Fanny Burney records her pleasant impressions of the bride,—­“I was absolutely charmed at the sight of her.  I think her quite as beautiful as ever, and even more captivating; for she has now a look of ease and happiness that animates her whole face.  Miss Linley was with her; she is very handsome, but nothing near her sister; the elegance of Mrs. Sheridan’s beauty is unequalled by any I ever saw, except Mrs. Crewe.  I was pleased with her in all respects.  She is much more lively and agreeable than I had any idea of finding her; she was very gay, and very unaffected, and totally free from airs of any kind.”

In 1775, the husband’s genius was acknowledged by the town; for in January, that year, was first presented “The Rivals.”  In that play he draws from the material displayed by the superficial, flashing, and piquant society of the day at Bath, and from his own experience the inimitable duel scene therein.

Much success followed for the dramatist.  In the following year, in conjunction with his father-in-law, he purchased from Garrick the Drury Lane Theatre.  They brought out several operas together; Linley’s music in “The Duenna” and “The Beggar’s Opera,” being especially fine.  Hazlitt speaks of the songs in them as having a joyous spirit of intoxication, and strains of the most melting tenderness.

In 1777, appeared “The School for Scandal,” a theme also suggested by scandal-mongering Bath.  His fond and faithful wife lived not to see the dimming of the genius that produced these classics; she died of a decline, at Bristol, in 1792.  Her daughter, too, died within the same year.  Two of her accomplished descendants, through her son, have displayed some of her romantic taste and charm of manner to a generation just preceding our own,—­her granddaughters, Lady Dufferin, mother of the English ambassador to France, and Hon. Caroline Norton, author of “Love not, love not, ye hapless sons of men.”

Though she whom he had adored was but three years dead, Sheridan married, in 1795, Esther Jane Ogle, daughter of the Dean of Winchester.  With her he obtained some money and this, added to his own, purchased the estate of Polesdon, in Surrey.  His wife was, at that time, spoken of as young, amiable, and devoted to him.  She died at about the same time as he, in 1816.

In the first flush of those romantic wedded days of their youth how impressive must have been the appearance of that markedly clever young man, eager in the fight for fame, and of his beauteous bride from Bath.  Reynolds painted, in 1779, the standard presentment of Sheridan.  Walpole’s comment on it was:  “Praise cannot overstate the merits of this portrait.  It is not canvas and color, it is animated nature—­all the unaffected manner and character of the great original.”  The artist said that among all his sitters none had such large pupils of the eyes.  With the brilliance of that mind informing the face, his features, though not regular,