A Matter of Honour: The Duel in Thomas Moore's Life of Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Shortly after Sheridan's death in 1816, Thomas Moore (without previous experience in the field) agreed to write his biography. This was no small undertaking, as Sheridan had a reputation for sexual, political and financial infidelity. Moore's first task, however, was to account for Sheridan's early duels, memories of which had been revived in the Tory press. This essay examines how Moore attempted, using unpublished documents, to defend his protagonist. While the politics of this endeavour are important, attention is also paid to how Moore exploited a private archive to establish his own status as an author, confidant and moral guide.