THE BEAUX STRATAGEM

 

Aimwell and Archer are two gentlemen of broken fortunes who scour the country living on their wits. They take it in turns to play master and servant. They put up at Bonniface's inn at Lichfield. When Lady Bountiful's daughter Dorinda falls for Aimwell, he eventually confesses he has no money. Dorinda sticks by him. The other love interest is between Mrs Sullen and Archer. Mrs Sullen is married to a brutish, drunken husband, and her speech against the life she is forced to lead is one of the best sections and one of the few times such home truths are told.   Mrs Sullen: O Sister, Sister! if ever you marry, beware of a sullen, silent Sot, one that's always musing, but never thinks: - There's some Diversion in a talking Blockhead; and since a Woman must wear Chains, I wou'd have the Pleasure of hearing 'em rattle a little. - Now you shall see, but take this by the way; - He came home this Morning at his usual Hour of Four, waken'd me out of a sweet Dream of something else, by tumbling over the Tea- table, which be broke all to pieces, after his Man and he had rowl'd about the Room like sick Passengers, in a Storm, he comes flounce into Bed, dead as a Salmon into a Fishmonger's Basket; his Feet cold as ice, his Breath hot as a Furnace, and his Hands and his Face as greasy as his Flanel Night-cap. - Oh Matrimony! - He tosses up the Clothes with a barbarous swing over his Shoulders, disorders the whole Oeconomy of my Bed, leaves me half naked, and my whole Night's Comfort is the tuneable Serenade of that wakeful Nightingale, his Nose. - O the Pleasure of counting the melancholly Clock by a snoring Husband! - But now, Sister, you shall see how handsomely, being a well-bred Man, he will beg my Pardon.