Produced by David Moynihan, D Garcia, Charles Franks and
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LES PRÉCIEUSES RIDICULES:
COMÉDIE EN UN ACTE.
1659.
* * * * *
THE PRETENTIOUS YOUNG LADIES:
A COMEDY IN ONE ACT.
(_THE ORIGINAL IN PROSE_.)
1659.
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
Molière began in _The Pretentious Young Ladies_ to paint men and women
as they are; to make living characters and existing manners the
ground-work of his plays. From that time he abandoned all imitation of
Italian or Spanish imbroglios and intrigues.
There is no doubt that aristocratic society attempted, about the latter
years of the reign of Louis XIII., to amend the coarse and licentious
expressions, which, during the civil wars had been introduced into
literature as well as into manners. It was praiseworthy of some
high-born ladies in Parisian society to endeavour to refine the language
and the mind. But there was a very great difference between the
influence these ladies exercised from 1620 until 1640, and what took
place in 1658, the year when Molière returned to Paris. The Hôtel de
Rambouillet, and the aristocratic drawing-rooms, had then done their
work, and done it well; but they were succeeded by a clique which cared
only for what was nicely said, or rather what was out of the common.
Instead of using an elegant and refined diction, they employed only a
pretentious and conceitedly affected style, which became highly
ridiculous; instead of improving the national idiom they completely
spoilt it. Where formerly D'Urfe, Malherbe, Racan, Balzac, and Voiture
reigned, Chapelain, Scudéry, Ménage, and the Abbé Cotin, "the father of
the French Riddle," ruled in their stead. Moreover, every lady in Paris,
as well as in the provinces, no matter what her education was, held her
drawing-room, where nothing was heard but a ridiculous, exaggerated, and
what was worse, a borrowed phraseology. The novels of Mdlle. de Scudéry
became the text-book of the _précieux_ and the _précieuses_, for such
was the name given to these gentlemen and ladies who set up for wits,
and thought they displayed exquisite taste, refined ideas, fastidious
judgment, and consummate and critical discrimination, whilst they only
uttered vapid and blatant nonsense. What other language can be used when
we find that they called the sun _l'aimable éclairant le plus beau du
monde, l'epoux de la nature_, and that when speaking of an old gentleman
with grey hair, they said, not as a joke, but seriously, _il a des
quittances d'amour_. A few of their expressions, however, are employed
even at the present time, such as, _châtier son style_; to correct one's
style; _dépenser une heure_, to spend an hour; _revètir ses pensées
d'expressions nobles_, to clothe one's thoughts in noble expressions,
etc.
Though the _précieux and précieuses_ had been several times attacked
before, it remained for Molière to give them their death blow, and after
the performance of his comedy the name became a term of ridicule and
contumely. What enhanced the bitterness of the attack was the difference
between Molière's natural style and the affected tone of the would-be
elegants he brought upon the stage.
This comedy, in prose, was first acted at Paris, at the Théâtre du Petit
Bourbon, on the 18th of November, 1659, and met with great success.
Through the influence of some noble _précieux_ and _précieuses_ it was
forbidden until the 2d of December, when the concourse of spectators was
so great that it had to be performed twice a day, that the prices of
nearly all the places were raised (See Note 7, page xxv.), and that it
ran for four months together. We have referred in our prefatory memoir
of Molière to some of the legendary anecdotes connected with this play.
It has also been said that our author owed perhaps the first idea of
this play to a scarcely-known work, _le Cercle des Femmes, ou le Secret
du Lit Nuptial; entretiens comiques_, written by a long-forgotten
author, Samuel Chapuzeau, in which a servant, dressed in his master's
clothes, is well received by a certain lady who had rejected the master.
But as the witty dialogue is the principal merit in Molière's play, it
is really of no great consequence who first suggested the primary idea.
The piece, though played in 1659, was only printed on the 29th of
January, 1660, by Guillaume de Luyne, a bookseller in Paris, with a
preface by Molière, which we give here below:
A strange thing it is, that People should be put in print against their
Will. I know nothing so unjust, and should pardon any other Violence
much sooner than that.
Not that I here intend to personate the bashful Author, and out of a
point of Honour undervalue my Comedy. I should very unseasonably
disoblige all the People of Paris, should I accuse them of having
applauded a foolish Thing: as the Public is absolute Judge of such sort
of Works, it would be Impertinence in me to contradict it; and even if I
should have had the worst Opinion in the World of my _Pretentious Young
Ladies_ before they appeared upon the Stage, I must now believe them of
some Value, since so many People agree to speak in their behalf. But as
great part of the Pleasure it gave depends upon the Action and Tone of
the Voice, it behooved me, not to let them be deprived of those
Ornaments; and that success they had in the representation, was, I
thought, sufficiently favorable for me to stop there. I was, I say,
determined, to let them only be seen by Candlelight, that I might give
no room for any one to use the Proverb; [Footnote: In Molière's time it
was proverbially said of a woman, "_Elle est belle a la chandelle, mais
le grand jour gate tout_." She is beautiful by candle-light, but
day-light spoils everything.] nor was I willing they should leap from
the Theatre de Bourbon into the _Galerie du Palais_. [Footnote: The
_Galerie du Palais_ was the place where Molière's publisher lived.]
Notwithstanding, I have been unable to avoid it, and am fallen under the
Misfortune of seeing a surreptitious Copy of my Play in the Hands of the
Booksellers, together with a Privilege, knavishly obtained, for printing
it. I cried out in vain, O Times! O Manners! They showed me that there
was a Necessity for me to be in print, or have a Law-suit; and the last
evil is even worse than the first. Fate therefore must be submitted to,
and I must consent to a Thing, which they would not fail to do without
me.
Lord, the strange Perplexity of sending a book abroad! and what an
awkward Figure an Author makes the first time he appears in print! Had
they allowed me time, I should have thought it over better, and have
taken all those Precautions which the Gentlemen Authors, who are now my
Brethren, commonly make use of upon the like Occasions. Besides, some
noble Lord, whom I should have chosen, in spite of his Teeth, to be the
Patron of my Work, and whose Generosity I should have excited by an
Epistle Dedicatory very elegantly composed, I should have endeavoured to
make a fine and learned Preface; nor do I want books which would have
supplied me with all that can be said in a scholarly Manner upon Tragedy
and Comedy; the Etymology of them both, their Origin, their Definition,
and so forth. I should likewise have spoken to my friends, who to
recommend my Performance, would not have refused me Verses, either in
French or Latin. I have even some that would have praised me in Greek,
and Nobody is ignorant, that a Commendation in Greek is of a marvellous
efficacy at the Beginning of a Book. But I am sent Abroad without giving
me time to look about me; and I can't so much as obtain the Liberty of
speaking two words, to justify my Intention, as to the subject of this
Comedy. I would willingly have shewn that it is confined throughout
within the Bounds of allowable and decent Satire, that Things the most
excellent are liable to be mimicked by wretched Apes, who deserve to be
ridiculed; that these absurd Imitations of what is most perfect, have
been at all times the Subject of Comedy; and that, for the same Reason,
that the truly Learned and truly Brave never yet thought fit to be
offended at the Doctor or the Captain in a Comedy, no more than Judges,
Princes, and Kings at seeing Trivelin, [Footnote: The Doctor and the
Captain were traditional personages of the Italian stage; their parts
need no further explanation; Trivelin was a popular Italian actor, who
in a humorous and exaggerated way played the parts of Judges, Princes,
and Kings.] or any other upon the Stage, ridiculously act the Judge, the
Prince, or King; so the true _Précieuses_ would be in the wrong to be
angry, when the pretentious Ones are exposed, who imitate them
awkwardly. In a Word, as I said, I am not allowed breathing time; Mr. de
Luyne is going to bind me up this Instant: ... let it be so, since the
Fates so ordain it.
In the third volume of the "Select Comedies of M. de Molière," this
comedy is called "The Conceited Ladies." It is dedicated to Miss Le Bas
in the following words:---
MADAM, Addresses of this Nature are usually fill'd with Flattery: And it
is become so general and known a Practice for Authors of every kind to
bedeck with all Perfections Those to whom they present their Writings,
that Dedications are, by most People, at Present, interpreted like
Dreams, directly backwards. I dare not, therefore, attempt Your
Character, lest even Truth itself should be suspected--Thus far,
however, I'll venture to declare, that if sprightly blooming Youth,
endearing sweet Good-nature, flowing gentile Wit, and an easy unaffected
Conversation, maybe reckon'd Charms,--_Miss_ LE BAS is exquisitely
charming.
The following COMEDY of _Monsieur_ MOLIERE, that celebrated Dramatick
Writer, was, by him, intended to reprove a vain, fantastical, conceited
and preposterous Humour, which about that time prevailed very much in
_France_. It had the desir'd good Effect, and conduced a great deal
towards rooting out a Taste so unreasonable and ridiculous.---As Pride,
Conceit, Vanity, and Affectation, are Foibles so often found amongst the
Fair Sex at present, I have attempted this Translation, in hopes of
doing service to my pretty Country-Women.--And, certainly, it must have
a double efficacy, under the Patronage of one who is so bright an
Example of the contrary fine Accomplishments, which a large Fortune
makes her not the less careful to improve.
I am not so presumptuous to imagine that my _English_ can do sufficient
Justice to the sense of this admir'd AUTHOR; and, therefore, have caused
the ORIGINAL to be placed against it Page for Page, hoping that, both
together, may prove an agreeable and useful Entertainment.----But I have
detain'd you too long already, and shall only add, that I am, with much
respect, and every good Wish, MADAM, _Your most Obedient Humble
Servant_, THE TRANSLATOR.
The _Précieuses Ridicules_ have been partly imitated in "_The
Damoiselles à la Mode_, Compos'd and Written by Richard Flecknoe.
London: Printed for the Author, 1667. To their graces the Duke and
Duchess of Newcastle, the Author dedicates this his comedy more humbly
than by way of epistle." This gentleman, who was "so distinguished as a
wretched poet, that his name had almost become proverbial," and who gave
the title to Dryden's _Mac-Flecknoe_, is said to have been originally a
Jesuit. Langbaine states "that his acquaintance with the nobility was
more than with the Muses." In the preface our author says: "This Comedy
is taken out of several excellent pieces of _Molière_. The main plot out
of his _Pretieusee's Ridiculee's_; the Counterplot of _Sganarelle_ out
of his _Escole des Femmes_, and out of the _Escole des Marys_, the two
_Naturals_; all which, like so many _Pretieuse_ stones, I have brought
out of _France_; and as a Lapidary set in one Jewel to adorn our English
stage."
This motley play was never acted; at least the author says: "for the
Acting it, those who have the Governing of the Stage, have their
Humours, and wou'd be intreated; and I have mine and won't intreat them;
and were all Dramatick Writers of my mind, they shou'd wear their old
_Playes_ Thred-bare e're they shou'd have any _New_, till they better
understood their own Interest, and how to distinguish betwixt good and
bad."
The "Prologue intended for the overture of the Theater 1666," opens
thus:--
"In these sad Times our Author has been long
Studying to give you some diversion;
And he has ta'en the way to do't, which he
Thought most diverting, mirth and Comedy;
And now he knows there are inough i' the Town
At name of mirth and Comedy will frown,
And sighing say, the times are bad; what then?
Will their being sad and heavy better them?"
[Footnote: In 1665 the plague broke out in London, and in the succeeding
year the great fire took place; only at Christmas 1666 theatrical
performances began again.]
According to the list of "The Representers, as they were first
design'd." I see that Nell Gwyn should have played the part of
"_Lysette_, the _Damoiselle's_ waiting Woman."
James Miller, a well-known dramatist, and joint-translator of Molière,
with H. Baker, has also imitated part of "the _Pretentious Young
Ladies_," and with another part borrowed from Molière's _School for
Husbands_, two characters taken from Molière's _Learned Ladies_, and
some short speeches borrowed from the _Countess of Escarbagnas_, he
composed a comedy, which was played at Drury Lane, March 6th, 1735,
under the title of _The Man of Taste, or, The Guardians_. Mr. Miller
appears to have been a man of indomitable spirit and industry. Being a
clergyman, with a very small stipend, he wrote plays to improve his
circumstances, but offended both his bishop and the public. At last he
was presented to the very valuable living of Upcerne, in Dorsetshire,
and was also successful with a translation of _Mahomet_ of Voltaire, but
died within the year after his induction. _The Man of Taste_ was printed
for J. Watts, MDCCXXXV., and is dedicated to Lord Weymouth. We give part
of the dedication:
"As to the Attempt here made to expose the several Vices and Follies
that at present flourish in Vogue, I hope your Lordship will think it
confined within the bounds of a modest and wholesome Chastisement. That
it is a very seasonable one, I believe, every Person will acknowledge.
When what is set up for the Standard of Taste, is but just the Reverse
of Truth and Common Sense; and that which is dignify'd with the Name of
Politeness, is deficient in nothing--but Decency and Good Manners: When
all Distinctions of Station and Fortune are broke in upon, so that a
_Peer_ and a _Mechanick_ are cloathed in the same Habits, and indulge in
the same Diversions and Luxuries: When Husbands are ruin'd, Children
robb'd, and Tradesmen starv'd, in order to give Estates to a _French_
Harlequin, and _Italian_ Eunuch, for a Shrug or a Song; [Footnote:
Farinelli, an eminent Italian soprano, went to England in 1734, remained
there three years, sang chiefly at the Theatre of Lincoln's-Inn-Fields,
then under the direction of Porpora, his old Master, became a great
favorite, and made about, £5,000 a year. As _The Man of Taste_ was
performed at a rival house, Drury Lane, the bitterness of the allusion
may be easily understood. The French Comedians acted at the Haymarket
from November 22, 1734 to June 1735, hence the allusion to a French
Harlequin.] shall not fair and fearless Satire oppose this Outrage upon
all Reason and Discretion. Yes, My Lord, resentment can never better be
shown, nor Indignation more laudably exerted than on such an occasion."
The Prologue, spoken by Mr. Cibber, is racy. We give the first half of
it:--
"Wit springs so slow in our bleak Northern Soil,
It scarce, at best, rewards the Planter's Toil.
But now, when all the Sun-shine, and the Rain,
Are turn'd to cultivate a Foreign grain;
When, what should cherish, preys upon the Tree,
What generous Fruit can you expect to see?
Our Bard, to strike the Humour of the Times,
Imports these Scenes from kindlier Southern Climes;
Secure his Pains will with Applause be crown'd,
If you're as fond of Foreign sense as ... sound:
And since their Follies have been bought so dear,
We hope their Wit a moderate Price may bear.
Terence, Great Master! who, with wond'rous Art,
Explor'd the deepest Secrets of the Heart;
That best Old Judge of Manners and of Men,
First grac'd this Tale with his immortal Pen.
Molière, the Classick of the Gallick Stage,
First dar'd to modernize the Sacred Page;
Skilful, the one thing wanting to supply,
Humour, that Soul of Comic Poesy.
The Roman Fools were drawn so high ... the Pit
Might take 'em now for Modern Men of Wit.
But Molière painted with a bolder Hand,
And mark'd his Oafs with the Fool's-Cap and Band:
To ev'ry Vice he tagged the just Reproach,
Shew'd Worth on Foot, and Rascals in a Coach."
[Footnote: The plot of _The Man of Taste_, as we have said before, was
partly borrowed from Molière's _School for Husbands_, partly from the
_Pretentious Young Ladies_, and other of his plays. The first-mentioned
French comedy owes part of its plot to Terence's _Adelphi_, hence the
allusion to "his immortal Pen." in the above poem.]
Mrs. Aphra Behn, a voluminous writer of plays, novels, poems, and
letters, all of a lively and amorous turn, was the widow of a Dutch
merchant, and partly occupied the time not engaged in literary pursuits
in political or gallant intrigues. Her comedies are her best works, and
although some of her scenes are often indecent, and not a few of her
expressions indelicate, yet her plots are always lively and well
sustained and her dialogues very witty. The date of her birth is
unknown, but she died on the 16th of April, 1689, and was buried in the
cloisters of Westminster Abbey.
In 1682, was performed, at the Theatre, Dorset Garden, her play. _The
False Count, or a New Way to Play an Old Game_. The prologue attacks the
Whigs most furiously, and the epilogue, spoken by Mrs. Barry, is very
indecent. The plot of this play, or rather farce, is very improbable,
and the language is more than free. Julia, in love with Don Carlos,
afterwards Governor of Cadiz, was forced by her father to marry
Francisco, a rich old man, formerly a leather-seller; the latter going
with his family to sea on a party of pleasure, are taken prisoners by
Carlos and his servants, disguised as Turks. They are carried to a
country house, and made to believe they are in the Grand Turk's
seraglio. There is also an underplot, in which Isabella, Francisco's
proud and vain daughter, is courted by Guilion, a supposed Count, but in
reality a chimney-sweep, whose hand she accepts. In the end everything
is discovered, and Guilion comes to claim his wife in his sooty clothes.
Thomas Shadwell, a dramatist, and the poet-laureate of William III., who
has been flagellated by Dryden in his _MacFlecknoe_ and in the second
part of _Absalom_ and _Achitophel_, and been mentioned with contempt by
Pope in his _Dunciad_, took from the _Précieuses Ridicules_ Mascarille
and Jodelet, and freely imitated and united them in the character of La
Roch, a sham Count, in his _Bury-Fair_, acted by His Majesty's servants
in 1689. This play, dedicated to Charles, Earl of Dorset and Middlesex,
was written "during eight months' painful sickness." In the Prologue
Shadwell states:
That every Part is Fiction in his Play;
Particular Reflections there are none;
Our Poet knows not one in all your Town.
If any has so very little Wit,
To think a Fop's Dress can his Person fit,
E'en let him take it, and make much of it.
Whilst, in The _Pretentious Young Ladies_, Mascarille and Jodelet impose
upon two provincial girls, in _Bury-Fair_, La Roch, "a French
peruke-maker" succeeds in deceiving Mrs. Fantast and Mrs. Gertrude under
the name of Count de Cheveux. The Count is very amusing, and though a
coward to boot, pretends to be a great warrior. His description of war
is characteristic; he states that "de great Heros always burne and kille
de Man, Woman, and Shilde for deir Glory."
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
LA GRANGE, \
) _repulsed Lovers_.
DU CROISY, /
GORGIBUS, _a good citizen_.
[Footnote: Gorgibus was the name of certain characters in old comedies.
The actor, L'Epy, who played this part, had a very loud voice; hence
Molière gave him probably this name.]
THE MARQUIS DE MASCARILLE, _valet to La Grange_.
[Footnote: _Mascarille_ was played by Molière, and has a personality
quite distinct from the servant of the same name in the _Blunderer_ and
the _Love-Tiff_. The dress in which he acted this part, has not been
mentioned in the inventory taken after his death, but in a pamphlet,
published in 1660, he is described as wearing an enormous wig, a very
small hat, a ruff like a morning gown, rolls in which children could
play hide-and-seek, tassels like cornucopise, ribbons that covered his
shoes, with heels half a foot in height.]
THE VISCOUNT JODELET, _valet to Du Croisy_.
ALMANZOR, _footman to the pretentious ladies_.
TWO CHAIRMEN.
MUSICIANS.
MADELON, _daughter to Gorgibus_, \
) _The pretentious young ladies_.
CATHOS, _niece to Gorgibus_, /
MAROTTE, _maid to the pretentious young ladies_.
LUCILE. \
) _two female neighbours_.
CÉLIMÈNE. /
SCENE--GORGIBUS' HOUSE, PARIS.
THE PRETENTIOUS YOUNG LADIES. (LES PRÈCIEUSES RIDICULES.)
ACT I.
SCENE I.--LA GRANGE, DU CROISY.
DU. CR. Mr. La Grange.
LA. GR. What?
DU. CR. Look at me for a moment without laughing.
LA. GR. Well?
DU. CR. What do you say of our visit? Are you quite pleased with it?
LA. GR. Do you think either of us has any reason to be so?
DU. CR. Not at all, to say the truth.
LA. GR. As for me, I must acknowledge I was quite shocked at it. Pray
now, did ever anybody see a couple of country wenches giving themselves
more ridiculous airs, or two men treated with more contempt than we
were? They could hardly make up their mind to order chairs for us. I
never saw such whispering as there was between them; such yawning, such
rubbing of the eyes, and asking so often what o'clock it was. Did they
answer anything else but "yes," or "no," to what we said to them? In
short, do you not agree with me that if we had been the meanest persons
in the world, we could not have been treated worse?
DU. CR. You seem to take it greatly to heart.
LA. GR. No doubt I do; so much so, that I am resolved to be revenged on
them for their impertinence. I know well enough why they despise us.
Affectation has not alone infected Paris, but has also spread into the
country, and our ridiculous damsels have sucked in their share of it. In
a word, they are a strange medley of coquetry and affectation. I plainly
see what kind of persons will be well received by them; if you will take
my advice, we will play them such a trick as shall show them their
folly, and teach them to distinguish a little better the people they
have to deal with.
DU. CR. How can you do this?
LA. GR. I have a certain valet, named Mascarille, who, in the opinion of
many people, passes for a kind of wit; for nothing now-a-days is easier
than to acquire such a reputation. He is an extraordinary fellow, who
has taken it into his head to ape a person of quality. He usually prides
himself on his gallantry and his poetry, and despises so much the other
servants that he calls them brutes.
DU. CR. Well, what do you mean to do with him?
LA. GR. What do I mean to do with him? He must ... but first, let us be
gone.