1751-1816
[Sidenote: Moore’s _Life of Sheridan_.]
“It has been seen, by a letter of his sister already given, that,
when young, he was generally accounted handsome; but in later years
his eyes were the only testimonials of beauty which remained to him.
It was, indeed, in the upper part of his face that the spirit of the
man chiefly reigned; the dominion of the world and the senses being
rather strongly marked out in the lower. In his person, he was above
the middle size, and his general make was, as I have already said,
robust and well-proportioned. It is remarkable that his arms, though of
powerful strength, were thin, and appeared by no means muscular. His
hands were small and delicate; and the following couplet, written on
the cast of one of them, very livelily enumerates both its physical and
moral qualities:--
‘Good at a fight, better at a Play,
God-like in giving, but--the Devil to pay!’”
[Sidenote: Jerdan’s _Men I have known_.]
“I have seen his large beautiful eyes speak sadly, even while his
brilliant tongue was rehearsing the gayest sentiments and the finest
wit.... What a portrait to pronounce of intellect is that by Sir
Joshua! The head so fine, the expression so brilliant, and the lower
part of the countenance, in the prime of life, without the sensuous
encroachment of luxurious indulgence upon later years. And how
light-hearted the look.”
[Sidenote: Gantter’s _Standard Poets of Great Britain_.]
“Sheridan was above the middle size, and of a make robust and
well-proportioned. In his youth, his family said, he had been handsome;
but in his latter years he had nothing left to show for it but his
eyes. ‘It was, indeed, in the upper part of his face,’ says Mr. Moore,
‘that the spirit of the man chiefly reigned; the dominion of the world
and the senses being rather strongly marked out in the lower.’”