The Conscious Lovers

The Dedication, a letter to King George I from Richard Steele, opens with a quote from Rhetorica ad Herennium, a Latin book on rhetoric, in which the unknown author praises “narrative based on characters” (321). Steele wants his tenure at Drury Lane Theater to be a good influence on society. Steele compliments George I at length, focusing on the king’s calm greatness, and implies that George I’s endorsement of The Conscious Lovers would multiply the already positive influence of the play. However, some rebels disagree with George I’s rule; Steele endeavors to distance himself from those rebels.

The Preface highlights the importance of watching plays rather than reading them. Steele notes that this play was written around the first scene of Act IV, in which Bevil Jr. avoids dueling with Myrtle. Steele addresses criticisms that the play is not a comedy, noting that all things focused on happiness are fit for comedy. In Steele’s view, his comedy moves people to tears instead of laughter, but it serves the same purpose of examining human nature. Steele includes a brief song intended for Indiana in the play, which laments her social class and love for Bevil Jr.