271 
* somewhere else. Now this again is very curious writing and very 
curious reading. Had a stop been made at—abode—all would 
have been well ; he had told all he knew. There is not even a 
little doubt but a certainty that the rest is entirely worse than 
worthless. Richard did not make many visits to Bath, he did 
not return after leaving it, but his wife did so, and his father may 
have occasionally been there. But the question is not of such 
visits or where such visitors may have lodged for the usual three 
weeks or month. The times and dates for the present interest 
are fixed and determined. Had these searchers hunted a little 
_ wider they would have long ago turned to Moore’s—Life of 
- Sheridan—and would there have found the story told as fully and 
as much as it is so far known to-day. Moore says—the Sheridans 
first took up their residence in Kingsmead St., and he adds in 
a foot note on the same page as if it were a late information—and 
for a short time in New King St. In Mr. Sheridan’s advertise- 
ments of his lectures on his coming to Bath he gives his address 
as Kingsmead St., and there are many Sheridan letters extant all 
_ dated from Kingsmead St. There is thus no occasion to doubt 
or hunt further. The only point is to determine which or 
whereabouts was the actual house. 
Mr. Sheridan on coming to Bath would attract no especial 
notice as merely a public entertainer struggling for existence. 
_ Sam Foote is recorded to have said*—throw a naked Irishman 
_ into the Thames at low water and he will come up with the tide 
at Westminster with a laced coat on and a sword. Having gone 
under in London Mr. Sheridan came almost naked to Bath 
_ hoping the tide would turn him up well laced and comfortable. 
_ Although this did not happen exactly, yet from the general tenor 
of his life there and from letters extant, it may be judged that 
_ after his kind and race he managed ‘to live fairly well, the morrow 
being left to take care of itself. He hardly became a householder 
* «Bon Mots,” p. 81. 
