Quotes from work
Speed the Plough

Thomas Morton (playwright)

Speed the Plough is a five-act comedy by Thomas Morton, first performed in 1798 at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden to great acclaim. It is mostly remembered today for the sake of the unseen character, Mrs Grundy.The play may have been inspired by August Kotzebue's Graf von Burgund , which had recently failed at the same theatre. Kotzebue's more serious play also concerns a young man named Henry who is ignorant of his own origins.

“Always ding dinging Dame Grundy into my ears - What will Mrs. Grundy say? What will Mrs. Grundy think?”

Thomas Morton (playwright) Speed the Plough

Speed the Plough (1798), Act I, scene i.

“Handy, jun. Zounds, the room's in a blaze!
Sir Abel. Don't say so, Bob.
Handy, jun. What's to be done? Where's your famous preparation for extinguishing flames?
Sir Abel. It is not mixed.
Handy, jun. Where's your fire escape?
Sir Abel. It is not fixed.
Handy, jun. Where's your patent fire engine?
Sir Abel. 'Tis on the road.
Handy, jun. Well, you are never at a loss.
Sir Abel. Never.
Handy, jun. What's to be done?
Sir Abel. I don't know.”

Thomas Morton (playwright) Speed the Plough

Speed the Plough (1798), Act IV, scene iii.