Title:  The Sentimentalists (Play)

Author:  George Meredith

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

Release Date:  September, 2003 [Etext #4497] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 5, 2002]

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THE SENTIMENTALISTS

An Unfinished Comedy

By George Meredith

Dramatispersonae

Homeware.

Professor spiral.

Arden,.............  In love with Astraea.

Swithin,...........  Sympathetics. 
Osier,

Dame Dresden,......  Sister to Homeware.

Astraea,...........  Niece to Dame Dresden and Homeware.

Lyra,..............  A Wife.

Lady Oldlace.

Virginia.

Winifred.

Thesentimentalists

Anun
finished comedy

The scene is a Surrey garden in early summer.  The paths are shaded by tall box-wood hedges.  The—­time is some sixty years ago.

SceneI

Professor spiral, Dame Dresden, lady Oldlace,
Virginia, Winifred, Swithin, and Osier

(As they slowly promenade the garden, the professor is delivering one of his exquisite orations on Woman.)

Spiral:  One husband!  The woman consenting to marriage takes but one.  For her there is no widowhood.  That punctuation of the sentence called death is not the end of the chapter for her.  It is the brilliant proof of her having a soul.  So she exalts her sex.  Above the wrangle and clamour of the passions she is a fixed star.  After once recording her obedience to the laws of our common nature—­that is to say, by descending once to wedlock—­she passes on in sovereign disengagement—­a dedicated widow.