Life of Sheridan, vol 1 | Page 8

forward most
sanguinely to its success, as likely to realize many a dream of fame and
profit, it was not till the month of May in the subsequent year, as
appears by a letter from Mr. Ker to Sheridan, that the probability of the
arrival of the manuscript was announced to Mr. Foote. "I have
dispatched a card, as from H. H., at Owen's Coffee-house, to Mr. Foote,
to inform him that he may expect to see your dramatic piece about the
25th instant."
Their hopes and fears in this theatrical speculation are very naturally
and livelily expressed throughout Halhed's letters, sometimes with a
degree of humorous pathos, which is interesting as characteristic of
both the writers:--"the thoughts," he says, "of 200l. shared between us
are enough to bring the tears into one's eyes." Sometimes, he sets more
moderate limits to their ambition, and hopes that they will, at least, get
the freedom of the play-house by it. But at all times he chides, with
good-humored impatience, the tardiness of his fellow- laborer in
applying to the managers. Fears are expressed that Foote may have
made other engagements,--and that a piece, called "Dido," on the same
mythological plan, which had lately been produced with but little
success, might prove an obstacle to the reception of theirs. At Drury
Lane, too, they had little hopes of a favorable hearing, as Dibdin was
one of the principal butts of their ridicule.
The summer season, however, was suffered to pass away without an
effort; and in October, 1771, we find Mr. Halhed flattering himself with

hopes from a negotiation with Mr. Garrick. It does not appear, however,
that Sheridan ever actually presented this piece to any of the managers;
and indeed it is probable, from the following fragment of a scene found
among his papers, that he soon abandoned the groundwork of Halhed
altogether, and transferred his plan of a rehearsal to some other subject,
of his own invention, and, therefore, more worthy of his wit. It will be
perceived that the puffing author was here intended to be a Scotchman.
"_M._ Sir, I have read your comedy, and I think it has infinite merit,
but, pray, don't you think it rather grave?
"_S._ Sir, you say true; it is a grave comedy. I follow the opinion of
Longinus, who says comedy ought always to be sentimental. Sir, I
value a sentiment of six lines in my piece no more than a nabob does a
rupee. I hate those dirty, paltry equivocations, which go by the name of
puns, and pieces of wit. No, Sir, it ever was my opinion that the stage
should be a place of rational entertainment; instead of which, I am very
sorry to say, most people go there for their diversion: accordingly, I
have formed my comedy so that it is no laughing, giggling piece of
work. He must be a very light man that shall discompose his muscles
from the beginning to the end.
"_M._ But don't you think it may be too grave?
"_S._ O never fear; and as for hissing, mon, they might as well hiss the
common prayer-book; for there is the viciousness of vice and the
virtuousness of virtue in every third line.
"_M._ I confess there is a great deal of moral in it; but, Sir, I should
imagine if you tried your hand at tragedy--
"_S._ No, mon, there you are out, and I'll relate to you what put me first
on writing a comedy. You must know I had composed a very fine
tragedy about the valiant Bruce. I showed it my Laird of Mackintosh,
and he was a very candid mon, and he said my genius did not lie in
tragedy: I took the hint, and, as soon as I got home, began my comedy."
We have here some of the very thoughts and words that afterwards

contributed to the fortune of Puff; and it is amusing to observe how
long this subject was played with by the current of Sheridan's fancy, till
at last, like "a stone of lustre from the brook," it came forth with all that
smoothness and polish which it wears in his inimitable farce, The Critic.
Thus it is, too, and but little to the glory of what are called our years of
discretion, that the life of the man is chiefly employed in giving effect
to the wishes and plans of the boy.
Another of their projects was a Periodical Miscellany, the idea of which
originated with Sheridan, and whose first embryo movements we trace
in a letter to him from Mr. Lewis Kerr, who undertook, with much
good nature, the negotiation of the young author's literary concerns in
London. The letter is dated 30th of October, 1770: "As to your intended
periodical paper, if