These five selected comedies spanning some twelve years in Elizabeth Inchbald's outstanding career as a woman playwright in late 18th century London illustrate the range of her achievement from farce to comedy of intrigue and manners to serious comedy of sentiment. This volume, the first of its kind representative of Elizabeth Inchbald's work ever to be published, has an Introduction written by Roger Manvell, biographer of Elizabeth Inchbald, who points out her brilliance in dramatic structure and the elegance and liveliness of her dialogue.