h the
"Impostor" is made to develop his real character, without any of the
usual soliloquies or addresses to a confidant, for the benefit of the
audience, has been always admired as inimitable. The heart of a man
who had least desired, and could worst bear close investigation, is
discovered and ascertained, as navigators trace the lines and bearings
of an unknown coast. The persons among whom this illustrious hypocrite
performs the principal character, are traced with equal distinctness.
The silly old mother, obstinate from age as well as bigotry; the
modest and sensible Cleante; his brother-in-law, Orgon, prepared to be
a dupe by prepossession and self-opinion; Damis, impetuous and
unreflecting; Mariane, gentle and patient; with the hasty and petulant
sallies of Dorine, who ridicules the family she serves with
affection; are all faithfully drawn, and contribute their own share on
the effect of the piece, while they assist in bringing on the
catastrophe. In this catastrophe, however, there is something rather
inartificial. It is brought about too much by a _tour de force_, too
entirely by the _de par le roi_, to deserve the praise bestowed on the
rest of the piece. It resembles, in short, too nearly the receipt for
making the "Beggars' Opera" end happily, by sending someone to call
out a reprieve. But as it manifested at the same time the power of the
prince, and afforded opportunity for panegyric on his acuteness in
detecting and punishing fraud, Moliere, it is certain, might have his
own good reasons for unwinding and disentangling the plot by means of
an _exempt_ or king's messenger.

"George Dandin" was acted July 18, 1668. On September 3, in the same
year, the moral comedy of "L'Avare" was presented to the public by the
fertile muse of our author. The general conception of the piece, as
well as many of the individual scenes, are taken from Plautus, but
adapted to French society with a degree of felicity belonging to
Moliere alone. Omitting "Les Amants Magnifiques," called by Moliere a
minor comedy, but which may be rather considered as a piece of
framework for the introduction of scenic pageantry, and which is only
distinguished by some satirical shafts directed against the now
obsolete folly of judicial astrology, we hasten to notice a
masterpiece of Moliere's art in "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme." This piece
was written to please the court and gentry, at the expense of the
_nouveaux riches_, who, rendered wealthy by