Of the former two, The Schoolmistress, a humorous imitation of Spenser, with many quaint and tender touches, and the Pastoral Ballad in four parts, perhaps the best of its kind in the language, survive.  The essays also display good sense and a pointed and graceful style.  The last years of S. were clouded by financial embarrassments and perhaps also by disappointed affections.  After his death his works, were coll. and pub. by Dodsley.

SHERIDAN, RICHARD BRINSLEY (1751-1816).—­Dramatist and orator, b. in Dublin, the s. of an actor, was ed. at Harrow.  In 1772 he eloped with Miss Linley, a famous singer, went with her to France, fought two duels, and m. her in 1773.  S. has a reputation of the highest in two distinct walks, those of the dramatist and the Parliamentary orator.  By his three great comedies, The Rivals (1775), The School for Scandal (1777), and The Critic (1779), he raised himself to the first place among the writers of the comedy of manners; and by his speeches, specially those in support of the impeachment of Warren Hastings, he has a position among the greatest of Parliamentary orators.  Unfortunately he had little turn for business, and too great a love of pleasure and conviviality, which led to lifelong pecuniary embarrassment, completed by the destruction by fire of Drury Lane Theatre, of which he had become proprietor.  As a politician S. supported the Whig party, and held the offices of Under-Sec. for Foreign Affairs, Sec. to the Treasury, and Treasurer of the Navy.  He was also confidential adviser to George IV. when Prince of Wales, but like everybody else who had to do with him suffered from the ingratitude of “the first gentleman in Europe.”  The accounts long prevalent of the poverty and misery of his last years have been shown to be greatly exaggerated, though he was in reduced circumstances.  As a dramatist S. shines in the construction of amusing situations, and in a sparkling flow of witty dialogue which never flags.  His only other play was Pizarro (1799), a patriotic melodrama.

Lives by Walkins (1817), T. Moore (1825), and Mrs. Oliphant (1883).

SHERLOCK, WILLIAM (1641?-1707).—­Divine and controversialist, b. at Southwark, ed. at Eton and Camb., took orders, and became in 1684 Master of the Temple, and in 1691 Dean of St. Paul’s.  He exercised a powerful influence in the Church.  His most popular work was his Discourse concerning Death, and his principal controversial effort was his Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity.  Other works were on Future Judgment and on The Divine Providence.  His son, THOMAS SHERLOCK (1678-1761), who was also Master of the Temple, became Bishop successively of Bangor, Salisbury, and London, and was, like his f., a noted controversialist.  His best known work is his Tryal of the Witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus (1729).