Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-01-28

Gus libels about Sheridan and Miss Lin.
ley in the Bath Chronicle.
On Sheridan reaching Bath, Matthews
| FASTENED up to London; thither Sheri-
dan followed him, and duel took place
the result being that Matthews begged
for his life, and agreed to withdraw his
| libelOus statements.
No sooner had the excitement of This
affair somewhat cooled down, than Mat
thews, urged on by his friends, who
were extremely dissatisfied with the
first encounter, sent, in his turn, a chal-
lenge to Sheridan, and second duel
was fought. The accounts of this are SO
conflicting that it is difficult to come
to any decided opinion about it. One
thing is clear, Sheridan was rather dan
gerOusly wounded, and when Miss Lin
ley was informed of this, it is said she
let out the secret of her heart by eX-
claiming passiOnately:
"My husband! my husband! Let me
60 to him." at the same time entreating
her friends to let her attend him as his
wife.
But this request was not complied
with. Sheridan's father was incensed
when he heard of the affair, and Mr..
Linley was no better pleased.
For several months all intimacy be-
tween the two families ceased. OPPOSE
ton was useless, however; the Young
people thus dramatically brought to-
gether determined not to yield.
Sheridan entered as member of the
middle temple, with view of making
the law his profession; but his first lau-
rels were gained as dramatist in his
famous play of "The Rivals" written
shortly after his marriage.
On the 18th of April, 1878, the young
lovers were married by license, the
bridegroom being in his 22d year, the
bride in her 18th.
From this time the gifted and beauti-
full Elizabeth Linley is known as the
charming and accomplished wife of one
of Englands most brilliant wits and or
atOrs.
In the words Of the celebrated John
Wilkes, Mrs. Sheridan was "the most
beautiful flower that ever grew in ma
lures garden" She was model of
perfect symmetry; her form light and
airy, yet graceful and dignified; with
features cast in natures finest mould,
and uncOmmOnly expressive when light
ed up in conversation or in singing; in
the latter especially she looked the en-
bOdiment of ones conception of an
angel, and all who saw the portrait of
her by Sir Joshua Reynolds, wherein
she Is represented as Saint Cecilia, were
of the same opinion.
In addition to being singer of the
highest class, Mrs. Sheridan possessed a
knowledge of true musical science.
"The favOrite song written by her hus-
band, When tits night and the mid
watch is cOme,' was set to music by her;
and she composed the music for the pop
ular pantOmine of Robinson CrusOe.
and other pieces" She was likewise
gifted with a delicate pOetical power,
which found expression in several pieces
full of tender grace and musical ca
dence.
On his marriage Sheridan refused to
allow his wife to sing in public; he de-
termined to support her and himself by
his own eXertiOns.
"He resolved to strain every nerve to
acquire wealth.; but, alas! for his own
peace and happiness, he knew little of
the art by which, when once gained, it
is TO be kept"
Another great fault in this wonderful
ly-gifted man, which added thousand
fold to his pecuniary difficulties and the
anXieties of his wife and friends, was
his habit of pr0crastination-"a lway S
putting off till tomorrow what ought to
have been done to-day"
No wife was ever more thoroughly de-
voted TO her husbands interests than
Sheridan's. She entered completely into
all his anxieties; and what anxieties
they were H.
She was forever helping him i'm his
literary labOrs, in his theatrical manage
ment, in his parliamentary career.
Moore tells us: "As the wife of the
dramatist and manager, we find her cal
culating the receipts of the house, assist
ing in the adaptation of her husbands
opera, The Duenna, and reading over
the plays seIt i'm by dramatic candidates.
As the wife of the senator and orator, we
see her with no less zeal making ex-
tracts from state papers, land copying out
pOndrOus pamphlets, entering with all
her heart and soul into the details of
elections and even endeavOring to fathOm
the mysteries of the funds.
When Sheridan delivered his magnifi-
cent Grafton of four days duration. on
"The impeachment of Warren Hast
ings," in Westminster hall, her pride
and exultatiOn were beautiful to witness.
In letter to her sister-in-law concern
ing this grand event, she says:
II delayed writing till / could satisfy
myself and you by sending you the news
of our dear Dicks triumph of our tri-
umph, may call it; for surely no one in
the slightest degree connected with him
but must feel proud and happy. 1t is
impossible, my dear woman, to convey
to you the delight, the astonishment,the
alteration he has excited in the breasts of
every class of people. Even party pref
udice has been overcome by display OF
genius, elOquence, and goodness which
no one with anything like heart about
them could have listened to without be.