never acted. Justice will have her course; accusers must be heard; greatness will have the victory: scholars and martialists (though learning and valour should have the pre-eminence) in England must die like dogs, and be hanged. To unlike this, were but folly; to dispute it, but time lost; to alter it, impossible but to endure it, is manly; and to scorn it, magnanimity. queen is displeased, the lawyers injurious, and death terrible: but I crave pardon of the queen; forgive the lawyers, and the world; desire to be forgiven; and welcome death.

The

ANECDOTE OF A FRENCH PREACHER.

Du Chatel, in his funeral oration on Francis I. from the fervour of his gratitude, said, "That it was his firm belief, that the blessed soul of that prince had winged its way directly to Paradise." The Sorbonne, ever tender of purgatory, at which this bold flight seemed to strike, preferred a complaint against him; but, says Mons. de Thou, they fell into unlucky hands; for the chairman of the committee, to whom they were directed, turned the affair into a jest. "Reverend gentlemen," said he,

nobody knew his majesty's humour better than myself; he could not endure to stay long any where, till he had reached his journey's end; and if he did call in at purgatory, I dare say 'twas only for a short bait and away."

are likely to meet with in life. The Sybarite, whose night's rest was disturbed by a double rose-leaf, deserved to be pitied almost as much as the young man who, when he was benighted in the snow, was reproached by his severe father for having collected a heap of snow to make a pillow. Unless we could for ever ensure the bed of roses to our pupils, we should do very imprudently to make it early necessary to their repose: unless the pillow of snow is likely to be their lot, we need not inure them to it from their infancy.

WAS on the point of addressing some

I

I Woservations to you, on the spelling of Shakspere's name, when I observed those of your Correspondent "N. Slone" (or, perhaps, as transposition seems a favourite amusement with him, "Nelson") on the same subject. had not seen those of "R."so strongly, but fallaciously, animadverted upon, before-and the letters of the two, with neither of whose conclusions I could concur (as may be seen from the spelling I have adopted), raising additional matter for consideration, I deferred putting my ideas systematically to paper; and it has lately seemed doubtful to me, whether I should ever do so for circumstances have since occurred to indispose me both in mind and body; and what would previously have been an exercise of pleasure, though still desired by me to be accomplished, now seems a matter of

placed, in his seventh year, together with his elder brother, Charles Francis, late secretary-at-war in Ireland, under the tuition of Mr. Samuel Whyte, of Dublin, the friend of their father; but bis early years then afforded no promise of those brilliant abilities which he has since displayed.

Having remained nearly eighteen months with Mr. Whyte, the brothers were sent by that gentleman, in 1759, to their parents, who then resided at Windsor; and where their education was superintended by Mrs. Sheridan herself, until Richard Brinsley was placed at Harrow School, after the Christmas vacation of 1762. His literary advancement at this seminary appears to have been but slow; and it was reserved for Dr. Parr, at that time one of the sub-preceptors, to discover and call into activity all the faculties of young Sheridan's mind. His memory was at length found to be uncommonly retentive, and his judgment correct; so that when quickened by competition, his genius gradually expanded. His father deeming it, however, unnecessary to send him to the university; he was, a short time after his departure from Harrow, entered as a student of the Middle Temple. His views with respect to the cultivation and exertion of his genius in literary pursuits, or to the study of the profession to which he had been destined by his father, were, however, speedily lost in a passion that seemed to have mastered his reason. He at once saw and loved Miss Linley; a lady no less admirable for the elegant accomplishments of her sex, and the affecting simplicity of her conversation, than for the charms of her person and the fascinating powers of her voice, being at that time principal performer in the Oratorios at Drury lane theatre.

Her father, Mr. Linley, the composer, was not at first propitious to Mr. Sheridan's passion, and he had many rivals to overcome in his attempts to gain the lady's affections. His perseverance, however, increased with the difficulties that presented themselves, and his courage and resolution were displayed in vindicating Miss Linley's reputation from a slanderous report with which it had been basely calumniated.

For the dangers he had braved in her defence, Mr. Sheridan was rewarded by her accompanying him on a matrimonial excursion to the continent; and

the nuptial ceremony was again performed on their return to England, with the consent of her parents.

to

From the period of her marriage, Mrs. Sheridan never again appeared as a public performer. Her situation in the Oratorios being filled by her younger sister, who, it may be recollected, died whilst singing "I know that my Redeemer liveth." Several lucrative proposals were, however, made Mrs. S. to induce her once more to charm the public ear, but they were disdainfully rejected by her husband; and though they were then subject to some very distressing embarrassments, yet the firmness of Mr. Sheridan, in resisting every proposal of this nature, by which any loss of estimation in the eyes of the world might be incurred, He also received remained invincible. a letter from the proprietors of the Pantheon, which was then about to be opened, offering Mrs. Sheridan one thousand pounds for her performance during twelve nights, and one thousand pounds more in lieu of a benefit: yet even the temptation of so large a sum, which might have been thus easily gained in a few weeks, was not merely declined, but rejected with indignation, notwithstanding the entreaties of his wife,

Mr. Sheridan, now encumbered with the cares of a family, felt all the necessity of immediate exertion to provide for the pressing calls inseparable from a domestic establishment, which, if not splendid, was marked with all the appearance of gentility. His charming lines to Miss Linley, and some occa sional productions, which displayed with equal happiness his natural tenderness of sentiment and brilliancy of wit, had secured to him no mean reputation as a poet; and thus compelled to become a candidate for public favour, he commenced his courtship of the Comic Muse. On finishing his play of The Rivals, he offered it to the Manager of Covent-garden Theatre, and it was represented on the 17th of January, 1775. In consequence of some slight disapprobation, it was laid aside, after the first night's performance; but Mr. Sheridan having made some judicious alterations, both in the plot and language, it was again brought forward, and received in the most favourable manner.

His next production was the farce of St. Patrick's Day, or The Scheming Lieutenant, which was presented by him

to Mr. Clinch, as a testimony of his gratitude for the assistance he had experienced from that gentleman's excellent performance of Sir Lucius O'Trigger, in which he had succeeded Mr. Lee, and was actually written in eight and forty hours.

At the commencement of the ensuing season, he brought out his comic opera of The Duenna, a composition in every respect superior to the general class of English Operas then in fashion, as it surpassed even The Beggars' Opera in attraction and popularity, being performed seventy-five nights during the season, while Gay's singular production ran only sixty-five.

Mr. Sheridan's circumstances becom ing about this time more independent, and his genius having struck out a line productive of fame and profit, he began to indulge in expensive entertainments, and found no difficulty in extending his connexions in fashionable life.

Mr. Garrick having resolved to retire from the management of Drury-lane Theatre, a negociation for the purchase of his share of the patent was entered into by Dr. Ford, Mr. Linley, and Mr. Sheridan, who, in 1776, paid for it the sum of 30,0007.; and when he immediately brought out The Trip to Scar borough, altered from Vanburgh's comedy of The Relapse, which was performed on the 24th of February, 1777. His text production was the comedy of The School for Scandal, which has deservedly raised his fame to undisputed pre-eminence over all contemporary dramatic writers, and conferred, in the opinion of foreign literati, a lustre on the British comedy which it did not previously possess. This comedy was irst performed on the 8th of May, 1177, and attracted from that late period to the conclusion of the season, the most fashionable and crowded audiences. A play of such superior merit, and written by so young an author, was rewarded with unqualified ap plause. The tide of public favour ran with irresistible impetuosity, and dramatic excellence, and the name of She-, ridan became almost synonimous.

His Critic, written upon the model of the Duke of Buckingham's Rehear sal, came out on the 30th of October, 1187; when its success was complete and well deserved; and, though the subject had been so ably treated by his ingenious predecessor, yet he sucEurop. Mog. Vol. LXX. July, 1816.

ceeded in embellishing it with so great a variety of ludicrous incidents, and introduced such extraordinary novelty of the keenest satire, as to divest it of even the slightest appearance of imitation.

The death of Mr. Garrick, in 1779, furnished Mr. Sheridan with an opportunity of exercising powers of a very different nature; and he accordingly wrote the monody to his memory, which was recited at Drury-lane Theatre, by Mrs. Yates, in the month of March of the same year. The senti ments are, in general, appropriate to the occasion, and the poetry possesses strength and melody, though the effect was not adequate to the expectations either of the author or his friends.

Notwithstanding the profits derived from his pieces, and the share he possessed in the theatre (worth, on the lowest calculation, thirty thousand pounds), Mr. Sheridan's pecuniary embarrass ments had considerably increased. His domestic establishment was not only very expensive, but conducted without any kind of economy. The persuasions of Mr. Fox, whose friendship he had carefully cultivated, operated, with a firm conviction of his own abilities, ia determining him to obtain a seat in the House of Commons; and a general election taking place in 1780, he resolved to canvas for himself, and chose the town of Stafford for the scene of his first political operations. But he was soon convinced that the moderate sum of one thousand pounds was a sine qua non, which could alone bring this negociation to a successful issue. The money was at length raised,-Mr. Sheridan was in consequence returned for Stafford, and from that moment firmly supported all the measures of Opposition. Though contented at the commencement of the session with giving a silent vote, he was indefatigable without doors in seconding the views of his party, against the measures of the Minister. He had also a considerable share in the Englishman, a paper which was conducted with great acrimony against the administration of Lord North; and when the Rockingham party came into power, in 1782, his exertions were rewarded with the appointment of undersecretary to Mr. Fox, then secretary of state for the foreign department.

The death of the Marquis of Rockingham, and the unexpected elevation of the Earl of Shelburne to the im

G

portant office of First Lord of the Treasury, completely defeated the views of himself and friends; and the ever-memorable Coalition having been formed, Mr. Sheridan was once more called upon to commence literary hostilities against the new administration. The periodical work of the Jesuit soon appeared, and several very distinguished members of the party are confidently stated to have contributed to that production.

At length the Coalition having gained a decisive victory over the new Shelburne administration, Mr. Sheridan was once more brought into place, in April 1783, as Secretary of the Treasury. It was extremely natural to suppose, that the Jesuit would not be attacked by those to whose cause it had been devoted; but the spirit of prosecution, though allowed to slumber for a short interval, broke out with redoubled vi gour, when his grace of Portland was succeeded, as First Lord of the Treasury, by Mr. Pitt, and an entire change took place in men and measures.

The Attorney-general being obliged, ex officio, to continue the prosecution, the ground-work of which still existed, Mr. Wilkie, who had the courage to conceal the names of the gentlemen by whom he had been employed, was sentenced to an imprisonment of twelve months.

The irresistible impulse of geniusnow gave a sudden expansion to Mr. Sheridan's powers, extricated him from the inferior estimation in which he was held, and placed him, if not in an equal rank with Mr. Burke, at least in the very next to it..

His defence of Mr. Fox's celebrated East-India Bill was distinguished for local precision; and though he had not on previous occasions delivered his sentiments with extraordinary ability, his speech on that interesting subject was so Diasterly, as to induce the public opinion to select him from the second class of parliamentary speakers. In 1785, his observations on Mr. Pitt's Perfumery Bill were justly admired for splendid effusions of wit and great force of argument. But the part he took in the consideration of the frish Propositions, which were brought forward during the same year, was peculiarly striking; and from that moment he was viewed as a formidable opponent by Mr. Pitt, and looked up to with admiration, as a principal leader of the Opposition.

He was thus rapidly approaching to

perfection as an orator, when the im peachment of Mr. Hastings supplied him with an opportunity of displaying powers which were then unrivalled. He was one of the managers of the Prosecution, and his speech delivered in the House of Commons, in April 1787, on the eighth article as stated in the order laid down by Mr. Burke, relative to "money corruptly and illegally taken," was allowed to equal the most argumentative and impassioned orations that had ever been addressed to the judgment and feelings of the British Parliament. He fixed the uninterrupted attention of the house for upwards of five hours, confirmed the minds of those who wavered, and produced co-operation from a quarter which it was supposed would have been hostile to any further proceeding.

In the long examination of Mr. Middleton, he gave decided proofs of a strong and discriminating mind; but when he summed up the evidence on the charge, respecting the imprisonment of the Princesses of Oude, and the seizure of their treasures, his superiority over his colleagues was established by universal consent. To form a just opinion of this memorable oration, which occupied the attention of the Court and excited the admiration of the public for several hours, it would be necessary to have heard Mr. Sheridan himself. It is difficult to select any part of it as the subject of peculiar encomium. The address with which be arranged his materials; the art with which he anticipated objections; the unexampled ingenuity with which he commented on the evidence, and the natural boldness of his imagery, are equally entitled to panegyric. He combined the three kinds of eloquence. He was clear and unadorned-diffuse and pathetic-animated and vehement. There was nothing supertiuous — nothing affected-no glittering point-no false sublimity. Pity and indignation were alternately excited, and the wonderful effects related of the cloquence of Greece and Rome were almost revived.

Of the extraordinary influence of Mr. Sheridan's oratory, we cannot give a stronger proof than by inserting the enlogiums which were pronounced by Mr. Burke, who thus expressed himself:— "He has this day surprised the thousands who hung with rapture on his accents, by such an array of talents, such an exhibition of capacity, such a display