SHERIDAN. 527 s i t down, with observing, that the most serious parts o f his arguments appear t o me t o b e the most ludicrous.” Mr. Sheridan, now entirely relinquishing the Muses, became a regular attendant i n St. Stephen's chapel; and both there, and a t a l l the public meetings o f the time, was a strenuous opposer o f the American war, and conse quently, a violent foe t o Lord North's administration. On the conclusion o f hostilities, h e joined with many celebrated men, i n a plan, for procuring a reform i n Par liament; and actually sat i n a convention for that express purpose, with Mr. Pitt, the Duke o f Norfolk, the Rev. Mr. Wyvill, then chairman o f the Yorkshire Committee; Sir Cecil Wray, Bart. and a multitude o f other distin guished characters. On this, a s o n many similar occasions, h e went much further than his party either wished, o r intended; the Whigs, considered a s a body, being sup posed never t o have been very fond o f that measure. Notwithstanding this, h e was now deemed s o able, and a t the same time, s o useful a n assistant, that when the Rockingham party, i n 1782, vaulted into the seat o f power, h e was immediately nominated under-secretary t o his friend Mr. Fox, who was selected a t that period, t o preside over the foreign department. I n this new and arduous situa tion, time sufficient for a display o f his abilities was not allowed, for the Earl o f Shelburne having been declared first lord o f the treasury, b y the especial intervention o f the king, o n the lamented demise o f the Marquis o f Rock ingham, Mr. Fox resigned, after a few months enjoyment o f office, and was o f course followed b y his secretary. Mr. Sheridan, who had before engaged i n the “English man,” now joined i n a similar periodical paper, called “The Jesuit;” but i t ought t o b e here explicitly stated, that h e was not the author o f that bitter attack o n a great personage, which afterwards produced a prosecution o n the part o f his majesty's attorney-general, and a twelve month's imprisonment t o the publisher. A t length, a reconciliation having taken place between Mr. Fox and Lord North, who had bitterly attacked each
