The Discovery: A Comedy

by Frances Sheridan

The A Comedy is a play written by Frances Chamberlaine Sheridan and first performed in 1763. The play is a satire of the upper class and their frivolous lifestyles, as well as a commentary on the theme of love and marriage. The plot revolves around the character of Sir Anthony Branville, a wealthy and arrogant aristocrat who is determined to marry his son, Charles, to a woman of his choosing. However, Charles is in love with a young woman named Maria, who he believes to be of a lower social class. When Sir Anthony discovers this, he is outraged and sets out to ruin Maria's reputation. However, as the plot unfolds, it is revealed that Maria is actually of noble birth and Sir Anthony's own daughter, making her a suitable match for Charles. The play features a range of colorful characters, including a scheming widow, a bumbling lawyer, and a vain and superficial socialite. Overall, The Discovery is a witty and entertaining comedy that offers a humorous critique of the social norms and values of 18th century England.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: Plays

148 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1762

About the author

Born in 1724 (as Francis Chamberlaine), Irish novelist and playwright.