his death to the King's unreasoning stubbornness. In forming his Cabinet Pitt was anxious to strengthen it with the names of Grenville and Fox, but the King would not hear of Fox, and without him Grenville would not join. Pitt, therefore, with enfeebled health was obliged to form a Cabinet so weak that on himself was imposed a load far beyond his strength. He knew this-he knew that he was risking his life, but it was against Lord Grenville that his resentment was directed. "I will teach that proud man that I can do without him, though it cost me my life," he said. But before long his weak Cabinet was rendered still weaker by the loss of his ablest lieutenant, Lord Melville. This was a terrible blow to Pitt, already overloaded with work. He again tried. to induce the King to accept the services of Fox and Grenville. The King was inexorable. "I wish the King may not live to repent, and sooner than he thinks, the rejection of the advice which I pressed on him at Weymouth. few months Pitt sunk under his load of care, and the King had to be content with a Ministry of which Lord Grenville was the nominal head, and Fox was the presiding genius. He refused Fox, when by accepting him he might have saved Pitt's life, and in the end he only crushed Pitt and put Fox in his place.-Times review.

ELOQUENCE AND HUMOUR OF SHERIDAN.

In a

One of the greatest tributes ever paid to eloquence, Mr. Sheridan received from Mr. Pitt, when, after Sheridan had, in opposition to him, advocated the prosecution of Warren Hastings, Pitt moved an adjournment, that "the House might have time to recover from the overpowering effect of Mr. Sheridan's oratory."

How little Sheridan's wit was the inspiration of the moment all men were aware who knew his habits; but a singular proof of this was presented by Mr. Moore, when he came to write his life; for we there find given to the world, with a frankness which must almost have made their author shake in his grave, the secret note-books of this famous wit; and we are thus enabled to trace the jokes in embryo, with which he so often made the walls of St. Stephen's ring, in a merriment excited by the happy appearance of sudden unpremeditated effusion. Take an instance from Moore, giving extracts from the

commonplace-book of the wit: "He employs his fancy in his narrative, and keeps his recollections for his wit." Again, the same idea is expanded into-" When he makes his jokes you applaud the accuracy of his memory, and 'tis only when he states his facts that you admire the flights of his imagination." But the thought was too good to be thus wasted on the desert air of a commonplace-book. So, forth it came at the expense of Michael Kelly, who, having been a composer of music, became a wine-merchant. "You will," said the ready wit, import your music and compose your wine." Nor was this service exacted from the old idea thought sufficient-so in the House of Commons, an easy and apparently off-hand parenthesis was thus filled with it at Mr. Dundas's cost and charge, "(who generally resorts to his memory for his jokes, and to his imagination for his facts.)"

Pitt, in answer to an attack, in a debate on the Irish Union, said Sheridan seemed determined to have the last word; on which Sheridan replied that he was satisfied with having the last argument. When Dundas brought the sealed bag, containing the proofs which were to be examined, to show the necessity of a union, Sheridan, seeing there was not much in it, jocularly said to Dundas: "Confess the truth; is there anything in that bag, except the report the committee are to bring up."

During the debate on the India Bill, at which period John Robinson was secretary to the Treasury, Sheridan, one evening when Fox's majorities were decreasing, said, "Mr. Speaker, this is not at all to be wondered at, when a member is employed to corrupt every body in order to obtain votes." Upon this there was a great outcry made by almost every body in the House. "Who is it? Name him! name him!" "Sir," said Sheridan to the Speaker, "I shall not name the person. It is an unpleasant and invidious thing to do so, and therefore I shall not name him. But don't suppose, Sir, that I abstain because there is any difficult in naming him; I could do that, Sir, as soon as you could say Jack Robinson."

Again, during this memorable debate, the Apocalypse of St. John furnished images, which, by a slight effort of imagination, or by an immaterial deviation from the original text, were made to typify Fox, under the form of "the Beast that rose up out of the Sea, having seven heads." Their application to the Seven Commissioners appointed by the Bill, was

at once so happy, and so natural, that it could not be mistaken: it was the suggestion of Mr. Scott, afterwards Lord Eldon. But Sheridan, though he could not possibly anticipate an attack of such a nature, yet having contrived in the course of the debate, to procure some leaves of the Book of Revelations, with admirable ability, found materials in it, equally suited for Fox's defence or justification; transforming him from "the Dragon and the Beast," under both which types he had been designated, to an angelic being, by producing other quotations from St. John, fully applicable to the Secretary of State.

Mr. Charles Butler once read to Sheridan the finest specimen of his poetry, his Epistle to Semiramis. "Oh! why did I not," he exclaimed, "uniformly addict myself to poetry; for that I was designed!" "But then," said Mr. Butler, "would you have been the admiration of the senate? Would London have emptied itself to hear your philippic on Mr. Hastings? Would you have been the intimate of Mr. Fox? Would you have been received, as doing honour to it, at Devonshire House?" "What," he replied, "has all this done for me? What am I the better for the admiration of the senate, for Mr. Fox, for Devonshire House? I have thrown myself away. But you shall see to-morrow."

It was a general subject of wonder, that as Sheridan had shown how well he could write for the stage, he should write so little. "The reason is," said Michael Kelly, with exquisite felicity, "Mr. Sheridan is afraid of the author of the School for Scandal.”

Occasionally Sheridan had brilliant sallies. On one occasion, he and Mr. Sheldon, of Weston, in Warwickshire, supped with Mr. Butler. Mr. Sheldon was born of Catholic parents, and brought up a Catholic; he embraced the Protestant religion, and sat in two Parliaments. The Catholic question being mentioned, Mr. Sheridan, supposing Mr. Sheldon to be a Catholic, told him he was quite disgusted at the pitiful, lowly manner in which the Catholics brought forward their case: Why should not you, Mr. Sheldon, walk into our House, and say,-"Here am I, Sheldon, of Weston, entitled by birth and fortune to be among you; but, because I am a Catholic, you shut the door against me." "I beg your pardon," said Mr. Sheldon, interrupting him, "I thought it the duty of a subject to be of the religion of his country; and there

fore" "You quitted," said Sheridan, interrupting him, "the errors of popery, and became a member of a church which you know to be free from error? I am glad of it. You do us great honour." The subject then changed; but it was evident that Mr. Sheldon did not sit quite easy. At length,

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the third of the morning hour, arrived; Mr. Sheldon took his watch from his pocket, and holding it forth to Mr. Sheridan, See," he said to him, "what the hour is; you know our host is a very early riser." "D-n your apostate watch!” exclaimed Sheridan, "put it into your Protestant fob."

Sheridan was very superstitious-a believer in dreams and omens. One sentiment of true religion Mr. Charles Butler often heard him express, with evident satisfaction; that, in all his writings, and even in his freest moments a single irreligious opinion or word had never escaped him.

Frequently, he disarmed those who approached him with savageness, and a determined resolution to insult him. He had purchased an estate [Polesden] in Surrey, of Sir William Geary, and neglected to pay for it. Sir William mentioned this circumstance to Mr. Butler; and the English language has not an expression of abuse or opprobrium, which Sir William did not apply to Sheridan. He then marched off in a passion; but had not walked ten paces before he met Mr. Sheridan. Mr. Butler expected a furious onset; but nothing like this took place. In ten minutes, Sir William returned, exclaiming, "Mr. Sheridan is the finest fellow I ever met with; I will teaze him no more for money."

Lord Derby once applied in the Green-room, to Mr. Sheridan, with much dignity, for the arrears of Lady Derby's [Miss Farren's] salary, and vowed he would not stir from the room till it was paid. "My dear Lord," said Sheridan, "this is too bad; you have taken from us the brightest jewel in the world, and you now quarrel with us for a little dust she has left behind her."

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Politics was not a favourite subject with Sheridan: though he always voted for Catholic Emancipation, he did not speak for it; nor did he declare against it. But," said he to an Irish Catholic of distinction, though we don't show it, our hearts are with you." "And you, also," replied the gentleman of Ireland, "may be equally well assured, that if the French should land in Ireland, though we should not join you, our hearts will be with you."

Mr. Butler considers Sheridan's most splendid exhibition to have been his speech in the Court of Chancery, at the hearing of the cause upon the Bill filed against him by the trustees of Drury Lane Theatre. The court was crowded: Mr. Sheridan spoke for two hours, with amazing shrewdness of observation, force of argument, and splendour of eloquence. He was heard with great attention and interest: while his speech lasted, a pin might be heard to drop. But it did not prevent Mr. Mansfield from making a most powerful reply. He exposed, in the strongest terms, the irregularity of Mr. Sheridan's conduct as manager of the theatre; and the injuries done by it to the proprietor, creditors, and performers. Upon these, Mr. Mansfield commented in the bitterest terms; and every word he said sunk deep into Mr. Sheridan's heart. The Chancellor appeared to pity his calamities. He finished by conjuring Mr. Sheridan to think seriously of the words with which Dr. Johnson concluded his Life of Savage-that "those, who, in confidence of superior capacities or attainments, disregard the common maxims of life, will be reminded, that nothing will supply the want of prudence; and that negligence and irregularity long continued, will make knowledge useless, wit ridiculous, and genius contemptible."

Sheridan was very anxious to procure from Mr. Mansfield, something that had an appearance of retraction of the charges which he had brought against him. To obtain this he made many direct and indirect efforts. All he could obtain from Mr. Mansfield was a declaration, at a consultation with Mr. Charles Butler, at which Mr. Sheridan was present, that “he spoke from affidavits in the cause; so that his assertions and arguments depended, for their justice, on the truth of the facts mentioned in those." This was little, but it comforted Sheridan much.

The great blow to Sheridan was, however, the loss of his election at Stafford. It is worthy of remark, that his old friend, Mr. Richard Ironmonger, of Brighton, was some years after returned for Stafford, but did not live to take his seat.

Mr. Sheridan died at No. 17, Savile-row, in the front bedroom. In a short note to Mr. Rogers, dated Savile-row, May 15, 1816, six weeks before his death, he wrote "They are going to put the carpets out of the window, and break into Mrs. S.'s room, and take me; for God's sake, let me see you." A present of 150l. from Mr. Rogers arrived in time.