Historical Context: The Military
"I warrant you, our friends imagine that we are gone a-volunteering."
"Why, faith, if this prospect fails, it must e'en come to that."
-Aimwell and Archer, Act One-
"Why, faith, if this prospect fails, it must e'en come to that."
-Aimwell and Archer, Act One-
From 1704 to 1706, Farquhar served as a lieutenant in the British army, and was set to work recruiting men for troops. Although the influence of Farquhar’s military experience is more strongly marked in The Recruiting Officer, it bleeds into The Beaux’ Stratagem through Aimwell and Archer’s talk of joining the army, Gibbet’s disguise as a captain, and the presence of French officers, along with a host of other references.
Even aside from Farquhar’s personal experience with the army, in 1707 (the year in which The Beaux’ Stratagem was produced and published) the military loomed a pressing topic. England found itself embroiled in war, and even people who refrained from joining the army would likely have met with the sight of British officers and soldiers—even, in such towns as Lichfield, of French officers who had been taken prisoner. In 1702, England had entered the War of the Spanish Succession largely as part of a long-standing rivalry between England and France (Spain’s ally in the war), bent on curtailing the expansion of French power. The rivalry was not to be easily stifled, and even after the war’s end in 1713, Britain would remain in an on-and-off conflict with France until 1815.
Eager enough when their country entered the war, by 1707 the English people had rather tired of the affair (Shirley Strum Kelly suggests as much in her introduction to The Recruiting Officer, p. 4). War meant increased government expenditure, and had already brought a raising of taxes. War meant a distraction from day-to-day life and its opportunities. And if war offered a solid enough career for officers (drawn strictly from society’s upper echelons), it meant far less prestige and more drudgery for the poorer, lower-ranking soldiers, who were often none too eager to head for the front. The army’s shoddy reputation did little to aid in winning men to its ranks, and the country found itself obliged to take active measures in recruiting soldiers (thus, for instance, came the “Pressing Act” referenced in The Beaux’ Stratagem, an act employed to swell the military ranks).
The first two excerpts below provide insight into the difficulties faced in raising recruits, while the third gives a brief example of captured officers sent to Lichfield.
Even aside from Farquhar’s personal experience with the army, in 1707 (the year in which The Beaux’ Stratagem was produced and published) the military loomed a pressing topic. England found itself embroiled in war, and even people who refrained from joining the army would likely have met with the sight of British officers and soldiers—even, in such towns as Lichfield, of French officers who had been taken prisoner. In 1702, England had entered the War of the Spanish Succession largely as part of a long-standing rivalry between England and France (Spain’s ally in the war), bent on curtailing the expansion of French power. The rivalry was not to be easily stifled, and even after the war’s end in 1713, Britain would remain in an on-and-off conflict with France until 1815.
Eager enough when their country entered the war, by 1707 the English people had rather tired of the affair (Shirley Strum Kelly suggests as much in her introduction to The Recruiting Officer, p. 4). War meant increased government expenditure, and had already brought a raising of taxes. War meant a distraction from day-to-day life and its opportunities. And if war offered a solid enough career for officers (drawn strictly from society’s upper echelons), it meant far less prestige and more drudgery for the poorer, lower-ranking soldiers, who were often none too eager to head for the front. The army’s shoddy reputation did little to aid in winning men to its ranks, and the country found itself obliged to take active measures in recruiting soldiers (thus, for instance, came the “Pressing Act” referenced in The Beaux’ Stratagem, an act employed to swell the military ranks).
The first two excerpts below provide insight into the difficulties faced in raising recruits, while the third gives a brief example of captured officers sent to Lichfield.
SELECTED EXCERPTS
It cannot be denied but great Disorders have been committed in Raising of Recruits; Men have been trepann’d and forc’d awayin a very Illegal manner, and often too such that were Sober and Industrious, Men of Trades and Callings, that were useful and necessary where they liv’d, and were taken away with as much Grief to their Neighbours, as Idle and Disorderly People were left behind: These are, no doubt, great Grievances, and as prejudicial to the Nation as they are Illegal: But how shall they be prevented? Men are not to be had without Tricks and Force, nor, as Matters now Stand, have the Officers, if they were never so willing to do it, any Power to pick and chuse, and distinguish who are fit to be taken, and who not, but must take who they can get, Fit or Unfit.
-“A Discourse About Raising Men...,” 1696 (p. 3-4)
’Tis objected against this way of Raising men.
I. That ’tis Impracticable.
II. That ’tis Subject to great Abuses in the Execution.
III. That it would carry too many Men away out of the Country.
IV. That it would make the Officers careless of their Men.
V. That ’tis a new thing; and we do not care for Novelties in England.
VI. That ’tis a Breach of our Liberties and Properties, a Violation of the Freedom of the English Nation, one of the Arbitrary Methods of the King of France, which ’tis not fit to imitate in England.
-“A Discourse About Raising Men...,” 1696 (p. 5)
Yesterday Morning 4 French General Officers and 4 Collonels, who were taken Prisoners at the forcing of the Lines in Flanders, and came from Holland with the Duke of Marlborough, were sent to Nottingham and Litchfield.
-Daily Courant, 3 January 1706
FURTHER READING
From the Journals of the House of Commons, read a bit about the passage of the act for raising recruits (that is, the "Pressing Act" mentioned in Act Three, Scene Three ofThe Beaux' Stratagem).
Back to Historical Context.
NOTE: For the introductory material above, I made most reference to H.M. Scott and Stanley D. M. Carpenter's chapters in A Companion to Eighteenth-Century Britain, Shirley Strum Kenny's introduction to The Recruiting Officer in The Works of George Farquhar, and A.S. Turberville's English Men and Manners.... See Resources Cited for details.
-“A Discourse About Raising Men...,” 1696 (p. 3-4)
’Tis objected against this way of Raising men.
I. That ’tis Impracticable.
II. That ’tis Subject to great Abuses in the Execution.
III. That it would carry too many Men away out of the Country.
IV. That it would make the Officers careless of their Men.
V. That ’tis a new thing; and we do not care for Novelties in England.
VI. That ’tis a Breach of our Liberties and Properties, a Violation of the Freedom of the English Nation, one of the Arbitrary Methods of the King of France, which ’tis not fit to imitate in England.
-“A Discourse About Raising Men...,” 1696 (p. 5)
Yesterday Morning 4 French General Officers and 4 Collonels, who were taken Prisoners at the forcing of the Lines in Flanders, and came from Holland with the Duke of Marlborough, were sent to Nottingham and Litchfield.
-Daily Courant, 3 January 1706
FURTHER READING
From the Journals of the House of Commons, read a bit about the passage of the act for raising recruits (that is, the "Pressing Act" mentioned in Act Three, Scene Three ofThe Beaux' Stratagem).
Back to Historical Context.
NOTE: For the introductory material above, I made most reference to H.M. Scott and Stanley D. M. Carpenter's chapters in A Companion to Eighteenth-Century Britain, Shirley Strum Kenny's introduction to The Recruiting Officer in The Works of George Farquhar, and A.S. Turberville's English Men and Manners.... See Resources Cited for details.
