Love, like a Meteor, shews a short liv'd blaze.
Lansdown, The Jew of Venice.

BUT within two months of his wife's death, all the world
knew that Sheridan was in love with the beautiful Pam-
ela. In October 1792 Lady Malmesbury asked Lady
Elliott, "Did I tell you that he is in love with Mme. de Gen-
lis's Pamela?" Mme. de Genlis narrated how in England she
was honoured by the kindness of Charles Fox, and Sheridan,
who "was naturally of an agreeable disposition, but was still
more pleasing to us as he was passionately in love with Pamela,
and being a widower, was desirous of marrying her." She was
lively, says Rogers, quite radiant with beauty, and Sheridan
even tried to compliment her by writing poems in French,
though he hardly knew anything about the language -- he sat
all one evening labouring at a copy of verses to her, every now
and then jotting a few words on paper.

He entertained Mme. de Genlis, Pamela, and the Princess,
who was then known as Mlle. d' Orleans, at his seat in Isleworth
for five or six weeks at the close of 1792, giving a splendid fête
in honour of Pamela.

At the end of November Sheridan and Reid accompanied
them from Isleworth to Dover; adverse wind detained them for
five days at Dover, during which time Sheridan remained with
them. Two days before they sailed Sheridan made, in the pres-
ence of Mme. de Genlis, a declaration of love to Pamela, who
was charmed by "his agreeable manner and high character, and
accepted the offer of his hand with pleasure. It was settled that

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