The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-06-02

author, and keeping Love still attendant
on Genius through all his tcansforna-
tlons. AS the wife of the dramatist We
find her calculating the receipts Of the
house, assisting in the adaptation of her
husbands opera, and reading over the
plays sent in by dramatic candidates.
AS the wife Of the senator and orator we
see her with no less zeal, making extracts
from State papers, and copying out pom.
derous Notwithstanding with all her
heart and soul into the details of cleo
tons, and even endeavoring to fathom
the mysteries of the Funds. The affec-
tionate and sensible care with which she
watched over not only her own children
but those which her beloved sister, Mrs.
Tickell, confded to her when dying,
gives the finish to this picture of
domestic usefulness. When it is recol-
lected, too, that the person thus homely
employed was gifted with every charm
that could adorn and delight society it
would be difficult perhaps to find any
where more perfect example of that
happy mixture Of utility and ornament
in which all that is priced by the hus-
band and lover combines and which
renders woman what the Sacred Fire was
to the Parsees-not only an object OF
alteration on their affairs, but a source of
warmth and comfort to their hearths."
For three years after bis marriage
Sheridan lived rather obscure life on
his contributions to the Press. The pro-
duction of 's'rhe Rivals in Covenu Gar
den Theatre i'll January, 1775, Lifted him
into prominence in literary and theatrical
circles, and ''The Duenna," which ap-
peared towards the end Of the same
year, at once placed b1m IN the front
rank Of the dranatists Of the age. From
this period to few years before his
death Sher1dan's career was brilliant
success. In 1775, on the retirement of
David Garrick, he purchased the moiety
Of the great actor in D1urylane Theatre
for 100000 part Of the money having
been advanced by Mr.. Linley, his father
in-law, and DR.. Ford, and he then be-
came patentee and manager of that
famous national theatre. Sheridan at
that time was only rs years Of age, and
how he obtained the necessary money
which lifted him into this responsible
and lucrative position has been subject
of much mystery and speculation to his
biographers. Moore in his life of Sheri-
dan, Says
'sThere was, indeed, something mys-
ferrous and miraculous about all his ac-
QUESTIONS, whether in love, in learning,
in wit, or in wealth. How or when his
stock of knowledge was laid in nobody
knew; it was as much matter Of marvel
to those who never saw him read as the
mode of existence OF the chameleon has
been to those who fancied it never eats.
His advances in the heart OF his mistress
were, as we have seen, equally trackiess
and inauaible, and his triumph was the
first that even his rivals knew OF his love.
In like manner the brightness of his wit
took the world by surprise--being per-
fected in secret till ready for display,
and then seeming to break from under
his idleness in full majesty Of splen-
dor. His financial resources had no less
an air Of magnifcence about them; but
the mode in which he coniured up at
this time the money for his first purchase
into the theatre remains, SO far as can
learn, still a mystery"
1777 saw the appearance OF the
''School for Scandal and tsThe Critic"
and whether 1t was that the profits aris-
ing from the production OF these COM
edies were unprecedentedly big, or that
Sheridan with his usual luck procured
the money somehow, and with all the old
mystery, he was able at any rate in Its
to purchase the 1noiety Of another share
holder in Drurylane Theatre for G45,-
900, and also portions of other shares,
sufficient to make him owner of three
quarters of the property.
About this time he appointed his
father, Thomas Sheridan, the actor,
manager of the theatre, and surprised
his friends by turning his attention to
politics. He had. however, couple of
years previously published pamphlet
in support Of the revolt Of the American
Colonists, and in answer to the extraordi-
binary and ludicrous assertion Of DIR.
johnson in his Taxation no Tyranny"
that ''as all are born subjects Of some
State or other, we may be said to have
been all born consenting to some system
of government, Sheridan wrote:-:'This
is the most slavish doctrine ever enun-
ciated. If by our birth we give tacit
bond for our acquiescence in that form
of government under which we were