by such old authors as Noel Du Fail, Rabelais, those of the _Quinze
joyes de Mariage_, of the _Cent nouvelles Nouvelles_, and
perhaps others.

The plot of _Sganarelle_ is ingenious and plausible; every trifle
becomes circumstantial evidence, and is received as conclusive proof
both by the husband and wife. The dialogue is sprightly throughout, and
the anxious desire of Sganarelle to kill his supposed injurer, whilst
his cowardice prevents him from executing his valorous design, is
extremely ludicrous. The chief aim of our author appears to have been to
show how dangerous it is to judge with too much haste, especially in
those circumstances where passion may either augment or diminish the
view we take of certain objects. This truth, animated by a great deal of
humour and wit, drew crowds of spectators for forty nights, though the
play was brought out in summer and the marriage of the young king kept
the court from Paris.

The style is totally different from that employed in the _Precieuses
Ridicules_, and is a real and very good specimen of the _style
gaulois_ adapted to the age in which Moliere lived. He has often been
blamed for not having followed up his success of the _Precieuses
Ridicules_ by a comedy in the same style, but Moliere did not want to
make fresh enemies. It appears to have been a regular and set purpose
with him always to produce something farcical after a creation which
provoked either secret or open hostility, or even violent opposition.

Sganarelle appears in this piece for the first time, if we except the
farce, or rather sketch, of the _Medecin volant_, where in reality
nothing is developed, but everything is in mere outline. But in
Sganarelle Moliere has created a character that is his own just as much