Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-05
SHERIDAN.

naran," IN the New Niontllly neSleW
MIR Moore is mistaken IN stating that She
ridan was in the habit of manufacturing puns
and other witty savings before ne went into
company; and that he generally remained 81.
lent until proper opportunity offered tor letting
oFa good thing. That he and other celebra,.
ed wits may have occasionally done SO, is not
improbable; bu, that such vas Sheridans prae.
lice. no one who knew him intimately can for
a moment allow. Had the learned biographer
in question, given the least consideration 10 his
practicat Jokes upon those tradespen and Others
who were in the habit Of dunning him, he would
nerceiye that Mr.. Sheridan's invention was ne.
ve, at stand; for, on such occasions, instead
If paving. he generally oontrived TO obtain lon.
ger time and 10 run more deeply into their debr
those who came 10 shear went home shorn-
But there are thousand proofs on record that,
like the lgh, produced by fire boxes now in
vogue, Sheridan's wit was instantaneous and
vivid. A few Of these brilliant flashes, as they
occur TO the writer's mind, shall here be dis
played, the reader bearing IN mind that such
only shall be set down as are not mentioned BY
other authors. or which, having appeared, have
no, been attributed 10 him by them.
Mr.. Whitbread, one evening al Brookes' talk
ed loudly and largely agains, the Ministers for
LAYING What was called he tcar tar upon malt;
every one present Of course coneurred with him
in opinion; but Sheridan could not resist The
qualification of hit against The 6re,cer himself
He took out his pencil and wrote upon the back
of letter the following lines, which he hand.
ed to Mr.. Whitbread across the table,
ssThey have raised the price of table drink,
What is the reason do you think
The tax on mails the cause, hear;-
But what has mall to do with beer?"
Being on Parliamentary CommiIee, he one
day entered the room as the members were seat
ed and ready to commence business Percelv.
ing no empty seat he bowed; and looking round
the table with droll expression Of countenance,
said, "will any gentleman more that l may take
the chnir:2"
Soon after the Irish Members were admitted
in the British House Of Commons, at the union
of 1901, one Of them, in the midst OF his maiden
harangue, and 10 the national warmth Of his
heart thus addressed the chair: Sand now my
dear MIR. Speaker" sc. which created loud
laugh from all parts of the house. AS soon al
their mir,b had subsidized Mr. Sheridan gaven
anotner nnP -I-s.'ng, that the honour
able member was perfectly in order: for thanks
to the Ministers nowadays every thing IS dear"
The Hon Mr.. Shaving finished lrage-
dy, sent it to Sheridan, with note, requesting
an early opinion, and offering it for perform
ance at Drury.lane The manager Looked o.
yer the manuscript, but seeing nothing TIT for
repre- sentalion, laid it on the table before the
noble author, who called two days after, with
out saving word.-"Well, now, my dear She.
ridan," said the dramatisI, "what do you think
of it? My friend Cumberland has promised
me prologue, and dare say, for the in
terest Of the theatre, you will have no OBJ.
lection to supply me with an epilogus? "Trust
me. my dear sir" replied Sheridan drily, and
shaking his head. cit will never come to that,
depend ont"
! he Prince Of Wales, one day, at Brookes's
expatiatin, on that beautiful but far fete he'd idea
of Darwin's, tina, ",he reason of the bosom of
a beautiful woman being the object Of such ex-
qusite delight for man to look upon, arises
from the first peasurable sensations of warmth
sustenance, and repost, which he derives there
from in his infancy" Sheridan replied, "lru-
ly hath it been said, that there is but one step
from the sublime TO the ridiculous All chill
dren who are brought up by hand must derive
their pleasurabhe sensations from very different
source; vet believe no one ever heard OF any
such, when arrived at manhood, evinced any
very raptnrons or amafory emotions at the sigh.
Of a ,ooodcn spoon!" This very clever exposure
Of ali ingenious absurdity was received by his
Royal Highness, Mr. Fox, and every other gen
teman present, with great eclat. TWAS fire
calculation ofthe folly OF taking for granted
every opinion which may be preached under
the sanction Of great name.
Mr. Sheridan met with few hard r,bs him
self, however: one or two Of which il may no.
be unentertaining TO mention.
He was endeavoring 10 compliment (vnlgo
to gammon) city tailor out of a new suit Of
clothes, by promising half a dozen similar Or
iers every year-'You are an excellent cut, my
FRIEND" said Sheridan, "and you beat our SHIPS
at the Wes,end, hollow; why don't you push
your thimble amongst US? III recommend you
every where; upon my honor, your work gives
you infinite credit" "Yes." replied Twist, II
always take care that my york gives long credit
but the uea'ers ready money"
The following retort was exceedingly Sc.
we're; indeed, SO much SO, that MIR. Sheridan
never forgot nor fergave its author. Horne
Tooke. II is best 10 relate the aneodote in the
latter gentIeman's own words: Shortly after
had published my Two Pairs of Portraits OF
Two Fathers and Two Sons,---,hose Of Earl
Chatham and Mr. Pitt, of Lord Holland and
Mr.. Fox, | met Sheridan, who said with