Wycherly, William

William (1640-1716), an English dramatist. He was a native of Shropshire. He was educated in France and at Oxford University, expecting to practice law. He gave little attention to his profession, however, being fond of a gay life of fashion. His first comedy, Love in a Wood, was published in 1671. Others were The Gentleman Dancing-master, The Country Wife, and The Plain Dealer. In 1680 he married a countess who died and left him her property. He got into trouble about the title and was imprisoned for seven years. James II released him finally, paying his debts and bestowing a pension on him because of his comedy, The Plain Dealer, which greatly pleased the monarch. Wycherly lost his pension at the time of the Revolution, and, although he received an inheritance from his father, he was in constant difficulties until a few days before his death, when he married a young woman with a small fortune. While Wycherly's comedies won him considerable fame, they are so low and vulgar as to be now considered almost unreadable.