the children deprived of the fervant they have been fo long ufed to. I know it would be a great hardship on the poor younger one in particular to lose nurse who has always hitherto been their attendant. They must neceffarily have some

J

body

In a work printed by Faulder, London, this present year 1798, it is faid, “Richard-Brinsley Sheridan, Efq. was born at Quilca near Dublin, in the year 1752. At the age of fix years his Father, then compelled to quit his native country, brought him into England, and placed him at Harrow School, under the care of Dr. Sumner, who was at that time Head-Master, &c." The ingenious author has been greatly misled in almost every particular here advanced respecting Mr. Sheridan, as is evident, from the above Letters written by his Mother, and the circumstances of his birth related in a preceding page which, to fave the trouble of turning back, take briefly as follows. . . . Mr. Sheridan, the Father, at the time of his son's birth, and fome years before and after, lived at No. 12 in Dorset-street, Dublin; a new house built for him by a Mr. Orpin, now occupied by a Mr. Kindillon, directly oppofite to the house in which Captain Solomon Whyte, Mrs. Sheridan's maternal uncle, then lived. The fituation, though very inconvenient, being at a great distance from the Theatre, was fixed on at the special instance of her uncle, who was in a very declining state of health, and wished to have her near him; for she was his favourite niece, and they were mutually fond of each other. It pleased the Almighty to call him to his eternal home, March the 17th, 1757. In this house Richard-Brinsley Sheridan was born, at a season when his Father's occupation in town rendered his prefence indifpenfably neceffary, towards the latter end of October 1751; not in 1752, and confequently not at Quilca, which is not near Dublin. Young Sheridan was not brought to London by his Father in the year 1758; but was fent over late in the year 1759, and, not 'till after the Christmas vacation, in the year 1762, was placed at Harrow School; for which we have the authority of the Letters before us. If any faftidious critic should carp at the nicety of this statement, the circumstances have been taken up by several writers in fucceffion, and all erroneously. It is nevertheless clear, that whatever is thought worthy of record, should be honestly and truly recorded; if, in such a cafe, so many mistakes could be committed, it may at leaft ferve to fhew our younger Readers, that when national vanity, the interest of individuals, or the prejudice of party, guides the author's pen, which is too much the cafe in both ancient and modern hiftories, though written by a Hume or a Gibbon, they are at best but ingenious Romances, and not to be relied on.

1

body to dress them, wash for them, and mend their cloaths; and if nurse can be made any otherwise useful in the family, I dare fay she will be very willing to do her best. I would have her ftill attend them, and the terms for her can be as easily adjusted as for the children. If you want a bed or beds on the occafion, you may be supplied from the Blind-quay.

I can't at present inform you what stay we shall make here: Mr. Sheridan is now at Oxford, where he purposes to give a Courfe of Lectures; how long that will detain him I can't fay; but I do not expect him to return this month. 1 fent your letter to him and waited for his answer, otherwise you fhould have heard from me fooner. When he writes to Dr. Leland or Mr. Tickell, he will take notice of what you fay in regard to H. S. mean time if that branch of inftruction which they offered you can be in any wife made worth your while, I think you would not do well to refufe it, as it may be a means of introducing you to fomething much better. I only fay this as my own fentiments, for Mr. Sheridan did not give me his opinion on the fsubject.

As to Theatrical matters, I can fay but little of them; but I doubt Mr. Sheridan, without a much better prospect than the prefent, will hardly be induced to take the burthen again upon his shoulders; for my own part I think we have had a fufficient proof how far Dublin is to be depended upon; I speak in general, for I am fure we have fome very worthy friends there. Be that as it may, I can't as yet speak with certainty concerning our defignation after Christmas. Mr. Sheridan's absence (for I have had him but for a few days with me these five weeks, and then very much engaged) leaves me ignorant of what our motions are to be at that time; but I have hope I fhall then have it in my power perfonally to thank you for your attention to my poor little/

ones.

You don't tell me whether they are going on with their French. Give my bleffing to them, and tell them we fhall meet ere 'tis long.

Pray make my compliments to Mrs. Whyte: I hope the has better health than when I faw her, and is by this time better reconciled to Ireland.

I am, Dear Sam,

Yours moft fincerely,

FRANCES SHERIDAN.

P. S. My Brother and Sifter are both very well, and wish to be affectionately remembered to you. Dr. Lucas, your old Friend, is perfectly recovered; he returned a few days ago from Harwich, where he had been on account of his health, and to attend Lord Charlemont, whom he has restored furprizingly. The Doctor was very particular in his enquiries about you, and requested I would affure you he has your welfare extremely at heart.

MRS. SHERIDAN TO MR. WHYTE.

DEAR SAM,

LONDON, MARCH 29TH, 1759.

WHEN I look at the date of your last letter, I am ashamed that I have not answered it long before now: I will however endeavour to account for my omission in few words. When I received yours I was at Bath, where my drinking the waters, together with the general diffipation of the place, quite difqualified me either for writing or reading; to fay the truth, I believe I never had either a pen or a book in my hand the whole time I was there; I fhould notwithstanding have written to you, but as I every day expected to have the business which detained Mr. Knowles concluded, fo I intended

by

by him, at his return to Dublin, to have writ to you at large on the subject of your letter. This made me defer writing from day to day, when at my return to London, the sickness and death of poor Mifs Pennington (who was in the fame houfe with me) fo took up my attention, that it was a great while before I could think of any thing else. This was the true state of my situation, and I have nothing farther to offer in excufe for my filence.*

The morning of the day in which our deceafed friend took her illness, your name happening to be mentioned, she afked after you with great kindness, and told me many civilities which you had formerly fhewn her. Yesterday I opened a writing-box and a little parcel she left me, in which I found fome curiofities of value, and several interesting papers, which fhe had not before fhewn me; among others, a very pretty Poem addreffed to her by you it was enclosed in a letter of my fister Chamberlaine's. We used to set you down in the lift of her admirers. She was in every fenfe indeed an estimable Being; a lively, fenfible companion, and a fincere and difcreet friend; naturally affectionate and obliging, her good offices were never wanting where she thought she could be of fervice. Books to be fure are a great fource of entertainment in the gloom of retirement; but the mind cannot be always in a difpofition for reading, and there are times and occafions which require more active confolation. Her agreeable conversation was the balm of my folitary hours, and her company in Mr. Sheridan's frequent abfences, to which his

avocations

Mifs P. was once an admired ftar in the literary hemifphere. Whether er not there be any writings of hers extant, I cannot afcertain. The volume of well-written letters, containing an unfortunate Mother's Advice to her Abfent Daughter, fuppofed to be addreffed to this Lady, was a Pofthumous Publication.

avocations indifpenfably oblige him, was to me a material acquisition; my dear Sam, I shall miss her very much; but this is felfish; don't condemn me for it.

Mr. Sheridan is now at Cambridge; but I expect his immediate return. I hope every thing goes on to your wishes. How are my dear little ones? do they often talk of me? keep me alive in their remembrance. I have all a mother's anxiety about them, and long to have them over with me; but I believe we fhall not fend for them till the latter end of June, and then I hope to see them. I mention this as a matter of business, as I know your number is limited, and, being apprized of our intentions in time, you may the better regulate your own measures and fuit your convenience accordingly. If you will fend me your account for the children, by nurse, when they leave you, I hope Mr. Sheridan will discharge it the first opportunity. But as to the Bond Debt I can fay nothing; that is a more serious object, and I fear we muft trefpafs on your friendship to wait fometime longer, till our affairs come about, and we can get a better hold of the world.

The main object of your last, requiring maturer deliberation and precision, I must defer to a more favourable opportunity. Let me hear from you foon, and in my answer I promife to be particular and explicit on the points you propofe. This is a fad scrawl, very unfit to come before fo excellent a penman; but I have neither time nor fpirits to copy it fair: I hope you will be able to decypher it. Remember me to my brother and fifter in Kevin's-ftreet. I fhall be very glad to hear of your profpering in your present and future undertakings; and am,

Dear Sam,

Your fincere Friend, &c. &c.

FRANCES SHERIDAN.