Memoirs of Thomas Sheridan, M. A. and Mrs. Frances Sheridan.

THOMAS, the third son of Dr. Sheridan, was born in the King's Mint House, Capel Street, Dublin, in the year 1719; and was baptized in the parish church of St. Mary, having Dean Swift for his godfather. In consequence of this, he became a great favourite with the Dean, who often gave him instruction, attended with frequent presents and rewards when he did well. And, says Mr. Sheridan, in his Memoirs of Swift, "I loved him in return from my boyish days, and never stood in the least awe before him, as I do not remember ever to have had a cross look or harsh expression from him. I read to him two or three hours every day, and often received both pleasure and improvement from the observations he made."

He received the first rudiments of his education under his father, who, with his accustomed want of prudence, sent him at the age of fourteen to Westminster School, where he was admitted on the foundation; but from the poverty of the Doctor's circumstances, he was obliged to quit it in two years, and return to Dublin. Swift, speaking of his friend in one of his letters, says, "He had one son, whom the Doctor sent to Westminster School, although he could ill afford it. The boy was there immediately taken notice of, upon examination: although a mere stranger, he was by pure merit elected a King's Scholar. It is true, their maintenance falls something short: the Doctor was then so poor, that he could not add fourteen pounds, to enable the boy to finish the year; which, if he had done, he would have been removed to a higher class, and in another year would have been sped off (that is the phrase to a Fellowship in Oxford or Cambridge); but the Doctor was forced to

recall him to Dublin, and had friends in our University to send him there, where he hath been chosen of the foundation, and I think hath gotten an Exhibition, and designs to stand for a Fellowship."* Mr. Sheridan had not long been entered in Trinity College, before his friend, the Dean, took an opportunity of enquiring into the course of his studies; and an observation which fell from Swift, after hearing the report, made such an impression upon the mind of the young student, as had a great influence on his future life and pursuits." He asked me," says Mr. Sheridan, in one of his pieces, " what they taught in the college?" When I told him the course of reading I was put into, he asked me, "Do they teach you English?"---" No.” "Do they teach you how to speak?"--"No."---" Then," said he, " they teach you nothing."+.

This remark was made in 1737; and the year following, Mr. Sheridan lost his father, which melancholy event turned his attention particularly to the subject of education; and he had good reason to hope, that by following the hint suggested by the Dean, added to the reputation of the Doctor as a schoolmaster, he should succeed well in his native city. Many of his friends were of the same opinion, and strongly urged him to carry the idea into execution, offering to assist him with all their interest. He had now been two years at the University, where he was in the certainty of completing his degrees in arts, and in the possession of many advantages which could not fail to secure him a comfortable and honourable establishment. But unfortunately for Mr. Sheridan, he inherited, with much of his father's ingenuity, no small portion of his vanity and obstinacy. He had a considerable portion of classical learning, which, with agreeable manners, and an excellent character, must

* Swift's Works, vol. xvii, p. 10, edit. 1766.

+ Oration delivered at Dublin, on Elocution, 1757—p. 19.

have ensured him an independence in the honourable line of education. Instead, however, of following that plain and obvious direction which prudence dictated, and friendship recommended, the young man began to entertain the romantic idea that oratory constituted the first of human accomplishments; and that by perseverance he should be enabled to strike out new lights for the improvement of nations, instead of confining himself to the humble employment of instructing boys. Having conceived this wild scheme in his head, all thoughts of a school were abandoned as incompatible with his grand and enlarged views of reviving the lost art of elocution, and of rendering it powerfully instrumental to the progress of the sciences, the cultivation of a refined taste, and the improvement of public morals. The observation of Swift was evidently limited to the necessity of attaining a correct knowledge of the English language, with regard to composition and speaking; upon which sound opinion and friendly advice, Sheridan erected a visionary hypothesis that dazzled his mind, inflated his vanity, and misled him into a labyrinth out of which he could never be extricated. Had he turned the hint of Swift to a proper use, and applied it to his own edification, and the culture of the rising generation, he would in all probability have so far succeeded as to gain credit by his method of tuition in the progress of his pupils, and the ultimate display of their talents. Instead of this, he turned all his attention to declamation; and having a deep-toned voice, he succeeded, as he thought, in forming a standard of pronunciation, and of modulating the expression of the language.

His first efforts were in private, within the walls of his college, and in the circle of his friends, whose plaudits gave him encouragement, and flattered his pride. He had now taken his master's degree; and they who were solicitous to promote his interests in the most effectual manner, advised him to commence that office in

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which his father excelled, and for which the son was still more eminently qualified to be generally useful. But, as if a fatality had been woven into the texture of the whole line, this counsel was not followed; and Mr. Sheridan thinking that the stage was the only way in which he could effect his favourite object, and obtain both popularity and profit, resolved to adopt that profession, for which he seemed to be fitted by the bent of his genius, and the course of his studies. He entertained very exalted notions of the importance of the drama, and of the consequent dignity of an actor; but he lamented the degraded condition of both in his native country; and he formed the resolution of endeavouring to introduce a reform in the Irish theatre. This design he imparted to some of his most intimate acquaintance in the college, and particularly his tutor, who earnestly dissuaded him from that uncertain occupation, in which, though fortune might smile at first, it was equally probable that trouble would embarrass his career, and disappointment terminate his prospects. Nothing, however, could allay his enthusiasm, or prevent him from making a public appearance on the boards at Dublin; of which circumstance, Hitchcock, in his History of the Irish stage, gives this account: "On the twentyninth of January, 1742-3, the part of Richard was attempted by a young gentleman at Smock Alley Theatre. This attempt succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectations of the friends of our young candidate for fame, and equalled any first essay ever remembered by the oldest performers on the Irish stage. Thus encouraged, our adventurer a few days after undertook the character of Mithridates in the tragedy of that name; in which he so amply confirmed public opinion, that he threw off the disguise, and was shortly after announced to the town for a second performance of Rihard by the name of Mr. Sheridan."

In a letter which he wrote to Theophilus Cibber, then in London,

on the twenty-second of March, Mr. Sheridan says, "I know not how it is, whether it be their partiality to their countryman, or whether it be owing to the powerful interest of a number of friends that I have in this city, but there never was known such encouragement, such applauses, given to any actor, or such full houses, as since I appeared on the stage."

Davies, in his Life of Garrick, insinuates that Sheridan had been stimulated to this undertaking by the uncommon success of that great performer, who appeared on the London stage the year before. Let this be as it may, and it is far from being improbable, the same amusing and well-informed writer goes on to say, that "His attempts were answerable to the most ardent expectations of himself and friends. So great was his influence over the Dublin audience, that Quin, who arrived in that city during the first warm glow of Mr. Sheridan's prosperity, with an intention to act a number of characters, and put a handsome sum of money in his pocket (a custom which he had often practised), was obliged to quit that metropolis with disgust, if not in disgrace. He was told by the proprietors that all the acting days, during the remainder of the winter, were engaged to the new actor."

But this smooth and flattering scene was soon clouded by an unlucky, and, in many points, ridiculous dispute, the occasion of which brings to mind an amusing volume published by a French writer, entitled "Great Events from little Causes." Thus it was in the present instance, wherein a furious warfare was commenced, solely on account of a robe in which Sheridan was accustomed to represent the character of Cato. The manager, however, thought proper to take away this important article, and Sheridan refused to

* Life of Garrick, vol. i, p. 120, edit. 1807.