Way of the World
Preserved but no longer current.
After Rich's death it was sold to George Colman the elder, who, in 1777, brought out She Stoops to Conquer. The house has been twice burned down (1 808 and 1856); in 1847 it started a famous career as The Royal Italian Opera House, and in the years that have followed it has become one of the greatest opera-houses in Europe.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Way of the World” mean?
After Rich's death it was sold to George Colman the elder, who, in 1777, brought out She Stoops to Conquer. The house has been twice burned down (1 808 and 1856); in 1847 it started a famous career as The Royal Italian Opera House, and in the years that have followed it has become one of the greatest opera-houses in Europe.
Is “Way of the World” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.