Six months after the brilliant success of the _Precieuses Ridicules_, Moliere brought out at the Theatre du Petit-Bourbon a new comedy, called _Sganarelle, ou le Cocu Imaginaire_, which I have translated by _Sganarelle, or the self-deceived Husband_. It has been said that Moliere owed the first idea of this piece to an Italian farce, _Il Ritratto ovvero Arlichino cornuto per opinione_, but, as it has never been printed, it is difficult to decide at the present time whether or not this be true. The primary idea of the play is common to many _commedia dell' arte_, whilst Moliere has also been inspired by such old authors as Noel Du Fail, Rabelais, those of the _Quinze joyes de Mariage_, of the…
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