The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-17 00:00:00

MEMOIRS OF MRS. P. SHERIDAN.

These Memoirs arc written by -Mrs. I.efanu, grand-
daughter of the lady who is the wive( of them. Although
Mrs. F. Sheridan was a lady of emisiii-raiile literary at-
tai,„„e„te, and we would ev; n RAJ of very superios natural
talents, as her Swdaey Bit/./a/44, and miter works of merit
trwily, yet doubtless the volume before us 41:rivta its prin-
cipal *median from the circumstance of her being the
parent of
• Thamator, dramatist, minstrel, who ran
• Thrtrigh each waded the lyre, and was 'luster of all."
It is wellAnown that Mr. Sheridan's falter was a person
of very high literary repute in his day ; the following
anecdote Is equally botiourahle to lila character and his
talents:— . _ _

Though them distinguished by the Doke of Dorset in private,
air. tilsevidast, as a public character, hot always preserved that
prudent medium which alone became a man wholly unesnnected
with politics. 31r. Doswell is there re wholly untintaled in the
NOM iOll (VOL I. p. 3118.71), that the palatal which was granted
nestral years afterwards to Mr. Sheridan, and respecting which
Johnson exposed himself so engrarionsly, was given to lan
"as • sot it the ears( of Goverrop,rmi, when he was ma.
eager of the re Royal in Ireland, where parties ran high
lin 1753." fact was
_quite otherwise, and the anecdote tells
I equally to t our of Mr. Sheridan, and of the friendly aside.
man who so sly stepped forward to his assistance, in the
hour of his d
The Duke on learning Mr. Sheridsn's theatrical mis-
fimune, mado an offer, in the handsomest terms, of a pension
of three hat ads • year, as some compensation for the
losses he had ow that oansiott. This offer 31r. Sheridan,
however, tee y declined, alleging, that such a &vont from
flovernment w confirm all the unitise reports to his disadvuu
I tag, and cut Whom all future hopes of the patronage of the
public; when if he persiattst in refusing all remuneration, it
was his trust belief that his conduct would soon be viewed in a
I proper light, that it would yet be in his power, by means of
the Theatre. to a Omuta for his foully.
The pension two hundred a year, which was granted him above
' eight years of wee solely en the ground of his literary
11 merits. _ _

We have Ana mill dal 16 mai of R. B. Sheridan
throws the moat attractive charm around this volume.
Every circumstance that relates to the life of that extras,-
divary man naturally excites a deep curiosity. lle was
constantly engaged in the bustling scents of life ; and whe-
ther in illustrating principles of leglidation in the great
courcil of the nation, or administering to the &menu
of the people in the theatre, it would seem as if Nature
had peculiarly formed him for a public man. In the book
before us there are many interesting anecdotes cf his life,
which the near family intimacy of the writer enabled her
to arrive at, and which would probably have been lust, hail
they not been preserved to the world by the present publi-
cation. The literary world are therefore in no small de-
gree indebted to Mrs. Lefanu for this work, which is written
in a light, pleasing, and agreeable style of narrative. We
shall take an opportunity of returning to our iwtice of it,
and fur the present lay before our readers one or two enter-
taining anecdotes that arrested our attention on a perusal
of the volume. The following is a somewhat humorous
account of a singular London acquaintance of Mrs. She-
rielan's

One tuner London acquaintance of Mrs. ilieridan's I shall in.
traduce to the reader; this was Mrs., or (as she liked to be dis.
tingsmislted) Catherine hlacriuley.
Mrs. Leann, of I)ublin, then a fine Intelligent girl of between
nine and ten years of age, used to give a humumus account of the
tint interview between these literary ladles.
Mrs Macauley introduced herself ty complimenting Mrs.
Sheridan upon her novel; Mrs. liheridaii,- r in duty hound, re-
plied by complimenting Mn. klacauley upon her history ; and
' the manner of both gave Miss Sheridan the idea that neither of
them had read the works of the other. Mrs. Mscaulcy did not
' appear to her to have any of those charms so profusely ascribed to
I her by a female biographer ;• neither was there anything of that
levity or extravagance of dress imputed to her by one of the other
alni. hlscauley struck Miss Sheridan as a plain woman,
pale, tall, cold, and formal, with nothing renrehensiblz in her
manners, nor anything peculiarly fascinating in her address.
At a subsequent period, Mra. klacauley is said to have given
occasion fur remark, by the luxury and estraragance of her esta..
hhahment, by the affected form of her cards of invitation, •• Oahe-
,: rine Macauley At Home to the Literati ;" and by a degree of
gaiety, and coquetry of the toilette, that was deeme.l inconsistent
s ith republican simplicity. But let us be just to the memory of a
very uncommon female, who ruse above. the disadvantage-% and tle-
ficiencits of education, at a time t 'lst literature was not cultivated
among women as it is at present. Small could not be the industry
and perseverance of a woman, who, under the-se circumstances, was
able to raise herself to rank with the historians of her country ; nor
was the merit inconsiderable of that person, who was summed by
Cowper, and quoted with approbation by Mr. Fox.

The irascibility of authors is proverbiaL In the follow-
ing instance it is carried beyond the boundary of innocent
wrath. It spews some weakness on the part of Garrick
too, who treated with anger what iw should have regarded
only with pity
Janis* Ralph, the political writer, bad a most unfortunate
, mania fur the drama, and wait continually teasing liarrick to give
Lint encouragement to write for the stage ; this Gornek, having
already experienced his incapacity, would not do; but having a
real friendship lie the irascible author, he prevailed upon the Mi-
nister, Mr. Pelham, to settle a pension upon hint of two hundred
pounds per annum. Such cantina, it should be supposed, ought
to have insured Ralph's eternal rethink; but the effect was so
much the contrary, that in a subsequent publication, entitled the
Caw of Authors icy Proftulim, he attacked him benefactor with the
moot Illiberal abuse, sparing neither his moral our dramatic cha-
racter. The wolf MIMI for this that could be surmised, was the
Manager's refusing some (salmi!? or farce which Mr. Ralph was
minions should be represented. he consequence was what might
naturally have been expected ; Mr. Garrick never spoke to him
afterwards, and refused to be in any company where he might have
the chance of meeting him. Being invited to dinner by Lord ('am-
den, he accepted the invitation with pleasure, bu: when he was
told Mr. Ralph was to be one of the guests, Mr. Garrick beg-
ged to be excused, fur he declared he would not sit is company with
it/w must angrotrissi mu in the kingdom.

lu our next notice we shall advert to those passages
which more immediate!), refer to Mrs. Sheridan and ht r
gifted son. We regret to sr• NIT:. L:•fanu elndeseend to
notice Dr. Watkins's 3letno:rs of Sheridan, which
every one who has read it must pronounce to be little else
than a libel on his memory.

• Mary Ilayea'a Biographical Dictionary of Celebrated M'otnen.
t Boswell'a Johnson.

The Indian arrived yesterday (Tuesday, the 13th inst.)
at this port, front Iluenos .lyres. She sailed on the 21st
of January ; hut has hot, we understand, brought any
tiews.—Liverpool Clistricr.
'fits Exiles' rioss o►• 'tl►:xtco.—There has not been
for many yarn an exhibition in the metropolis so well calculated to
inspire the rising generation with a proper idea of the superiority
of the Christian religion, or interest and improve them in their h 4•
hwiewl researches, ►s those of Ancient and %Intlern 3lexico. The
former shows, in all Its deformity, the horrible atrocities connected
with ancient klexiesn worship, which sacrificed thousand,* annually
to !heir monstrous idols; and the hater illustrates triodleffectively
all the beautiful objects of natural history, comprising the quadru-
peds, birds, fishes, reptiles, fruits, and other extraordinary produc..
tiona of that delightful country, while the panoramic view of the
city and v:illey of 3lexicu ilipsrts rn interest to the exhibition
which is equalled by no otlit rin the town. The exhibitior was
lest week, during the tine weather, crowded by distinguished
fashionables.

Eart.osiox or CAa.—Atotatav morning; (12th inst.)
about ten o'clock, the gamily r f Mr. Tarred, of I'apel.sircet. was
thrown into nonsiderahle akrin 'iv a quantity of gas being ignited.
The stneU, during the intoning, hail been so great as to cause an
inspection of the pipes on the premises. A gentleman lodging in
the house proceeded to the lower part in examine, and having un.
locked the door of a cellar, the coatincil gas became ignited by
means of a lighted candle, which he eat ried in his hand. The'
Haines hurst through the top of the partition into an adjoining
kitchen, tore away the ceiling, and forced ,iff the door,f apress.
The gentleman who tiro discovortd the origin of the mischief, has'
been severely burned. Ile maid 114.1 incautimialy in bringing a'
light to the cellar before lie *nosed the :;as to escape. It is to he
hoped this accident will si7eti :IA a warning to others to be more'
careful. We are happy to say, no other member of the family was
Jokruul.
, I
Assaf 1.1.—A must nittrsteous n-sauit was oninmittett on ;
Saturday night at DOTCT, IVllliain ritephen Wright, a gentleman
who has been for sin is year, in the habit of attenili-ig bliss Iwo, I
the miniature painter; a person called at his lodgings and inquired
for 3lr. Wright, who, on beans, the inquiry, invited him up
stairs ; the door was instantly shut and bolted • nothing was heard
by the people in the house hut a loud lumbering noise, end the
vole of the person who entered speaking very loudly ; after he had
left the house the landlord and others went op stairs, and found
that gyros personal violence had been used towards Mr. Wright ; lie
was sitting with his head loaning on his liatitiol,hienadansawlnilizt. seannsed !hear.
state, bleeding profusely at the mouth, l
features altogether in disfigured that his neural acquaintance could
scarcely recognize hint. the rent was besprinkled with blood.
An examination was taken yesterday, and it bein.gatipatepoeprinumai,m
vo.f
two medical gentleman that there is considerable danger, the Ma.'
gistratca issued their warrant, and a Mr. P
facturer, has been committed to prison.—Kentish Gazrilr.

FATAL ACCIDFNT.—Uron the afternoon of Tuesday
bat a moat tragical accident occurred in Duncan-street. A line
boy, of six year. of ago, the son of Mr. %clown, the builder, hap-
petted to look out of a window in his father's house, four storica
from the round, Lid haring made an attempt to catch hold of a
woodcut ticket projecting from the window, he lost his balance,
brought away the ticket with his descending weight, and fell ution
tl• outer stair-case, and from thence mllc4l on to the parem:nt.
When sued, life was found to be cstinct.—Gbwme Fife pc:,

cni...lß LAKE,
SITUATED TO THE N.N.E. or MABULITATAM, .%YD LAST

or E1.1.011E.

The Colair is a fresh-water lake of great magnitude, anl
of the highest importance to agriculture. It is situated at
the N.E. p.:tejecting corner of the tondapillv Circler, and
is somewhat of the shape of an oval, occupying a natural
hollow spsee of country in the interior, where several
streams hasten to elh:char; e themselves into it. These
streams would run off' ieto the Ooptitair,' if they were not
held in on the S.E. by fifteen small detached embankments,
' extending ia a line over a apace of fire miles. The breadth
of the lake varies from .:even to t Ire miles, while its
extreme length me). be reckoned' at twenty-two, and it Ines-
sures its cireumfereme no leeer than sixty miles, covering
'an err,. of nearly Zvi swum, miles. Within its bosom are
no less than fifteens isiatabi of various sires, with forty-four
hamlets on them, te hich wet e originally inhabited by Pa-
riahs, or men of the lowest 6a..e aittelig the !lindens ; but
at prtsent they ate mere than half el, serval, with the ex-
ception of the su.ail elevated hpOtY it 110 C the habitations
are ti see!. The whole of de se islands are inintereed when
the lake is full, which happens about a month previous to
the breaking ep of the rains in a very good season: but as
that is of short duration, the more el, vated parts soon begin
to appear above water, and are immediately and very sue-
ce.ssfully cultivated with paddy, which, in a vet y little time,
spreads throughout the a bole extort of e ads of the islands,
presenting one great and uninterrupted expanse a verdure.
°need' the casterimiest of the ishuale wes aaciently a Once
of strong deti.ece, which the reiseems of a circular fortifi-
cation, called Colaity-cotta, serve to chew. It ix the only
place of the forty four villages on the leke that is inhabited
by Remits* at d the higher orders of Soodras. On a failure
of the annual sur;plies, owing either to a dry season or to
other cruses, the lake soon dries throughout, and the great-
est scarcity of drinkable water prevails ; ea much so as not
even to serve the inhabitants of the islands, who arc, upon
such occasion:, coinpdh tl to 110,0 t their p!acsa of abode,
or to supply theitiwlves from the villages situated In the
cushy of the lake.. When this happens, and it vias the
case during the years Ist t; and 1817, it he: considered as an
evil equivalent to a famine, shire it reduces to great straits 11
thousands of the peasantry belongieg to the sarrouneling
dixtricts' who are supperLd, in a great measure, by the
fruit of their labours in the culture of rice on the islands
and banks of the lake. The tittintie r of ti,het men also,
who reside there and find a ha odsence livelihood by fish
ing, suff'er much upon sushi failures, and are in cause.
quence constrained to 0 sort to other !slava, till such time
as circumstances favour a return. Not to mention the
finny inhabitants of this lake, which, he a good season, re-
port states it to abound with, in great variety of sorts and
sizes, it likewise produe..s a few speeies of shell-fish,
which furnish the inhabitant% with heal and lime. The
islands and borders of the lake prodne two species of grass,
one calleelJetinhoo, and the other l'orak, used for various
purposes, and, among others, for thatching houses. It
also preduees abundance of certain species of routs, eaten
by the lower class of pe. Gide ; and which is sometimes
made a siteestitute fur bread by bruising them into powder,
and preparing the Nader in the same manner as they are
accustomed to do meal or dour producad from grain.—
Coteee no Journal.

• The (Mpii Lair. which divides the tirear of Condapilly front that
of Ellore and Itajahnittintry, is a saltiwater liver, which contributes
very largely to the revenue of the Colicetorate. It is visited by the
dood.tielsi as far up as the Cobalt ; and is navigated by small boats,
which carry grain, fuel, he. This river produces plenty of fish,
and furnishes employiii.ut fur a number of pour indigent families
who reside near its banks, aril are wholly devoted to fishing. It
carries away any surplus water frimi the lake. Front lhinnapooraui,
a hamlet in the neighlnarhuoil of the Like. the lloputair, which is
deep and muddy, and about tiny yardsiu breadth, flows winding
in a southvtly direction, till it arnica at a ferry much freir..ented,
lying betwcvn Culdetnly,and Valoorpaud, whence it shapes its pro.
gress eastward, till it is joined by another little salt-rater river
front the other district, which river is likewise visited by the fiend
tides. Thence the t Mputair goes southerly with several windings,
passing by Mullagoonta am! l'addalunka, where it again runs cut,
a small distance Ss fore it shape* itself south-easterly. A river from
rinnailoor of the same ilmription Whirl with it here, and widens
its channel to 120 yards; *inch, however, is rapidly anil greatly
augmented in its progress to juin the tut between Sainsidatig and
llollapollam, after performing many consii:;:rable wir.ilings and
flowings over a flat swampy country, overgrown in its immediate
iteighhourhood wish a species of low wend peculiar to marshy
grounds. Cindy pinnt 1111 l Pantipauil, and lasitra, iu suer:a:slim,
stand contiguous to its north bank, a few miler before it throws n-
inth into the sea; which part of its mum is daily:l:fully diversified
with wood and other objects of interest.

COI.OIIIPIA.—The ruhultbiano of the 48th of ,01-
nuary states, that fortifications were about to be construct vi
at Maracaibo, for the more complete defence of that plane.
A decree had been issu.al for the establishan.:nt of public
schools on the Lancasterian plan.
General Vigo, be lat.. Governor of Corunna, has
arrive.' in London. lie is about to present a memorial
to the French Government for the recovery of his pro-
perty, which has. ben confiscated by the Spanish Go-
vernment. The name of the French General who deli-
vered him up to the Spaniards, in violation of the con-
vention, is ('anoel. It is understood that his conduct is
disapproved of by his own Government, and that the me-
moral of Central Vigo, therefore, is likely to receive at-
tention.

There is at Ta!arms a European lady, residing with her
husband, a native of Persia, to whom she was married
during his residence in England, whither he had been sent
for his education by Abbas Mirza. He is a gunsmith,
an excellent workman, and in other respects a man of con-
siderable merit.

The celebrated Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge,
Nicholas Saunderson, though quite blind, was so fasci-
nated with the chase, that he continued to hunt until a
very advanced period of his life. His horse was aecus-
Mined to follow that of his servant: the delight of ti.iun-1
derson was extreme when he heard the cry of the hounds
and the huntanen, and he used to express his raptures
with all the eagerness of those who possessed them sigh;.
The following fact is worthy of honourable record :
A widow lady, now living in the parish of tiebergbant,
whose deceased husband had been unfortunate in trade,
and left her with two children dependent on her exertions,
began busintss, after his d.ath, upon a small scale; tmd,
attar twenty years' perset aim.; industty, finding herself in
a situation to dischargo her late partner's deba, she privately
waited on every creditor, many of whom were in reduced
eircurnstancts, and paid the whole in full, to their no little
surprise and admiration. •• The writer of this (says our
informant), who was a creditor of the latt..l description,
thinks it his duty to make so incritot ions an action public."
lid riot.

We were informed that there had been a marriage tither
in this town or m ighbourbood. and that from some cause
the bride refusisl to at...mop:my her spouse to his residence,
instead of which she insist, d upon returning to her own
patents' mansion, and did so. Such was her ailletion for'
this ancient domicile, that it surpassed her love for her lord
and master; and not all his eloquence, alternately used in
the imperative as well as the potential mood, moved her
one jot, and in tact declamation was to her u though it
ne'er had been. " Site was at hcme," and determined to
city their.. Thus the matter remained until Friday, when
the husband, unable longer to bear the pangs of s; paration,
procured a carriage, and with the assistance of his friends
kidnapped his better half, tearing her away from her fire-
sideand household gods.-- nil rielt 1.

11'. I. ANCIIOI V :".11111.1V II I CK.--Titesday morning, the
'3d I:It. the schooner Hero, Chrismpher ttartktt. 01: ,tcr, front
Swansea for Mitcham, after experiencing a strong gale and a heavy
sea the preceding Mght. was Initial to be water.!':;;; e it, and nearly
untnanagealtle. in this state the crew endeasoured to reach Pad-
stow harbour, but just as she cattle to the I ntrance she sunk • and
its. from the state or the wcather, no cssistance could be atil;rded,
every penon nn board twrisheel.
PK It T I .%0 f..—The lir:VW:it/116 tinder which thr prison-
ers in the felons' ward were placed. in co.wequence of their attempt
to escape, were patiently cialunst for two days. On %Vedneselay
mooing, however, when they were brought down to receive their
breakfast, the made a stand, and peremptorily refused to retire to
their cells. The Alut:istrate. were again celled, end counselled
them to retire peaceably. Some obeyed; but eight of them re.
ntained firm, and threatened vengeance on any who should ap. I
proach. /re of them, indicted for house breaking and theft, said
that he knew he would be hanged at the Circuit; and,
Christ !" he exclaimed. '• it i. as well for me to die now as upon
the gallews." The. policemen were called in; but, front the
threatening attitude the f•Attns had ass ttttt etl, none would attempt to,
dislodge them. 'litter ur tour w...re armed with knives and mon.
and the rest had large pieces of brick torn from the chimney. and
put into the corners of small bags, for the purpose of fellingtheir
assailants. The hlagistrates at last haul renuirse to the teimary.
A party of dragoons. with Lieutenant Reid at their head, soon
I arrived from the barrack.; at whore appearance the inswgrats laid
down their razor.. and retired to their cell., quite content as take
their chance of the gallows in prelerrice to the more summary
process of the latitille or tile bayonet. in the mean tic they arc
.1,-see cow*, ...11 to lea !',et'