The Conscious Lovers

First staged in 1722, Richard Steele’s most celebrated comedy set out to reform the London stage. Where Restoration playwrights traded in cynicism and easy laughs, Steele wanted the theatre to teach virtue and reward good conduct. The plot turns on young Bevil, who is bound by his father to marry Lucinda but has quietly fallen for Indiana, a penniless young woman he once rescued. Questions of honor, duty, and love tangle together, including a famous scene in which Bevil refuses to settle a quarrel by dueling. Everything resolves happily once Indiana’s true parentage comes to light. The play became the defining example of English sentimental comedy and shaped the stage for decades. This free PDF and EPUB edition makes Steele’s landmark work easy to read today.