Congreve, William

an English dramatist, B. near Leeds, 1670. He entered himself as a student at the Middle Temple, but, like many more, both before and since, abandoned the law for literature. His first piece, written at the age of 17, was a romance, entitled Incognito, or Love and Duty Reconciled. In 1693, being then only 23 years old, he wrote his first comedy, The Old Bache lor. This produced him not only great reputation, but also the substantial benefit of a commi ionership in the hackney-coach office, which was given to him by the Earl of Halifax, who afterwards still further patronized and favored him. He wrote also Love for Love, The Double Dealer, The Mourning Bride, The Way of the World, an opera; and some poems. Died, 1729. Witty and spirited as Congreve's plays are, they are too licentious to keep po e ion of the stage at the present day; and in his own time they received severe castigation from the celebrated Jeremy Collier.