William Congreve

William Congreve (1670-1729) was an English comic dramatist, born near Leeds. He entered a student of the Middle Temple, but soon abandoned law for literature. The "Old Bachelor" first brought him into repute, and a commissionership of substantial value. The production of "Love for Love" and the "Mourning Bride," a stilted tragedy, added immensely to his popularity, but his comedy "The Way of the World" being coldly received, he gave up writing plays, and only wrote a few verses afterwards. He was held in great esteem by his contemporaries, among others Dryden, Pope, and Steele.

Wisdom & Quotes

• Love and murder will out.

- The Double Dealer

• Married in haste, we may repent at leisure.

- The Old Bachelor

• Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned,

Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.
- The Mourning Bride

Joseph Addison

Nearby pages
William Courtney, William Cowper, William Coxe, William Creech, William Crookes