'
From Swift, there was an easy transition to Mr. Thomas
Sheridan--JOHNSON. 'Sheridan is a wonderful admirer of the tragedy of
Douglas, and presented its authour with a gold medal. Some years ago, at
a coffee-house in Oxford, I called to him, "Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Sheridan,
how came you to give a gold medal to Home, for writing that foolish
play?" This you see, was wanton and insolent; but I MEANT to be wanton
and insolent. A medal has no value but as a stamp of merit. And was
Sheridan to assume to himself the right of giving that stamp? If
Sheridan was magnificent enough to bestow a gold medal as an honorary
reward of dramatick excellence, he should have requested one of the
Universities to choose the person on whom it should be conferred.
Sheridan had no right to give a stamp of merit: it was counterfeiting
Apollo's coin.'
On Monday, March 27, I breakfasted with him at Mr Strahan's. He told us,
that he was engaged to go that evening to Mrs. Abington's benefit. 'She
was visiting some ladies whom I was visiting, and begged that I would
come to her benefit.
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