Beauty's grand exemplar

Stephenson talks about the anonymous play, The Dutch Lady. Set in the 1650s, it can be dated by internal evidence to 1668-75; and it is remarkable for its complicated comic plot and witty dialogue, as well as for its political messages. No contemporary record of performance or publication exists, though the manuscript, in excellent condition but unavailable until 2019 as the Boston Public Library and their Curator of Rare Books Jay Moschella carry out inventory and renovations, shows careful preparation for multiple performances (and it has been performed this summer in Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham and London). A scholarly edition is projected for 2019. The play is a smart comedy in the best tradition of the Restoration's political and social--not to mention dramatic--concerns; moreover, there are direct links between this play and the work of Aphra Behn.