Richard Brinsley Sheridan

“ Charles Francis Sheridan (1750–1806) , son of Thomas Sheridan and elder brother of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He went to Sweden in 1772 as secretary to the British Envoy, and remained until 1775. He entered the Irish Parliament the following year, and was Secretary at War in Dublin from 1782 till 1789, when he obtained a pension and retired from politics. He occupied the remaining years of his life with chemical experiments and fruitless attempts to discover the secret of perpetual motion. He married, in 1783, Letitia, daughter of Theophilus Bolton. ”

“ Richard Brinsley Sheridan, introduced an elegant compliment to Johnson on his "Dictionary." Johnson was pleased with young Mr. Sheridan's liberality of sentiment, and willing to show that though estranged from the father he could acknowledge the brilliant merit of the son, he proposed him, and secured his election, as a member of the Literary Club, observing that "he who has written the two best comedies of his age ["The Rivals" and "The Duenna"] is surely a considerable man." ”

“ This Sheridan was the head of the clan, but had been brought up as a protestant, and, being able to speak Irish, had been ordained by Bedell to the ministry. Richard Brinsley Sheridan was of the same clan, and his grandfather William, at one time the friend of Swift, was indebted for his university education to the eldest son of the Rev. Dennis Sheridan, and godson of Bishop Bedell, who many years subsequently became bishop of Kilmore. ”

“ In Macmillan's Magazine, for Jan., 1861, appeared an important letter from her pen, in defence of the character of her grandfather, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, unjustly aspersed, as she contended, by the writers whose pen-names are "Grace and Philip Wharton," in their work entitled The Wits and Beaux of Society. In this letter, she speaks of her projected Lives of the Sheridans, as "a task relinquished, with many others, in the grief caused by the illness and death of her son." ”

“ There was a number of lady dramatists of this period. Mrs. Cowley wrote "The Runaway," "The Belle's Stratagem," "More Ways than One," etc.; Mrs. Brooke, Miss Marshall, Mrs. Lennox, and Miss Sophia Lee, all wrote successful plays; Mrs. Sheridan, the author of the Eastern story, "Nourjahad," was the writer of the successful comedies of "The Discovery" and "The Dupe." But the chief dramatist of this period was Richard Brinsley Sheridan, her son (b. 1751; d. 1816) . He was equally distinguished as a politician, an orator, and a critic. Like Murphy, Macklin, and Cumberland, he was an Irishman. ”

“ ACRES
What, quarrel with my dear friend Jack Absolute?—not if he were fifty
Beverleys! Zounds! Sir Lucius, you would not have me so unnatural.
Sir LUCIUS Upon my conscience, Mr. Acres, your valour has oozed away with a vengeance!
ACRES Not in the least! Odds backs and abettors! I'll be your second with all my heart—and if you should get a quietus, you may command me entirely. I'll get you snug lying in the Abbey here; or pickle you, and send you over to Blunderbuss-hall, or anything of the kind, with the greatest pleasure.
Sir LUCIUS
Pho! pho! you are little better than a coward. ”

“ Sir LUCIUS A
rival in the case, is there?—and you think he has supplanted you unfairly? ACRES
Unfairly! to be sure he has. He never could have done it fairly. Sir LUCIUS
Then sure you know what is to be done! ACRES
Not I, upon my soul! Sir LUCIUS
We wear no swords here, but you understand me. ACRES
What! fight him! Sir LUCIUS
Ay, to be sure: what can I mean else? ACRES
But he has given me no provocation. Sir LUCIUS
Now, I think he has given you the greatest provocation in the world. Can a man commit a more heinous offence against another than to fall in love with the same woman? ”

“ Richard Brinsley Sheridan (born October 30, 1751) died July 7, 1816. The Monody was written at the Campagne [70] Diodati, on July 17, at the request of Douglas Kinnaird. "I did as well as I could," says Byron; "but where I have not my choice I pretend to answer for nothing" (Letter to Murray, September 29, 1816, Letters, 1899, iii. 366) . He told Lady Blessington, however, that his "feelings were never more excited than while writing it, and that every word came direct from the heart" (Conversations, etc., p. 241) . ”

“ How can you be so ill-natured! LADY TEAZLE.
Nay, I allow even that's better than the Pains Mrs. Prim takes to conceal her losses in Front—she draws her mouth till it resembles the aperture of a Poor's-Box, and all her words appear to slide out edgewise. LADY SNEERWELL.
Very well Lady Teazle I see you can be a little severe. LADY TEAZLE.
In defence of a Friend it is but justice, but here comes Sir Peter to spoil our Pleasantry. Enter SIR PETER
SIR PETER.
Ladies, your obedient—Mercy on me—here is the whole set! a character's dead at every word, I suppose. ”

“ Mrs. MALAPROP For shame, hussy! for shame! your head runs so on that fellow, that you have him always in your eyes!—beg Captain Absolute's pardon directly.
LYDIA
I see no Captain Absolute, but my loved Beverley!
Sir ANTHONY
Zounds! the girl's mad!—her brain's turned by reading.
Mrs. MALAPROP O' my conscience, I believe so!—What do you mean by Beverley, hussy?—You saw Captain Absolute before to-day; there he is—your husband that shall be.
LYDIA
With all my soul, ma'am—when I refuse my Beverley——
Sir ANTHONY Oh! ”

“ ACRES
Out, you poltroon! you ha'n't the valour of a grasshopper.
DAVID Well, I say no more—'twill be sad news, to be sure, at Clod-Hall! but I ha' done.—How Phillis will howl when she hears of it!—Ay, poor bitch, she little thinks what shooting her master's going after! And I warrant old Crop, who has carried your honour, field and road, these ten years, will curse the hour he was born. [Whimpering.]
ACRES It won't do, David—I am determined to fight—so get along you coward, while I'm in the mind.
[Enter SERVANT.]
SERVANT
Captain Absolute, sir.
ACRES
Oh! show him up. ”

“ But, Louisa, are you really married to this modest
gentleman?
Don. Louisa. Sir, in obedience to your commands, I gave him my hand
within this hour.
Don Jer. My commands!
Don Ant. Yes, sir; here is your consent, under your own hand.
Don Jer. How! would you rob me of my child by a trick, a false
pretence? and do you think to get her fortune by the same means? Why,
'slife! you are as great a rogue as Isaac!
Don Ant. No, Don Jerome; though I have profited by this paper in
gaining your daughter's hand, I scorn to obtain her fortune by deceit. ”

“ Sir ANTHONY I am sure, sir, 'tis more unreasonable in you to object to a lady you know nothing of.
ABSOLUTE Then, sir, I must tell you plainly that my inclinations are fixed on another—my heart is engaged to an angel.
Sir ANTHONY Then pray let it send an excuse. It is very sorry—but business prevents its waiting on her.
ABSOLUTE
But my vows are pledged to her.
Sir ANTHONY Let her foreclose, Jack; let her foreclose; they are not worth redeeming; besides, you have the angel's vows in exchange, I suppose; so there can be no loss there. ”

“ This man, with all his genius, wit, eloquence, and fascinating manners, with inherited and acquired abilities, who had overcome all obstacles, and stood in the first rank in society and in the House of Commons, died poor, worn out by debauchery, and with bailiffs about him. Nevertheless, in recognition of the purity of his political life, in admiration of his splendid talents, when he passed away he was carried, with the consent of the nation, to that Abbey to lie wherein is the secret hope of all our great men.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan was born in Dublin in 1731 ”

“ Then, by the mass, sir! I would do no such thing—ne'er a Sir Lucius O'Trigger in the kingdom should make me fight, when I wasn't so minded. Oons! what will the old lady say, when she hears o't? ACRES
Ah! David, if you had heard Sir Lucius!—Odds sparks and flames! he would have roused your valour. DAVID
Not he, indeed. I hate such bloodthirsty cormorants. Look'ee, master, if you wanted a bout at boxing, quarter staff, or short-staff, I should never be the man to bid you cry off: but for your curst sharps and snaps, I never knew any good come of 'em. ACRES
But my honour, David, my honour! ”

“ JULIA
But who is there beside Captain Absolute, friend? DAVID
My poor master—under favour for mentioning him first. You know me, my lady—I am David—and my master of course is, or was, Squire Acres. Then comes Squire Faulkland. JULIA
Do, ma'am, let us instantly endeavour to prevent mischief. Mrs. MALAPROP
O fy! it would be very inelegant in us:—we should only participate things. DAVID
Ah! do, Mrs. Aunt, save a few lives—they are desperately given, believe me.—Above all, there is that bloodthirsty Philistine, Sir Lucius O'Trigger. Mrs. MALAPROP
Sir Lucius O'Trigger? O mercy! ”

“ MRS. CANDOUR. I am rejoiced you are come, Sir Peter—they have been so censorious and Lady Teazle as bad as any one.
SIR PETER. That must be very distressing to you, Mrs. Candour I dare swear.
MRS. CANDOUR. O they will allow good Qualities to nobody—not even good nature to our Friend Mrs. Pursy.
LADY TEAZLE. What, the fat dowager who was at Mrs. Codrille's [Quadrille's] last Night?
LADY SNEERWELL. Nay—her bulk is her misfortune and when she takes such Pains to get rid of it you ought not to reflect on her.
MRS. CANDOUR. 'Tis very true, indeed. ”

“ He has written the best comedy, (School for Scandal,) the best opera, (The Duenna—in my mind far before that St. Giles's lampoon, The Beggar's Opera,) the best farce, (The Critic—it is only too good for an after-piece,) and the best Address, (Monologue on Garrick,) —and to crown all, delivered the very best oration, (the famous Begum Speech,) ever conceived or heard in this country.' Somebody told Sheridan this the next day, and on hearing it, he burst into tears!—Poor Brinsley! ”

“ Odds life! when I ran away with your mother, I would not have touched anything old or ugly to gain an empire. ABSOLUTE
Not to please your father, sir? Sir ANTHONY
To please my father! zounds! not to please—Oh, my father—odd so!—yes—yes; if my father indeed had desired—that's quite another matter. Though he wa'n't the indulgent father that I am, Jack. ABSOLUTE
I dare say not, sir. Sir ANTHONY
But, Jack, you are not sorry to find your mistress is so beautiful? ABSOLUTE
Sir, I repeat it—if I please you in this affair, 'tis all I desire. Not that I think a woman the worse for being handsome ”

“ MRS. CANDOUR. Aye to Charles——
SIR BENJAMIN. No, no—to Mr. Surface—'a most ungrateful Fellow; and old as I am, Sir,' says He, 'I insist on immediate satisfaction.'
MRS. CANDOUR. Aye that must have been to Charles for 'tis very unlikely Mr. Surface should go to fight in his own House.
SIR BENJAMIN. Gad's Life, Ma'am, not at all—giving me immediate satisfaction—on this, Madam—Lady Teazle seeing Sir Peter in such Danger—ran out of the Room in strong Hysterics—and Charles after her calling out for Hartshorn and Water! ”

“ I own I was hurt to hear it—as I indeed was to learn from the same quarter that your guardian, Sir Peter [,] and Lady Teazle have not agreed lately so well as could be wish'd. MARIA.
'Tis strangely impertinent for people to busy themselves so. MRS. CANDOUR.
Very true, Child; but what's to be done? People will talk—there's no preventing it.—why it was but yesterday I was told that Miss Gadabout had eloped with Sir Filagree Flirt. But, Lord! there is no minding what one hears; tho' to be sure I had this from very good authority. ”

“ LYDIA
But who is this? who! who! who? FAG
My master, ma'am—my master—I speak of my master. LYDIA
Heavens! What, Captain Absolute! Mrs. MALAPROP
Oh, to be sure, you are frightened now! JULIA
But who are with him, sir? FAG
As to the rest, ma'am, this gentleman can inform you better than I. JULIA
[To DAVID.] Do speak, friend. DAVID
Look'ee, my lady—by the mass! there's mischief going on. Folks don't use to meet for amusement with firearms, firelocks, fire-engines, fire-screens, fire-office, and the devil knows what other crackers beside!—This, my lady, I say, has an angry savour. ”

“ SIR PETER. Aye and what is very extraordinary in all our disputes she is always in the wrong! But Lady Sneerwell, and the Set she meets at her House, encourage the perverseness of her Disposition—then to complete my vexations—Maria—my Ward—whom I ought to have the Power of a Father over, is determined to turn Rebel too and absolutely refuses the man whom I have long resolved on for her husband—meaning I suppose, to bestow herself on his profligate Brother. ”

“ Sheridan would possibly never have exceeded what he had already done, and his celebrity had now reached that point of elevation, where, by a sort of optical deception in the atmosphere of fame, to remain stationary is to seem, in the eyes of the spectators, to fall. He had, indeed, enjoyed only the triumphs of talent, and without even descending to those ovations, or minor triumphs, which in general are little more than celebrations of escape from defeat, and to which they, who surpass all but themselves, are often capriciously reduced. ”

“ Sheridan, on his return from town, incensed and grieved at the catastrophe to which his son's imprudent passion had led, refused for some time even to see him, and strictly forbade all intercourse between his daughters and the Linley family. But the appealing looks of a brother lying wounded and unhappy, had more power over their hearts than the commands of a father, and they, accordingly, contrived to communicate intelligence of the lovers to each other. ”