Written by the prolific English playwright George Lillo, The London Merchant (first performed in 1731) tells the darkly tragic story of the downfall of a young man because he has associated himself with a prostitute named Sarah Millwood. Lillo's play is about morality, ethics, status and class, apprenticeship, trade, intrigue, and mystery.
When released, The London Merchant received exceedingly positive reviews and was performed regularly until 1819 (from 1731 to 1741, the play was staged a whopping 96 times). To this day, the play enjoys a tremendous amount of success and is one of - if not the - most popular play of the 1700s. The New York Times, for example, called the book an "18th-century gem" that has aged exceptionally "well" despite the period in which is was written.
