182 
The future author of the School for Scandal knew well his work 
and that in a few days his story would be all over the town. 
Then came the irritation following the refusal of Mr. Linley to 
see him after these reports to his prejudice had reached him, 
which prompted the idea of the advertisement as the only 
ready means of a public denial of the slander and with a public 
accusation of the slanderer. As the thing stands to-day no 
expressions of denial could be more forcible, nor could there 
be a shorter or more public way of proclaiming it. Naturally the 
Sheridans did not like it and protested. Athough for a time the 
story had some effect in the local coterie it took no lasting hold ; 
as the affair became better known and understood the slander 
died away, and was soon forgotten. The next event is the duel 
which followed A charge or insinuation when once started loses 
nothing by repetition; and if any man commit a wrong action 
especially if against the code of honour he will be condemned 
with but little hesitation. ‘The feeling against Mathews after 
the first duel ran high, his defeat and having begged his life and 
given an apology was considered unpardonable. Some thought 
this censure in some decree unmerited, but he was consequently 
obliged to leave Bath and so retired into Wales to be “ among 
strangers”* hoping for forgetfulness ; but in vain the story followed 
him. 
Again later, after the second duel, Mr. Sheridan vexed and 
angry at his son being wounded wrote of Mathews, who had 
gone to France,—if he show his head at Bath again he will be 
shunned as one infected with the plague.t These remarks as 
met with in the biographies read, or are made to read, as if they 
referred to the Linley social trouble. This was not the case ; 
that charge was never to the fore; the allusions refer entirely to 
the duels. Mathews left Bath after the first duel because of his 
‘“‘ungentlemanlike” defeat; and the above allusions of Mr. 
* “ Craftsman,” 10 Oct. + Kae, 204. 
