The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-07-30 00:00:00

r. snenumtv. M.

The following sketch of Vie family Iliotn,7 an I
lives of the immediate anceranrs of the lamented
end celebrated It. B. Sttuatnes. is PxtraPt-.1 rrro.t
that valuable WM k, Irisitelaw undlsles flistary
of Dubliß
_ _

4t Long before the arrival of the Anglo. Norman .etil re in
Ireland, the Sept of the Sheridan, or „ as seated
(together with the O'Reillys) in a midland
compriaine the present county of Casio, an
parts of the adjacent counties, where the mane mai the ele.
*vendee'', are still met with. Part of the elan 'nine/iced th-
principles of the Reformation, but the greeter part adhere 1
to the out religion and the Stuarts : of the former was ISe
family of Thomas Sheridan, some of whom held reepectahlis
situations; Doctor Wm. Sheridan was flishon of liemore at
the Revolution, hut resiened his See rather than r•ts: firm.
" Thomas Sheridan, father of Dr. Thomas Shor Mau, pm-
armed • small estate in the county, which became so ,n.
cumbered by the generosity of hie disposition, that his only
son was indebted for his education to the exertions of ilia
relation, the deprived !Lollop. Dr.T. Sheridan entered into
orders, took out his degree, and obtained a fellistseriir
Trinity College, which, burrrveri he WWI lost by his early
marrying, before he had succeeded ton College living.
wife was Eliiabeth, daughter of Mr. APFadclen, a gentleman
of Ulster. His acquaintanee with Dean Swift commenced
soon after, and continued in the cloaest habits of honest-1r
during his whole life. It is confidently stated, that the
Dean was indebted to Dr. Sheridan for all his classical ac-
quirements, as it is well known he was so inept or negligyet
at College as to have obtained his degree speekli
Dr. Sheridan opened a grammar school In • large house i's
Capelmireet, which had been the mint where the hit.e ens
of King James was Itruck. In this house his third son
Thomas was born in 1719, and was baptized in St. Mary's
Church, Dean Swift being his godfather, after chick he re:
moved to Quillen in his native county. T.Sheriilan received
the elements of education at his father's seminary at Cloitca.
which SOlllll became very famous. From thence he was pineal
In Westminster School, and after a residence of two seara,,be
resumed to Dublin and entered the University. la the acne
1738, he lost his father, and hewing nothing hot his town ex-
ertions In depend on, he gave leetnres on eloent ion in .lie Cul -
wor.., which were well attended. Encueraged byanceriathe
• decided taste (i.e the stage, and made his delnit at Smoak-
alley
Theatre, in the part of Rickard the Third, January 29,
1743. His reception equalled his hope., and fr 1111 l [Let time he
played at the Theatre', Royal in London and elsewhere, with
increasing fame, so that he divided the theatric bare wilt,
his great contemporaries, Garrick and Barry. In the year
1747, he enderevat a violent prnacention In Dublin. in con-
sequence of his attempt !o reform the emits #7fike stags.
This materially injured his finances, and obliged hiell to
recur to his lectures on elocution, which bernme eels-
breleJ, that he obtained degrees of Master of Arts from the
Universities of Dublin and Cambridge, and ultimately la
pension of 2001. a year from the King.
" Whilst embroiled in the law dispute, when Monitr.cr qt
Smock.alley, be became acqnainted with Miss cranes
Chamberlain.. ip ,ioneequciicc of a spirited pimphlvt
which he published in his vindication. This led to a matri-
monial alliance, which took place in 1748. He now rends&
with his wife's maternal uncle, Captain Solomon White, un-
til • house was built fur the new-married couple near his
own, in Dorset-street. In this house all his children were
born.

" After surmounting many difficulties and vicissitndra,
MeSheridan, in 1778, succeeded Gain irk in the managenient
of Drury•lane, which he resigned in 1779, is consequence of
his increasing infirmities; after which he went to MarZate
with a view of improving his health, which, however, was so
much impaired, that he died there August 14, 1768, in t!'.e
69th year of his age. Many toying sitnations in be 14:
have proved Thomas Sherislan to he a man of the quietest
honour and probity, whilst his useful writings evince boo
great learning, sound judgment, and extensive information."