, an eminent mnsic professor and organist, long resident at Bath,
, an eminent mnsic professor and organist, long resident at Bath, where he had served an apprenticeship under Chilcot, the organist of that city, was a
studious man, equally versed in the theory and practice
of his art. Having a large family of children, in whom he
found the seeds of genius had been planted by nature, and
the gift of voice, in order to cultivate this, he pointed
his studies to singing, and became the best singing-master
of his time, if we may judge by the specimens of “his
success in his own family. He was not only a masterly
player on the organ and harpsichord, but a good composer,
as his elegies and several compositions for Drury-lane
theatre evinced. His son Thomas, who was placed under
Nardini at Florence, the celebrated disciple of Tartini,
was a fine performer on the violin, with a talent for composition, which, if he had lived to develope, would have
given longevity to his fame. Being at Grimsthorpe, in
Lincolnshire, at the seat of the duke of Ancaster, where
he often amused himself in rowing, fishing, and sailing in a
boat on a piece of water, in a squall of wind, or by some accident, the boat was overset, and this amiable and promising
youth was drowned at an early age, to the great affliction
of his family and friends, particularly his matchless sister,
Mrs. Sheridan, whom this calamity rendered miserable for
a long time; during which, her affection and grief appeared in verses of the most sweet and affecting kind on
the sorrowful event. The beauty, talents, and mental
endowments of this
” Sancta Caecilia rediviva," will be
remembered to the last hour of all who heard, or even saw
and conversed with her. The tone of her voice and expressive manner of singing were as enchanting as her
countenance and conversation. In her singing, with a
mellifluous-toned voice, a perfect shake and intonation,
she was possessed of the double power of delighting an
audience equally in pathetic strains and songs of brilliant
execution, which is allowed to very tew singers. When
she had heard the Agujari and the Danzi, afterwards madame le Brun, she astonished all hearers by performing
their bravura airs, extending the natural compass of her
voice a fourth above the highest note of the harpsichord,
before additional keys were in fashion. Mrs. Sheridan
died at Bristol in 1792.