152 
uneasy lest anything should tempt him to depart ftom the 
honour and consistency which engaged him from the first ; but 
the brother was not altogether with him on this point, as he wrote 
to his uncle—the circumstances might allow of their being 
dubious. There is also a letter extant from Mr. Sheridan “ which 
shows his lack of charity,’’* whatever that may mean, and so 
it is not printed “inasmuch as he puts a much harsher con- 
struction on his younger son’s conduct than the elder had 
done.” Father and brother then were at least agreed with 
Mathews about this most reprehensible affair, and the father 
could write as harshly as the brother had “ unguardedly ” 
spoken. “As letters had been sent to Bath from Lille, 
Mr. Linley could not be ignorant where his daughter was. 
to be found.’t This insinuation is not very kindly. Mr. 
Linley would not have rested a momeat had he known where 
the girl was. He did not know as no letter had been 
received or sent from Lille. If the whereabouts was 
known why did Mathews “haunt” the Sheridans with 
inquiries for some weeks? It was not until the 15th April 
that Sheridan wrote, and we are told Mr. Linley arrived 
at Lille a few days after the “despatch” of the letter 
Whilst Mr. Linley here clearly did not rest when he knew the 
whereabouts, so it must be remarked he would not start after 
the despatch, but after the delivery or receipt of the letter. 
Supposing it took four days it would be delivered on 
the roth, just a month after the elopement. Money must 
have been getting short. Then Mr. Linley starting perhaps 
on the 20th would arrive at Lille about the 24th. On 
his arrival, restraining all show of anger and avoiding further 
rupture or opposition he did the amiable, and so after spending 
one night at Lille he departed with the lost one, and would be in 
Bath perhaps by the 3oth April. Here must be noticed some 
* Rae Vol. 1., 185. + Rae, ps7 1. 
