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London road the “bold” protector conducted the young lady 
in a chair from her house in the Crescent and off they went. The 
London Chronicle of Tuesday, 24th March, 1772, under date 
from Bath, 23rd March, says—on Wednesday (é.e., 18th March) : 
“The eldest Miss Linley, of this city, justly celebrated for her 
musical abilities, set off with Mr. Sheridan, jun., on a matrimonial 
excursion to Scotland.” Such’ would be the first impression with 
everyone. This affair again brings up thoughts of cleverness on 
one side or easiness in business matters on the other, or 
how did this extravagant youth without any apparent means 
manage to plan thus and start with post horses and a 
servant for London and beyond. In connection with this point 
_ it has never been remembered that the young lady could hardly 
_ have been without means, as besides her important earnings from 
_ which she may have had pocket money, she had in her own right 
the money investment settled by Mr. Long. On arriving in 
London the runaways spent a night with a friend, Mr. Ewart, a 
brandy merchant. From here Sheridan seems to have written to 
Bath and giving his route plan, which, however, as may be expected, 
he did not follow. Leaving the propriety duenna behind, aided 
_by Mr. Ewart’s shipping interest the couple next crossed to Dunkirk. 
From here they proceeded to Lille where the young lady was 
deposited or got herself deposited as a boarder in a convent. 
_ Thus so far this story is told, from contemporary sources, 
for the first time; told just as Bath must have known it 
at the time. With this knowledge of cause or causes 
Sheridan died in 1816, when some _ short ‘notices of 
life appeared, and in 1817 Dr. Watkins published a fuller 
account. A more extended biography being thought necessary 
