perform without it; on which Theophilus Cibber very officiously offered to read the part of Cato, as well as to play his own character of Syphax, to which the audience readily assented. This brought on a warm controversy between Sheridan and Cibber, the former defending his rights with stately dignity, and the other replying with pertness and disrespect. The latter certainly had no right to interfere in the business; but the former descended beneath himself, when he condescended to engage in a paper war on such a subject, and with so trifling an adversary. In the course of the contention much abuse was poured out on both sides, to the entertainment of the public; and at last some pleasant bye-stander put an end to the mighty affair, by collecting all the papers into a pamphlet, with this title: The Buskin and the Sock; being controversial Letters between Mr. Thomas Sheridan, Tragedian, and Mr. Theophilus Cibber, Comedian."

The year following, Mr. Sheridan visited England, and, on the thirty-first of March, made his appearance at Covent-Garden Theatre, in the character of Hamlet; but at the commencement of the winter season he was engaged at Drury Lane, where, in March, 1745, he represented Siffredi, in Thompson's tragedy of Tancred and Sigismunda, which was then first brought forward under the patronage of Mr. Pitt, afterwards Earl of Chatham, and George Lord Lyttleton, both of whom regularly attended the rehearsals. While Sheridan was in London, some over-zealous friends affected to set him up as a sort of rival to Garrick; and as this occasioned a quarrel between them, which was not made up when the former went to Ireland, it is reasonable to think that his vanity contributed in some degree to encourage the partiality of his officious admirers. On his return to Dublin, he undertook the management of the theatre, much more to the advantage of the public than his own, for the Irish stage had long been in a declining condition, and was

generally the scene of disorder and indecorum of every kind, that made the place more like a bear garden than a rational seat of amusement. By perseverance and good-nature, Mr. Sheridan was enabled to produce some reformation, and hearing that Garrick had an intention of visiting Ireland, he wrote him a letter to this purpose: "That he was then sole manager of the Irish stage, and should be very happy to see him in Dublin, promising to give him all the advantages and encouragement he could expect." He also made an offer to divide with him all profits arising from their united representations, after deducting the expenses; telling him at the same time that he must expect nothing from his friendship, for he owed him none; but all that the best actor had a right to command, he might be very certain should be granted."

Mr. Garrick was at Colonel Wyndham's when he received this letter; and after looking it over, he put it into the Colonel's hand, saying, "This is the oddest epistle I ever saw in my life.”---“ It may be an odd one," the Colonel replied, after having perused it, "but it is surely an honest one. I should certainly depend upon a man that treated me with that openness and simplicity of heart.” When Garrick arrived at Dublin, he soon had a meeting with Sheridan, who offered to fulfil his promise of sharing profit and loss; but the former insisted upon a stipulated sum for playing during the winter. The other objected to this demand, and persisted in his first proposal, which, he said, was most reasonable, for then he would receive as much money as he earned, and others would not be losers, when he, perhaps, might be the only gainer. After some little dispute, which Sheridan decided by taking out his watch, and insisting upon an answer in a few minutes, Garrick submitted. The principal characters were divided between them; but sometimes they acted parts of importance alternately, such as Hamlet and Richard the Third. To give a peculiar strength to the

tragedy of Othello, they for several nights acted the parts of the Moor and Iago by turns. The Irish theatre this season was more splendid and more frequented than usual." This is the narrative of Davies, who adds to it these curious anecdotes of the duplicity of the Earl of Chesterfield, who was then Lord-Lieutenant. "He bespoke plays very frequently; but though he was very gracious to Mr. Sheridan, and often admitted his visits at the Castle, he took not the least notice of Mr. Garrick; nay, when they both waited on him, with candles in their hands, on the night of Mr. Garrick's benefit, he spoke very kindly to Sheridan, but did not even return the salute of the other. It seems, his Lordship, when in Ireland, had a mind to convince the people of that kingdom that his heart was entirely Irish. When residing at Dublin, he gave intimation that he would encourage Mr. Sheridan's plan of an academy for teaching oratory, in these expressive words: "Never let the thought of your oratorical institution go out of your mind." But when Mr. Sheridan some few years afterwards waited upon him in London, with an expectation that he would fulfil his promise, and be one of his great patrons in his intended scheme, he received him coldly, and gave him a guinea, as his sole contribution to an oratorical academy.*

Notwithstanding the united force of Sheridan, Garrick, Barry, and Miss Bellamy, who frequently acted in the same plays, and though it was the winter season, when the parliament was sitting, and the town full, they were not able to perform oftener than two nights in a week; and even then could but seldom insure good houses; as a proof of which, it appeared that the entire amount of receipts during the season did not exceed three thousand four hundred pounds.

• Life of Garrick, vol. i. pp. 121, 124.

G

The office which Mr. Sheridan had entered upon was a task of uncommon difficulty, and one that required equal energy and talent. It was indeed little less difficult than the cleansing of the Augæan Stable, in which abuses had accumulated to such an excess, as to be alike offensive to the public and injurious to the theatre. While Mr. Sheridan was silently labouring to bring about a reformation in the house among the performers, an incident occurred that put his fortitude to a severe trial, and for a time portended his ruin; but which, by his prudence, turned out serviceable to the great cause he had at heart, and conducive in a particular degree to his private happiness.

On the nineteenth of January, 1746-7, a young man, named Kelly, being in the pit in a state of inebriety, took it into his head to climb over the orchestra to the stage, from whence he made the best of his way to the Green-Room, where he accosted one of the female performers in such indecent language, and behaved to all who were present with so much rudeness, as compelled them to fly to their dressing-rooms. He followed one of the ladies very closely, but she had time to secure the door on the inside; on which he began to make so violent a noise as to disturb the business on the stage, where it happened that Miss Bellamy, whom he had pursued and insulted, was then wanted, and could not appear. Mr. Sheridan, who was dressed in the character of Esop, went to the door, accompanied by the servants and a guard, to whom he gave orders to take Mr. Kelly away, and conduct him civilly to the pit, from whence he came. The directions of the manager were fulfilled punctually, and without the least obstruction or violence; but when Kelly came into the pit, he took a basket of fruit from one of the women, and when Mr. Sheridan came on the stage, he immediately began to throw oranges at him, with the best aim he could, and one

of them happening to strike him, he immediately addressed the audience, and claimed their protection.

Upon this, a few gentlemen in the pit, who were acquainted with the rioter, endeavoured to bring him into order, which was not effected without much scurrilous language applied to Mr. Sheridan, who, in reply to some coarse epithets, let fall this expression : am as good a gentleman as you are;" which words, the next day, underwent this material alteration: "I am as good a gentleman as any in the house."

When the play was over, the aggressor went out of the pit, and forced his way to Mr. Sheridan's dressing-room, where he assailed him with the same abusive names as he had before used; and adding menaces to his scurrility, some blows were given to the doughty hero, who took them quietly; after which, he went to his club to exhibit his broken nose and other bruises that had been, as he reported, bestowed upon him by the manager while the servants pinioned his arms, and prevented him from defending himself.

Upon this statement, the companions of the rioter were so fired with indignation at the presumption of a scoundrel player, as they termed Sheridan, in attacking a gentleman, that a vindictive party was instantly formed to resent the affront upon the manager and all his abettors. Accordingly, the next day, an open declaration of hostility was made in every coffee-house against all persons who should even dare to look as if they were inclined to take the part of Sheridan.

His name being in the bills some days after to perform the character of Horatio in the Fair Penitent, several written notices were sent to warn him not to quit his house that evening, and to be well guarded even there, as his life was in great danger. This counsel he had the prudence to follow; and when one of the actors