jump to article content
cover image forThe Eighteenth Century. Electronic Edition.

The Eighteenth Century. Electronic Edition.

The Letters of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Volume 1

Frontmatter

ISBN: 978-1-57085-381-4

Charlottesville, Virginia, USA: InteLex Corporation, 2002

Frontmatter

Copyright Page

Oxford University Press, Ely House, London W. 1

GLASGOW NEW YORK TORONTO MELBOURNE WELLINGTON

CAPE TOWN SALISBURY IBADAN NAIROBI LUSAKA ADDIS ABABA

BOMBAY CALCUTTA MADRAS KARACHI LAHORE DACCA

KUALA LUMPUR HONG KONG

― iii ―

A woman seated outdoors on the ground near a tree, dressed in a long, flowing gown with puffed sleeves. She holds a bouquet of flowers in her lap and gazes softly toward the viewer. The background features a distant landscape with clouds and trees, creating a serene and natural setting.

ELIZABETH SHERIDAN

by Thomas Gainsborough

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Andrew Mellon Collection

― iv ―

Title Page

THE LETTERS OF

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

EDITED BY

CECIL PRICE

VOLUME I

A symmetrical, ornate decorative frame surrounds an oval emblem. Inside the oval, a shield shape is divided into four quadrants by a vertical and horizontal line. The top left quadrant contains the word "DOMI," the top right contains a small depiction of a tower, the bottom left quadrant contains the word "NUS," and the bottom right contains the word "MINI MEA." Below the shield is a small crown, and another crown is centered above the shield. The surrounding frame features symmetrical, curvilinear embellishments extending outward.

OXFORD

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

1966

― v ―

Printer's Page

© Oxford University Press 1966

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

― vi ―

Dedication Page

TO

JAMES MARSHALL OSBORN

― vii ―

Acknowledgements

I am obliged to Her Majesty the Queen for graciously permitting me to transcribe and publish the Sheridan letters in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle.

I wish to thank descendants of Sheridan's family for their ready help. The owner of copyright, Mary, Comtesse de Renéville, has kindly allowed me to print the letters. Mr. H. F. Brinsley Sheridan has put the material in his possession at my disposal. To the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava and Judge John Maude I am most grateful for access to, and help in studying, the Dufferin collections. My friend W. R. LeFanu has assisted me considerably by letting me draw on his family papers and on his own extensive knowledge of their background.

A number of owners of original letters have been good enough to allow me either to publish or to check them. For these privileges I am indebted to the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Devonshire, Earl Spencer, the late Earl of Ilchester, Earl Grey, the Earl of Lichfield, Viscount Sidmouth, Lord Kenyon, the late Lord Bolton, Lord Cottesloe, Sir Shane Leslie, Bart., and Sir Edward Hoare. Mr. Simon Whitbread kindly allowed me to see the relevant Whitbread papers, and to print the Sheridan letters among them. Miss Margaret J. M. Grubbe generously put John Grubb's papers in my hands. To Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Blackett-Ord, Mr. Brinsley Ford, Mr. Paul M. Gilmore, Mr. Bertram Shuttleworth, Mrs. Alfred Western, and Mrs. L. A. H. Wright I am grateful for opportunities of working through much valuable background material, and for permission to print original letters. I must also thank Mr. T. S. Blakeney, Mr. Alec Clunes, Mr. George Fortescue, Mr. R. G. E. Sandbach, and the late Richard Border for similar privileges.

American scholars and collectors have been equally generous in giving me the use of their manuscripts, and I must express my sincere gratitude for this kindness to Mr. F. W. Hilles, Mr. A. A. Houghton, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hyde, Mr. Robert E. Keighton, Mr. E. L. McAdam, Jr.,

― viii ―
Mr. Gordon N. Ray, Mr. Jack H. Samuels, and Mr. Robert H. Taylor. My greatest debt in this respect is inadequately acknowledged in the dedication.

Among the institutions that have granted me the privilege of working on and printing their manuscripts, I must record the names of the owners of the two largest Sheridan collections: the Harvard College Library and the British Museum. I am also grateful to the officials of the Bath Municipal Library, Bodleian Library, Brotherton Collection, Butler Library of Columbia University, Cornell University Library, Fitzwilliam Museum, the Goldsmiths' Company, Harrow School, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Henry E. Huntington Library, the University of Indiana Library, the University of Kansas Library, Lehigh University Library, Maine Historical Society, the University of Michigan Library, Mitchell Library, Sydney, National Library of Ireland, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales, New York Public Library, Oesterreichische-Bibliotek, Pierpont Morgan Library, Princeton University Library, Public Record Office, Riksarkivet, Stockholm, the University of Rochester Library, Royal Irish Academy, Salt Library, Stafford, Saltikova-Schredin Library, Leningrad, Sheffield Public Library, Sir John Soane's Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Public Library of Victoria, Melbourne, the University of Virginia Library, and Yale University Library.

I have also received much help from the Registrar and staff of the National Register of Archives, as well as from the Archivists at the Record Offices of Bedford (Whitbread MSS.), Devon (Sidmouth MSS./D 152M), Hampshire (Tierney MSS.), Northern Ireland (Dufferin MSS.), and West Sussex (Norfolk MSS.). The staffs of the India Record Office, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Royal College of Physicians, the Prior's Kitchen, Durham University, and the City of Westminster Public Libraries have also given me much assistance. I am grateful, too, for the aid I received when working in the archives of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth, and in those of the Duke of Northumberland at Alnwick.

The work of assembling the text has been greatly assisted

― ix ―
by the grants made to me by the Leverhulme Trust, the University College of Wales, University College, Swansea, and (from its Pilgrim Trust Fund) by the British Academy. I warmly appreciate the fellowship awarded me at the Folger Shakespeare Library, for it enabled me to find much new material, to study the account books of Drury Lane Theatre during Sheridan's management, and to enjoy the help of the Director, Dr. Louis B. Wright, and his staff.

For much personal aid and advice I must first thank Professor Gwyn Jones and Mr. D. M. Davin. For other favours I am grateful to Dr. Arthur Aspinall, Mr. F. W. Bateson, Mr. John Carter, Mr. P. J. Croft, Dr. J. L. Clifford, Dr. Giles Dawson, Mr. C. I. E. Donaldson, Miss Elizabeth C. Ford, the late Dr. E. M. Hampson, Mr. John H. Harvey, Dr. C. B. Hogan, Dr. George M. Kahrl, Miss Letitia Kennedy-Skipton, the late William Van Lennep, Dr. Wilmarth S. Lewis, Dr. J. G. McManaway, Miss Dorothy Mason, Dr. Robert F. Metzdorf, Miss Eleanor Pitcher, Mr. E. V. C. Plumtre, Miss Sybil Rosenfeld, Mr. William H. Runge, the late Michael Sadleir, Dr. Arthur Sherbo, Mr. Grzegorz Sinko, Mr. Alexander D. Wainwright, Miss Helen Willard, Mr. J. L. Williams, Miss Marjorie Wynne, and Mr. R. C. Mackworth Young.

Mr. Robert K. Black, Mr. R. J. Dobell, Miss Emily Driscoll, Messrs. F. Edwards, Messrs. Maggs Bros., Mr. Michael Papantonio, Messrs. Bernard Quaritch, Mr. Philip Robinson, and Messrs. Sotheby have kindly aided me in locating missing Sheridan letters.

For permission to publish letters that have already appeared in print, I have to thank the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Messrs. Constable & Co., Messrs. Ernest Benn, Messrs. Maggs Bros., Sir John Murray, Miss Winifred A. Myers, Messrs. Sotheby, and The Times Publishing Company.

For material that has reached me since this book went to press, I should like to record my gratitude to the Earl of Harewood, Lord Abinger, Lady Beaverbrook and the late Lord Beaverbrook, Dr. W. H. Bond, Dr. N. E. Enkvist, Mr. P. Highfill, Jr., Dr. and Mrs. A. M. Kinloch, Dr. Eric Jacobson, Miss Patricia Sigl, the Secretary and Committee

― x ―
of the Garrick Club, and the Librarians of the Leeds Central Library, Liverpool City Library, and Nottingham Public Library.

Thanks are too weak to acknowledge all the assistance my wife has given me over the years, in transcription, checking readings, and preparing an index. She has pored with me over the many puzzles presented by Sheridan's handwriting, and contempt for dates. Only I know how much I owe to her accurate eye and unstinting help.

C. P.

― xi ―

Contents

Volume I

     
Elizabeth Sheridan by Thomas Gainsborough Frontispiece 
INTRODUCTION page xiii 
REGISTER OF LETTERS xxvii 
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE NOTES lv 
LETTERS 1-199 1-271 

Volume II

  
Richard Brinsley Sheridan from the engraving
by Hall after the painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds 
Frontispiece 
LETTERS 200-631 1-311 

Volume III

     
Richard Brinsley Sheridan by George Romney Frontispiece 
LETTERS 632-937 1-248 
SUMMARY OF OTHER LETTERS 249 
APPENDIX OF FURTHER LETTERS 292 
INDEX 345 
― xii ―
― xiii ―

Introduction

Collections of letters usually attract us because they are written by great men whose lives pique our curiosity, or by lesser men who report exactly what went on in their day or express a particular outlook on life. No one will find in Sheridan's letters a satisfying philosophy, but they show gleams of his greatness as well as glimpses of the theatrical, social, and political worlds of his time.

The main interest of the letters is biographical. Sheridan's character is so full of contradictions that it is difficult to assess. His biographers have been painstaking but hardly penetrating, and it is time that readers had the opportunity of studying his correspondence so as to be able to come close to the man and make their own judgements upon him.

His first efforts of any significance belong to 1769, when he tried to imitate the letters of 'Junius' that had appeared in the Public Advertiser and had bitterly satirized public figures. Two of Sheridan's attempts are careless drafts; the third is reprinted for the first time from the newspaper in which it was published. Not one of them is remarkable as a literary composition, but we are bound to perceive that even at the age of eighteen, Sheridan's mind was analytical and critical, and that his chief interest in life was politics.

Another important phase in his career is seen in seven letters written between September 1770 and August 1772, when he lived with his father, brother and two sisters, at Bath. The wit in him comes out early in an amusing letter to Mrs. Angelo. The romantic gallant, who accompanied the beautiful singer, Elizabeth Linley, to France, and afterwards fought two duels with her tormentor, Thomas Mathews, is found to be irascible and legalistic, as argumentative as he was brave.

After these escapades, he was banished to Waltham Abbey to pursue his studies and forget Elizabeth Linley. It is unfortunate that his letters to her over these seven months (September 1772 to March 1773) have never come to light. Percy Fitzgerald suggested that when Sheridan

― xiv ―
came to woo his second wife, he copied from the love-letters he had written to his first, but I do not think we need take this view very seriously. Probably Sheridan learned early in his intimacy with Elizabeth a certain language of love, and used it habitually at a later date.

The correspondence of the Waltham Abbey period contains eleven letters addressed to Thomas Grenville, and they often read like essays on a set theme. Their composer (perhaps suiting himself to his correspondent) seems very earnest and even humourless in his long and didactic epistles. Yet they are revealing in the way they bring out a side of his character that is often forgotten: one that was to have its fullest expression in his play Pizarro.

Letters in this lofty and improving strain came to an abrupt end in April 1773, when Sheridan was married to Elizabeth Linley. In spite of his father's displeasure and his own poverty, Sheridan was a happy man at this period, and his joy is shown in the whimsical statement, 'When a man's married, it is time he should leave off speaking in metaphor'. The tone of the ten letters to his father-in-law, Thomas Linley, is as light-hearted as it is purposeful.

Some of them concern The Duenna. As Sheridan's chief composer of music for this ballad-opera, Linley carefully followed the hints that its author gave him, and it is interesting to see how they were conveyed. Sheridan relied considerably on his wife's musical knowledge, but he was always essentially a man of the theatre, knowing exactly what effect he wanted to achieve and where to find the necessary illustration and assistance. His ability as an organizer of other people's talents is shown at an early date.

We look in vain for anything equally important about the composition of The Rivals, The School for Scandal, or The Critic, and the next group of letters is largely concerned with the management of Drury Lane Theatre. Sheridan had become one of the proprietors of this playhouse because of the impression he had made on Garrick and Ford, and his connexion with Linley. He had extended his hold by buying out another of the proprietors, Willoughby Lacy. In 1778 he had also taken control (with Thomas Harris of Covent Garden Theatre) of the King's Theatre, but here

― xv ―
he over-reached himself and the venture failed after two years. The amount of ready money Sheridan put into all three transactions was comparatively small, but he had now made such a name for himself as the author of highly profitable entertainments that it was taken for granted that he could raise ample money at any time by writing.

As the dominant partner in the proprietorship of Drury Lane Theatre, his income was soon large enough to allow him to give time to his absorbing interest, politics. After taking a leading part in the anti-Government agitations of 1778-9, he was elected member for Stafford in September 1780, and became Under-Secretary of State in the Rockingham administration of 1782, and Secretary to the Treasury in the coalition of 1783.

There are sequences of excellent letters in 1782 and 1788 that show his standing as a trusted lieutenant of Fox, and afterwards of the Prince of Wales. They disclose a delight in intrigue and in the subtle manipulation of men; they imply that Sheridan was usually wary in his political dealings. The correspondence of the last decade of the century is much less informative on these matters. There is comparatively little here concerning the French revolution, the quarrel with Burke, the split in the Whig party, the government's repressive measures, or the naval mutinies. The letters that survive deal instead with the creation of the new Drury Lane Theatre as well as with the death of his first wife and his marriage to Hester Jane Ogle.

The first marriage that had begun so romantically was marred in its closing years by Sheridan's gallantries and by Elizabeth's liaison with Lord Edward Fitzgerald. Her illness is movingly described in Sheridan's letters to the Duchess of Devonshire and Lady Duncannon, and he was completely overwhelmed by his wife's death in June 1792.

In April 1795 he was married to the nineteen-year-old daughter of the Dean of Winchester, and his early letters to her are full of affection and tender absurdity. They become more sober as time goes on, and in some of them a brooding fit of melancholy takes possession of him. 'How unceasingly', he writes, 'do I meditate on Death and how continually do I

― xvi ―
act as if the thought of it had never cross'd my mind.' These moods of self-criticism and flashes of self-knowledge give depth to offset the more superficial aspects of his character.

At these moments he deplored worldly ambitions, but the fact remains that his days were almost wholly given to them. Of these the most troublesome was the creation of the new Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Garrick's theatre was pulled down, and after much costly delay an immense building was erected. It was designed by Henry Holland to be the finest in Europe, and to stage the most spectacular productions. All this reflected Sheridan's delight in the flamboyant. Unfortunately Holland exceeded his estimates, and Sheridan had not sufficient capital to complete the original plan. Honourably but quixotically, he took on himself all the unpaid debts of the company. Then he had to resort to all kinds of expedients to improve his finances: he borrowed from his associates, John Grubb and Thomas Shaw; raised money by the sale of boxes; neglected his backers and his creditors. His extravagant tastes and unsound management even kept him short of pocket money, and in frequent notes to the under-treasurer, Richard Peake, he pleaded in a variety of passionate cries for small advances. I have printed many of these in full because they show his characteristic energy of phrasing, and give a fair idea of the way in which Sheridan was plagued with money troubles largely because of his own heedlessness.

This state of affairs was brought to a temporary halt in 1801-2, when the future of Drury Lane Theatre was discussed in detail in the Court of Chancery. The bankers, Hammersley and Company, declared that the proprietors had misapplied the takings of the theatre; and Sheridan appeared in person to rebut the charge. By his interruptions and lengthy defence, he successfully maintained his case; but Lord Chancellor Eldon also rebuked him by applying to him Johnson's famous words about Savage: 'negligence and irregularity long continued, make knowledge useless, wit ridiculous, and genius contemptible'.

The Chancellor also made an order for the payment of the theatre's liabilities from its takings in a certain scale of

― xvii ―
priority; and he placed the concern under the control of a committee. Two of the leading figures in the new management were Sheridan's friends, Aaron Graham and Richard Wilson. More business-like methods were adopted, but control remained effectively in Sheridan's hands.

In February 1806 he found himself once again for a short time in political office, in the lucrative post of Treasurer of the Navy. The correspondence of the year is very full but chiefly concerns the Stafford election, the abortive candidature for Westminster, and the successful but very costly Westminster contest of November 1806. Sheridan went out of office with All the Talents in 1807, and his political correspondence after that date is chiefly interesting for the part he played in denying control of the government to Grey and Grenville in 1811 and 1812. As usual, he behaved with that mixture of the quixotic and the calculating that won him the confidence of nobody.

The same is true of his actions as chief proprietor of Drury Lane Theatre. His squabbles with the trustees and the bankers were patched up from time to time, and their uneasy relationship looked as if it would continue indefinitely. Then the theatre that was planned to be fireproof burned down, and a new start had to be made. Sheridan's letter to his wife about this catastrophe shows him behaving (in a slightly histrionic way) with manly philosophy. The banker, Thomas Hammersley, thought the destruction no disaster. In fact, he believed it gave Sheridan a splendid opportunity to repair his theatre and his shattered fortunes by drawing on private benefactions for rebuilding, just as J. P. Kemble had done at Covent Garden Theatre. And so it might have happened had Sheridan acted quickly, but his very proper desire for independence was only exceeded by his habitual procrastination, and nothing was done. Two years later, when an agitation for a third theatre was at its strongest, he began to act with vigour. He obtained the help of the wealthy brewer Samuel Whitbread, and persuaded him to head the Committee for rebuilding. He had a most remarkable faculty for persuading his friends to come to his rescue; but even Whitbread, with all his initial goodwill, found that potential subscribers now had to be assured, before they would

― xviii ―
consider the new propositions, that Sheridan had no concern in the management of Drury Lane Theatre. They were tired of his shifts and his dilatoriness. Sheridan was forced out of the controlling interest which he had enjoyed for thirty-five years. Still, the new proprietors had to buy this from him, and he looked forward to being paid in hard cash. Even this was denied him, and his demands were satisfied (after long discussion) in the same manner as he had fobbed off many a creditor--with shares in the theatre.

The last years (1812-16) of his life saw him out of parliament and Drury Lane. Observers cried, 'Poor Sherry!' They quoted him as a genius ruined by drink and self-indulgence. Yet it must be remembered that this was the period when he made such a striking impression on Byron. Indeed, if Sheridan was in decline the letters written in these years hardly show it, for they indicate his delight in society, his critical yet appreciative temper, his eye for the main chance, his good nature and warm heart. He occasionally grumbled at not hearing from his wife or second son, but generally his letters were cheerful and optimistic. His wife commented on this tendency 'to eat the calf in the cow's belly', and it is certain that he always hoped to realize the many schemes, extravagant or sober, that passed through his mind. Sheridan was never short of invention, even though he too seldom applied that talent to writing plays. What he lacked was the power to stop himself squandering his energies in all directions. And what was worse was that he insisted on giving to his multiplicity of activities not as much time as they required, but as much as he felt disposed to yield to them.

Towards the end of his life he read some early verses of his and remarked, 'What an ardent romantic blockhead nature made me'. Surely what he meant (and what his letters reveal) was that there was a constant conflict in him between a shrewd, practical outlook that took full advantage of every situation, and a high-minded desire to show integrity in all his dealings. He liked (though he could seldom afford it) to be completely disinterested. He has had little credit for this scrupulous side of his nature; the other side has always been obvious, and it earned him a bad name.

― xix ―

He sometimes excused his procrastination as a 'perverse fatality in my nature', and meant this quite seriously. The moods of melancholy, the bouts of drunkenness, the cruel tricks, shifts, and excuses, the sophistries and winning words, were beyond his control. He would have us believe (and I believe him) that he usually meant well but could seldom manage to put his meaning into action.

He tantalizes us, but there is something so human in his foibles that he remains a curiously sympathetic character. Perhaps his gift of phrase-making catches our attention; or his rueful remarks about his own shortcomings endear him to us. Yet what holds us in the end is this intimate communing with a man of genius who knows his own faults only too well but can do nothing to change his nature. In that situation lies the pathos of these letters.

They are not brilliantly written, and anyone who expects them to be worthy of the author of The School for Scandal will be disappointed. To achieve elegance of that kind, Sheridan had to write and rewrite. He seldom gave his letters enough attention: 'I shall confess that I write much more precipitately and triflingly often than I could wish.'

Most of them are brief. John Taylor describes an evening at the Shakespeare Tavern when Sheridan wrote 'about thirty letters, which he tied up in a handkerchief, and then resigned himself to conversation'. Edmund Kean quotes Sheridan as saying that no gentleman ever turned over the page in a letter to a friend. Charles Brinsley Sheridan looked through his father's letters and noted that 'almost all are extremely short; and he always put off writing till post'.

Sheridan knew his weakness (the product of procrastination) only too well, and made one of his most clear-sighted statements when he told Garrick 'what I write in a hurry I always feel not to be worth reading, and what I try to take pains with, I am sure never to finish'. His long letters, in later life, were usually careful attempts at special pleading.

Secrecy, too, was necessary in his world of political manœuvre, financial juggling, and fashionable intrigue. This prevented the uninhibited expression of opinion, and robbed his letters of savour. In one of them he made this clear by remarking that he preferred to reserve 'the greater part of

― xx ―
what I meant to have written for personal communication'. Speech was less binding than writing. He knew how gifted he was in the art of oral persuasion: his genial, sympathetic manner and physical radiance all helped to convince. Sheridan was not a lazy man, but he could do so much with his tongue that his pen was always a more tedious medium. It is something of a wonder that he ever wrote any letters.

Those that remain are valuable records of the day-to-day variations of an elusive but always interesting character. They remind us sometimes of Lady Holland's comment on Sheridan, 'About him my reason and impulse are always at variance; reflection convinces me he ought to be despised for his private life and doubted for his political, but whenever I see him, if but for five minutes, a sort of cheerful frankness and pleasant wittiness puts to flight all the reasonable prejudices I entertain against him.' At other times we recall the words spoken in his own defence before the Lord Chancellor: 'I have had to struggle with the disadvantages of uncertain income. These, in all cases, are known to be great, but they are particularly formidable to a man of a sanguine temper, blessed with but a small share of resolution, who might expect much from the exertions of talent, who forms hopes which are never realised, and makes to himself promises he is unable to perform.' More rarely we recollect Byron's warm praise, 'his very dregs are better than the first sprightly runnings of others'. Yet even if the letters too seldom show Sheridan at his best, they clearly reveal the nature of the man and are a necessary supplement to his actions, speeches, and plays.

― xxi ―

The Text

When Sheridan died, his wife remarked on 'the incredible quantity of private papers' he had left behind him. Many of them were legal documents, and others were letters written to him as proprietor of Drury Lane Theatre and as a member of parliament. Some of the letters written by Sheridan himself seem to have been lent to Thomas Moore for the authorized biography, and to have been lost. Most of them were carefully preserved by Sheridan's grandson (and namesake) at Frampton Court, Dorset, and they remained in the family until they were dispersed at Sotheby's sale-rooms on 2 July 1930, 1 March 1955, and 18 February 1957. Another fine collection, gathered by Sophie, Lady Wavertree (Sheridan's great-great-granddaughter), was also sold there on 25 May 1954. These sources provide this edition with many letters. Others are drawn from the archives of the Prince Regent, C. J. Fox, Charles Grey, Samuel Whitbread, Thomas Creevey, and other public figures of the period. Sheridan's association with Drury Lane Theatre is well represented in numerous letters to his fellow manager, John Grubb, and to the Theatre's treasurer, Richard Peake. Letters to other correspondents are widely dispersed in public and private collections in this country and abroad.

I have made every effort to trace them all, but have now resigned myself to the probability that many have escaped me. It is to be hoped that when they come to light they will be found to be letters to his first wife, particularly of the Waltham Abbey period when Sheridan drafted some of the work that later made him famous.

Among the letters I have not traced are the following: eleven to Colonel Graham (sold to Spencer at Sotheby's, 1 August 1935); some in an extra-illustrated copy of Watkins's Memoirs of ... Sheridan (sold by Leavitt, New York, 14 October 1878, lot 1080), and of Moore's Memoirs of ... Sheridan (sold to Smythe at Sotheby's, 26 July 1923). Nor have I found the letter mentioned in Moore's memoranda (Widener MS.): 'see among Richardson's papers

― xxii ―
Sheridan's letter to Richardson in '88 about purchasing Ford's share.'

Over the past ten years I have approached the agents of the Marchioness of Crewe on a number of occasions, about letters to Mrs. Crewe. I gather that some 'Sheridan letters' are extant, but that it is still not possible to gain access to them.

I have not included the text of two well-known letters that Sheridan signed with his friends: one was the 'Round Robin' to Johnson; the other, the address to Francis on 18 December 1787. Both are readily available in The Correspondence of Edmund Burke, iii (ed. G. H. Guttridge, Cambridge and Chicago, 1961), 273-4, and v (ed. H. Furber, 1965), 370-1.

While the present work has been in the press, some letters that it includes as unpublished have appeared in print. The Correspondence of Edmund Burke, iv (ed. J. A. Woods, 1963), 439-40, contains no. 78; volume v (ed. cit.), 121, 377-8, 457, presents nos. 89, 109, 143. Dr. N. E. Enkvist gives no. 178 in Acta Academiae Aboensis, Humaniora, xxvii, 3 (Åbo, 1964), 103. The first two volumes of Dr. Arthur Aspinall's edition of The Correspondence of George, Prince of Wales, 1770-1812 (1963-4) contain sixteen letters. I list my numbers followed (in brackets) by Dr. Aspinall's: nos. 117 (290), 118 (286), 120 (346), 121 (296), 122 (334), 126 (308), 127 (309), 128 (302), 130 (311), 131 (318), 132 (292), 135 (302), 137 (369), 158 (578), 209 (844), Summary G. 3 (466).

Sotheby's sale catalogue of 21 March 1966 notes (as item 260) a letter from Sheridan to his second wife, telling her that Burdett had been 'taken by force to the Tower'. He added that he did not know what would happen but was glad she was away. His postscript noted 'much blood spilt at the Tower'.

― xxiii ―

Conventions

I have printed the name of the recipient of the letter at the head of the text, and have then described the source. The names of private owners and of libraries possessing less than five Sheridan letters are quoted in full. Collections containing five or more letters are given an abbreviated title.

Unless there is an indication to the contrary, the letters are holographs. The description 'Draft' means an early version in Sheridan's hand: cancelled words have been omitted. 'Copy' refers to a Sheridan letter written in a hand not his own. Where the text is from photographic copies of original letters, that fact is indicated by the sign '[Ph.]'. Where the text is from a printed version, the earliest published form is followed.

A letter is described as published when the bulk of it has been printed elsewhere, but when brief extracts only have appeared publication is merely mentioned in footnotes. If a printed version is not named at the head of the letter or in a footnote, the letter is believed to be unpublished.

What are thought to be errors by other transcribers have usually been corrected without comment, but where the transcription remains in doubt or the alternative version has some other interest, then it is printed in a footnote.

When the date of a letter has not been placed by Sheridan at its head, the date is given in that position in italics. Dates supplied by the editor have been placed there in italics and square brackets. Abbreviated dates (e.g. 'Mond. eg.') have been expanded.

In transcribing original letters, I have tried to reproduce exactly what Sheridan wrote, but I have also compromised with this ideal by sometimes editing the text in the interests of readability. For example, all superior letters have been lowered to the line, and conventional abbreviations (including the ampersand) have been expanded. 'Mr', 'MA horizontal scale that increases by 5 units from 0 to 45, labeled with tick marks at each interval. The label "r" is positioned above the scale on the left side. .', and Mathematical expression showing the summation notation from k = 1 to n of 3k squared. are all printed as 'Mr.' I have also supplied the missing stop if followed by a capital, and the missing capital if preceded by a stop. Unclosed parentheses have been

― xxiv ―
completed. Sheridan's use of 'your's' has been accepted, but 'it's' (for 'its') has been amended because of its ambiguity.

Sheridan is fond of using the dash. He also employs a very short downward stroke on the line that I have represented as a comma. His short level stroke on the line (or longer one followed by a wide space) I have shown as a point.

Of Sheridan's spelling, Moore writes: 'we find thing always spelt think--whether, where and which turned into wether, were, and wich; and double' ms and s's almost invariably reduced to "single blessedness".' The position is not quite as simple as Moore suggests, for in the very letter he alludes to, Sheridan spells 'thing' correctly and as 'think'. Sheridan is inconsistent even in his own inconsistencies, but the following generalizations have been accepted. He is confused about words containing 'ie', 'ei', and 'ai': for example, he writes 'peice', 'deceive', and 'villianous'. He sometimes metathesizes syllables, as in 'arbritation' and 'blasmephy'. 'Goverment' and 'seperate' are usual. These, and the following words, have all been normalized:

          
accomodation agrieved alltogether 
allways attonement beautifull 
benefitted comands compells 
conexion disapointment disaprove 
embarasment emphaticaly especialy 
exagerated existance finaly 
genious infallably inocence 
inofensive misaplied privilige 
realy recolection recomendation 
subsistance tranquility tranquilize 

Sometimes his spelling seems to reflect his own pronunciation: 'cridit', 'threasury', 'taching' (touching), 'deatis' (deities), 'Beiting' (biting), 'set' (said), 'begone' (begun).

Repetition of syllables (e.g. 'indepependently') and of words has been silently corrected. Nonsense words (e.g. 'insituate') have been amended, but eighteenth-century spellings (e.g. 'ideot') have been retained. Inadvertently omitted letters or words have been supplied in square brackets, and unclosed quotation marks have been silently closed. The £ sign which often appears in the manuscripts after or

― xxv ―
above the figuring has been brought to the front. Sheridan's odd spelling of some proper names has not been amended.

Where the transcription is made from copies, any eccentricities of spelling and punctuation have been normalized.

References to the dates of auction catalogues are to the first day of sale only.

Manuscripts are listed by their locations at the time when I read them. I have not attempted to record their more recent movements, though it may be worth noting that Mr. Shuttleworth's manuscripts are now in the Bodleian Library, and that the Holland House letters are in the British Museum, temporarily catalogued as Add. MS. 51641.

In the 'Summary of other Letters' (iii. 249-91), extracts from the letters themselves appear in quotation marks.

― xxvi ―
― xxvii ―

Register of Letters

Volume I

                                  
1766 


PAGE 
1. Richard Chamberlaine 2 Mar. [1766?] 1 
2. Richard Chamberlaine June 2 
3. Richard Chamberlaine [Oct.] 2 


1769 



4. [The Printer of the Public Advertiser] [1769?] 3 
5. The Printer of the Public Advertiser Oct. 6 
6. 'NOVUS' [After 19 Oct.] 12 



1770 



7. Mrs. Angelo [13 Oct. 1770?] 18 



1772 



8. His Father 24 Jan. [1772?] 22 
9. His Father 29 Feb. 22 
10. His Brother 15 Apr. 24 
11. William Wade 2 May 26 
12. [The Printer of the Bath Chronicle?] [May-June] 27 
13. Captain Knight July 30 
14. His Father 30 Aug. 34 
15. His Sister Elizabeth 30 Aug. 37 
16. Thomas Grenville 30 Aug. 39 
17. His Sister Elizabeth 13 Sept. 41 
18. Thomas Grenville [Late Sept.] 43 
19. [To the Queen] [1772?] 47 
20. Thomas Grenville 30 Oct. 59 
21. Thomas Grenville 10 Nov. 63 
22. Thomas Grenville 17 Nov. 65 
23. Thomas Grenville 28 Nov. 66 
24. Thomas Grenville 8 Dec. 68 
25. Thomas Grenville [Mid-Dec.] 69 
26. Thomas Grenville 19 Dec. 69 



1773 



27. Thomas Grenville 4 Jan. 70 
28. William Barnett [1773?] 73 
― xxviii ―
                                   
29. Thomas Grenville 24 Feb. 76 
30. Thomas Linley the elder 12 May 79 
31. Thomas Grenville 14 May 82 



1774 



32. Dinwoody 24 Feb. 84 
33. Thomas Linley the elder 17 Nov. 84 



1775 



34. Thomas Linley the elder Oct. 86 
35. Thomas Linley the elder [Oct.?] 88 
36. Thomas Linley the elder [23-27 Oct.?] 90 
37. Thomas Linley the elder 2 Nov. 92 
38. Thomas Linley the elder 31 Dec. 93 



1776 



39. Thomas Linley the elder 4 Jan. 96 
40. Robert Crispin 12 Jan. 98 
41. ---- 16 Jan. 99 
42. Thomas Linley the elder 31 Jan. 99 
43. Thomas Linley the elder 102 
44. David Garrick 15-16 Oct. 104 
45. Carr [1776?] 108 



1777 



46. ---- 19 Jan[?] 109 
47. [The Licencer of Plays] 17 Feb. 110 
48. [The Licencer of Plays] 7 May 110 
49. [The Proprietors of Drury Lane Theatre] [Sept. 1777?] 111 
50. [The Proprietors of the Drury Lane 116 
Theatre and Covent Garden Theatres] 



1778 



51. David Garrick 10 Jan. 121 
52. [The Licencer of Plays] 13 Oct. 122 
53. David Garrick 26 Nov. 123 
54. Bray [1778-81?] 123 



1779 



55. Samuel Ireland 1 Jan. 124 
56. Willoughby Lacy [26 Jan.] 124 
― xxix ―
                                                                              
57. Richard Rigby 24 Mar. 125 
58. Joseph Cradock 5 June 126 
59. Samuel Ireland 29 Aug. 126 
60. ---- [29 Oct.] 127 
61. [The Licencer of Plays] 29 Oct. 128 
62. Richard Fitzpatrick [25 Oct. or 
1 Nov.] 128 



1780 



63. Samuel Ireland 5 Jan. 129 
64. Samuel Ireland 23 Mar. 129 
65. Joseph Cradock 12 July 130 
66. Joseph Cradock [1780?] 131 
67. Joseph Cradock [1780-4] 131 
68. Ozias Humphry [Aug.] 132 
69. Ozias Humphry 18 Aug. 133 
70. Ozias Humphry [July-Sept.] 133 
71. [His Stafford Supporters] [13 Sept.] 134 
72. The Duchess of Devonshire 19 Sept. 135 
73. [Thomas Dudley] 16 Oct. 136 
74. Mrs. Thrale 9 Nov. 136 



1781 



75. Frances Greville 137 



1782 



76. His Brother 2 Apr. 138 
77. The Earl of Surrey 4 Apr. 140 
78. Edmund Burke 7 Apr. 141 
79. His Brother 8 Apr. 142 
80. His Brother 20 Apr. 143 
81. Richard Fitzpatrick 20 May 144 
82. Thomas Grenville 21 May 147 
83. Thomas Grenville 26 May 148 
84. Thomas Harris 2 July 151 
85. Thomas Grenville 4 July 152 



1783 



86. The Earl of Surrey 23 Apr. 154 
87. William Brummell 6 June 155 
88. Caleb Whitefoord 155 
89. Edmund Burke 156 
90. Sir Henry Clinton 17 Oct. 156 



1784 



91. Thomas Orde [Feb.] 157 
92. His Brother [Feb.] 158 
93. 'To the People of England' 18 Feb. 158 
94. Joseph Cradock 23 Mar. 160 
95. Evan Nepean 25 Aug. 160 
96. Thomas Graham 23 Oct. 161 



1785 



97. Stratford Canning [20 July] 162 
98. Stratford Canning [26 July] 163 
99. His Brother [Early Aug.?] 164 
100. William Eden [19 Aug.] 165 
101. [Willoughby Lacy] [Nov.] 165 
102. [Albany Wallis?] [c. 1783-5] 166 



1787 



103. [William Pitt] [3 May] 176 
104. William Pitt [3 May] 177 
105. William Pitt [4 May] 177 
106. Mehitabel Canning [25 July] 178 
107. William Thomson [23 Aug.] 179 



1788 



108. Samuel Parr 20 Jan. 179 
109. Edmund Burke 3 Feb. 180 
110. [Sir Peter Burrell] [1788?] 181 
111. [Sir Peter Burrell] [1788?] 181 
112. H. S. Woodfall, Junr. [1788?] 182 
113. His Brother [12 Aug.] 182 
114. Daniel Jarvis [15 Aug.] 183 
115. The Duchess of Devonshire [Oct. 1788?] 183 
116. J. W. Payne [6 Nov. 1788?] 186 
117. The Prince of Wales [6 Nov.?] 186 
118. J. W. Payne [7 Nov. 1788?] 188 
119. J. W. Payne [8 Nov. 1788?] 190 
120. J. W. Payne [9 Nov. 1788?] 191 
121. J. W. Payne [10 Nov.?] 192 
122. J. W. Payne [14-15 Nov.?] 193 
123. [Lord Loughborough] [19 Nov. 1788?] 193 
124. J. W. Payne [1788?] 194 
125. J. W. Payne [20 Nov.] 195 
― xxxi ―
                                    
126. The Prince of Wales [23 Nov.] 195 
127. J. W. Payne [23 Nov.?] 197 
128. J. W. Payne [23 Nov.?] 197 
129. J. W. Payne [24 Nov.] 199 
130. The Prince of Wales [24 Nov.] 200 
131. [Lord Loughborough?] [26-27 Nov. 1788?] 201 
132. The Prince of Wales [Nov.-Dec.1788?] 201 
133. Lord Palmerston [1 Dec.?] 202 
134. The Prince of Wales [2 Dec. 1788?] 203 
135. J. W. Payne [18 Nov.3 Dec.] 204 
136. Lord Lonsdale [Dec. 1788?] 205 
137. J. W. Payne [28 Dec.] 206 


1788-9 


138. [C. J. Fox] [1788-9?] 206 
139. Lady Duncannon 207 


1789 


140. J. W. Payne [Jan.] 209 
141. The Duke of Bedford 29 Mar. 209 
142. His Brother [2 Apr.] 209 
143. Edmund Burke [13 Apr. 1789?] 211 
144. His Sister Elizabeth [Before July] 212 
145. James Ford 17 Nov. 213 
146. Francis Hargrave 10 Dec. 213 


1789-90 


147. ---- 214 
148. The Duke of Bedford 215 


1790 


149. The Duchess of Devonshire [c. Oct.] 219 
150. John Harrington 17 Nov. 221 
151. William Adam 20 Nov. 221 
152. The Duchess of Devonshire 222 
and Lady E. Foster [1790?] 222 



1791 



153. The Duke of Bedford [Early 1791] 222 
154. Henry Holland 23 Mar. 222 
155. [Lady Duncannon] [12 Apr.] 223 
― xxxii ―
                                        
156. ---- [Apr.-May 1791?] 224 
157. The Duchess of Devonshire 20 July 1791?] 225 
158. The Prince of Wales [31 July] 227 
159. [To Parties concerned Oct. 229 
about the Dormant Patent?] 



1791-2 



160. Henry Holland 233 



1792 



161. [Willoughby Lacy] 28 Jan. [1792?] 233 
162. [William Taylor] [Jan.-Feb. 1792?] 234 
163. ---- [Early 1792] 235 
164. His Wife [Feb.] 236 
165. Mehitabel Canning [Jan.-Apr. 1792?] 236 
166. [Lady Duncannon] 2-4 Mar. 237 
167. ---- Apr. 240 
168. Samuel Parr 1 May 240 
169. [Lady Duncannon] 3 May 241 
170. Samuel Parr [7 May] 243 
171. The Duchess of Devonshire [7 May] 244 
172. Henry Holland 10 May 245 
173. [Lady Duncannon?] 10-14 May 245 
174. George White 15 May 247 
175. [Lady Duncannon] [16-22 May 1792?] 248 
176. [Lord Thurlow] 22 May 250 
177. [Albany Wallis?] 26 May 251 
178. ---- 27 May 254 
179. [Thomas Westley] [May] 255 
180. Henry Holland 28 May 255 
181. Samuel Parr [May-June] 257 
182. Joseph Richardson [June] 257 
183. Andrew Bain 260 
184. Henry Holland 18 Aug. 260 
185. [Lady Duncannon] 27 Aug. 261 
186. Henry Holland 4 Sept. 262 
187. The Prince of Wales [1792?] 262 
188. Henry Holland 27 Oct. 263 
189. [Lady Duncannon?] [Dec.] 264 



1793 



190. Henry Holland 6 May 265 
191. Henry Holland 14 May 265 
― xxxiii ―
        
192. Thomas Bernard May 266 
193. Henry Holland 20 May 267 
194. Thomas Parker 24 May 267 
195. Henry Holland [26 May] 268 
196. Thomas Parker [27 May] 269 
197. Henry Holland 8 July 269 
198. Henry Holland 27 Oct. 270 
199. Charles James Fox 27 Dec. [1793?] 270 

Volume II

1794

                             
200. Henry Holland [1794?] 1 
201. William Adam Jan. 1 
202. [The Duchess of Devonshire] [17 Jan.] 2 
203. J. Bluett 29 Jan. 4 
204. Henry Holland 17 Feb. 4 
205. Henry Holland 16 Mar. 5 
206. Henry Dundas [9 May] 5 
207. Lord Kenyon [11] May 11 
208. Mrs. Almon [1794?] 11 
209. J. W. Payne 28 June 12 
210. His Son Tom [Autumn] 13 
211. Richard Peake [c. 1794] 13 
212. Henry Holland 28 Dec. 13 



1795 



213. [Thomas Smyth?] [1795?] 14 
214. Vanhutchison 27 Feb. 15 
215. Ozias Humphry 16 
216. [Edward Jerningham] [Before 17 Apr.] 16 
217. His Wife [1795?] 17 
218. Samuel Ireland 9 June 17 
219. Samuel Ireland 10 June 18 
220. Samuel Ireland 8 July 18 
221. Samuel Ireland 13 July 18 
222. Samuel Ireland 24 July 19 
223. Richard Troward 6 Aug. 19 
224. Samuel Ireland 8 Aug. 20 
225. [John Grubb] 20 Aug. 20 
226. Richard Peake 24 Aug. 21 
227. His Wife [Aug. 1795?] 22 
― xxxiv ―
                                        
228. Samuel Ireland 24 
229. [John Grubb] 6 Sept. 24 
230. [John Grubb] [Sept.] 25 
231. [Ransom, Morland and Hammerlsey?] [Soon after 19 Sept.?] 26 
232. Richard Peake 22 Sept. 27 
233. John Grubb 27 
234. [John Grubb] 7 Oct. 28 
235. Thomas Shaw [Oct.] 29 
236. Thomas Greenwood 18 Nov. 30 
237. [Willoughby Lacy] [19 Nov. 1795?] 30 
238. Henry Holland, John Grubb, 5 Dec. 30 
Joseph Richardson, and Tom Sheridan 
239. Henry Holland 28 Dec. 31 



1796 



240. William Capon 24 Feb. 32 
241. John Grubb 17 Apr. 32 
242. [John Grubb] [c. 17 Apr.] 33 
243. [John Grubb] [Apr.-May] 34 
244. J. P. Kemble [Spring 1796?] 34 
245. George Colman the younger 35 
246. John Grubb [24 May] 36 
247. John Grubb 25 May 37 
248. The Electors of Stafford [27-28 May] 37 
249. His Wife [2 June 1796?] 38 
250. His Wife [4 June 1796?] 39 
251. ---- [June] 39 
252. The Prince of Wales 10 June 39 
253. John Grubb 13 June 41 
254. His Wife 18 June 41 
255. His Wife [1796?] 42 
256. His Wife 29 July 43 
257. His Wife [1-2 Aug. 1796?] 43 
258. His Wife 4 Aug. 45 
259. His Wife 22 Aug. 45 
260. His Wife 24 Aug. 46 
261. His Wife [1796?] 47 
262. [John Grubb] [Sept.] 47 
263. His Wife 20 Sept. 48 
264. His Wife [21 Sept. 1796?] 49 
265. His Wife [26 Sept. 1796?] 50 
― xxxv ―
                                         
266. John Grubb [Sept. 1796?] 51 
267. William Adam [Sept.] 51 
268. His Wife [1796?] 52 
269. His Wife [6 Oct. 1796?] 53 
270. ---- 14 Oct. [1796?] 54 
271. His Wife 11 Nov. 56 
272. [John Grubb] [20 Nov. 1796?] 57 
273. [John Grubb] [1796?] 58 
274. [John Grubb] [1796?] 58 
275. John Grubb 58 
276. John Grubb [1796?] 59 
277. [John Grubb] [1796?] 59 
278. John Grubb [28 Nov. 1796?] 60 
279. [John Grubb] [1796?] 60 
280. Mrs. Jordan [Dec.] 61 
281. John Grubb [28 Dec. 1796?] 62 
282. Richard Peake [After 1796] 63 



1797 



283. Anne Ogle [Early 1797?] 63 
284. John Grubb [13 Jan.] 64 
285. ---- 26 Feb. [1797?] 64 
286. Richard Peake [1797?] 66 
287. His Wife 12 Apr. 67 
288. His Wife [1797?] 68 
289. John Grubb [c. 12 May 1797?] 68 
290. John Grubb [1797?] 69 
291. William Adam Summer 69 
292. Richard Peake 25 June 70 
293. Thomas Anson 4 July 70 
294. Lady Webster [Before 6 July] 71 
295. Richard Peake [Summer 1797?] 72 
296. John Grubb, Richard Wroughton, [July 1797?] 72 
and Richard Peake 
297. His Wife [July 1797?] 73 
298. His Wife 21 Aug. 74 
299. John Grubb 10 Sept. 75 
300. John Grubb [1797?] 75 
301. Richard Peake 19 Sept. 76 
302. His Wife 20 Sept. 76 
303. [John Grubb] [Oct. 1797?] 77 
304. John Grubb [Before Nov. 1797?] 78 
― xxxvi ―
                                        
305. [John Grubb] [1797?] 78 
306. Richard Peake 27 Nov. 79 
307. John Grubb [Shortly before 30 Nov.] 79 
308. Richard Wilson [29 Nov. 1797?] 80 
309. [Richard Peake?] 5 Dec. 80 



1797-8 



310. John Grubb [1797-8?] 80 
311. [Richard Peake] [1797-8?] 81 
312. Richard Peake [1797-8?] 81 



1798 



313. William Adam 20 Jan. 82 
314. Jonathan Sadler 25 Jan. 82 
315. Richard Peake [Jan. 1798?] 83 
316. S. W. Wadeson [1798?] 83 
317. John Grubb [21 Feb.] 84 
318. John Grubb [1798?] 84 
319. John Grubb [Just before 24 Mar.] 85 
320. His Wife [Just before 24 Mar.] 85 
321. John Grubb 86 
322. His Wife [Mar.-Apr. 1798?] 87 
323. John Grubb [1 Apr. 1798?] 88 
324. Richard Peake [1 Apr. 1798?] 89 
325. John Grubb [c. 15 May 1798?] 90 
326. William Adam [May] 91 
327. John Grubb [21 May 1798?] 91 
328. His Wife [22 May] 92 
329. His Wife [23 May] 94 
330. William Sleigh 17 June 96 
331. Bryan Edwards [18] June 96 
332. John Grubb [1798?] 97 
333. William Sleigh 8 Sept. 97 
334. Richard Peake [Sept. 1798?] 98 
335. Richard Peake [Sept. 1798?] 99 
336. James Aikin [Autumn 1798?] 99 
337. Richard Peake [1798?] 100 
338. John Grubb [1798?] 100 
339. John Graham [Autumn 1798?] 100 
340. John Grubb [1798?] 101 
341. Richard Peake 5 Nov. 101 
342. John Grubb [1798?] 102 
― xxxvii ―
                                     
343. Nathaniel Ogle 1 Dec. 102 
344. Richard Peake [1798?] 103 



1798-9? 



345. [John Grubb] [1798-9?] 104 
346. John Grubb [1798-9?] 104 



1798-1800? 



347. ---- [1798-1800?] 104 



1799 



348. John Grubb [1799?] 105 
349. Lady Bessborough [Mar.] 106 
350. The Trustees of Drury Lane Theatre [Mar.] 106 
351. James Aikin [12 Mar.] 109 
352. Richard Peake [Mar. 1799?] 109 
353. His Wife [24-27 Mar.] 110 
354. [Richard Phillips] 30 Mar. 111 
355. John Grubb [1799?] 112 
356. [Henry Holland] 17 Apr. 112 
357. Walter and James 17 Apr. 113 
358. Richard Peake [Spring 1799?] 113 
359. John Grubb [1799?] 114 
360. John Grubb [1799?] 114 
361. ---- [Apr.-May 1799?] 115 
362. [Richard Phillips] [2 May] 115 
363. John Grubb [May 1799?] 116 
364. Richard Peake [8 May 1799?] 116 
365. Richard Peake [May 1799?] 117 
366. [Willoughby Lacy?] [May 1799?] 117 
367. An Official in the 23 May [1799?] 118 
Lord Chamberlain's Office 
368. William Siddons 3 June 118 
369. Lady Holland July 119 
370. Richard Peake 28 Aug. [1799?] 119 
371. Richard Peake Sept. 120 
372. Richard Peake [Sept. 1799?] 120 
373. John Graham [1799?] 121 
374. Richard Peake [1799?] 122 
375. John Grubb 122 
― xxxviii ―
                                      
376. Richard Peake [11 Dec. 1799?] 123 
377. [Lord Holland] [Dec. 1799?] 123 
378. Richard Peake [25 Dec. 1799?] 123 



1799-1800 



379. Richard Peake 124 
380. Richard Peake [1799-1800] 124 



1800 



381. Richard Peake 12 Jan. 125 
382. His Wife [1800?] 125 
383. The Editor of The Sun/The Morning Post 18 Jan. 126 
384. Richard Peake 129 
385. Richard Peake [14 Mar. 1800?] 130 
386. His Wife [20 Mar. 1800?] 130 
387. Richard Peake 7 Apr. 133 
388. Richard Peake 10 Apr. 133 
389. Richard Peake [3 May] 134 
390. William Adam 134 
391. His Wife [23 July] 134 
392. His Wife [24 July 1800?] 135 
393. Richard Peake 15 Aug. 137 
394. Richard Peake 25 Aug. 137 
395. His Wife 5 Sept. 138 
396. Richard Peake 20 Oct. 139 
397. His Wife 22 Nov. 139 
398. Richard Peake [22 Nov.] 141 
399. Charles Grey [23 Nov. 1800?] 141 



1801 



400. William Adam Jan. 144 
401. Richard Peake [1801?] 146 
402. Richard Peake [1801?] 147 
403. William Adam 31 Jan. 147 
404. His Wife [10] Feb. 149 
405. [Willoughby Lacy] [12 Feb. 1801?] 150 
406. Richard Peake [Mar. 1801?] 151 
407. William Adam Apr. 151 
408. William Adam May 152 
409. Richard Peake 22 May 152 
410. His Wife [2-3 June] 153 
― xxxix ―
                                       
411. William Adam 8 June 154 
412. William Adam 8 June 155 
413. William Adam 12 June 155 
414. William Adam 13 June 156 
415. William Adam 20 June 156 
416. William Adam 28 June 157 
417. His Wife 8 July 157 
418. His Wife 17 July 158 
419. Henry Bate Dudley 20 July 158 
420. Richard Peake [1801?] 159 
421. William Adam 23 July 160 
422. William Adam 7 Aug. 160 
423. William Adam [7 Aug. 1801?] 161 
424. [Henry Burgess?] Aug. 161 
425. George Edwards 28 Aug. 162 
426. William Adam 23 Sept. 162 
427. Richard Peake [Oct. 1801?] 163 
428. Richard Peake [Oct. 1801?] 163 
429. Richard Ford and Thomas Hammersley 13 Nov. 164 
430. Richard Peake [11 Dec. 1801?] 165 
431. Richard Peake [1801?] 165 



1801-2 



432. Richard Peake 165 
433. Richard Peake [1801-2?] 166 
434. Richard Peake 166 
435. To Dudley [1801-2?] 167 



1802 



436. The Editor of The Courier Jan. 167 
437. Arthur Palmer 2 Feb. 170 
438. Henry F. Greville 17 Feb. 170 
439. The Editor of The Oracle 18 Feb. 171 
440. Henry F. Greville Mar. 174 
441. William Adam [Apr.] 175 
442. William Adam 16 Apr. 175 
443. Jennings 4 May 176 
444. Richard Peake [5 May 1802?] 176 
445. Richard Peake [1 June 1802?] 176 
446. Richard Peake [6 June] 177 
447. Richard Peake [8 June] 178 
― xl ―
                                        
448. Richard Peake [9 June] 179 
449. Richard Peake [10 June] 179 
450. William Adam [June] 180 
451. Richard Peake [16 June 1802?] 180 
452. William Adam [17 June] 181 
453. The Electors of Stafford 22 June 182 
454. Richard Peake [27 June 1802?] 182 
455. Richard Peake 28 June 183 
456. Richard Peake [1802?] 183 
457. The Electors of Stafford July 184 
458. His Son Tom [Just before 4 July] 184 
459. Henry Burgess 5 July 185 
460. Richard Peake 186 
461. Anna Maria Ogle [1802?] 187 
462. Anna Maria Ogle [1802?] 187 
463. Richard Peake [1802?] 188 
464. William Adam 12 Sept. 188 
465. Richard Peake 12 Oct. 189 
466. John Graham 30 Oct. 190 
467. William Adam 9 Nov. 190 
468. Thomas Creevey [Nov. 1802?] 191 
469. William Adam 16 Nov. 191 
470. William Adam 5 Dec. 192 



1802-3 



471. Richard Peake [1802-3?] 192 



1803 



472. John Fonblanque [3 Jan. 1803?] 193 
473. Richard Peake 4 Jan. 193 
474. James Perry 13 Mar. 194 
475. [Richard Peake] [15 Mar. 1803?] 194 
476. Richard Peake 8 May 195 
477. Henry Burgess 9 May [1803?] 195 
478. [Lady Bessborough] [23 May] 195 
479. Lady Bessborough [24 May] 197 
480. His Wife 30 June 198 
481. Richard Peake [After June] 199 
482. Charles James 1 July 199 
483. Andrew Bain 31 July [1803?] 200 
484. Henry Addington 29 Aug. 200 
485. His Wife 31 Aug. 202 
― xli ―
                                        
486. Sir Nathaniel Wraxall 16 Sept. 204 
487. W. A. Downs 204 
488. [The Lord-Lieutenant of Middlesex?] [1803?] 205 
489. William Adam 28 Sept. 206 
490. [Richard Peake] 1 Oct. 206 
491. W. Moreland 2 Nov. [1803?] 206 
492. His Wife 10 Nov. 207 
493. William Adam 16 Nov. 207 
494. W. A. Downs 16 Nov. 208 
495. [Charles James?] [20 Nov.] 208 
496. Sir Robert Barclay 209 



1803-4 



497. Sir Robert Barclay [1803-4?] 209 
498. Sir Robert Barclay [1803-4?] 210 



1804 



499. Charles Ward [25 Jan. 1804?] 210 
500. The Prince of Wales 21 Feb. 210 
501. Henry Addington [21 Feb. 1804?] 211 
502. John McMahon [1804?] 213 
503. General Lake [1804?] 214 
504. His Wife 27 Feb. 215 
505. Richard Peake [1804?] 217 
506. Richard Peake [1804?] 217 
507. ---- [1804?] 217 
508. Richard Wilson 5 Aug. [1804?] 218 
509. The Prince of Wales 20 Aug. 218 
510. William Chisholme 3 Sept. 220 
511. [William Chisholme] 4 Sept. 221 
512. Anna Maria Ogle 12 Sept. 221 
513. ---- [1804?] 221 
514. W. L. Bowles 12 Oct. 222 
515. Richard Peake [20 Oct.] 222 
516. [The Creeveys or Mrs. Ord] [29 Oct.] 223 
517. Mrs. Lacy [1804?] 223 
518. Anna Maria Ogle [1804?] 224 
519. Richard Peake 2 Nov. 224 
520. Anna Maria Ogle 3 Nov. 225 
521. Richard Peake [Nov. 1804?] 225 
522. His Wife 15 Nov. 225 
523. His Wife [Nov. 1804?] 227 
― xlii ―
                                        
524. Thomas Grenville 20 Nov. 229 
525. Eleanor Creevey [Nov. 1804?] 229 
526. Mrs. Lacy 25 Nov. 230 
527. Thomas Grenville 27 Nov. 230 
528. Thomas Grenville [29 Nov.] 230 
529. His Wife 1-4 Dec. 231 
530. Henry Holland [1804?] 234 
531. C. J. Fox 17 Dec. 234 
532. Richard Peake 24 Dec. [1804?] 236 
533. Richard Peake [1804?] 236 
534. Richard Peake [1804?] 236 
535. Samuel Whitbread [c. 1804] 237 



1805 



536. C. J. Fox 3 Jan. 237 
537. Mrs. Ord [15 Jan. 1805?] 240 
538. [Sir Richard Ford] 28 Jan. [1805?] 241 
539. His Wife [7 Mar. 1805?] 241 
540. Richard Peake [11 Mar.] 241 
541. William Adam [11] Mar. 242 
542. His Wife [1805?] 242 
543. His Wife 17-18 Apr. 243 
544. Richard Peake [15 Aug.] 244 
545. Richard Peake 15 Aug. 245 
546. Richard Peake 15 Aug. 245 
547. Richard Peake 20 Aug. 246 
548. Richard Peake [27 Aug.] 246 
549. Richard Peake 29 Aug. 247 
550. Richard Peake 10 Sept. 247 
551. Richard Peake 16 Sept. 248 
552. Thomas Creevey [c. Nov. 1805?] 248 
553. Eleanor Creevey [Nov. 1805?] 249 
554. Eleanor Creevey 9 Nov. 249 
555. His Wife 25 Dec. 250 
556. [T. N. Longman?] 26 Dec. [1805-6] 252 
557. Eleanor Creevey 28 Dec. 252 
558. His Wife 29 Dec. 253 
559. Richard Peake [1805?] 256 



1806 



560. His Wife 256 
561. His Wife 15 Jan. 256 
― xliii ―
                                          
562. [Viscount Sidmouth] 22 Jan. 257 
563. [Viscount Sidmouth] [26 Jan.] 257 
564. [Viscount Sidmouth] 29 Jan. 258 
565. [Viscount Sidmouth] [30] Jan. 258 
566. Richard Wilson 11 Feb. 259 
567. [The Duke of Bedford] 12 Feb. 260 
568. C. J. Fox [17 Feb.] 261 
569. Lord Grenville 18 Feb. 263 
570. Tom Sheridan, W. Downs, and R. Peake [1806?] 264 
571. Richard Peake 18 Feb. 264 
572. Richard Peake [26 Feb.] 265 
573. The Electors of Stafford 26 Feb. 265 
574. George Tierney 2 Mar. 266 
575. Sir Robert Barclay 9 Mar. [1806?] 267 
576. The Duke of Bedford [Mar.] 268 
577. Richard Fitzpatrick [12 Mar. 1806?] 270 
578. [Richard Fitzpatrick]? [13 Mar. 1806?] 271 
579. His Wife [1806?] 271 
580. [Benjamin West?] [1806?] 272 
581. W. L. Bowles 10 Apr. [1806?] 272 
582. Earl Spencer 19 Apr. 273 
583. His Son Tom 14 May 274 
584. Richard Wilson 274 
585. Nathaniel Ogle [1806?] 275 
586. John Graham [13 Sept.] 275 
587. [Richard Wilson] 14 Sept. 276 
588. Viscount Howick 16 Sept. 278 
589. Lord Grenville 16 Sept. 279 
590. The Prince of Wales 22 Sept. 281 
591. Viscount Howick 23 Sept. 282 
592. The Prince of Wales 24 Sept. 282 
593. Richard Peake 1 Oct. 283 
594. [Colonel John McMahon] [Oct. 1806?] 284 
595. His Sister-in-Law [Oct. 1806?] 286 
596. Viscount Howick 13 Oct. 286 
597. The Prince of Wales 14 Oct. 287 
598. To the Westminster Electors 20 Oct. 289 
599. [William] Horton 20 Oct. 290 
600. Lord Grenville 25 Oct. 290 
601. William Cobbett 27 Oct. 290 
602. Sir Robert Barclay 27 Oct. 291 
603. To the Electors of Stafford 28 Oct. 291 
― xliv ―
                             
604. Sir Robert Barclay [Oct.-Nov. 1806?] 292 
605. [Colonel John McMahon?] [1 Nov. 1806?] 292 
606. To the Westminster Electors 5 Nov. 293 
607. Lord Holland [7 Nov.] 294 
608. Lord Holland [7 Nov.] 295 
609. Lord Holland [7 Nov.] 296 
610. Lord Holland [7 Nov.] 296 
611. [Lord Holland] [8 Nov.] 296 
612. The Westminster Electors 9 Nov. 297 
613. Lord Holland [9 Nov.] 298 
614. Lord Holland [Nov.] 299 
615. Lord Holland [12 Nov. 1806?] 299 
616. William Cobbett [12 Nov.] 300 
617. Peter Moore 13 Nov. 301 
618. Peter Moore 13 Nov. 302 
619. [W. H. Fremantle] [Nov. 1806] 302 
620. [W. H. Fremantle] [Nov. 1806] 303 
621. The Duke of Northumberland's Agent 16 Nov. 303 
622. The Westminster Electors 21 Nov. 304 
623. ---- [Nov. 1806 or May 1807] 305 
624. Peter Moore 22 Nov. 306 
625. His Wife 19 Dec. 307 



1806-7 



626. Sir Robert Barclay [1806-7?] 307 
627. Sir Robert Barclay 308 
628. Sir Robert Barclay 308 
629. Sir Robert Barclay [1806-7?] 309 
630. S. Parsons [1806-7?] 309 
631. Sir Robert Barclay [1806-7?] 310 
― xlv ―

Volume III

                                            



1807 



632. George Lamb 6 Jan. 1 
633. Earl Spencer 13 Jan. 1 
634. Richard Peake 22 Jan. 2 
635. G. Eves 24 Mar. 2 
636. Thomas Creevey [1807?] 3 
637. Eleanor Creevey [9 Apr. 1807?] 3 
638. Viscount Howick 1 May 4 
639. Viscount Howick 2 May 5 
640. His Son Tom 2 May 6 
641. The Westminster Electors 8 May 8 
642. W. A. Downs [17 May] 8 
643. The Earl of Moira [19 May 1807?] 10 
644. Richard Taylor and Peter Adshead 20 June 10 
645. Aaron Graham [24-25 June] 11 
646. Viscount Howick 26 June 12 
647. Aaron Graham [27 June] 12 
648. Aaron Graham, John Hosier, and Randle Jackson 28 June 13 
649. Samuel Whitbread [1807?] 16 
650. Richard Peake [1807?] 16 
651. William Huskisson 25 July 17 
652. Michael Kelly 30 Aug. 17 
653. Thomas Holloway 14 Nov. 18 
654. Richard Peake 22 Nov. 19 
655. Aaron Graham, John Hosier, and Randle Jackson 10 Dec. 19 
656. Richard Peake 29 Dec. 20 
657. The Prince of Wales 30 Dec. 21 
658. John Grubb [c. 1807] 23 



[1807-8?] 



659. [Richard Peake] 23 



1808 



660. [The Duke of York?] [Jan. 1808?] 24 
661. Dennis O'Bryen [19 Jan. 1808?] 25 
662. Richard Peake [Feb.-Mar. 1808?] 26 
663. Colonel John McMahon 7 Mar. 26 
664. The Prince of Wales 7 Mar. 27 
665. Aaron Graham, John Hosier, and Randle Jackson 25 Apr. 29 
666. Richard Wilson 2 May 31 
667. Thomas Metcalfe 2 May 32 
668. Thomas Metcalfe 5 May 33 
669. [Richard Wilson?] 35 
670. Mrs. Atkins 16 July [1808?] 35 
671. John Hosier 23 July 36 
672. The Prince of Wales 23 July 36 
― xlvi ―

                                       
673. ---- 9 Aug. 39 
674. The Marquis of Tavistock 19 Aug. 40 
675. [John Graham] 16 Sept. 41 
676. To the Proprietors of £3,000 Shares 16 Sept. 41 
677. Richard Peake 42 
678. Richard Peake 30 Oct. 43 
679. [Aaron Graham, John Hosier, and William Houlston] 43 
680. Richard Peake [Oct.-Nov.?] 43 
681. Richard Wilson [1808?] 43 
682. [John Hosier] 19 Nov. 45 
683. His Son Tom [19 Nov.] 46 
684. John Hosier [Nov. 1808?] 47 
685. Lady Ford 5 Dec. 47 
686. Richard Peake [24 Dec.] 48 



1809 



687. Richard Peake 14 Jan. 48 
688. Lady Bessborough [22 Jan. 1809?] 48 
689. Richard Peake 29 Jan. 49 
690. ---- 31 Jan. [1809-11] 50 
691. Richard Peake [Feb. 1809?] 50 
692. Richard Peake or William Dunn [18 Feb.] 51 
693. His Wife 25 Feb. 51 
694. Richard Wilson [1809?] 53 
695. [Richard Wilson?] [28 Feb.] 53 
696. [The Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Dartmouth] 1 Mar. 54 
697. Aaron Graham and John Hosier c. 7 Mar. 55 
698. Aaron Graham, John Hosier, and William Houlston 7 Mar. 55 
699. William Taylor [10 Mar.] 56 
700. George Rose 27 Mar. 57 
701. C. Beazley 27 Mar. 58 
702. John Graham 6 Apr. 58 
703. Samuel Whitbread 28 May 59 
704. W. James 2 June 61 
705. Thomas Perkins 6 June 62 
706. [S. J. Arnold] 16 June 63 
707. Richard Peake [1809?] 63 
708. [General Thomas Graham] 11 July 64 
709. Sarah Richardson 28 July 64 
710. Sarah Richardson 5 Aug. 65 
― xlvii ―

                                     
711. Sarah Richardson 8 Sept. 66 
712. S. J. Arnold [Sept. 1809?] 66 
713. [S. J. Arnold?] 18 Sept. 68 
714. The Prince of Wales [c. 30 Sept.] 68 
715. Richard Peake [1809?] 68 
716. Sarah Richardson 15 Oct. 69 
717. [The Editor of the Morning Chronicle] 20 Oct. 70 
718. William Powell Nov. 72 



1809-10 



719. Richard Peake [1809-10?] 72 
720. Richard Peake 73 



1810 



721. ---- 14 Feb. 73 
722. Richard Peake [20 Mar. 1810?] 74 
723. His Wife 28 Mar. 74 
724. His Wife [16 Apr.] 75 
725. Richard Peake [17 Apr. 1810?] 76 
726. His Wife 20 Apr. 77 
727. His Wife [1810?] 87 
728. Richard Peake [1810?] 88 
729. The Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Dartmouth 1 May 88 
730. The Editor of the Morning Chronicle 15 May 89 
731. Thomas Shaw 19 May 90 
732. Richard Peake [7 July 1810?] 90 
733. The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University 11 July 91 
734. Thomas Creevey 20 July 92 
735. Richard Wilson 17 Aug. 93 
736. Rev. Charles Williams 22 Oct. 93 
737. Rev. Charles Williams 7 Nov. 94 
738. His Wife [1810?] 94 
739. The Prince of Wales [2 Nov.] 94 
740. The Prince of Wales 9 Dec. 95 
741. John Graham [1810?] 98 
742. Richard Peake [1810?] 98 



1811 



743. The Prince of Wales 11 Jan. 99 
744. Lord Holland 15 Jan. 100 
― xlviii ―

                                                                                                                          
745. Thomas Creevey 18 Jan. 107 
746. Lord Holland 20 Jan. 108 
747. Lord Holland [20 Jan. 1811?] 108 
748. The Speaker [24 Jan.] 109 
749. His Wife [27 Jan.] 109 
750. The Prince of Wales [Jan. 1811?] 110 
751. The Prince of Wales 1 Feb. 1811 112 
752. John Graham [1811?] 112 
753. John Graham [1811?] 113 
754. [John Graham?] [1811?] 113 
755. [His Wife] [Feb. 1811?] 114 
756. [His Wife] [Feb. 1811?] 114 
757. His Wife [c. 14 Feb.] 115 
758. [Samuel Parr?] 115 
759. John Walter, Junior [Mar. 1811?] 116 
760. Thomas Shaw 15 Mar. 116 
761. His Son Tom [1811?] 117 
762. Samuel Whitbread [30 Apr.] 117 
763. Sir Charles Bunbury 5 May 118 
764. The Attorney-General 8 May 119 
765. The Prince Regent 24 May 120 
766. His Wife [24 May 1811?] 121 
767. Richard Peake 123 
768. Richard Peake [Before June] 123 
769. Eleanor Creevey 124 
770. Sir Robert Barclay June 124 
771. Thomas Shaw 3 July 125 
772. Lord Holland July 125 
773. William Adam [Aug.] 125 
774. Sir Robert Barclay [10 Sept.] 126 
775. Thomas Shaw 12 Sept. 126 
776. ---- 127 
777. J. W. Croker [14 Oct.] 127 
778. The Prince Regent 17 Oct. 128 
779. [Thomas Shaw] 129 
780. [Thomas Shaw?] [1811?] 129 
781. Samuel Whitbread [Late Oct.-early Nov.] 130 
782. His Son Tom [Nov.] 134 
783. S. Jernyngham 25 Nov. 135 
784. Sir Oswald Mosley 29 Nov. 136 
785. Thomas Perkins 29 Nov. 137 
786. General T. H. Turner 29 Dec. 138 



1811-12 



787. Dr. Ward 139 
788. John Kenderdine 139 
789. Richard Peake [1811-12?] 140 
790. Rev. Mr. Rathbone 141 
791. Richard Peake [1811-12?] 141 
792. Richard Peake [1811-12?] 142 
793. A Stafford Supporter [1811-12?] 142 
794. Thomas Perkins [1811-12?] 143 
795. Richard Peake [1811-12?] 143 
796. Sir J. W. Gordon 143 
797. Sir Robert Barclay 144 
798. M. Edmondson 144 



1812 



799. Lady Holland [Early Jan.] 145 
800. His Wife [3 Feb. 1812?] 147 
801. His Son Tom 7 Mar. 149 
802. His Son Tom 151 
803. [Richard Fitzpatrick] [1812?] 152 
804. Colonel John McMahon 25 Apr. 153 
805. Sir Vicary Gibbs 5 May 154 
806. The Prince Regent 21 May 155 
807. Lady Holland [24 May 1812?] 157 
808. Marquis Wellesley 26 May 157 
809. The Prince Regent 1 June 158 
810. His Son Tom 2 June 159 
811. Colonel John McMahon 16 June 160 
812. One of his Sisters 24 July 161 
813. Lady Holland 161 
814. [W. A. Downs?] [Aug.-Nov. 1812?] 162 
815. Samuel Whitbread 1 Nov. 163 
816. The Committee for Rebuilding 3 Nov. 164 
Drury Lane Theatre 
817. Colonel John McMahon [1812?] 164 
818. ---- 3 Dec. 165 
819. [Thomas Metcalfe] [1812?] 166 
820. ---- 13 Dec. 166 



1812-13 



821. [Colonel John McMahon] 167 
---- [1812-15] 168 



1813 



823. [Colonel John McMahon] [Early 1813?] 168 
824. George Colman the younger [1813?] 169 
825. Lord and Lady Holland 169 
826. ---- [1813?] 170 
827. W. J. Denison [1813?] 171 
828. His Stafford supporters [Apr.] 171 
829. His Wife [Before 5 May] 173 
830. Richard Peake [1813?] 173 
831. [S. J. Arnold?] [13 May 1813?] 174 
832. His Son Charles 15 May 174 
833. His Son Tom 30 July 175 
834. Robins and Reid [31 July] 177 
835. His Wife 177 
836. R. B. Peake 178 
837. Viscount Sidmouth 13 Aug. 178 
838. Henry Burgess [1813?] 179 
839. Richard Wilson [1813?] 179 
840. Graham, Ward, and Morland 6 Oct. 180 



1813-14 



841. Lady Holland [1813-14?] 180 



1814 



842. Charles Ward 2 Jan. 180 
843. Charles Ward [19 Jan. 1814?] 181 
844. James Heath [27 Jan. 1814?] 181 
845. Charles Ward [1814?] 182 
846. Charles Ward 4 Feb. 183 
847. Charles Ward 10 Feb. 183 
848. Charles Ward 17 Feb. 184 
849. ---- [Feb.] 185 
850. Thomas McGrath [1814?] 185 
851. Samuel Whitbread [9 Apr.] 186 
852. Charles Ward Apr. [1814?] 186 
853. Samuel Whitbread [May 1814?] 187 
854. Samuel Whitbread May 187 
855. Graham 189 
856. John Graham 22 June 189 
857. Colonel John McMahon 190 
858. The Duke of Norfolk 5 July 191 
859. Arthur Morris, High Bailiff of West-minster 10 July 191 
― li ―

                                        
860. Arthur Morris 12 July 193 
861. [Colonel John McMahon] 27 July 193 
862. [Colonel John McMahon] [1814?] 195 
863. J. W. Croker 29 July 196 
864. Thomas Shaw 4 Aug. 196 
865. Anna Maria Ogle 197 
866. Anna Maria Ogle [1814?] 197 
867. ---- 197 
868. Sir John Cox Hippisley Sept. 198 
869. Anna Maria Ogle [1814?] 198 
870. Charles Ward 11 Sept. 199 
871. Thomas Metcalfe 19 Sept. 199 
872. ---- [1814?] 200 
873. Charles Ward 19 Sept. 200 
874. Anna Maria Ogle [Sept.] 201 
875. Georgiana and Fanny Callander 2 Oct. 201 
876. His Wife [15 Oct. 1814?] 202 
877. Samuel Whitbread 6 Nov. 203 
878. Samuel Whitbread 7 Nov. 204 
879. G. Watkins 7 Nov. 204 
880. [Douglas Kinnaird?] 7 Nov. 205 
881. His Wife Nov. 205 
882. His Wife [1814?] 207 
883. Henry Burgess [1814?] 208 
884. Henry Burgess 208 
885. Henry Burgess 21 Nov.[?] 209 
886. Samuel Whitbread [Nov.] 210 
887. Charles Ward 30 Nov. 210 
888. Charles Ward 211 
889. Charles Ward [1814?] 212 
890. Charles Ward [5 Dec. 1814?] 212 
891. Charles Ward [1814?] 213 
892. Charles Ward 213 
893. Charles Ward 23 Dec. 213 



1815 



894. Lord Holland [1815?] 214 
895. Georgiana Callander 28 Jan. 214 
896. Mrs. Ironmonger 6 Feb. 216 
897. His Wife [Feb.-Mar.] 216 
898. His Wife [c. 1 Mar.] 217 
― lii ―

                                         
899. His Wife [c. 1 Mar.] 218 
900. His Son Charles 4 Mar. 219 
901. Samuel Whitbread 7 Mar. 220 
902. His Wife [Mar.] 220 
903. Anna Maria Ogle 31 Mar. 221 
904. W. Hartley 5 Apr. 221 
905. His Wife 25 Apr. 222 
906. His Wife [Early May] 223 
907. Richard Wilson 27 May 225 
908. His Son Charles [6 July] 225 
909. His Son Charles 10 July 226 
910. Thomas Grenville July 227 
911. [Georgiana and Fanny Callander] [c. Aug.] 227 
912. His Wife Aug. 227 
913. Georgiana and Fanny Callander Aug. [1815?] 229 
914. [James Henry Earle?] [1815?] 229 
915. [Viscount Sidmouth] 6 Oct. 229 
916. Viscount Sidmouth 19 Oct. 230 
917. Thomas Dibdin 233 
918. [Colonel John McMahon] 21 Oct. 233 
919. Sir William Beechey 28 Oct. 236 
920. To the Lord Mayor Of London and Sheriffs 9 Nov. 236 
921. Kate Ogle 22 Nov. 236 
922. His Wife 22 Nov. 237 
923. Thomas Grenville 1 Dec. 239 
924. Kate Ogle, and his Wife 7 Dec. 240 
925. Henry Cline 31 Dec. 242 



1815-16 



926. His Wife 242 



1816 



927. Thomas Howard 22 Jan. 242 
928. [Frederic Reynolds?] [1816?] 243 
929. John Taylor [1816?] 244 
930. Mrs. Richard Wilson [Mar. 1816?] 244 
931. Georgiana and Fanny Callander 30 Mar. 245 
932. John Murray 9 Apr. 245 
933. John Graham 9 May 246 
934. Samuel Rogers [15 May] 246 
935. William Chisholme 25 May 247 
936. Georgiana Callander [1816?] 247 
937. A. Chateauneuf 248 
― liii ―

SUMMARY OF OTHER LETTERS

         
A. To His Wife, Hester. Nos. 1-7. 249 
B. To John Grubb. Nos. 1-47. 249 
C. To Willoughby Lacy. Nos. 1-17. 254 
D. To Richard Peake. Nos. 1-98. 256 
E. To Various Correspondents. Nos. 1-147. 265 
F. Departmental Letters. Nos. 1-5. 282 
G. Letters in Sheridan's Hand drafted for a Copyist. Nos. 1-17. 282 
H. References in other Correspondence to lost Sheridan Letters. Nos. 1-16. 287 
I. Letters doubtfully ascribed to Sheridan. Nos. 1-7. 288 

APPENDIX OF FURTHER LETTERS

                     
1. The Printer of the Morning Chronicle [29 Jan.-1 Feb. 1775 ] 292 
2. [Thomas Linley] [1775] 293 
3. John Bromley 4 Jan. 1778 307 
4. 'The Freeholders of England' Mar. 1779 308 
5. -------- [1789-91] 315 
6. [Prospective Subscribers to the Re-building 
of Drury Lane Theatre] 5 Nov. 1791 316 
7. Thomas Greenwood [1794-7] 322 
8. [Members of the Piscatory Party] [After 1794] 322 
9. -------- 1 Aug. 1795 326 
10. -------- 13 Oct. 1795 326 
11. 'Mr. Graham' [1795-1801] 326 
12. [A Member of the Lord Chamberlain's Staff] 23 May 1797 327 
13. [George Canning] [24 Apr. 1798?] 327 
14. Lord Holland [July 1797-Nov. 1801?] 
15. Richard Peake or William Dunn 8 Jan. 1800 329 
16. [George Canning] [19 July 1800?] 329 
17. Lord or Lady Holland [22 Dec. 1800?] 330 
18. William Godwin 6 Jan. 1802[?] 330 
19. Charles Ward [3 Jan. 1806] 331 
20. Arthur Morris, High Bailiff of Westminster Nov. 1806 331 
― liv ―
               
21. [C. ?] James 7 Oct. [1807] 332 
22. Richard Peake [1808?] 333 
23. Thomas Harris 1808 333 
24. -------- 27 Sept.1808-12] 334 
[1808-12] 334 
26. Sir Arthur Pigott 25 Dec. 1809 335 
27. 'Performers' 1810 [?] 335 
28. 'The Kings Most Excellent Majesty' 6 Sept. 1810 336 
29. The Editor of the British Press [1809-10] 339 
30. -------- June 1811 341 
31. The Committee for Rebuilding Drury Lane Theatre 14 Feb. 1812 341 
32. Samuel Rogers [1813-16] 341 
33. [Thomas Dibdin?] 1 Feb. 1816 342 
34. Charles Ward 1816 342 
35. George Canning 19 June [1816] 342 
― lv ―

Abbreviations Used in the Notes

Here and throughout, place of publication is London unless otherwise noted

                     
Adam MS. Manuscript owned by Captain C. K. Adam, Blair-Adam, Fifeshire. 
Add. MS. Additional MS., British Museum. 
Alnwick MSS. Manuscripts of the Duke of Northumberland, at Alnwick Castle. 
Angelo Reminiscences of Henry Angelo ... (1828-30, 2 vols.). 
A.P.C. Autograph Prices Current (ed. E. H. Courville and A. J. Herbert, 1916-22, 6 vols.). 
Auckland Corr. The Journal and Correspondence of William Lord Auckland (1861, 4 vols.). 
Bell's W. Mess. Bell's Weekly Messenger, 1796-1807. 
Beresford Corr. The Correspondence of the Rt. Hon. John Beresford ... (ed. W. Beresford, 1854, 2 vols.). 
Black Clementina Black, The Linleys of Bath (rev. ed., 1926). 
Campbell John, Lord Campbell, The Lives of the Lord Chancellors (1845-9, 8 vols.). 
Canning MSS. Mehitabel Canning's correspondence, owned by Mrs. Alfred Western Sadler's Butler MSS. 
C.G.Th. The Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. 
Clayden P. W. Clayden, Rogers and His Contemporaries (1889, 2 vols.). 
Clements MS. Manuscript in the W. L. Clements Library, University of Michigan. 
Colchester Corr. The Diary and Correspondence of Charles Abbot, Lord Colchester (ed. Charles Abbot, Lord Colchester, 1861, 3 vols.). 
Cornwallis Corr. The Correspondence of Charles, first Marquis Cornwallis (ed. C. Ross, 2nd ed., 1859, 3 vols.). 
Court and Cabinets R. P. T. N. B. C. Grenville, Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, Memoirs of the Court and Cabinets of George the Third (1853-5, 2 vols.). 
Cradock J. Cradock, Literary and Miscellaneous Memoirs (1828, 4 vols.). 
Creevey Papers The Creevey Papers (ed. Sir H. Maxwell, 1903, 2 vols.). 
D.L.Th. The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. 
Dock. Docketing in a contemporary hand. 
― lvi ―

                        
Dropmore Papers Historical Manuscripts Commission's Reports on the Manuscripts of J. B. Fortescue, Esq., Preserved at Dropmore (1892-1927, 10 vols.). 
Dufferin MSS. Manuscripts of the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava. 
Egerton MS. Egerton MS., British Museum. 
Europ. Mag. European Magazine, 1782-1826. 
Farington The Farington Diary (ed. J. Greig, 1922-8, 8 vols.). 
Fitzwilliam MS. Manuscript owned by Earl Fitzwilliam, deposited at Sheffield Public Library. 
Folger MS. Manuscript in the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. 
Foster J. Foster, Alumni Oxionienses, 1751-1886 (4 vols., 1888). 
Fox Corr. Memorials and Correspondence of Charles James Fox (ed. Lord J. Russell, 1853-7, 4 vols.). 
Fr. Franked. 
Garrick Corr. The Private Correspondence of David Garrick (ed. J. Boaden, 1831-2, 2 vols.). 
Georgiana Georgiana: Extracts from the Correspondence of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (ed. The Earl of Bessborough, 1955.) 
Gent. Mag. Gentleman's Magazine, 1751-1825. 
Gilmore MS. Manuscript owned by Mr. Paul M. Gilmore. 
Grey MSS. Correspondence of Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, deposited by Earl Grey at Prior's Kitchen, University of Durham, Durham. 
Grubbe MS. Manuscript owned by Miss Margaret J. M. Grubbe. 
Gun The Harrow School Register, 1751-1800 (ed. W. J. T. Gun, 1934). 
Hansard Cobbett's (afterwards Hansard's) Parliamentary Debates, 1803-16. 
Harrow MS. Manuscript in the Vaughan Library, Harrow School. Where 'Rae' is also mentioned in this location, the reference is to the MS. letters there, bound in extra-illustrated volumes of Rae's Sheridan. 
Harvard MS. Manuscript in the Theatre Collection, Harvard College Library. 
H.M.C. Historical Manuscripts Commission. 
Hist. Westm. El. History of the Westminster and Middlesex Elections in the Month of November, 1806 (1807). 
Hodgson Messrs. Hodgson, Chancery Lane, W.C. 2. 
Holland Henry Fox, 3rd Lord Holland, Memoirs of the Whig Party (1852-4, 2 vols.). 
― lvii ―

                      
Holland House MSS. Manuscripts of the Earl of Ilchester. 
Huntington Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 
Hyde MS. Manuscript owned by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hyde, Somerville, New Jersey. 
Judd Gerrit P. Judd, iv, Members of Parliament, 1734-1832 (New Haven, 1955). 
Kelly Reminiscences of Michael Kelly ... (2nd ed., 1826, 2 vols.). 
Leeds' Mem. The Political Memoranda of the 5th Duke of Leeds (ed. O. Browning, Camden Society, 1884). 
LeFanu MS. Manuscript owned by Mr. W. R. LeFanu. 
Lefanu Alicia Lefanu, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Mrs. Frances Sheridan (1824). 
Leinster Corr. Correspondence of Emily, Duchess of Leinster, 1731-1814 (ed. B. Fitzgerald, Irish Manuscripts Commission, Dublin, 1949-57, 3 vols.). 
Letters of Geo. IV The Letters of King George IV, 1812-1830 (ed. A. Aspinall, 1938, 3 vols.). 
Leveson Gower Corr. Lord Granville Leveson Gower (First Earl Granville), Private Correspondence, 1781 to 1821 (ed. Castalia, Countess Granville, 1917, 2 vols.). 
Lond. Chron. London Chronicle, 1769-80. 
McAdam MS. Manuscript owned by Mr. E.L. McAdam, Jr. 
Maggs Catalogue Catalogue of Messrs. Maggs Bros., London, W. 1. 
Minto Corr. Life and Letters of Sir Gilbert Elliot, First Earl of Minto (ed. the Countess of Minto, 1874, 3 vols.). 
Moore Memoirs of the Life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan (2nd ed., 1825, 2 vols.). 
Moore, Journal Memoirs, Journal, and Correspondence of Thomas Moore (ed. Lord John Russell, 1853-6, 8 vols.). 
Morn. Chron. Morning Chronicle, 1775-1816. 
Morn. Her. Morning Herald, 1782-1816. 
Morn. Post Morning Post, 1775-1816. 
Morrison Cat. Catalogue of the Collection of Autograph Letters and Historical Documents formed between 1865 and 1882 by Alfred Morrison (part ed. A. Thibaudeau, 1883-92, 6 vols.). 
Mrs. S. Until 1793 this refers to Sheridan's first wife, Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (born Linley), 1754-92. After 1793 it refers to his second wife, Hester Jane Sheridan (born Ogle), c. 1775-1817. 
― lviii ―

                         
Myers Messrs. Myers, 59 High Holborn, W.C. 1; and Miss Winifred A. Myers. 
New M. Mag. New Monthly Magazine, 1814-71. 
N.L.I. MS. Manuscript of the National Library of Ireland, Dublin. 
N.L.S. MS. Manuscript of the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh. 
Ogle Sir Henry A. Ogle, Bart., Ogle and Bothal: Or, A History of the Baronies of Ogle, Bothal and Hepple ... (Newcastle upon Tyne, 1902). 
Osborn MS. Manuscript owned by Dr. James M. Osborn of Yale University. 
Parl. Reg. The Parliamentary Register (ed. J. Debrett, 1783-96, 45 vols.). 
P. & S. C. Sale catalogues of Messrs. Puttick & Simpson, London, W. 1. 
Parr, Works Samuel Parr, Works (ed. J. Johnstone, 1828, 8 vols.). 
Pellew George Pellew, The Life and Correspondence of the Rt. Hon. Henry Addington, First Viscount Sidmouth (1847, 3 vols.). 
[Ph.] A photographic copy of the manuscript has been the source of the text. 
Pm.: Postmark. This is printed only when it is necessary as evidence establishing the date of a letter. 
Price MS. Manuscript owned by Cecil Price. 
P.R.O. Public Record Office, London. 
Pub. Location of the first printing of the text that follows. 
Pub. Adv. Public Advertiser, 1769-80. 
Rae W. Fraser Rae, Sheridan, A Biography (1896, 2 vols.). 
Rhodes R. Crompton Rhodes, Harlequin Sheridan (Oxford, 1933). 
Rose George Rose, The Diaries and Correspondence of the Rt. Hon. George Rose (ed. L. V. Harcourt, 1860, 2 vols.). 
S. Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816). 
Sadler Michael T. H. Sadler, The Political Career of Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Oxford, 1912.) 
Salt MS. Manuscript of the William Salt Library, Stafford. 
S.C. Sale catalogues of Messrs. Sotheby, London, and of the varying names of the firm from 1814 to 1964. 
Shuttleworth MS. Manuscript owned by Mr. Bertram Shuttleworth. 
Sichel W. Sichel, Sheridan (1909, 2 vols.). 
― lix ―

               
Smyth [William Smyth], Memoir of Mr. Sheridan (Leeds, 1840). 
Speeches Speeches of the late Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan (ed. 'A Constitutional Friend' [Sir John Philippart?], 1816, 5 vols.). 
Staff. Adv. Staffordshire Advertiser, 1796-16. 
Taylor John Taylor, Records of my Life (1832, 2 vols.). 
T.L.S. The Times Literary Supplement, 1902-64. 
Tom S. Tom Sheridan (1775-1817). 
Watkins John Watkins, Memoirs of the Public and Private Life of the Right Honourable R. B. Sheridan ... (2nd ed. 1817, 2 vols.). 
Whitbread MS. Manuscript owned by Mr. Simon Whitbread. 
Widener MS. Manuscript in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection in the Harvard College Library. 
Windsor MS. Manuscript in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle. 
Winston Manuscripts and newspaper cuttings collected by James Winston, and now in the British Museum (press-mark, C 120 h). There are fourteen boxes for the period 1776-1816, but their contents are unfoliated. 
Wm.: Dated watermark (or countermark) in the paper on which Sheridan's letter is written. This evidence is printed only when it is necessary to establish a date. 
Wraxall Sir N. W. Wraxall, Posthumous Memoirs of His Own Times (2nd ed. 1836, 3 vols.). 
W.T. Typescript copies of Sheridan MSS. formerly in the possession of Sophie, Lady Wavertree. These copies contain a number of obvious typing errors, and I have silently corrected them when quoting from the typescripts. 
Yale MS. Manuscript in the Yale University Library. 
― 1 ―