Chapter I: Front Matter

THE MAGISTRATE

THE PLAYS OF ARTHUR W. PINERO Paper cover, 1s 6d; cloth, 2s 6d each

THE TIMES THE PROFLIGATE THE CABINET MINISTER THE HOBBY-HORSE LADY BOUNTIFUL THE MAGISTRATE DANDY DICK SWEET LAVENDER THE SCHOOLMISTRESS THE WEAKER SEX THE AMAZONS *THE SECOND MRS. TANQUERAY THE NOTORIOUS MRS. EBBSMITH THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THE PRINCESS AND THE BUTTERFLY TRELAWNY OF THE "WELLS" +THE GAY LORD QUEX IRIS LETTY A WIFE WITHOUT A SMILE HIS HOUSE IN ORDER THE THUNDERBOLT MID-CHANNEL PRESERVING MR. PANMURE THE "MIND THE PAINT" GIRL

* This Play can be had in library form, 4to, cloth, with a portrait, 5s. + A Limited Edition of this play on hand-made paper, with a new portrait, 10s net.

THE PINERO BIRTHDAY BOOK SELECTED AND ARRANGED BY MYRA HAMILTON With a Portrait, cloth extra, price 2s 6d.

_LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN_

THE MAGISTRATE

A FARCE In Three Acts

_BY ARTHUR W. PINERO_

LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN

_First Impression_ 1892; _New Impressions_ 1894, 1895, 1897, 1899, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1909, 1911; 1914

Copyright All rights reserved Entered at Stationers' Hall Entered at the Library of Congress Washington, U.S.A.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

"THE MAGISTRATE" is, after "Sweet Lavender," perhaps the most popular of Mr. Pinero's plays, and it is particularly interesting as being the first of his works in which his own individuality found absolutely independent expression, and emphatically and triumphantly asserted itself. In fact, this farce marks an epoch in the dramatist's career, and shows him creating a really new and original order of English comic play, the further development of which may be traced in the successive plays which, together with "The Magistrate," formed the famous Court series of farces, namely, "The Schoolmistress," "Dandy Dick," and "The Cabinet Minister."

Because Mr. Pinero had previously written "The Rocket," and "In Chancery," for Mr. Edward Terry, who has performed them times out of number in London and the provinces with considerable success, it has been assumed that "The Magistrate" was also written for Mr. Terry. But this was not the case. As a matter of fact Mr. Pinero wrote the play quite independently, and on its completion he was to have read it to Mr. Charles Wyndham, but the necessities of the Court Theatre intervened. The management of the late Mr. John Clayton and Arthur Cecil was decidedly in low water in 1884 and the earlier part of 1885; play after play had been produced without success, when at length application was made to Mr. Pinero for a new piece. They had been performing serious plays, and he read them "The Weaker Sex," which he had written some little time before; but Mr. Clayton felt uncertain about this play, which, by the way, Mr. and Mrs. Kendal have since produced, and then Mr. Pinero, mentioning the new comic play he had just finished, suggested that perhaps an entirely new order of entertainment might serve to change the fortunes of the house. "The Magistrate" was immediately accepted and produced, and his conjecture proved correct, for the luck of the theatre promptly turned.

"The Magistrate" was produced at the Court Theatre on Saturday, March 21, 1885, with a cast, particulars of which will be found in the following copy of the first night programme:--

ROYAL COURT THEATRE,

SLOANE SQUARE, S.W.

_Lessees and Managers:_ Mr. John Clayton and Mr. Arthur Cecil.

THIS EVENING, SATURDAY, MARCH 21,

_At a Quarter to Nine o'clock,_

WILL BE PRODUCED FOR THE FIRST TIME,

THE MAGISTRATE,

AN ORIGINAL FARCE, IN THREE ACTS,

BY

A. W. PINERO.

MR. POSKET } Magistrates of the Mulberry { Mr. ARTHUR CECIL. MR. BULLAMY } Street Police Court { Mr. FRED CAPE. COLONEL LUKYN (from Bengal--retired) Mr. JOHN CLAYTON. CAPTAIN HORACE VALE (Shropshire Fusiliers) Mr. F. KERR. CIS FARRINGDON (Mrs. Posket's son, by her first marriage) Mr. H. EVERSFIELD. ACHILLE BLOND (Proprietor of the Hôtel des Princes) Mr. CHEVALIER. ISIDORE (a Waiter) Mr. DELANE. MR. WORMINGTON (Chief Clerk at Mulberry Street) Mr. GILBERT TRENT. INSPECTOR MESSITER } { Mr. ALBERT SIMS. SERJEANT LUGG } Metropolitan Police { Mr. LUGG. CONSTABLE HARRIS } { Mr. BURNLEY. WYKE (Servant at Mr. Posket's) Mr. FAYRE. ____________

AGATHA POSKET (late Farringdon, _née_ Verrinder) Mrs. JOHN WOOD. CHARLOTTE (her Sister) Miss MARION TERRY. BEATIE TOMLINSON (a Young Lady reduced to teaching music) Miss NORREYS. POPHAM Miss LA COSTE.