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Show TAls TOLD OF QHERIDAN. Parclorauie Eccentricities of the Great I iaywriQht. lo grnndinthcr of tho author of "ino School for Scandal" and "Tho Rivals" Is said to havo forfeited his rhaplalncy 1 tatting its tho text of a ernion nn the birthday of deorgo I. tho word, "Sufficient unto tho day ts tho evil thereof." Hut tho loss troubled him little, for ho was a gay, whimsical soul, who loved a Joke as dearly as his vorsatllo grandson did. In his schooldays they called Rich ord Shorldan "an Impenetrable dunce." Ho became tho most brilliant play-wilglit play-wilglit of hl age, ono of tho most successful manngers that over catered to London, and one of the bravest and most eloquent politicians that has served tho Kngllsh people. Ho was an henest man at heart, but lucked wpfu!-ly wpfu!-ly In a sonse of responsibility. Ho drank to excess, but that was an almost al-most universal vlco among tho flno gentlemen of his day. On tho night of tho original production of "Tho School for Scandal." which was a tremendous tre-mendous success from tho first, ho was knocked down and thrown Into tho watchhouse for being drunk and quarrelsome In tho streets. Arrested upon another occasion In tho llko condition, con-dition, he was asked his name by tho constable. When It Anally dawned upon him what was wanted ho struck an attltudo of great dignity, and, giving giv-ing tho revered name of tho most eminent emi-nent dlvlno In London, answered "WI1-borforce." "WI1-borforce." His admiration of Mrs. SIddons, the tragic actress, amounted to Idolatry, and Rogers, tho poet, onco said to him, "Your admiration of Mrs. SIddons is to high that I wonder you never made open love to her." "To hor!" Sheridan Sheri-dan cried; "to that magnificent and appalling creature! I should as soon think of making love to the Archblsh-no Archblsh-no of Canterbury." |