The plot of Molière’s comedy is founded on an adventure recorded of the count of Grammont (q.v.). The count had promised marriage to la belle Hamilton, but deserted her, and tried to get to France. Being overtaken by the two brothers of the lady, they clapped their hands on their swords, and demanded if the count had not forgotten something or left something behind. “True,” said the count; “I have forgotten to marry your sister;” and returned with the two brothers to repair this oversight.
Sganarelle, father of Lucinde. Anxious about his daughter because she has lost her vivacity and appetite, he sends for four physicians, who retire to consult upon the case, but talk only on indifferent topics. When Sganarelle asks the result of their deliberation, they all differ, both in regard to the disease, and the remedy to be applied. Lisette (the lady’s maid) sends for Clitandre, the lover, who comes disguised as a quack doctor, tells Sganarelle that the young lady’s disease must be acted on through the imagination, and prescribes a mock marriage. Sganarelle consents to the experiment, but Clitandre’s assistant being a notary, the mock marriage proves to be a real one.—Molière, L’Amour Médecin (1665).
Sganarelle, husband of Martine. He is a faggot-maker, and has a quarrel with his wife, who vows to be even with him for striking her. Valère and Lucas (two domestics of Géronte) ask her to direct them to the house of a noted doctor. She sends them to her husband, and tells them he is so eccentric that he will deny being a doctor, but they must beat him well. So they find the faggot-maker, whom they beat soundly, till he consents to follow them. He is introduced to Lucinde, who pretends to be dumb, but, being a shrewd man, he soon finds out that the dumbness is only a pretence, and takes with him Léandre as an apothecary. The two lovers understand each other, and Lucinde is rapidly cured with “pills matrimoniac.”—Molière, Le Médecin Malgré Lui (1666).
*** Sganarelle being asked by the father what he thinks is the matter with Lucinde, replies, “Entendez-vous le Latin?” “En aucune façon,” says Géronte. “Vous n’entendez point le Latin?” “Non, monsieur.” “That is a sad pity,” says Sganarelle, “for the case may be briefly stated thus:
Cabricias arci thuram, catalamus, singulariter, nominativo, hæc musa, la muse, bonus, bona, bonum. Deus sanctus, estne oratio Latinas? etiam, oui, quare? pourquoi? quia substantivo et adjectivum concordat in generi, numerum, et casus.” “Wonderful man!” says the father.—Act iii.
Sganarelle (3 syl.), valet to Don Juan. He remonstrates with his master on his evil ways, but is forbidden sternly to repeat his impertinent admonitions. His praise of tobacco, or rather snuff, is somewhat amusing:
Tabac est la passion des honnêtes gens; et qui vit sans tabac n’est pas digne de vivre. Non seulement il réjouit et purge les cerveaux humains, mais encore il instruit les ames à la vertu, et l’on apprend avec lui à devenir honnête homme ... il inspire des sentiments d’honneur à tous ceux qui en prennent.—Molière, Don Juan, i. 1 (1665).
Shaccabac, in Blue Beard. (See [Schacabac].)
I have seen strange sights. I have seen Wilkinson play “Macbeth;” Matthews, “Othello;” Wrench, “George Barnwell;” Buckstone, “Iago;” Rayner, “Penruddock;” Keeley, “Shylock;” Liston, “Romeo” and “Octavian;” G. F. Cooke, “Mercutio;” John Kemble, “Archer;” Edmund Kean, clown in a pantomine; and C. Young, “Shaccabac.”—Record of a Stage Veteran.
“Macbeth,” “Othello,” “Iago” (in Othello), “Shylock” (Merchant of Venice), “Romeo” and “Mercutio” (in Romeo and Juliet), all by Shakespeare: “George Barnwell” (Lillo’s tragedy so called); “Penruddock” (in The Wheel of Fortune), by Cumberland); “Octavian” (in Colman’s drama so called); “Archer” (in The Beaux’ Stratagem, by Farquhar).