The foremost comic playwright of his time, William Congreve (1670-1729) caught the attention of London’s literary set as a teenager and was mentored by John Dryden to write for the stage. His output included only five plays, as he left the world of theater in 1700 after the financial failure of his comedy The Way of the World, which is now seen as his masterpiece. He continued writing in private, penning librettos for operas and original poetry, as well as voluminous translations of Greek and Roman poets.