AN IDEAL HUSBAND A PLAY BY OSCAR WILDE * * * * * METHUEN & CO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON * * * * * _First Published_, _at 1s. net_, _in 1912_ * * * * * _This book was First Published in 1893_ _First Published_ (_Second Edition_) _by _February_ _1908_ Methuen & Co._ _Third Edition_ _October_ _1909_ _Fourth edition_ _October_ _1910_ _Fifth Edition_ _May_ _1912_ THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY THE EARL OF CAVERSHAM, K.G. VISCOUNT GORING, his Son SIR ROBERT CHILTERN, Bart., Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs VICOMTE DE NANJAC, Attaché at the French Embassy in London MR. MONTFORD MASON, Butler to Sir Robert Chiltern PHIPPS, Lord Goring’s Servant JAMES } HAROLD } Footmen LADY CHILTERN LADY MARKBY THE COUNTESS OF BASILDON MRS. MARCHMONT MISS MABEL CHILTERN, Sir Robert Chiltern’s Sister MRS. CHEVELEY THE SCENES OF THE PLAY ACT I. _The Octagon Room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House in Grosvenor Square_. ACT II. _Morning-room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House_. ACT III. _The Library of Lord Goring’s House in Curzon Street_. ACT IV. _Same as Act II_. TIME: _The Present_ PLACE: _London_. _The action of the play is completed within twenty-four hours_. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET _Sole Lessee_: _Mr. Herbert Beerbohm Tree_ _Managers_: _Mr. Lewis Waller and Mr. H. H. Morell_ _January_ 3_rd_, 1895 THE EARL OF CAVERSHAM _Mr. Alfred Bishop_. VISCOUNT GORING _Mr. Charles H. Hawtrey_. SIR ROBERT CHILTERN _Mr. Lewis Waller_. VICOMTE DE NANJAC _Mr. Cosmo Stuart_. MR. MONTFORD _Mr. Harry Stanford_. PHIPPS _Mr. C. H. Brookfield_. MASON _Mr. H. Deane_. JAMES _Mr. Charles Meyrick_. HAROLD _Mr. Goodhart_. LADY CHILTERN _Miss Julia Neilson_. LADY MARKBY _Miss Fanny Brough_. COUNTESS OF BASILDON _Miss Vane Featherston_. MRS. MARCHMONT _Miss Helen Forsyth_. MISS MABEL CHILTERN _Miss Maud Millet_. MRS. CHEVELEY _Miss Florence West_. FIRST ACT SCENE _The octagon room at Sir Robert Chiltern’s house in Grosvenor Square_.