CHRONICLE. 



219 



for a long course of years kept 

 him in the eye of the public as 

 one of the most remarkable per- 

 sons of his time. He was born 

 in 1751, at or near Dublin, and 

 was the fourth son of Thomas 

 Sheridan, known for his powers 

 of declamation as an actor, and as 

 a successful instructor in elocu- 

 tion. Richard passed the early 

 years of education at Dublin, 

 whence he was removed to Har- 

 row. He appears to have ob- 

 tained no particular distinction at 

 school, being: naturally disposed 

 to indolence, and trusting more 

 to the impulse of genius than the 

 habit of application. His con- 

 nections naturally familiarized him 

 with the theatre ; and the attrac- 

 tions of Miss Linley operated with 

 so nmch force upon him, that 

 after having won her by a duelj 

 from a rival, he was rewarded 

 with her hand. She quitted the 

 stage on this union ; and it does 

 not appear what was Sheridan's 

 plan for maintaining a family, till 

 in 1775 he brought out his plea- 

 sant comedy of " The Rivals," at 

 Covent-Garden. Its first recep- 

 tion was like a failure ; but by 

 judicious alterations it gained the 

 public favom-, and gave the au- 

 thor precedence above the ordi- 

 nary pluy-wrights of the time. 

 The " Duenna," which .soon fol- 

 lowed, obtained a popularity even 

 beyond that of the Beggar's Opera, 

 being performed 75 nights during 

 the season. He now pushed his 

 conne.vions in fashionable life ; 

 and the brilhancy of his wit, with 

 the charms of Mrs. Sheridan's 

 conversation, brought ready visi- 

 tors to their convivial table. To 

 support this expence, he Joined in 

 the purchase of Garrick's share 



in the Drur}'-!ane patent, and 

 brought on the .stage an altered 

 play of Vanburgh's. In 1777 his 

 dramatic powers were exhibited 

 in their full lustre by the compo- 

 sition of " The School for Scan- 

 dal," a comedy which, perhaps 

 more than any other of the mo- 

 dern drama, revived the u-ittij age 

 of the English theatre. It was 

 perfoimed with the most com- 

 plete success, and still commands 

 crowded a\uliences in its turn of 

 representation as a stock play 

 The " Critic," written upon the 

 model of The Rehearsal, exhi- 

 bited a very amusing specimen of 

 his talent in humorous satire. 

 Although he derived considerable 

 profit from his pi'oductions, and 

 from his share in the theatre, his 

 stile of living always went be- 

 yond his resources, his expenses 

 being entirely unrestrained by 

 economy, or by any delicacy in 

 contracting debts which he had 

 no means of dis(;harging. By 

 friends Avho thought highly of his 

 abilities, he was thei'efore advised 

 to exercise them in the more fer- 

 tile and extensive field of politics. 

 By his efforts he obtained a seat 

 in parliament for the borough of 

 Stafford, ^nd lie closely attached 

 himself to the opposition against 

 the ministry of Loi d North . VVlien 

 that was overthrown in 17S'2, and 

 was succeeded by the Rockingham 

 administration, Sheridan was gra- 

 tified with the post of under- 

 seci etary to Mr. Fox. His friends 

 being shortly unseated by the 

 death of their leader, he lost his 

 place ; but when the Shelburne 

 party was defeated by the Coali- 

 tion, he re-entered the official 

 corps as secretary to the ti'easury. 

 As a parliamentary orator he had 



hitherto 



