Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/522

 518 SHERIDAN. opposition. He engaged Mr. Digges, and Mrs. Ward, Theophilus Cibber, and Maddox the wire dancer (the two last of whom were cast away going to Dublin), and also acceded to the terms proposed by Mrs. Fitzhenry. This lady, however, by this time began to entertain doubts of the payment of her salary, and demanded security for it; which demand, unprecedented, on a manager, so much incensed Mr. Sheridan, that he wrote a letter immediately to shew his resentment, and at the same time expressed his doubts of his being able to be in Dublin that season, as he had intended. This caused Mrs. Fitzhenry to engage with the rival theatre. The remainder of this very short season was productive of nothing but disgrace and disappointment; loss succeeded loss—the receipts fell short—the performers and tradesmen were unpaid—and on the 27th of April, 1759, the theatre on Mr. Sheridan's account was entirely closed. During this period, how ever, Mr. Sheridan was not idle. He had composed his lectures on elocution, and began to deliver them in London, at Oxford, at Cambridge, and other places, with very great success. At Cambridge, on the 16th of March, 1759, he was honoured with the same degree he had received at Dublin, that of master of arts. In the winter of 1760, he engaged at Drury-lane with Mr. Garrick, on certain shares. He also represented Horatio, in the “Fair Penitent,” and John, in “King John,” to Mr. Garrick's Lothario and Faulconbridge; and some characters, such as Hamlet and Richard, they each played with little difference as to the bulk of their audiences. This union, though favourable to both parties, was soon brought to an end. The marked approbation of his majesty to Mr. Sheridan's King John, excited the jealousy of Mr. Garrick, who would not suffer the play to be afterwards performed. Differences ensued between them, meetings of friends followed, but without effect, and they parted with mutual signs of animosity. In the year 1760, King George the Second died; and with a new reign, under a young monarch, who loved the arts, and professed to encourage them, every person who had