Love Romances of the Aristocracy

f pleasure in England. She drew, as by an irresistible magnet, rank and beauty and wealth to her shrine. In her famous Assembly Rooms, statesmen rub

to the winds, when the pleasure of the moment was the only ambition worth pursuing

aily at the Assembly Rooms concerts as her loveliness feasted the eye. She was, as all the world knew, only the daughter of Thomas Linley, singing-master and organiser of the concerts, a man who had plied chi

her to sing to him in his London palace, and had been so overcome by her gifts of beauty and melody that, with tears streaming down his cheeks, he had s

se, but abandoned the effort in despair, vowing tha

ng, would take t

it in

he link between an angel and a woman"; while Dr Charles Burney, supreme musi

luous-toned voice, a perfect shake and intonation, she was possessed of the double power of delighting an a

pole also paid th

ree. The king admires and ogles her as much as

Gainsborough and Reynolds immortalised in two of their inspired canvases-the latter as Cecilia-her face almost superh

not to win, her. But Elizabeth Linley was no coquette; nor was she a foolish girl whose head could be turned by a handsome face or pretty compliments, or whose eyes could be dazzled by the glitter of wealth and rank. She was wedded to her music, and no lover, she vowed, should wean her

his name, and to the eyes of the poor singing-master his gold-bags were irresistible. Her elderly wooer loaded his bride-to-be with costly presents; he showered jewels on her, bought her a troussea

esponse to Miss Linley's pleading that he would withdraw his suit, since her heart could never be his, and by withdrawing shield her from her father's anger. However this may have been, Mr Long st

his appearance at Bath-a youth (for such he was) whose life was destined to be dramatically linked with hers. This newcomer into the arena of love was none other than Richard Brinsley Sheridan, gr

d him "dull, naturally dull. Such an excess of stupidity," he added, "is not in nature." But, in spite of his dulness, "Sherry"-as he was commo

in love with Elizabeth Linley, with whom their sister had been equally quick to strike

"both professed to love me-but yet I preferred the youngest,

heridan seemed born to win he

he brilliancy of genius, and were soft as a tender and affectionate heart could render them. The same playful fancy, t

his name and share his glories. From the first sight of her he was hopelessly in love, although none but his sister knew it. He was little m

when his Oxford chum, Halhed, his dearest friend and the colleague of his youthful pen, fell a victim to Elizabeth's charms, and, in his innocence, begged Sheridan to plead hi

ngerous reputation won in the lists of love. At sight of the fair Nightingale in the Assembly Rooms this hero of many conquests was himself laid low. He was frantically in love, and before many days had passed

end; and the result of the conferences was that an excellent plan was evolved. Richard was to worm himself into the confidence of the Major, and, in the character of friend and well-wisher, was to advise him, as a matter of diplomacy, to cease his attentions to Miss Linley for a time. Meanwhile arrangements were to b

e Major was induced by subtle pleading to leave Miss L

a of illness) to set out on their journey. Sheridan brought a sedan-chair to Mr Linley's house in the Crescent, in which he had Miss Linley conveyed to a

ly escort to a distressed lady, whatever deeper scheme, unknown to her, may have been in his mind

could not, in honour, leave her in a convent except as his wife; that he had loved her since first he met her more than anything else in life,

om indifferent, Miss Linley could not remain deaf. And before the coach had travelled many miles from Calais the runaways fou

ion. No, it was that delicacy, that tender interest which you seemed to

to reclaim and carry off his runaway daughter; and Sheridan was left to follow ignominiously in their wake. When he reached Bath it was to fin

character and that of a young lady, innocent as far as relates to me or my knowledge, since which he has neither taken notice of my letters, nor even informed his own family of the plac

lt of which was that the Major was compelled to make an apology, as public as his insult. But, so far was he from pen

ground. Matthews, however, being much the stronger, was able to pin Sheridan down, and with a piece of the broken sword stabbed him repeatedly in the face. "Beg your

of the throat and pinned him to the ground with it, exclaiming, 'I have done for him.' He then left the field, ac

he hung betwixt life and death. On hearing of his condition Miss Linley (who at the time was singing at Cambridge) travelled pos

e relented and given their approval of the union, however improvident and inexcusable it might appear to them. But, on both sides, they we

g not only his wife but her father, home nightly from the concert-room, without either of them suspecting his identity. When at last he revealed himself to his wife, her delight was so great as to leave no doubt of the si

caring nothing of the future. They were days of simple delights; for their entire income was the interest of Mr Long's ￡3000, which proved ample for their needs. Mrs Sheridan, now at the zenith of her fame, might have won thousands b

ich he felt that it was his destiny to shine, for an arena in which he could do justice to the gifts which were clamouring for scope and exercise. And thus, to Mrs Sheridan's last

charm, supplemented by his wife's beauty and gift of song, soon surrounded them with a fashionable crowd eager to eat his dinners and to attend his wife's soirées. Sheridan was in his element in this environment of luxury and

by debts; and under this impulse of necessity it was that he wooed fortune with The Rivals, and awoke to find himself famous and potentially rich. Other comedies followed swiftly from his eager and inspired pen-The School for Scandal, The D

hat Sheridan's fame was

d, and, henceforth, I expect I shall be just Mr Sheridan's wife. Nor could I wish any more exalted title.

he declares, "and be perfectly satisfied at such a distance from you. I depended upon your coming to-night, and shall not recover my spirits till we meet." But through her letters runs the same hankering after the old

y Stafford suffrages; and from his first appearance at Westminster captivated his fellow law-makers by the magic of his eloquence. A new star had arisen in the oratorical firmament, and soon began to pale all other luminaries. Within two years he was a Minister of

t sensational triumph of her husba

is display of genius, eloquence and goodness.... What my feelings must be, you can only imagine. To tell you the truth, it is with some difficulty that I can 'let down my mind,' as M

ed, and his marvellous intellect clouded by excessive drinking, before the fatal seeds of consumption, which had already carried off her dearly-loved sister, began to show themselves in her

iece) a little while, and played several slow movements out of her own head, with her usual expression, but with a very trembling hand. It was so like the last effo

ne days later she was laid to rest in Wells Cathedral, thousands flocking to pay farewell homage to the closest link the world has ever known "between an angel and a