nia : MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE A.ND WRITINGS OF MRS. FRANCES SHERIDAN, MOTHER OF THE LATE RIGHT HON. RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN, AN» AUTHOlt OF " SIDNKY BIDDULPH," " NOURJAHAD," AND " THE DISCOVERY." WITH REMARKS UPON A LATE LIFE OF N. R. B. SHE THE RIGHT H O RIDA N ; ALSO CRITICISMS AND SELECTIONS FKOM THE WORKS OF MRS. SHERIDAN; AND BIOGRAPHICAL ANECDOTES OF HER FAMILY AND CONTEMPORARIES. BY HER GRAND-DAUGHTER, ALICIA LEFANU. LONDON ..f^'\ -'3 PRINTED FOR G. AND W. B. WHITTAKER, AVE-MARIA-LANE. 1824. ;,^ ; YRL ' PREFACE. The Author of these Memoirs was en- couraged to the undertaking, by the advice and assistance of several intelHgent friends and, principally, by the approbation of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Parr : whose regard for the virtues, and admiration of the talents of Mrs. Frances Sheridan, induced him kindly to extend to the Author the great advantage of his valuable observations and connections, during the progress of the work. An account of the life of Mrs. Frances Sheridan would be incomplete, without some particulars relating to her family. The passages that place the conduct of the late Right Honourable Richard Brinsley ; VI PREFACE. Sheridan in a new and interesting point of view, are drawn from the letters of a lady of the most distinguished respectability and whose judgment of his character was formed upon the basis of a long intimacy and friendship. All the other anecdotes are derived from the Author's mother, Mrs. H. Lefanu, only surviving daughter of Thomas Sheri- dan, M.A., and of Mrs. Frances Sheridan, and sister of the late Right Honourable R. B. Sheridan. — CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Page Account of the Family of Mrs. Frances Sheridan.— Singular Education of Miss Chamberlaine.— Early Discouragement. —Anecdote of her Benevolence and Piety. —First Literary Attempt at the Age of Fifteen.— Eugenia and Adelaide. Sermons.—Mr. Sheridan.—Defence of the Character of Thomas Sheridan, A.M.— Opinion of Dr. Parr. —Humorous Anecdote of Mr. Sheridan.—Singular Manner of Miss Chamberlaine's Introduction to him.—Fable of " The Owls." —Pamphlet in Prose.—Theatrical Disputes.— Fortunate Termination.—Miss Chamberlaine's Marriage 1 CHAPTER n. Domestic Life of Mrs. Frances Sheridan. —Female Intimates. —Family of Mr. Sheridan. — Anecdote of the Banshi. Ancient and Modern Irish Cookery.—Quilca.— The Painted Chamber.—Whimsical Anecdotes of Walter Chamberlaine. —Poem of " The Three Travellers." 31 CHAPTER III. Birth of Mrs. Sheridan's Children.— Thomas.— Charles Fran- cis.—Richard Brinsley, and Alicia. —Second Theatrical Riot.— Contradiction of a passage in Mrs. Inchbald's Re- marks upon the Tragedy of Mahomet.— Unpublished Anec- dote of Digges.—Second Anecdote of Digges.—Birth of — viii CONTENTS. Sackville Sheridan.—Anecdote of Lord Gerniaine.— Anec- dote of the Duke of Dorset 48 CHAPTER IV. Mrs. Sheridan's Removal to England.—Return in 1766.— Original Anecdotes of Spranger Barry.— Mr. Samuel Whyte of Grafton-street.—Examination of a passage in Dr. Wat- kins's " Memoirs" relative to the late Right Hon. R. B. Sheridan. —Final Removal to England in 1758.— Mrs. She- ridan's Circle of English Friends.— Samuel Richardson. Birth of Mrs. Sheridan's youngest daughter Elizabeth. Miss Pennington.—Anecdotes.— Mrs. Scott. — Sarah Field- ing. — Garrick. — Murphy. — Original Anecdote of Mrs. Barry.—History of the Tragedy of " The Earl of Essex" 73 CHAPTER V. Sidney Biddulph. — Successful in France.—Abbe Prevost. Dramatized in France.—L'Habitant de la Guadaloupe. Curious Note annexed to the French edition of Sidney Biddulph.—Different Judgments passed upon it. — Dr. Johnson.—Mrs. Barbauld.—Dr. Parr.—Mr. Fox.—Critique on Sidney Biddulph.— Smollett.— Sidney presented under a new point of view.—A Work of Humour as well as Pathos. — Selections from Sidney Biddulph 110 CHAPTER VI. Mrs. Sheridan in London.—Anecdotes of Dr. Johnson. Samuel Richardson. —Mrs. Peckhard.— Colloquial powers of Mrs. Sheridan.— Learning.—Description of the person of Mrs. Sheridan. —Anecdotes.—Habits of Self-control. — Love — CONTENTS. ix I'age of Truth. —Anecdote.— Second removal to Windsor.—Wind- sor Anecdotes.—" The Discovery."—Examination of a pas- sage in Dr. Watkins relative to Garrick and " The Discovery." —Friendly disposition of Mrs. Sheridan.—Mr. Armstrong — Humorous competition between " The Discovery" and " The Duenna."—Whimsical conduct of Mrs. Cholmondely. Critique on the Comedy 195 CHAPTER Vn. Portrait of Mrs. Cholmondely.—The original of several of Mrs. Brookes' Heroines.— Friendship for Mrs. Sheridan. Anecdotes of Catherine Macauley.—Humorous Vanity of Mrs. Clive.—Anecdote —The Dupe.—Ode to Patience. Mrs. Woffington's Phasdra.— Epigram on a Reply made to Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough —AfHiction, an Apologue. Distinguished compliment paid to Mr. Sheridan, in Ireland. —Mr. Sheridan's opinion of the Female Sex.—Bath and Bristol. —Mrs. Sheridan becomes a Pupil of Mr. Linley's. The Linley Family —Juvenile Anecdote of Thomas Linley. —Mr. Sheridan and Miss Hannah More. —Dangerous Ac- cident to Mrs. Sheridan —'Edinburgh.— Mr. Sheridan ho- noured with the Freedom of the City.—Lady Maxwell, mo- ther to the Duchess of Gordon.—Removal to France 230 CHAPTER Vni. Right Hon. Richard Brinsley Sheridan.—Anecdotes of Richard Brinsley at Harrow.— Journey of Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan in France.—Baptiste. — Paris — Hotel de Picardie.— Clairon. — Blois.— Whimsical inducement to Mr. Sheridan to settle there. — Story of Mademoiselle Hemiii. — The Cottage of the Loire. — Correction of a Misconstruction in the " Memoirs — X CONTENTS. Page " of R. B. Sheridan —Madame Des Combes —Comic Anec- dotes. — Story of Poor llobin.— Respect shewn to Mr. She- ridan by the travelling English.—Friendliness of the French — Anecdote of Father Mark —Melancholy story of an English Lady.— Extraordinary Anecdote of another Lady. —Family of Montigny 251 CHAPTER IX. Literary Occupations of Mrs. Sheridan resumed.—Critique on the Second Part of Sidney Biddulph —Singular Origin of Nourjahad — Miss Sophia Lee, Author of Canterbury Tales —" Trip to Bath."—Examination into the reports about that Comedy,— Mr. Sheridan obliged to go to Ireland. —Decline of Mrs. Sheridan's health.— Amiable disposition and resig- nation in her sufferings.—Religious bigotry of her attend- ants. —Trials of Mrs. Sheridan on her Death-bed.—Death. !—Respect paid by the French to her remains 289 CHAPTER X. Addition to the Memoirs of Mrs. Frances Sheridan.— Re- marks upon a passage in Dr. Watkins.— Mr. Thomas Sheri- dan and Dr. Johnson.—The late Marquis Townshend. Garrick.— Changes in the public taste. —Boswell.—Original Anecdote of Lord Auchinleck.—Original Anecdote of Bos- well and His late Majesty George the Third.—The Man of Feeling.— Anecdote of Dr. Johnson 3J2 CHAPTER XI. General Paoli.—Paoli and Napoleon Buonaparte.— Misrepre- sentation respecting the late Right Hon. R. B. Sheridan. Louisa Bellenden Kerr. — Mr. Sheridan and Rasselas.—Do- CONTENTS. xi Page mestic life of the elder Mr. Sheridan. — Mr. Sheridan's the- atrical respectabihty — The Kildare-street club, — Manager Heaphy. — Anecdote of a beautiful young Actress.—Contra- diction of a saying imputed to the elder Mr. Sheridan.— Mrs. Vesey's Conversaziones.— Original Anecdote of Dr. Johnson. —Tributes to the merit of the elder Mr. Sheridan. — His hopes nearly being realized in Ireland.—Disappoint- ment.—Decease.—Refutation of the statement in the " Me- moirs of R. B. Sheridan," respecting the funeral of Mr. She- dan.—Mrs. Siddons ,.., 336 CHAPTER Xn. Anecdotes of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheri- dan and his family. —Contradiction of a statement in Dr. Watkins's Memoirs.—Lady Margaret Fordyce the real hero- ine of "The Picture Varnished."— Miss Linley becomes Mrs. Elizabeth Sheridan.—The biographer of R. B. Sheridan misinformed respecting her. — The Royal Concert.—The Duenna. —Anecdote of Barry the Actor.—Examination into the mysterious reports circulated relative to the real author of the School for Scandal.— History of the School for Scan- dal.—Morality of the piece.—Contradiction of several mis- statements respecting the Linley Family.—Affecting death of Miss Maria Linley.— Contradiction of the statement relating to Mrs. Elizabeth Sheridan's death.— Interesting particulars of the late R. B. Sheridan.—Mr. Charles Francis Sheridan.— Conclusion 292 — MEMOIRS MRS. FRANCES SHERIDAN. CHAPTER I. Account of the Family of Mrs. Frances Sheridan.—Singular Education of Miss Chamberlaine.—Early Discouragement. —Anecdote of her Benevolence and Piety.— First Lite- rary Attempt at the Age of Fifteen.—Eugenia and Ade- laide. — Sermons—Mr. Shei'idan.—Defence of the Charac- ter of Thomas Sheridan, A.M.—Opinion of Dr. Parr. Humorous Anecdote of Mr. Sheridan.— Singular Manner of Miss Chamberlaine's Introduction to him. — Fable of " The Owls."—Pamphlet in Prose.— Theatrical Disputes. —Fortunate Termination.—Miss Chamberlaine's Marriage. The life of Mrs. Frances Sheridan is in various respects more interesting than that of most literary women. As excelling in different modes of composi- tion, eacli of whicli is supposed to require a B 2 ]\I i: 31 O I R S O F peculiar talent ; as uniting to uncommon powers of conversation, every domestic virtue that most endears and distinguishes a woman ; and as the mother of a man confessedly pre-eminent in dramatic wit and parliamentary eloquence ; she certainly deserves some memorial, fuller and more distinct than those brief or erroneous biographical notices, which alone have as yet appeared before the public. Frances Chamberlaine was born A.D. 1724. Her family