
“Your ignorance is the mother of your devotion to me.”
The Maiden Queen, Act i, scene 2.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Secret Love, or The Maiden Queen is a 1667 tragicomedy written by John Dryden. The play, commonly known by its more distinctive subtitle, was acted by the King's Company at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane . The premiere occurred on 2 March, and was a popular success. King Charles II, his brother the Duke of York and future King James II, and Samuel Pepys were all in the audience on opening night.The Maiden Queen was noteworthy as a vehicle for Nell Gwyn, who played the heroine Florimel. Pepys raved about her performance in his Diary — "so great performance of a comical part was never, I believe, in the world before...." He returned to see the play eight more times. It was also a special favorite of the King, who reportedly called it "his play."
“Your ignorance is the mother of your devotion to me.”
The Maiden Queen, Act i, scene 2.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
“I am resolved to grow fat, and look young till forty.”
The Maiden Queen, Act iii, scene 1.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)