Star.
London, England, 1825-12-14 00:00:00

TIIE KING AND SHERIDAN.

Tile Westminster Review, just published, contains the
following statement respecting the King's munificent
kindness to his old associate:—

"The leng h to which this article has run, compels
us to pass over intermediate events, to the last grand
epoch in the life of Sheridan—his conduct in the re-
gociation with Lords Grey and Grenville, in 1811.
That Sheridan played false to his political friends on
V is occasion, certainly appears from the evidence before
us; how far, in so doing, he may have been true to
the Prince, or rather, the instrument of his pleasure,
we cannot so teadily judge. The Whigs thought that
they could have the Government of the Country on
their own (el ms, a:td Slteridan took care that the
dictatorial spirit which they discover d should not
escape the Royal eye. Ile had no hopes at this period,
we co.lceive. of rising with the Whigs, and, therefuse,
recommended himself to the Regeat by his zeal in his
cause, by his jealoas.care for the Royal digraity ; and,
at the same time, in so dling, effected the rzcluslon of
his party from power. The worst feature in this in-
trigue was, Stielidan's suppression of an important
communication, with which he was charged, to the
Lords Grey and Grenville.

" The Whigs, who desired complete possession cf
royalty, stiFulated that the Prince's Household, formed
under a former Administration, should go out; this
point was ceded by the Court; but the concession, no-
tified to Sheridan, did not teach the ears of those whose
objection to office would have been removed by tke
knowledge of it. We cannot give the anecdote more
shortly than in Mr. Moore's words
46 6 Load Yarmouth, it is well known, stated in the
House of Commons, that he had communicated to Mr.

Sheridan the intention of the Household to resign, with
the view of having that intention conveyed to Lord
they and Lord Glenville, and thus removing the sole
ground upon which these .N.,ble Lords obj cted to the'
acceptance of office. 'Not only, .however, did Sher;dan
endeavour to dissuade the Noble Vice-Chamberlain
from resigning, but, with an unfairaess of dealing
which admits, I own, of no vindication, he withheld
lion► the two leaiers of Otpatition the intelligence 'bus
meant to be conveyed to them; and, wbain question d
by Mr. Tierney, as to the rumowed intentions of the
Household to teNign, offered to bet five hundred
guineas that thete was nu such stet; in cuatemplation::—
pp. 674, 67.5.
• •' From the. period of this intrigue, to the 11,mr of his
death (the Miserable circumstances of which we shall
pass over as sufficiently weal known) nothing went well
with Sheridan. His pecuniary difficulties increased as
his resou•ces failed him, and the dissolution of 1812
deprived him at once of his political consequence, and'
his Parliamentary protection. He made an attempt,
indeed, to obtain a seat in the House. and stood tor
Stafford, and the failure elere served materially to
hasten his ruin. After mentioning this circumstance,
Mr. Moore states, under the date of 1813, that • the
Prince Regent offered to bring him (Sheridan) into Par-
liament,-but that the thought of returning to that scene
of his triumphs and his freedom, with the Royal
owner's mark, as it were, upon him, was more than he
could bear—and he declined the offer.'—p. 682.

" We ale willing to.ascribe this representation to
Mr.
.Mitore's want of information, and to hold him
guilty, not of supprebing an important fact, but of the
minor offence of failing to search out the truth. The
truth then is, that the Prince Regent did not merely
oar to bring Sheridan into Parliament, but, about the
latter end of 3812, with a view to this object, his Royal
Highness conveyed to him, through Lord Moira, four
thousand pounds. The Money was 4f,pmited by hisLprd-
sbip with \fr. Cocker, the Solicitor, who acted as a friend
toMr, Sheridan an this occasion,and astre.ity was opened
with Mr.lsttersol for a, seat for Wootton Bassett. The
negoeiation, indeed, was all but concluded, nothing
toeing warm* leat eiterichuis piesence on • the spot.'

—On three successive evenings, Mr. Cocker dined with
Sheridan at an hotel in Albemarle-street, a chaise be;ng
on each night waiting at the door to convey them
down to Wootton Bassett; on each night Sheiidan,
after his wine, postponed the journey to the next day,
and on the fourth day, he altogether abandoned the
rroject of purchasing a seat in Parliament, receive,l
the frur thousand pounds, and applied them, as. he
was warranted to do, by the permission of the donor,
to his pi ivate uses. This transaction certainly delivers
the King from the reproach of never having ministered
to the relict of She►id.rn—a charge which has, been
urged against his Majesty in numberless smart satires
and lampoons."