George Farquhar

Born in Derry around 1677, George Farquhar was the son of a clergyman and studied for a time at Trinity College Dublin. He first tried life on the stage as an actor, but after a performance accident injured a fellow player, he turned his attention more fully to writing.

That change led to a remarkably productive career in London. Farquhar wrote a string of successful comedies, including Love and a Bottle, The Constant Couple, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux' Stratagem, and became known for dialogue that felt brisk, funny, and more natural than much of the comedy of his day.

He died in London on April 29, 1707, still very young, but his reputation lasted. Readers and theatergoers continue to return to his plays for their charm, theatrical flair, and the sense that beneath the jokes he understood both the follies and the decency of ordinary people.