Considered one of the greatest plays of the English Restoration period, The Way of the World is a witty and sophisticated comedy of manners that satirizes the aristocracy and their social customs. Written by William Congreve and first performed in 1700, this play remains a classic of English literature that continues to be staged and celebrated to this day. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.