Richard Brinsley Sheridan was born on October 30, 1751, in Dublin to a family known for its artistic members. His grandfather, the Reverend Dr. Thomas Sheridan (1687-1738), was an author, schoolmaster, and friend of Jonathan Swift. His father, Thomas Sheridan (1719-1788), was a renowned actor, theatrical manager, and elocutionist. His mother, Frances Sheridan (1724-1766), was a novelist and playwright. Sheridan began grammar school in 1758 in Dublin while his parents pursued their careers in London; in 1759, his father relocated the family to Windsor. In 1762, Sheridan entered Harrow School, where he was often teased by other boys for being the son of an actor and for his less-than-fashionable wardrobe.

After leaving Harrow in 1768, Sheridan lived with his widowed father in Chelsea before moving with him to Bath. While at Bath, Sheridan and a former schoolmate from Harrow wrote Ixion, a farce, and submitted it to David Garrick, one of the...