Monologue

Sir Patrick Monologue from The Doctor's Dilemma

From The Doctor's Dilemma by Bernard Shaw

male · philosophical · 1:45 min

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Remember the Frenchman who asked his grandmother at what age we get free from the temptations of love. The old woman said she didn't know. (Ridgeon laughs). Well, I make you the same answer. But the world's growing very interesting to me now, Colly. (RIDGEON: You keep up your interest in science, do you?) Lord! yes. Modern science is a wonderful thing. Look at your great discovery! Look at all the great discoveries! Where are they leading to? Why, right back to my poor dear old father's ideas and discoveries. He's been dead now over forty years. Oh, it's very interesting. (RIDGEON: Well, theres nothing like progress, is there?) Dont misunderstand me, my boy. I'm not belittling your discovery. Most discoveries are made regularly every fifteen years; and it's fully a hundred and fifty since yours was made last. Thats something to be proud of. But your discovery's not new. It's only inoculation. My father practised inoculation until it was made criminal in eighteen-forty. That broke the poor old man's heart, Colly: he died of it. And now it turns out that my father was right after all. Youve brought us back to inoculation.

About this piece

60 and up · melancholy · family · death · science · discovery

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