SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER; OR THE MISTAKES OF A NIGHT. A COMEDY, BY OLIVER GOLDSMITH. WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES AND A VOCABULARY, FOR THE USE OF DUTCH BY JAMES PERRIN, Docent in the English Language and Literature at LEYDEN, PUBLISHED BY A. W. SYTHOFF. 1864. PREFACE. I had scarcely settled in Holland when I formed the opinion, that of the English books, most popular among the Dutch students of my language, the Vicar of Wakefield occupied a place in the first rank. For this reason, and, on account of the praise I frequently heard bestowed on that book, I read it more attentively than I had done before; and then began to think seriously, that they, who could so justly appreciate merit in the author of the Vicar of Wakefield, might derive amusement, as well as profit, from an acquaintance with others of his works, which, in the judgment of his countrymen, possess those qualities which wear well. From this motive I resolved to promote that acquaintance, and, therefore, now venture to offer to my pupils an Edition of OLIVER GOLDSMITH's second comedy "She stoops to Conquer, or the mistakes of a Night," with some notes illustrative of the text, and a short vocabulary explanatory of the idioms. I selected this play, because I imagine that it displays, better than the other, the author's native pleasantry, and originality, and, that with humor and vivacity of dialogue it is characterised by so excellent a discrimination of character, as to entitle it to rank highly among the contributions to modern comedy. Besides, its success was the achievement of a revolution in public taste, which marks an important epoch in the history of the English Comic Drama, and, on that account, it can not fail of being interesting to the student of English Literature. GOLDSMITH'S first comedy, The Good-natured Man, was produced at Covent Garden Theatre on the 29th of January 1768, though with very equivocal success. It was with difficulty dragged through ten nights' performance. Sentimental comedy had become the fashion, and, for many years, more tears were shed at comedies than at tragedies; and a pleasantry, which moved the audience to anything more than a grave smile, was reprobated as low. GOLD |