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repudiation of what Mathews considered the slander clearly left 
behind him. Then as to the “ young man” he was treated as an 
enemy simply because he had taken off this young girl to her ruin, 
perhaps, as many then thought and as many would think to-day, 
and had left behind an abusive letter and circulated an “ infamous 
lie.” It is actually further argued that by thus showing his anger 
Mathews acknowledged his defeat. How any such thought can be 
so read it is impossible to see. Such writing o’erleaps itself. The 
feeling raised against Mathews was for a time apparently very 
~ strong, and a better way of meeting it than this advertisement 
does not seem possible. Further* a letter to Sheridan is given, 
dated 22nd March, 1772. No reference is made as to its 
whereabouts nor is the address noticed, but it is from one W.B., 
and evidently in reply to another from London from Sheridan, 
but Sheridan could not have received this in London. Now 
that herein the exact date of the elopement is given, viz., 18th 
March, it can be better understood. It says, “the morning after 
you left,” this would be presumably the rgth, “ Mathews came 
to me with many oaths ; his present situation and feelings (i.e. 
on the 22nd) are not to be envied, but bad as he is the town has 
so little charity for him they make him worse perhaps than he 
deserves.” So here it must be noted that this particular friend, 
obliged necessarily to write in an acceptable tone about Mathews, 
does not care to endorse the position as being deserved. Ina 
further conversation with Mathews the writer ventured to 
suggest that he should leave Bath. This last suggestion is, 
perhaps, about as absurd as any could be as a means of meeting 
slander, as it would certainly have shown cowardice and weakness 
indeed. Instead of leaving Mathews inserted the advertisement, 
its cause being thus made clear. 
_ ‘The convent game being now over Sheridan presently wrote to 
‘his brother (rsth April) that he hoped he had not been 
AE SR SSAA 
. * Rae, Vol. 1., p. 171. 
