WYCHERLEY, wlch'!r-i1 WtIHa is, Eng lish wit and dramatist: h. dive, ShropsMre, about 1640; d. London, 1 Jan. 1716. About 1655 he went to France for his education, but he re turned to England a short time before the Res toration, and was entered a gentleman com moner of Queen's College, Oxford, which be left without a degree, and took chambers in the Middle Temple. He paid, however, little atten tion to the law, but became a man of fashion in the town, and made himself known as author of 'Love in a Wood, or Saint James's Park' a comedy, published about the end of 1671 This piece brought him into much notice, and his popularity was increased b comedies that soon afterward followed: 'The Gentleman Dancing-master,' published in 1673; 'The Coun try Wife,' produced in 1672 or 1673, and 'The Plain Dealer,' 1674. He became a favorite of the meretricious Duchess of Cleveland, and was much regarded by Villiers, the witty and profi gate Duke of Buckingham. About 16) he im proved his circumstances by marrying the Coun tess of Drogheda, a young, rich and beautiful widow. At her death soon afterward she set tled her fortune upon him; but, his title brim disputed, the costs of law and other encum brances produced embarrassment, which ended in arrest. He remained in eon$netnent won
years, until released by James Ii, who, it is said, was so pleased with his comedy of 'The Plain Dealer' that be ordered his debts to be paid, and added a pension of 1200 per an num, which he lost at the revolution. The succession to his father's estate, which wa' strictly entailed, does not appear to have re lieved him from the embarrassments inn which he had again fallen, and from which he found a deliverance only a few days 1" re his death in marrying a voting wcuraa with a fortune of £1,500. Besides the play. 3t• ready mentioned he wrote poems of no value or interest. His plays are excessively licentious. He was a friend of Dryden, and in his later years of Pope, but Pope's statements regarding their connection are not much to be depended on. Among latest editions of his plays is that by W. C. Ward (London 1893) ; Ifazlitt, Wil liam, 'Lectures on the English Comic Writers' (ib. 1819; new ed., New York 1910) • Lans downe, Lord, 'Memoirs of the Life of William Wycherly, Esq.- with a character of His Writ ings' (London 1718).