the music in Orchard Street to-morrow se'nnight. Every hour's delay is a
material injury both to the opera and the theatre, so that if you can
come and relieve us from this perplexity, the return of the post must
only forerun your arrival; or (what will make us much happier) might it
not bring _you_? I shall say nothing at present about the lady
'with the soft look and manner,' because I am full of more than hopes of
seeing you. For the same reason I shall delay to speak about G---;
[Footnote: Garrick] only this much I will say, that I am more than ever
positive I could make good my part of the matter; but that I still
remain an infidel as to G.'s retiring, or parting with his share, though
I confess he _seems_ to come closer to the point in naming his
price.

"Your ever sincere and affectionate,

"R. B. SHERIDAN."

On the opposite leaf of this letter is written, in Mrs. S.'s
handwriting,--"Dearest Father, I shall have no spirits or hopes of the
opera, unless we see you.

"ELIZA ANN SHERIDAN."

In answer to these pressing demands, Mr. Linley, as appears by the
following letter, signified his intention of being in town as soon as
the music should be put in rehearsal. In the instructions here given by
the poet to the musician, we may perceive that he somewhat apprehended,
even in the tasteful hands of Mr. Linley, that predominance of harmony
over melody, and of noise over both, which is so fatal to poetry and
song, in their perilous alliance with an orchestra. Indeed, those