“MY DEAR HORATIO”

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divided from you. Oh, my love, how vain are your doubts and suspicions; believe me, if I thought it possible for me to change my present sentiments of you, I should despise myself. Never shall you have the least reason to suspect my constancy or my love. I am in a very gloomy disposition to-night, but I will not give way to it. I will try to forget every

. disagreeable circumstance, and only look forward to those happy hours which I hope are still in store for

With what rapture shall we meet, when we may do so without constraint, when I may live in your arms without the fear of parents, or (care for] the ill-natured world. I could write to you without ever leaving off, but my sister insists on my coming to bed. It is now near one o'clock, and I am to be up by five to-morrow. God bless you, my ever dear Horatio. Think of me while I am absent, and don't let any idea disturb your peace in regard to me, for while I live I can never cease to be your own Eliza.”

Miss Linley was engaged in writing the following letter when Sheridan was accepting a challenge from Mathews to fight a second duel :-“Oxford, Monday, 12 o'clock. How shall I account to my dear Horatio for my long silence ? Will he permit me to excuse myself by pleading the continual hurry which I have been in since I parted from him ? Indeed, nothing should have hindered my writing before but the shocking situation I was in, all day confined to my business, and at night my mother took away the candle for fear I should read. It was an absolute impossibility to elude her vigi

13

VOL. I.

lance. We came here this morning, and I have taken the first opportunity to assure you of my unabated love.

Whilst I was at Chester, I went to the Masquerade, but such a scene of confusion and fright I never saw, and sincerely hope I never shall again. Mrs. Williams (whose husband was the principal leader in the affair) made it her business to insist on our going with her, and she was so pressing, my father could not refuse her. I own as I had never seen anything of the kind I had some curiosity, but it is perfectly satisfied. I would not go through the fatigue of another for the world. We had two dresses apiece. Mine was a pilgrim and a Spanish lady; Polly's a shepherdess and another pilgrim. The crowd was so great at the door, that, before I could get into the room, the fright overcame me and I fainted in the midst of them. On the return of my senses I found somebody going to pull me by my legs, as you would a dead horse ; this roused me, and I gave them a hearty kick.

I “Luckily a gentleman that I knew came by who took care of me home, where I was going to pull off my finery and stay at home, but I was prevented by Mrs. Williams who came to fetch me to my mother and sister who had made their way through the crowd and was got safe. At last I got to this famous affair, but never was disappointment equal to mine, to see such a nonsensical puppet show. I walked about as tired of the Masquerade as I am at a long sermon. The impudent looks and speeches of the men were too much for me. I forgot that I v.]

CANTABS AND OXONIANS

195

had a mask on and really felt myself very much affronted at their ill-bred stares. So much for the masquerade.

“At Cambridge there was nothing but the music which was very fine. I was extremely ill for two days. I was taken ill țin the church during the Oratorio of Samson. I fainted and was carried out. This raised no small bustle among the Cantabs, as they call them. I need not describe them to you, they are a strange set; though, upon the whole, I really think they are more rational beings than the Oxonians. It seems there is to be a very great riot here on one of the nights. They don't like the music, and intend calling the Governors to an account. How it will end God knows.

If I find you

cannot tell how much I long to see you, to ask you a thousand questions. Oh, my dear Horatio, I have had many perplexing thoughts since I have been absent, but I will hope for the best. well and happy on my return I shall be content. It is much if I am not with you as soon as this letter. Till then receive my tenderest affections, and let me find you constant as I left you. If my prayers are granted, I shall once more embrace my Horatio, and convince him how sincerely I am his Eliza."1

1 Not content with giving vent to her feelings in prose, Miss Linley often expressed them in verse. In her day young men and women rhymed with ease on any occasion. Her verse-making knack was superior, however, to that of many contemporaries. The last six stanzas from a poem called “ Eliza's Choice,” will serve to show its quality :

1.

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VI.

FROM BATH TO EAST BURNHAM.

SHERIDAN and Miss Linley saw less of each other after plighting their troth before a Roman Catholic priest near Calais than they had previously done when simple friends in Bath. Neither of them had the courage to reveal what had' occurred, and each may have felt that the ceremony was informal, if not illegal. Their position was a false one, and it led to misunderstandings which could not easily be explained. They met on the footing of strangers and they corresponded by stealth. Meanwhile, the villain of the drama was not idle. Though worsted in a duel and compelled to sue for life, Mathews had not renounced the design of rendering himself obnoxious, while cherishing the desire to revenge his tarnished honour by killing Miss Linley's champion.

The course of events is thus traced by Mrs. Henry Lefanu :-"In May, 1772, Mr. Charles Sheridan was, through the interest of Mr. Wheatley, a friend of his father's, appointed Secretary to the Legation in Sweden. His father went to London with him to make the necessary preparations for his entering on