The Duchett tf Padua was written in 1882, and finished in March 1883. It was produced in New York on November 14, 1891, at Hammerstein s Opera House. Twenty prompt copies were printed for private circulation and use in the theatre. One of only two copies known to exist contains the authors corrections, and on it the present edition is based. Certain passages were found to have been bracketed, or deleted in pencil. Whether these passages were omitted for stage presentation, or were intended to be omitted by the author altogether, there is no evidence to show. They have, however, been retained in the present edition, and are indicated by brackets. The original manuscript was stolen, with other unpublished works, from the authors house in A pril 1895. The play has been translated by Dr. Max Meyerfeld (E gon, Fleischel and Co., Berlin, 1904). An unauthorised English prose translation from the German has been printed in Paris, London, or A merica, and is offered for sale by unscrupulous pubbshers and unscrupulous booksellers along with other spurious works ascribed to Oscar Wilde. The dramatic rights for America belong to the representatives of Miss Gale and the late Laurence Barrett. The dramatic rights for England, the Colonies, and the Continent are vested in the authors literary executor, and administrator of his estate, Robert Ron. (Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don"t occur in the book.) About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology. Forgotten Books" Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the aged text.