ce qui diftingue encore plus particuliérement l'école des femmes, & don't l'antiquité ni les théatres modernes n'ont donné aucun modéle, c'eft que tout paroît récit & tout eft en action; chaque récit, par fa proximité avec l'incident qui y a donné lieu, le retrace fi vivement, que le fpectateur croit en être le témoin; & par un avantage fingulier que le récit a fur l'action dans cette piéce, en apprenant le fait, on jouit en même tems de l'effet qu'il produit, parce que la perfonne qui a intérêt d'être inftruite, apprend tout de celle qui a le plus d'intérêt à le lui cacher. La reffemblance que l'on pourroit trouver entre l'école des maris & l'école des femmes, fur ce qu'Arnolphe & Sganarelle font tous deux trompés par les mesures qu'ils prennent pour affurer leur tranquillité, ne peut tourner qu'à la gloire de Moliere, qui a trouvé le fecret de varier ce qui paroit uniforme. Les traits naïfs d'Agnès ingénue & fpirituelle, qui ne pêche contre les bienféances, que parce qu'Arpolphe les lui a laiffe ignorer, ne font pas les mêmes que ceux d'Ifabelle fine & déliée, qui n'ont d'autre principe que la contrainte où la tient fon tuteur.

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another, are Strokes the most fine and masterly: That which diftinguishes the School for Wives ftill more particularly, and which neither the ancient or modern Stages had given any Model of, is that the whole appears to be related, and yet at the fame time is all in action. Every Relation, by its Proximity to the Incident which gave occafion to it, traces it over again in fo lively a manner, that the Spectator think himself present at it, and by a peculiar Advantage which the Relation in this Piece has over the Action, at the fame. time that we learn the Fact we enjoy the Effect which it produces; forafmuch as the Perfon who is concern'd to be inftructed learns every thing which there is the greatest reafon fhould be hid from him. The Refemblance which appears in the School for Husbands and the School for Wives, with regard to Arnolph and Sganarel being both deceiv'd by the very Measures they took to prevent it, muft turn to Moliere's Reputation who found out the Secret of varying what appear'd to be fo much alike. The natural Strokes of the witty fprightly Agnes, who offended against Decorums only because Arnolph had kept her in ignorance of 'em, are very different from those fine fubtil ones of Ifabella, which sprang from no other Principle but the Constraint her Guardian kept her under.

ALAIN, paifan, valet d'Arnolphe.

GEORGETTE, paifanne, fervante d'Arnolphe.

La Scéne eft à Paris, dans une place d'un fauxbourg.

ACTORS.

ARNOLPH, otherwife Mr. de la Souche.

AGNES, Daughter to Henriques.

HORACE, Lover to Agnes.

CHRISALDUS, Arnolph's Friend.

HENRIQUES, Brother-in-law to Chrisaldus.

ORONTE3, Horatio's Father, and a Friend to Arnolph

A NOTARY.

ALLEN, a Country-Fellow, Arnolph's Man. GEORGETTA, a Country-Wench, Arnolph's Maid.

SCENE PARIS, A Square in the Suburbs.