 The play opens with Algernon Moncrieff , an idle young gentleman , receiving his best friend , John Worthing , whom he knows as Ernest . Ernest has come from the country to propose to Algernon 's cousin , Gwendolen Fairfax . Algernon , however , refuses his consent until Ernest explains why his cigarette case bears the inscription , " From little Cecily , with her fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack . " ' Ernest ' is forced to admit to living a double life . In the country , he assumes a serious attitude for the benefit of his young ward , the heiress Cecily Cardew , and goes by the name of John ( or , as a nickname , Jack ) , while pretending that he must worry about a wastrel younger brother named Ernest in London . In the city , meanwhile , he assumes the identity of the libertine Ernest . Algernon confesses a similar deception : he pretends to have an invalid friend named Bunbury in the country , whom he can " visit " whenever he wishes to avoid an unwelcome social obligation . Jack refuses to tell Algernon the location of his country estate . 
 The play <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>opens</mark></a> with Algernon Moncrieff , an idle young gentleman , receiving his best friend , John Worthing , whom he <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>knows</mark></a> as Ernest . Ernest <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> come from the country to propose to Algernon <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>cousin , Gwendolen Fairfax . Algernon , however , <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>refuses</mark></a> his consent until Ernest <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>explains</mark></a> why his cigarette case <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>bears</mark></a> the inscription , " From little Cecily , with her fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack . " ' Ernest ' is forced to admit to living a double life . In the country , he <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>assumes</mark></a> a serious attitude for the benefit of his young ward , the heiress Cecily Cardew , and <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>goes</mark></a> by the name of John ( or , as a nickname , Jack ) , while pretending that he must worry about a wastrel younger brother named Ernest in London . In the city , meanwhile , he <a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>assumes</mark></a> the identity of the libertine Ernest . Algernon <a href='uninflect' title='11'><mark>confesses</mark></a> a similar deception : he <a href='uninflect' title='12'><mark>pretends</mark></a> to have an invalid friend named Bunbury in the country , whom he can " visit " whenever he <a href='uninflect' title='13'><mark>wishes</mark></a> to avoid an unwelcome social obligation . Jack <a href='uninflect' title='14'><mark>refuses</mark></a> to tell Algernon the location of his country estate . 
Da play open with Algernon Moncrieff , an idle young gentleman , receiving his best friend , John Worthing , whom he knoe as Ernest . Ernest done come from tdacountry to propose to Algernon  cousin , Gwendolen Fairfax . Algernon , however , refuse his consent till Ernest explain why his cigarette case bear the inscription , " From lil Cecily , with her fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack . " ' Ernest ' is forced to admit to living a double life . In thdaountry , he assume a serious attitude for the benefit of his young ward , the heiress Cecily Cardew , and go by thedame of John ( or , as a nickname , Jack ) , while pretending dat he must worry about a wastrel younger brother named Ernest in London . In the city , meanwhile , he assume the dantity of the ldartine Ernest . Algernon confess a similar deception : he pretend to have an invalid friend named Bunbury in the country , whom he can " visit " whenever he wish to avoid an unwelcome social obligation . Jack refuse to tell Algernon the location of his country estate .