give me up, but his vanity would not let him do that without having gained his point. He therefore said he was resolved the next time I met him to throw off the mask, and if I would not consent to make myself still more infamous, to force me, and then leave me to repent at leisure. He then told how he had acted on Saturday, and that I had promised to see him on Wednesday. He then said he would sufficiently revenge himself for all the trouble I had given him; but if I changed my mind, and would not see him, he was resolved to carry me off by force. The moment I read this horrid letter I fainted, and it was some time before I could recover my senses sufficiently to thank Mr. Sheridan for his opening my eyes. He said he had made Matthews believe he was equally infamous, that he might the sooner know his designs; but he said it was not in his power to appear on a friendly footing any longer with such a villain. Mr. Sheridan then asked me what I designed to do. I told him my mind was in such a state of distraction, between anger, remorse, and fear, that I did not know what I should do; but as Matthews had declared he would ruin my reputation, I was resolved never to stay in Bath. He then first proposed my going to France and entering a convent, where he said I should be safe from all kind of danger, and in time I might recover my peace and tranquillity of mind; his sister would give me letters of recommendation to St. Quintin, where she had been four years, and he would go with me to protect me; and after he had seen me settled, he would return to England and place my conduct in such a light that the world would applaud and not condemn me.

"You may be assured I gladly embraced his offer,

as I had the highest opinion of him. He accordingly settled everything; so that we resolved to go on that fatal Wednesday which was to determine my fate. Miss Sheridan came to me, approved the scheme, and helped me in putting up my clothes. I kept up my spirits very well till the day came, and then I thought I should go distracted. To add to my affliction, my mother miscarried the day before, owing to the fright of Sunday. The being obliged to leave her in such a situation, with the thoughts of the distress in which my whole family would be involved, made me almost give up my resolution; but, on the other hand, so many circumstances concurred to make it absolutely necessary, that I was, in short, almost distracted.

"At last Sheridan came with two chairs, and having put me half fainting into one, and my trunks into the other, I was carried to a coach that waited in Walcot Street. Sheridan had engaged the wife of one of his servants to go with me as a maid without my knowledge. You may imagine how pleased I was with his delicate behaviour. Before he could follow the chairs he met Matthews, who was going to our house, as I had not undeceived him for fear of the consequence. Sheridan framed some excuse, and after telling him that my mother had miscarried, and that the house was in such confusion it was impossible for him to go. in, begged he would go to his sister's, and wait there till he sent for him, as he had an affair of honour on his hands, and perhaps should want his assistance; by this means he got rid of him.

"We arrived in London about nine o'clock the next morning. From London we went to Dunkirk by sea, where we were recommended to an English family, who treated me very politely. I changed my name to

Harley, as I thought my own rather too public. From thence we proceeded to Lisle, where by chance Sheridan met with an old schoolfellow, who immediately introduced us to an English family, with whom he boarded. They were very amiable people, and recommended us to a convent, which we resolved to accept without going farther.

"Adieu! my dear girl, and believe me yours, "E. LINLEY."

Miss Linley was at that time but eighteen years of age, and was under articles of apprenticeship to her father until the age of twenty-one, but she was in possession of £3000, which she had obtained under singular circumstances. Mr. Long, a man of fortune, had wooed her for his wife, but she had avowed to him that, if obliged to marry him, she could never bestow her affections on him; he not only resigned himself to his disappointment, but actually took it upon himself to be the responsible cause of the breaking off the match, and paid the sum mentioned as an indemnity for the breach of covenant. Mr. Linley went to Lisle, and, after an explanation with Sheridan, it was resolved that his daughter should fulfil her engagement to him, and they returned together to England.

Scarcely had the elopement become known in Bath, than Matthews, breathing nothing but fury and rage, inserted an advertisement in the Bath Chronicle, in which he stated that Mr. Richard Sheridan had left behind him a letter "to account for his scandalous method of running away from the place by insinuations derogatory to his character, and that of a young lady innocent as far as relates to him or to his knowledge”;

and then bestows on him the most scurrilous epithets, and denounces some malevolent incendiaries concerned in the propagation of this infamous lie," whom he threatens to chastise in the most public manner. Sheridan having read these accusations in France, and received letters containing the most abusive threats from Matthews, he determined to meet his opponent face to face, and declared that he would not lie down to sleep until he had obtained an ample apology. The details of the first duel are of the most extraordinary character, and reflect no honour either upon the principals or their seconds, and the long war of words subsequent to it is scarcely intelligible.

Their first meeting in Hyde Park was a most ridiculous rencontre ending in nothing; and, fearful of observations, they thence retired to a coffee-house; and the scene that ensued, of which we have a minute description furnished in a published letter of Sheridan, is one over which the biographer may as well draw a veil, as so much of mystification exists that it would be difficult to arrive at a fair conclusion. The most favourable inference is that Sheridan, unacquainted with the law of duelling-he could not be of fencing, for he had been a pupil of Angelo's-rushed in upon Matthews's guard somewhat unseasonably, and at the point of the sword obtained an apology. Be the circumstances what they may, the partisans of each of the duellists were busily occupied in relating the affair according to their own views; each insinuating that much was withheld by the other. The apology, however, was ample. Matthews retracted what he had said, and begged pardon for the advertisement in the Chronicle. A second duel was determined on, according to Moore's version of the tale, in consequence of

the coolness with which Matthews found himself re ceived in Wales, and the interference of a Mr. Barnett, whose duelling propensities were to be gratified, whilst the mortification of his principal was to be thus relieved; but those who read even Sheridan's Own statement must acknowledge that the first duel was, to the duellists of that day, little more than a disgraceful scuffle, and that the fact of Sheridan's breaking his adversary's sword was quite enough to justify a second meeting. The following letter addressed to Captain Knight must be read :—

SIR,-On the evening preceding my last meeting with Mr. Matthews, Mr. Barnett1 produced a paper to me, written by Mr. Matthews, containing an account of our former meetings in London. As I had before frequently heard of Mr. Matthews's relation of that affair, without interesting myself much in contradicting it, I should certainly have treated this in the same manner, had it not been seemingly authenticated by Mr. Knight's name being subscribed to it. My asserting that the paper contains much misrepresentation, equivocation, and falsity, might make it appear strange that I should apply to you in this manner for information on the subject; but, as it likewise contradicts what I have been told were Mr. Knight's sentiments and assertions on that affair, I think I owe it to his credit, as well as my own justification, first, to be satisfied from himself whether he really subscribed and will support the truth of the account shown by Mr. Matthews. Give me leave previously to relate what I have affirmed to have been a real state of our meeting in London, and which I am now ready to

1 The friend of Matthews in the second duel.