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CHAPTER VI.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Miss Betsy Linley-Sheridan Introduced to the Prince-Interview with a Child of Israel-The Royal Debts-Mrs. Fitzherbert-Flight to the Continent-The Prince's Tears and DespairLetter from Charles Fox-Marriage of Mrs Fitzherbert-Cowardice and Deception of the Prince-The King's Social Life-His Original Criticisms on Shakespeare-Her Majesty's Opinion of the Sorrows of Werter'-Mrs Siddons at the Play and at Windsor— Signs of the King's Madness.

HIS new companion of His Royal Highness,

THIS

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Richard Brinsley Sheridan, was the son of old Tom Sheridan the player, and Frances, his wife, a lady who wrote some excellent novels and clever plays, one of which—to wit, The Discovery'-Garrick declared to be one of the best comedies he had ever read. From her, Richard Brinsley no doubt inherited a share of that talent which afterwards so highly distinguished him.

He was educated at Harrow,

MISS BETSY LINLEY.

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which he left, it may be here remarked, without being able to spell; and, when not long out of his teens, fell in love with Miss Betsy Linley, then in her sixteenth year, a public singer whose voice, according to the authorities of the day, rivalled the nightingale's, and whose beauty was simply angelic.

Miss Linley was not without admirers, one of whom was a gentleman named Long, whose suit, notwithstanding that his years numbered seventy, was looked upon with favour by a kindly, though practical parent, by reason of the suitor's wealth; another of these admirers was a gentle, romantic youth named Halhed, who informed Miss Betsy in a florid letter that, 'just as the Egyptian pharmacists were wont, in embalming a dead body, to draw the brain out through the ears with a crooked hook, this nightingale has drawn out through mine ears, not only my brain, but my heart also;' whilst a third lover, Captain Matthews, a coward and a scamp, gave more trouble than any of his rivals; his intentions, moreover, were dishonourable.

From these troublesome suitors she eloped

with Richard Brinsley Sheridan to France, where they were married, to the great indignation of their unsympathetic parents. After marriage, Sheridan, who had not a penny in the world, was too dignified and too Irish to permit his wife to earn an honest income by her talents; yet they did not starve, as they had share of £3,000 which good-hearted Mr. Long had settled upon Miss Betsy when she had refused his suit. After awhile, being, alas, sorely pressed for money, Sheridan, who was naturally indolent, and seldom worked but when there was necessity for gold, wrote The Rivals,' which, owing chiefly to the bad acting of one of the performers, was a failure on the night of its first representation, but eventually the play proved a vast favourite with the public.

Its author now became a shareholder in the Drury Lane play-house, for which he paid down the sum of £10,000, to the great astonishment of all his friends, who failed to ascertain how he became possessed of such a sum. Sheridan, however, could keep a secret, and this one was so well guarded that his biographers have never been able to throw any light on the matter.

HIS DEAR SHERRY.

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He now wrote another play, 'A Trip to Scarborough,' and in 1777, when his years numbered six and twenty, gave the world that bright, clever comedy, The School for Scandal,' which has become an English classic.

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He was now at the meridian of his brilliant intellectual powers; his bon mots were repeated in all quarters of the town, his wit universally lauded, his society eagerly sought after. He soon made the acquaintance of Fox, who, delighted with his humour and the vivacious, easy flow of his conversation, introduced him to the Prince of Wales. His Royal Highness, impulsive and pleasure-loving, declared himself charmed with his conviviality; they soon became friends, and their friendship so quickly ripened into intimacy that the prince styled him his dear Sherry;' indeed His Royal Highness found the player's son indispensable to his enjoyment, and in his company he drank, gambled, betted, and sought adventures of a certain class, for which they both had, alas, a common appetite and appreciation.

But such a career, without ample means to sustain it, soon reduced the reckless Sherry to

many shifts, and brought him in contact with a large number of the children of Israel, whose threatened vengeance he not unfrequently turned aside by his wonderful force of persuasion, or his inimitable powers of acting. It was to one of these gentlemen, who rejoiced in the name of Moses Aaron, that Sheridan on a memorable occasion addressed himself on behalf of the prince, who suffered at the time from a pressing pecuniary difficulty. The place of appointment was an ante-chamber in Carlton House, where the man of money was graciously saluted by Sheridan, who was alone in the apartment when the Jew entered.

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Ah! my friend Moses,' he said, with an air of great delight, how do you do?'.

'I would do better, Mr. Sheridan,' replied this sagacious child of Israel, if I had my due.'

'Ah! my friend,' said Sherry, yet more blandly, if every man had that, many of them would

have a halter.'

• It may be so, Mr. Sheridan,' remarked Moses, who knew his customer only too well. You, I know, are a most conscientious man, and I daresay you speak as you feel.'