GEORGE, an ingenious poet and dramatic writer, the son of a clergyman in Ireland, was born at Londonderry in 1678. He was sent to Trinity College, Dublin; but his volatile disposition not relishing a college life, he betook himself to the stage; where, having dangerously wounded a brother actor in a tragic scene, by forgetting to change his sword for a foil, it shocked him so much that he left the Dublin theatre and went to London. Here he procured a Lieutenant's commission by the interest of the earl of Orrey; which he held several years, and gave many proofs both of courage and conduct. In 1698, he wrote his first comedy called Love and a Bottle; which for its sprightly dialogue and busy scenes, was well received. In the beginning of the year 1700, which was the jubilee year at Rome, he brought out his Constant Couple, or a Trip to the Jubilee; and suited Mr Wilks's talents so well in the character of Sir Harry Wildair, that the player gained almost as much reputation as the poet. This tempted him to continue it in another comedy called Sir Harry Wildair, or The sequel of the Trip to the Jubilee; in which Mrs Oldfield acquired great applause. In 1702, he published his Miscellanies, which contain a variety of humorous fallacies of fancy. In 1703, appeared the Inconstant, or the Way to Win him; in 1704, a farce called the Stage-coach; in 1705, the Twin Rivals; and in 1706, the Recruiting Officer, founded on his own observations while on a recruiting party at Shrewsbury. His last comedy was the Beaux Stratagem, of which he did not live to enjoy the full success. Mr Farquhar married in 1703. Before that time his manner of life had been rather dissipated. The lady, therefore, who afterwards became his wife, having fallen violently in love with him, but judging that a gentleman of his humour would not easily be drawn into the trammels of matrimony, contrived to have it given out that she was possessed of a large fortune; and finding means afterwards to let Mr Farquhar know her attachment to him, interest and vanity got the better of his passion for liberty, and the lady and he were united in the hymeneal bands. But how great was his disappointment when he found all his prospects overclouded so early in life (for he was then no more than 24), by a marriage from which he had nothing to expect but an annual increase of family, and an enlargement of expense in consequence of it far beyond what his income would support. Yet, to his honour it is told, though he found himself thus deceived in a most essential particular, he never was known once to upbraid his wife with it; but generously forgave an imposition which love for him alone had urged her to, and even behaved to her with all the tenderness and delicacy of the most indulgent husband. Mrs Farquhar, however, did not very long enjoy the happiness she had purchased by this stratagem; for the circumstances that attended this union were in some respects perhaps the means of shortening the period of the captain's life. For, finding himself considerably involved in debt in consequence of their increasing family, he was induced to make application to a certain noble courtier, who had frequently professed the greatest friendship for him, and given him the strongest assurances of his intended services. This pretended patron repeated his former declarations; but, expressing much concern that he had nothing at present immediately in his power, advised him to convert his commission into money to answer his present occasions, and assured him that in a short time he would procure another for him. Farquhar, who could not bear the thoughts of his wife and family being in distress, followed this advice, and sold his commission; but, to his great mortification and disappointment, found, on a renewal of his application to this inhuman nobleman, that he had either entirely forgotten, or had never intended to perform, the promise he had made him. This distracting frustration of all his hopes fixed itself so strongly on our author's mind, that it soon brought on him a sure, though not a very sudden, declension of nature, which at length carried him off the stage of life in 1707, before he arrived at 30 years of age.—His comedies have so much humour, and the characters are so natural, that his plays still continue to be represented to full houses.