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S H E R 
rnir Monom'aca in 1114 to 1472;” “The Life of Peter the 
Great,” in the Russian language, first published at Venice, 
which the Prince reprinted in 1774, and, according to his 
usual custom, enriched with many historical observations. 
Of his History, already referred (o, our author says, “ I have 
read the German translation of this performance, which ap¬ 
pears to me a most valuable addition to the history of the 
North. The author has had access to the imperial archives ; 
he draws his information from the most ancient and unques¬ 
tionable sources, is particularly exact in quoting his authori¬ 
ties, and ranges the events in a chronological series with great 
perspicuity." Cove's Travels. 
SHEREFORD, a parish of England, in Norfolk; 2 miles 
west-by-south of Faken'nam. 
SHEREGUR, a town of Hindostan, province of Moultan, 
belonging to the Seiks. Lat. 30. 55. N. long. 73. 24. E. 
SHERFIELD, a parish of England, in Southamptonshire; 
3J miles north-east of Basingstoke. Population 520. 
SHERFIELD, English, a parish in the above county; 
5 miles west-north-west of -Romsey. 
SIIERFORD, a parish of England, in Devonshire; 3 
miles east of Knightsbridge. Population 366. 
SHERFORD, a hamlet of England, in Warwickshire, 
near Coventry. 
SHERIDAN (Thomas), was born probably about the 
year 1684, in the county of Cavan, where his parents lived 
in such a state of indigence, as not to be able to afford him 
the advantages of a liberal education ; but being observed 
to give early indications of genius, he attracted the notice of 
a friend to his family, who sent him to the college of 
Dublin, and contributed towards his support, while he 
remained there. Afterwards he proceeded to a doctor’s 
degree, and took orders, and set up a school in Dublin, 
which long maintained a very high degree of reputation, as 
well for the attention bestowed on the morals of the 
scholars, as for their proficiency in literature. He does 
not appear to have had any considerable preferment; but 
his intimacy with Swift procured for him, in 1725, a 
living in the south of Ireland, worth about 150/. per annum, 
which he went to take possession of; and, by an act of in¬ 
advertence, it is said, destroyed all his future expectations 
of rising in the church: for being at Cork on the 1st of 
August, the anniversary of the king’s birth-day, he preached 
from the text “ Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.” 
The report of the fact was spread abroad : he was struck 
out of the list of chaplains to the lord-lieutenant, and for¬ 
bidden the castle. He afterwards changed his living for 
that of Dunboyne, which by the knavery of the farmers, 
and pow-er of the gentlemen in the neighbourhood, fell in 
value to 80/. per annum. He willingly resigned it for the 
free-school of Cavan, where he might have lived well; but 
the air being moist, and as he thought unhealthy, and being 
disgusted with some of his parishioners, he sold the school 
for about 400/.; and having spent the money, he fell into 
ill health, and died September 10th, 1758,,. in the 55th 
year of his age. He is thus characterized by lord Corke: 
“ Dr. Sheridan was a schoolmaster, and in many instances 
perfectly adapted to that station. He was deeply versed in 
the Greek and Roman languages, and in their customs and 
antiquities. He had that kind of good nature, which ab¬ 
sence of mind, indolence of body, and carelessness of for¬ 
tune, produce ; and.though not over-strict in his own con¬ 
duct, yet he took care of the morals of his scholars, whom 
he sent to the university remarkably well grounded in all 
kinds of classical learning, and not ill instructed in the social 
duties of life. He was slovenly, indigent, and cheerful. 
He knew books much better than men, but he knew the 
value of money least of all. In this situation, and with this 
disposit.on. Swift fastened upon him as upon a prey, with 
which he intended to regale himself, whenever his appetite 
should prompt him.” Dr. Sheridan published a prose 
translation of Persius, to which he added the best notes of 
former editors, together with some very judicious ones of 
his own. He also translated the Philoctetes of Sophocles. 
I D A N. 
SHERIDAN (Thomas), son of the preceding, was born at 
Quilca, in the county of Cavan, in Ireland ; and he had for 
his god-father Dean Swift. The early part of his education 
he received from his father, who afterwards sent him to 
Westminster School* and at a time when he could very ill 
afford it. Here, upon examination, he attracted notice; 
and although a mere stranger, he was elected a king’s 
scholar, on account of his merit. But their maintenance 
sometimes running short, the doctor was so poor that he 
could not add fourteen pounds, to enable his son to finish 
the year; which if he had been able to have done, he would 
have been removed to a higher class, and in another year 
would have been sent off to a fellowship at college. Being 
thus recalled to Dublin, he was sent to the university, where 
he obtained an exhibition, and in 1738 he took his degree 
of M.A. Having no interest in the church, nor the means 
of preparing himself for one of the liberal professions, he 
resolved to seek a support on the stage. He was received 
with great applause, and in a short time became manager of 
the Dublin theatre ; in which capacity he successfully un¬ 
derstood the curbing of that licentiousness,"which had long 
reigned with an almost unlimited empire behind the scenes, 
and the putting a stop to the liberties daily taken by the 
young men with the female actresses. During eight years 
Mr. Sheridan possessed this important office of manager of 
the Dublin theatre with all the success, both with respect 
to fame and fortune, that could well be expected, when an 
unfortunate circumstance led him to oppose the wishes of 
the public, which obliged him to withdraw from the ma¬ 
nagement of the theatre, and even to quit the country. 
He continued in England till the year 1756, when he re¬ 
turned to Dublin, and was again received on the stage with 
the highest applause ; but he did not continue long in that 
situation, being opposed and ruined by rival actors. 
In 1757 he published a plan, in which he proposed to 
the Irish the establishment of an academy, for the accom¬ 
plishment of youth in every qualification necessary for a 
gentleman. In the formation of this design he included 
oratory, as one of the essentials; and in order to give a 
stronger idea of the utility of that art, he opened his plan 
to the public in some orations, which were so well written, 
and so admirably delivered, as to give the highest proofs of 
the ability of the proposer, and his fitness for the office of 
superintendent of such an institution, for which post he had 
offered himself. Nevertheless, though the plan was, in a 
measure, carried into execution, Mr. Sheridan was excluded 
from any share in the conduct of it. He now came again 
to England, and delivered lectures on elocution and oratory 
in the theatres of Oxford and Cambridge, to very numerous 
audiences, and with the highest reputation. From thence 
he again came lo London, where he was engaged as an 
actor and a lecturer. In 1778 he published “ A pro¬ 
nouncing Dictionary of the English Language;” and after 
this he became a manager of the Drury-lane theatre, under 
his son, Brinsley Sheridan, who was then one of the 
patentees. He died in August, 1788. His works are as 
follow:—1. “A Dictionary of the English Language.” 
2. “ Lectures on the Art of Reading.” 3. “ British 
Education, or the Source of the Disorders of Great Bri¬ 
tain.” 4. “ A Dissertation on the Causes of the Difficulties 
which occur in learning the English Tongue.” 5. “ A 
Course of Lectures on Elocution.” 6. “ The Life of 
Swift,” prefixed to an edition of his works, edited by Mr. 
Sheridan. 7. “ Elements of English.” His wife Frances, 
whose maiden name was Chamberlaine, was a very in¬ 
genious woman, and was author of a novel, entitled 
“Sidney Biddulph;” a moral romance, entitled “ Nour- 
iahad“ The Discovery,” a comedy; and another, en¬ 
titled “ The Dupe.” 
SHERIDAN (Richard Brinsley), the excellent comic 
writer and famous orator, was the second son of the subject 
of the preceding article. He was born in Dublin, in Octo¬ 
ber, 1751. His earliest education he received in common 
with his brother Charles, from his accomplished mother. 
She 
