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Farquhar's last two plays, The Recruiting Officer and The Beaux'
Stratagem, have been called 'the last worthwhile comedies of the
Restoration tradition'. Written during Farquhar's stint in Shrewsbury
as part of a recruiting mission in 1704-5, The Recruiting Officer is a
buoyant, whimsical piece stocked by a fairly conventional cast of
characters: the rake-hero and his spirited lady (who dons breeches in
the course of the action), his sober friend and the heroine's serious
friend, the buffoon/coxcomb and his ill-fated amorous or heroic
ventures. What makes the play entertaining is Farquhar's light, humane
touch; what makes it original is his depiction of a real-life
provincial town and the impact that ongoing warfare (in this case the
War of the Spanish Succession) had on its civilian society.