Nathaniel Brassey Halhed - Literary Ambitions

Literary Ambitions

Halhed also had a literary ambition to which end he corresponded with Sheridan and worked together to bring their ventures to reality. Their projects were not successful although they worked laboriously on several works like the Crazy Tales and the more important farce called Ixiom which was later referred to as Jupiter. The latter did not make it to the stage and Halhed left for India even before it was absolute that their venture had failed. One work, The Love Epistles of Aristaenetus. Translated from the Greek into English Metre, was a success of sorts which was written by Halhed and revised by Sheridan and published anonymously. Although it did make a stir, yet, two years after its publication the book was harshly criticised and stamped as a failure.

There has been considerable debate over the authorship of the Epistles. It was widely thought that Sheridan had written the piece while Halhed had merely laid its foundations. This has been proven as false but it did, even if in a slight manner, ignite what would become a bitter rivalry between the two friends over an Elizabeth Linley who was liked by both the young men and who chose Sheridan over Halhed. Their friendship came to an end when Halhed sailed for Calcutta and returned to sit on the opposite side in the parliament being allied to bitter enemies.