It is a most pleasing and important communication to his country, that his Lordship is so far advanced in a state of convalescence as soon to be enabled to perform his promise, and conclude a life distinguished for glorious naval achievement in the service of a country which he has so largely contributed to defend and to exalt.

A

His Lordship was made lieutenant in the year 1755, in the same year with Lord Duncan and Admiral Hotham. He was made post-captain in the year 1760, knight of the Bath in the year 1783, rear-admiral of the blue in the year 1787, rear-admiral of the white in the year 1790, and is now admiral of the blue.

The whole life of this gallant Admiral, which has been devoted to the service of his country, has been characterized by uncommon energy of mind, and superior skill in his profession. The strictest honour and the most inflexible integrity have ever distinguished his political, and the firmest and warmest attachment to his friends has always characterized his social, life.

M. X. L.

MR.

MR. SHERIDAN.

IT has been justly remarked by Dr. Johnson that," many things, which are false, are transmitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world." This observation may be applied to the different memoirs of Mr. Sheridan, which have been published. The grossest errors acquire a sort of currency among the majority of readers, who have not had an opportunity, or perhaps an in clination, to investigate the accuracy of cir cumstances, that seem of trifling moment. They are considered as unquestionable facts by succeeding biographers, and given to the public with embellishments which strengthen deception, and frequently mislead even the friends of the person, whose memoir is the subject of perusal. But it is the duty of a biographer to be accurate in the most trivial circumstances, which he has occasion to relate, or to omit them altogether.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan is the third son of Mr. Thomas Sheridan, celebrated as an actor, eminent for his skill in elocution, and entitled to the gratitude of the public for his judicious and indefatigable exertions to improve the system of education in this country. His works, with the exception of some plays, which he altered, and the Life of Dean Swift, which he prepared

for publication, in general, relate to the elements.

His

of language and the instruction of youth *. father, the Reverend Doctor Thomas Sheridan, was a distinguished divine, the ablest school-master of his time, and the intimate friend of the Dean of St. Patrick's. Mr. Thomas Sheridan died at Margate on the 14th of August, 1788.

Mrs. Frances Sheridan, the mother of Richard Brinsley, a lady no less respected for her domestic virtues than admired for her literary attainments was the author of Sidney Biddulph, a novel, which has the merit of combining the purest morality with the most powerful interest. She also wrote Nourjahad, an Oriental Tale, and the comedies of the Discovery, the Dupe, and a Trip to Bath. She died at Blois in France, the 17th of September, 1766 †.

The

* List of Mr. Sheridan's principal works:-The Loyal Lover, Romeo and Juliet, and Coriolanus, all altered and acted; British Education; A Discourse delivered in the theatre at Oxford, and in the senate-house at Cambridge; A Dissertation on the Causes of the Difficulties which occur in learning the English Tongue; A Course of Lectures on Elocution; A Plan of Education for the young Nobility and Gentry of Great Britain; Lectures on the Art of Reading, in two parts; A general Dictionary of the English Language; The Works of the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's, arranged, revised and corrected; Elements of English.

+ Such was the respect paid to her memory by the Bishop of Blois, that he had it intimated to her friend's, notwithstanding the difference of religious persuasion, that they might

J. Cundee, Printer, Ivy Lane,

The subject of this memoir was born in Dorset street, Dublin, in the month of October, 1751 *. He was placed, in his seventh year, with his elder brother Charles Francis, late Secretary at War in Ireland, the correct and elegant historian of the revolution in Sweden, under the tuition of Mr. Samuel Whyte of Dublin, the friend of their father, who has been a long time highly esteemed for his care and ability in the instruction of youth. They were the two first pupils of Mr. Whyte, who opened his academy in April 1758, and it is a circumstance not entirely unworthy of remark, that their early years afforded no promise of the abilities which they have since displayed. Mrs. Sheridan, whose discrimination cannot be questioned, took an opportunity, on committing them to the care of Mr. Whyte, to advert to the necessity of patience in the arduous profession, which he had embraced, and addressed him in the following language-" These boys.

take advantage of the night to deposit her remains in conse crated ground, and no interruption should be given to the interment-an indulgence in France, which was perhaps never before extended to any reputed heretic. Dr. Young, in his Night Thoughts, bitterly complains of the different treatment which attended his daughter's burial in the same country.

* Extract from the register of St. Mary's parish, Dublin. "Charles Francis, son of Thomas and Frances Sheridan, baptized July 23d, 1750-Richard Brinsley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan, baptized November 4th, 1751."

Mr. Sheridan's eldest son Thomas, died in childhood.

will be your tutors in that respect. I have hitherto been their only instructor, and they have suffi ciently exercised mine; for two such impenetra ble dunces I never met with."

Having remained nearly eighteen months with Mr. Whyte, they were sent by that gentleman, in September 1759, to Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan, who then resided at Windsor. There they passed nearly a year, their education, during that time, being superintended by Mrs. Sheridan herself. Richard Brinsley was placed at Harrow school, after the Christmas of 1762. The obser vation, made by his mother on the occasion, taken from one of her letters, now before the writer of this sketch, is, when connected with his subsequent pursuits, rather of a singular kind. She says" Dick has been at Harrow school since Christmas; as he probably may fall into a bustling life, we have a mind to accustom him early to shift for himself." It has been reported, but without foundation, that he gave recitations from the English classics during his father's lectures. His father, on the contrary, never entertained an idea of employing him in that manner, as his brother Charles was very much his superior in diligence, correctness of ear, and powers of voice, and was remarkable, when only eleven years old, for his elegant and impressive delivery of several passages from Milton.

The literary advancement of Mr. Sheridan at Harrow, a seminary which has sent into the

world