Editing George Farquhar (section)

==Early life==
[[File:George Farquhar from NPG.jpg|thumb|Engraving of a performance of George Farquhar by [[Michiel van der Gucht]] after unknown artist, published 1711]]

Born in [[Derry]], Farquhar was one of seven children born to William Farquhar, a clergyman of modest means.<ref name=strauss>{{cite book
 | editor-last = Strauss
 | editor-first = Louis A.
 | title = A Discourse Upon Comedy, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux' Stratagem by George Farquhar
 | publisher = D.C. Heath & Co.
 | year = 2007
 | orig-year = 1914
 | location = Boston
 | pages = v
 | isbn = 9780598588494
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mB1MAAAAMAAJ
 }}</ref> The author of "Memoirs of Mr. George Farquhar", a biographical sketch prefixed to certain 18th-century editions<ref name=memnote>Alex. Charles Ewald quotes from a slightly different version of these "Memoirs" in the introduction to his edition of ''[https://archive.org/details/dramaticworksge01farqgoog The Dramatic Works of George Farquhar]'' (London: John C. Nimmo, 1892), Vol. 1, p. vi–vii, and Strauss, op. cit, p. vi ''et seq.,'' cites from but does not quote a biographical writing by "T. Wilkes" given in the 1775 Dublin edition of Farquhar which agrees in some but not all details with the version quoted in this article (referenced in the next note).</ref> of his works, claims that Farquhar

{{Cquote|discovered a Genius early devoted to the Muses. When he was very young, he gave Specimens of his Poetry; and discovered a Force of Thinking, and Turn of Expression, much beyond his years.<ref name=ingenious>{{cite book
 | last = Anonymous
 | chapter = Memoirs of Mr. George Farquhar
 | title = The Works of the Late Ingenious Mr. George Farquhar... 
 | edition = Tenth
 | publisher = [[Rivington (publishers)|John Rivington]] et al.
 | year = 1772
 | location = London
 | pages = Vol. I, p. iii
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=kDTUMPTssgsC
 | no-pp = true  }}</ref> }}

He was educated at [[Foyle and Londonderry College|Foyle College]] and later entered [[Trinity College Dublin]] at age 17 as a [[sizar]] under the patronage of the [[Bishop of Dromore]],<ref name=alex>{{cite book
 | editor-last = Ewald
 | editor-first = Alex. Charles
 | title = The Dramatic Works of George Farquhar
 | publisher = John C. Nimmo
 | year = 1892
 | location = London
 | pages = Vol. I, p. v
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=oIQ4AAAAIAAJ
 | no-pp = true  }}</ref> who may have been related to Farquhar's mother.<ref name="strauss"/> Farquhar may have initially intended to follow his father's profession and become a clergyman,<ref name=ross>{{cite book
 | editor-last = Ross
 | editor-first = John
 | title = George Farquhar: The Recruiting Officer
 | publisher = A&C Black
 | year = 1991
 | location = London
 | pages = xiii
 | isbn =  0-7136-3349-2
 | no-pp = true | edition = New Mermaids, 2nd
 }}</ref> but was "unhappy and rebellious as a student" and left college after two years to become an actor.<ref name=myers>{{cite book
 | editor-last = Myers
 | editor-first = William
 | title = George Farquhar: The Recruiting Officer and Other Plays
 | publisher = Oxford University Press
 | year = 1995
 | location = Oxford
 | pages = vii
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=B_efAAAACAAJ
 | isbn = 0-19-282249-7
 | no-pp = true }}</ref> According to an 18th-century biographer, Farquhar's "gay and volatile Disposition could not long relish the Gravity and Retirement of a College-life,"<ref name="ingenious"/> and Trinity College may have expelled him over a "profane jest."<ref name=strauss1>{{cite book
 | editor-last = Strauss
 | editor-first = Louis A.
 | title = A Discourse Upon Comedy, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux' Stratagem by George Farquhar
 | publisher = D.C. Heath & Co.
 | year = 2007
 | orig-year = 1914
 | location = Boston
 | pages = vi
 | isbn = 9780598588494
 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mB1MAAAAMAAJ
 }}</ref>