fpect his majesty's conduct) not only in themfelves utterly groundlefs, but contradicted both by the internal evidence of the tranfactions to which they relate, and alfo by the exprefs teftimony (given at the time) of the government of France itself. With refpect to the object of the note, his majefty can only refer to the anfwer which he has already given. He has explained, without referve, the obftacles which, in his judgment, preclude at the prefent moment all hope of advantage from negociation. All the inducements to treat, which are relied upon in the French official note; the perfonal difpofitions which are faid to prevail for the conclufion of peace, and for the future obfervance of treaties; the power of infuring the effect of thofe difpofitions, fuppofing them to exift; and the folidity of the fyftem newly established, after fo rapid a fucceffion of revolutions; all thefe are points which can be known only from that teft to which his majefty has already referred them the refult of experience, and the evidence of facts. With that fincerity and plainnefs which his anxiety for the re-eftablishment of peace indifpenfably required, his majefty has pointed out to France the fureft and speedieft means for the attainment of that great object. But he has declared in terms equally explicit, and with the fame fincerity, that he entertains no defire to preferibe to a foreign nation the form of its government; that he looks only to the fecurity of his own dominions and of Europe; and that whenever that effential object can, in his judgment, be, in any manner whatever, fufficiently provid ed for, he will eagerly concert with his allies the means of immediate and joint negociation for the re-establishment of general tranquillity. To thefe declarations his majefty fteadily adheres, and it is only on the grounds thus ftated, that his regard to the fafety of his fubjects will fuffer him to renounce that fyftem of vigorous defence, to which, under the favour of Providence, his kingdoms owe the fecurity of thofe bleffings which they now enjoy. (Signed) Grenville. MEMOIRS OF RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN, ESQ. I Johnson that, T has been justly remarked by Dr 66 many things, which are falfe, are tranfmitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world." This obfervation may be applied to the different memoirs of Mr Sheridan, which have been published. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is the The groffeft errors acquire a fort third fon of Mr Thomas Sheridan, celeof currency among the majority brated as an actor, eminent for his of readers, who have not had an op- fkill in elocution, and entitled to the portunity, or perhaps an inclination, gratitude of the public for his judito inveftigate the accuracy of circum- cious and indefatigable exertions to ftances, that feem of trifling moment. improve the fyftem of education in They are confidered as unquestionable this country. His works, with the facts by fucceeding biographers, and exception of fome plays, which he given to the public with embellifh- altered, and the Life of Dean Swift, ments which ftrengthen deception, which he prepared for publication, in general, general, relate to the elements of language and the inftruction of youth*. His father, the Rev. Doctor Thomas Sheridan, was a diftinguished divine, the ableft school mafter of his time, and the intimate friend of the Dean of St Patrick's. Mr Thomas Sheridan died at Margate on the 14th of Auguft, 1788. Mrs Frances Sheridan, the mother of Richard Brinley, a lady no lefs refpected for her domeftic virtues than admired for her literary attainments, was the author of Sidney Biddulph, a novel, which has the merit of combining the pureft morality with the most powerful intereft. She alfo wrote Nourjahad, an Oriental Tale, and the comedies of the Dif covery, the Dupe, and a Trip to Bath. She died at Blois in France, the 17th of Sept. 1766 +. The fubject of this memoir was born in Dorfet-Street, Dublin, in the month of Oct. 1751. He was placed, in his feventh year, with his elder brother Charles Francis, late Secretary at War in Ireland, the correct and elegant hiftorian of the revolution in Sweden, under the tuition of Mr Samuel Whyte of Dublin, the friend of their father, who has been a long time highly efteemed for his care and ability in the inftru&tion of youth. They were the two firft pupils of Mr Whyte, who opened his academy in April 1758, and it is a circumftance not entirely unworthy of remark, that their early years afforded no promife of the abilities which they have fince difplayed. Mrs Sheridan, whofe difcrimination cannot be queftioned, took an opportunity, on committing them to the care of Mr White, to advert to the neceffity of patience in the ardous profeffion, which he had embraced, and addreffed him in the following language-"Thefe boys will be your tutors in that refpect. I have hitherto been their only inftructor, and they have fufficiently exercifed mine; for two fuch impenetrable dunces I never met with." Having remained nearly eighteen months with Mr Whyte, they were fent by that gentlemen, in September 1759, to Mr and Mrs Sheridan, who then refided at Windfor. There they paffed nearly a year, their education, during that time, being fuperinteded by Mrs Sheridan herself. Richard Brinfley was placed at Harrow fchool, after the Christmas of 1762. The obfervation, made by his mother on the occafion, taken from one of her letters, now before the writer of this fketch, is, when connected with his fubfequent purfuits, rather of a fingular kind. She fays-"Dick has been at Harrow fchool fince Christmas; as he probab ly *Lift of Mr Sheridan's principal works:-The Loyal Lover, Romeo and Juliet, and Coriolanus, all altered and acted; British Education; A Difcourfe delivered in the Theatre at Oxford, and in the fenate-houle at Cambridge: A Differtation on the Caules and Difficulties which occur in learning the English Tongue; A Courfe of Lectures on Elocution; A Plan of Education for the Young Nobility and Gentry of Great Britain; Lectures on the Art of Reading, in two pars; A general Dic tionary of the English Language; The Works of, the Rev. Dr Jonathan Swift, Dean of St Patrick's, arranged, revised, and corrected; Elements of English. Such was the respect paid to her memory by the Bhop of Blois, that he had it intimated to her friends, notwith ftanding the difference of religious perfuafion, that they might take advantage of the night to depofit her remains in confecrated ground, and no interruption fhould be given to the intermentan indulgence in France, which was perhaps never before extended to any reputed heretic. Dr Young, in his Night Thoughts, bitterly complains of the different treatment which attended his daughters burial in the fame country. Extract from the regifter of St Mary's parish, Dublin. "Charles Francis, fon of Thomas and Frances Sheridan, baptized July 23d, 1750.-Richard Brinley Sheridan, baptized November 4th, 1751." Mr Sheridan's eldest son Thomas, died in childhood. ly may fall into a bufiling life, we have a mind to accuftom him early to Shift for himself." It has been reported, but without foundation, that he gave recitations from the English Glaffics during his father's lectures, His father, on the contrary, never entertained an idea of employing him in that manner, as his brother Charles was very much his fuperior in diligence, correctnefs of ear, and powers of voice, and was remarkable, when only eleven years old, for his elegant and impreffive delivery of feveral paffages from Milton. The literary advancement of Mr Sheridan at Harrow, a feminary which has fent into the world many finished scholars, and diftinguished characters, appears to have been at first retarded, either by the bluntnefs of his powers, or the negligence of his difpofition. Dr Summer, who was then master of the fchool, had probably, from his conftant attention to the boys of the higher forms, no opportunity of diftinguishing the talents of his pupil; and it was referved for Dr Parr, who was at that time one of the fub-preceptors, to discover and call into activity the faculties of young Sheridan's mind. object, and when that end was attained, he relaxed in his application, and funk into his former indolence. His laft year at Harrow was fpent more in reflecting on the acquirements he had made, and the event. ful scenes of a bufy life, which were opening to his view, than in enlarg ing the circle of his claffical and literary attainments His father was fo highly pleafed with the progrefs his fon had made in his ftudies, that he deemed it unneceffary to fend him to the university; and he was, a fhort time after his departure from Harrow, entered as a ftudent in the Middle Temple. From that period to his marriage with Mifs Linley, the life of Mr Sheridan seems involved in obfcurity, which it is difficult to clear up in a fatisfactory way. He certainly was not, for it is mentioned on the authority of perfons who were then on terms of intimacy with him, either the votary of fashion, or immersed in diffipation. Mr Sheridan was, about the age. of twenty, peculiarly fond of the fociety of men of tafte and learning, and foon gave proofs that he was inferior to none of his companions in wit and argument. The fum allowed for his fupport must have been very fmall, as his father's penfion from the crown was barely fufficient to provide for the expences incurred by a genteel, but moderate plan of living; nor were the emoluments arifing from his lectures on elocution, and his performances as an actor, very confiderable. In this fituation, Richard Brinley was at length roufed from the inactivity of which his parents had fo frequently complained, and the fpirit of emulation produced exertions, which admonition and the fear of correction- had vainly endeavoured to excite. He felt, that to be diftinguished, it was neceffary to devote a confiderable part of his time to ftudy. His memory was found to be uncommonly, Mr Sheridan had recourfe to his li retentive, and his judgment correct; and when his mind was quickened by. competition, his genius gradually expanded, into that happy verfatility of powers which has never deferted him. But to be admired feemed his only terary talents for pecuniary fupplies. He had read, immediately after his leaving Harrow, with minute attention, the works of our most eminent writers, and applied himfelf to the fludy of English compofition in its various *A penfion of 200l. per annum was granted by his Majefty, in 1762, to Mr T. Sheridan, without folicitation, as an encouragement to complete his English Dictionary, and as a reward for his literary labours. various branches. Nothing, however, but neceffity could have induced him to exert his powers, as Dryden and many others had done before him, for immediate profit; for, exclufively of an unaccountable propenfity to indolence, which formed the diftinguishing characteristic of his youthful days, and from which he cannot now be ftimulated but by fome great and fudden impulfe, he has ever confidered a mercenary writ er, who is occafionally compelled to facrifice his own conviction to the inftructions of his employer, as a character truly wretched and contemptible. That he maintained his independence of fentiment there is no ground to difbelieve; but he had the prudence to conceal from most of his acquaintances, whatever fhare he had in the fleeting productions of the day. He alfo directed his attention to the drama, as a fubject, in every refpect calculated to reward his labours with fame and emolument; but difgufted with some sketches of comic character, which he drew, he actually deftroyed them, and, in a moment of defpair, renounced every hope of excellence as a dramatic writer. A poetical tranflation of Afiftenetus has been attributed to him, but the fhare which he had in that verfion was very limited. But the views, which he may have then entertained, either with respect to the cultivation and exertion of his genius in literary purfuits, or to the fudy of the profeffion to which he had been deftined by his father, were all loft in a paffion, that maftered his reafon. He at once faw and loved Mifs Linley, and from his first introduction to her indulged the hope of triumphing over every obitacle that oppofed his happinefs. That lady was no lefs admirable for the elegant accomplishments of her fex and the affecting fimplicity of her converfa tion, than for the charms of her perfon, and the fafcinating powers of her voice. She was the principal. performer in the Oratorios, at Drurylane theatre; and the fcience, tafte, but above all, the enthufiaftic feeling which the difplayed in the execution of the airs affigned to her, are fill remembered with delights The trains which the poured forth were the happieft combinations nf nature and of art; but nature predominated over art. Her accents were fo melodious and captivating, and their paffage to the heart fo fudden and irrefittable, that "li'ning Envy would have dropped her fnakes, and ftern-ey'd Fury's felf would have melted" at the founds. Mr Sheridan became her avowed fuitor, and every idea of intereft and ambition was abforbed in his paffion. Her father, Mr Linley, the late ingenious compofer, was not at first propitious to his paffion, and he had many rivals to overcome in his attempts to gain the lady's affections. His perfeverance, however, encreased. with the difficulties that prefented themfelves, and his courage and refolution in vindicating Mifs Linley's reputation from a calumnious report, which had been bafely thrown out against it, obtained for him the fair prize for which he twice exposed his life. Mr Mathews, a gentleman thea well known in the fashionable circles at Eath, had caufed a paragraph to be inferted in a public paper at that place, which tended to prejudice the character of this young lady, and Mr Sheridan immediately applied for redress to the printer, who communicated the author's name. Mr Mathews had, in the mean time, fet out for London, and was clofely purfued by Mr Sheridan. They met. and fought a duel with fwords at a tavern in Henrietta-ftreet, Coventgarden. *The house fituated at the weft end of Henrietta-Street, now a china-warehouse and partly in Bedford fireet. garden. Mr Sheridan's fecond on the occafion was his brother Charles Francis, the late Secretary at War in Ireland. Great courage and fkill were difplayed on both fides: but Mr Sheridau having fucceeded in difarming his adverfary, compelled him to fign a formal retraction of the paragraph which had been published. The conqueror inftantly returned to Bath; and thinking that, as the infult had been publicly given, the apology fhould have equal notoriety, he caufed it to be published in the fame paper. Mr Mathews foon heard of this circumftance, and irritated at his defeat, and the ufe which his antagonist had made of his retraction, repaired to Bath, determined to call upon Mr Sheridan for fatisfaction. A meffage was accordingly fent, and a meeting agreed to; Mr Sheridan would have been juftified, according to the most delicate punctilios of honour, in declining the call; but he filenced all the objections that were ftarted by his friends, and the parties met at Kingsdown. The victory was. defperately contefted, and, after a difcharge of piftols, they fought with fwords. They were both wounded, and clofing with each other, fell on the ground, where the fight was continued until they were feparated. They received feveral wounds in this arduous ftruggle for life and honour, and a part of his opponent's weapon was left in Mr Sheridan's ear. Mifs Linley did not fuffer a long time to elapfe before the rewarded Mr Sheridan for the dangers he had braved in her defence, by accompanying him on a matrimonial excurfion to the Continent. The ceremony was again performed, on their return to England, with the confent of the lady's parents. From the period of her marriage, Mrs Sheridan never appeared as a public performer. Her fituation in the Oratorios was filled by her young er filter,* Mifs Mary Linley. Se. veral lucrative propofals were, about this time, made to Mrs. Sheridan, to induce her once more to charm the public ear, but they were rejected with difdain by Mr Sheridan. During their refidence in Orchardftreet, they were subject to very dif, treffing embarraffments; and it was not a very uncommon thing to want the neceffary fupplies for the day that was paffing over them. Yet the firmnefs of Mr Sheridan, in refifting every propofal of this nature, by which any lofs of estimation in the eyes of the world, might be incurred, remained invincible. He received a letter from the proprietors of the Pantheon, which was then about to be opened, offering Mrs Sheridan one thousand pounds for her performance during twelve nights, and one thoufand pounds more for a benefit, the profits of which they were to appropriate to their own use. The propofal of fo large a fum as two thousand pounds, which might have been gained in, a few weeks, was not even politely declined, but rejected with indignation by Mr Sheridan, notwithstanding the earneft entreaties of his wife. Mr Sheridan, who was now encumbered with the cares of a family, felt the neceffity of immediate exertion to provide for the preffing calis,n infeparable from a domeftic eftablishe ment, which, if not fplendid, was marked with all the appearances of. genteel life. His attempt at dramatic compofition, and the moderate opinion which he entertained of his talents in that › refpect, have been already noticed; but his charming lines to Mifs Linley, and fome occafional productions, which displayed with equal happiness his talent for natural tenderness of fentiment and brilliancy of wit, had fecured to him no mean reputation *This young lady died finging, "I know that my Redeemer livesh.? |