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eventful comedy, almost a tragedy. At this time of social gaiety 
_ Sheridan’s mind showed that tendency to comedy literature 
_ which developed a little later. There happened to be issued 
at Bath a sketch called “The Bath Picture,” by Richard 
Fitzpatrick, ze, Miles Peter Andrews, and this, under the 
signature of Asmodeo, Sheridan answered with ‘“Clio’s Protest 
or the Picture Varnished,” the last eight lines in this beginning 
“Marked you her eye, &c.,” alluding in praise to Lady Margaret 
' Fordyce, were set to music. Lady Margaret was the sister 
of Lady Anne Fordyce, the author of “Auld Robin Gray.”* 
This has somewhat a further local interest, as Auld Robin 
Gray was set to music by Mr. Leeves, rector of Wrington. 
_ Another little humorous sketch by Sheridan was called “The 
 Ridotto,” in style after Anstey, written on the opening of the 
new Assembly Rooms, September, 1771. A ridotto was a “ bal 
_ paré” or in semi-evening dress. It was first printed in the 
Bath Chronicle, October, 1771, and was then issued in ballad 
slip form, price one penny, but although the demand required 
a large issue, not a copy seems to have survived. It was re-issued 
‘in 1773, and later in a work entitled “The New Foundling 
Hospital for Wit,” Vol. I., and has been thus saved to us. It 
was further re-printed in 1819. 
_ There was also some sort of joint literary scheme between 
Sheridan and his friend Halhed at Oxford. The plan advanced 
so far that Halhed made a translation of a pretended Greek 
author or writer, who assumed the name of Aristcenetus, which 
he published in 8vo. in 1771. The title was :— 
“ The Love Epistles of Aristcenetus,” translated from the Greek 
into English metre. 
The preface is signed ‘‘ H.S.,” which has been supposed to mean 
Halhed Sheridan, but Sheridan’s work was only to read such of 
t he translation that Halhed sent to him. Halhed speaks of the 
SRE SEE lotr) 5 “i 
* A Lefanu. 
