Hannah Cowley (writer)

Hannah Cowley (née Parkhouse; 14 March 1743 – 11 March 1809) was an English playwright and poet.

• But what is Woman?—only one of Nature's agreeable blunders.
  • Who's the Dupe? (1779) act 2 (Granger loq.)

• Secrets are pleasant to each child of Eve.
  • Prologue

• His ardent looks—his sighs—his consusion—his respectful attentions, have a thousand times profess'd the strongest passion—Surely, a man cannot in honour, be exculpated, who by such methods defrauds a Woman of her heart.
  • act 1 (Harriet loq.)

• Your great spirits are mere Jack-a-lanterns in the brain—they dance about, shine, and make vagaries—while those who possess happiness, soberly and quietly enjoy their treasure.
  • act 3 (Bella loq.)

• Love has forc'd Heroes to forget their valour, and Philosophers their systems—no wonder he shou'd make a Woman forget her wrinkles.
  • act 4 (Bella loq.)

• Five minutes! Zounds! I have been five minutes too late all my life-time!
  • act 1, sc. 1 (Servant loq.)

• Vanity, like murder, will out.
  • act 1, sc. 4 (Villers loq.)

    Cf. Chaucer, The Nun's Priest's Tale, l. 230

• Every body about me seem'd happy—but every body seem'd in a hurry to be happy somewhere else.
  • act 3, sc. 4 (Lady Frances loq.)

• It requires genius to make a good pun—some men of bright parts can't reach it.
  • act 5, sc. 5 (Mrs. Racket loq.)

• Encyclopedic article on Hannah Cowley (writer) on Wikipedia