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as Mr. Colman, then manager of Covent Garden grossed by his person and performances, that the theatre, protested against the comedy, when as yet progress of the play seemed likely to become a se he had not struck upon a name for it. Johnson condary object, and I found it prudent to insinuate at length stood forth in all his terrors as champion to him that he might halt his music without any for the piece, and backed by us, his clients and re- prejudice to the author; but, alas! it was now too tainers, demanded a fair trial. Colman again pro- late to rein him in: he had laughed upon my sigtested; but, with that salvo for his own reputation, nal where he found no joke, and now unluckily he liberally lent his stage to one of the most eccentric fancied that he found a joke in almost every thing productions that ever found its way to it; and that was said; so that nothing in nature could be 'She Stoops to Conquer' was put into rehearsal. more mal-a-propos than some of his bursts every "We were not over sanguine of success, but now and then were. These were dangerous moperfectly determined to struggle hard for our au- ments, for the pit began to take umbrage; but we thor: we accordingly assembled our strength at the carried our point through, and triumphed not only Shakspeare Tavern in a considerable body for an over Colman's judgment but our own." early dinner, where Samuel Johnson took the The victory thus achieved was a source of infichair at the head of a long table, and was the life nite exultation to Goldsmith, not more from the and soul of the corps: the poet took post silently pride of success, than from the mortification he by his side, with the Burkes, Sir Joshua Reynolds, imagined it caused to the manager, at whom he Fitzherbert, Caleb Whitefoord, and a phalanx of was not a little piqued in consequence of the folNorth British predetermined applauders, under lowing circumstance.

the banner of Major Mills, all good men and true. On the first night of performance he did not Our illustrious president was in inimitable glee: come to the house till towards the close of the reand poor Goldsmith that day took all his raillery presentation, having rambled into St. James's as patiently and complacently as my friend Bos- Park to ruminate on the probable fate of his piece; well would have done any day, or every day of his and such was his anxiety and apprehension, that life. In the mean time we did not forget our du- he was with much difficulty prevailed on to repair ty; and though we had a better comedy going, in to the theatre, on the suggestion of a friend, who which Johnson was chief actor, we betook our-pointed out the necessity of his presence, in order selves in good time to our separate and allotted to mark any objectionable passages, for the purpose posts, and waited the awful drawing up of the cur- of omission or alteration in the repetition of the tain. As our stations were preconcerted, so were performance. With expectation suspended beour signals for plaudits arranged and determined tween hope and fear, he had scarcely entered the upon in a manner that gave every one his cue passage that leads to the stage, when his ears were where to look for them, and how to follow them up. shocked with a hiss, which came from the audience "We had amongst us a very worthy and efficient as a token of their disapprobation of the farcical member, long since lost to his friends and the supposition of Mrs. Hardcastle being so deluded world at large, Adam Drummond, of amiable me as to suppose herself at a distance of fifty miles mory, who was gifted by nature with the most so- from home while she was actually not distant fifty norous, and at the same time the most contagious, yards. Such was our poor author's tremor and laugh that ever echoed from the human lungs. agitation on this unwelcome salute, that running The neighing of the horse of the son of Hystaspes up to the manager, he exclaimed, "What's that? was a whisper to it; the whole thunder of the thea- what's that?"-"Pshaw, doctor!" replied Colman, tre could not drown it. This kind and ingenu- in a sarcastic tone, "don't be terrified at squibs, ous friend fairly forewarned us, that he knew no when we have been sitting these two hours upon more when to give his fire than the cannon did a barrel of gunpowder." The pride of Goldsmith that was planted on a battery. He desired, there- was so mortified by this remark, that the friendship fore, to have a flapper at his elbow, and I had the which had before subsisted between him and the honour to be deputed to that office. I planted him manager was from that moment dissolved. in an upper box, pretty nearly over the stage, in The play of "She Stoops to Conquer" is foundfull view of the pit and galleries, and perfectly welled upon the incident already related, which befel situated to give the echo all its play through the the author in his younger days, when he mistook hollows and recesses of the theatre. The success a gentleman's house for an inn. Although, from of our manœuvres was complete. All eyes were the extravagance of the plot, and drollery of the upon Johnson, who sat in a front row of a side incidents, we must admit that the piece is very box; and when he laughed, every body thought nearly allied to farce, yet the dialogue is carried on themselves warranted to roar. In the mean time in such pure and elegant language, and the strokes my friend followed signals with a rattle so irresisti- of wit and humour are so easy and natural, that bly comic, that, when he had repeated it several few productions of the drama afford more pleasure tines, the attention of the spectators was so en- in the representation. It still keeps possession a

"FOR THE LONDON PACKET.

TO DR. GOLDSMITH.

"Vous vous noyez par vanité.

the stage as a stock play, and is frequently acted; | Packet" of the 24th March, 1773, published by a circumstance which proves the accuracy of the Mr. Thomas Evans, bookseller in Paternosteropinion expressed by Dr. Johnson, "that he knew row. Both the manner and the matter are unof no comedy for many years that had so much worthy of Kenrick, who was a man of talents. It exhilarated an audience; that had answered so was probably the work of a more obscure hand. much the great end of comedy-that of making an audience merry." In publishing this play, Goldsmith paid his friend Johnson the compliment of a dedication, and expressed in the strongest manner the high regard he entertained for him. "By inscribing this slight performance to you," said he, "SIR,-The happy knack which you have "I do not mean so much to compliment you as myself. It may do me some honour to inform the learnt of puffing your own compositions, provokes public, that I have lived many years in intimacy me to come forth. You have not been the editor with you. It may serve the interests of mankind of newspapers and magazines, not to discover the also to inform them, that the greatest wit may be trick of literary humbug: but the gauze is so thin, found in a character without impairing the most that the very foolish part of the world see through it, and discover the doctor's monkey face, and unaffected piety." The good fortune which attended this drama cloven foot. Your poetic vanity is as unpardona. was productive of its usual concomitants-a mixed ble as your personal. Would man believe it, and portion of applause and censure, with instances of will woman bear it, to be told, that for hours the fulsome flattery and furious detraction. While great Goldsmith will stand surveying his grotesque from less fortunate bards, whose poverty induced orang-outang's figure in a pier glass? Was but the them to solicit his bounty, he received the incense lovely H-k as much enamoured, you would not of adulation in a torrent of congratulatory address-sigh, my gentle swain, in vain. But your vanity is es; from others, more independent, who were preposterous. How will this same bard of Bedlam jealous of his reputation, and envied his success, he experienced all the virulence of malignant criticism and scurrilous invective. A single instance of each may gratify the curiosity of our readers.

"ON DR. GOLDSMITH'S COMEDY

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER.'

"Quite sick in her bed Thalia was laid,

A sentiment puke had quite kill'd the sweet maid,
Her bright eyes lost all of their fire;

ring the changes in the praise of Goldy! But what has he to be either proud or vain of? The Traveller' is a flimsy poem, built upon false principles— principles diametrically opposite to liberty. What is The Good-natured Man' but a poor, water-gruel, dramatic dose? What is the 'Deserted Village' but a pretty poem, of easy numbers, without fancy, dignity, genius, or fire? And pray what may be the last speaking pantomime, so praised by the doctor himself, but an incoherent piece of stuff. the figure of a woman with a fish's tail, without plot, incident, or intrigue? We are made to laugh at stale dull jokes, wherein we mistake pleasantry for wit, and grimace for humour; wherein every scene is unnatural, and inconsistent with the rules, the laws of nature, and of the drama: viz. two gentlemen come to a man of fortune's house, eat, drink, etc. and take it for an inn. The one is intended as a lover for the daughter: he talks with her for some hours: and when he sees her again in a different dress, he treats her as a bar-girl, and swears she squinted. He abuses the master of the house, and threatens to kick him out of his own grate-doors. The 'squire, whom we are told is to be a

When a regular doctor, one Goldsmith by name,
Found out her disorder as soon as he came,
And has made her (for ever 'twill crown all his fame)
As lively as one can desire.

"Oh! doctor, assist a poor bard who lies ill,
Without e'er a nurse, e'er a potion, or pill:

From your kindness he hopes for some ease.
You're a 'good-natured man' all the world does allow,
O would your good-nature but shine forth just now,
In a manner-I'm sure your good sense will tell how,
Your servant most humbly 'twould please!

"The bearer is the author's wife, and an an-
swer from Dr. Goldsmith by her, will be ever
fully acknowledged by his humble servant,
'JOHN OAKMAN.'
"Saturday, March 27, 1773."

The other instance exhibits an attempt to check the author' triumph on the ninth night after the representation of his play. It was a most illiberal personal attack, in the form of a letter (supposed to be written by Dr. Kenrick,) addressed to GoldBraith himself, and inserted in "The London

fool, proves the most sensible being of the piece; and he makes out a whole act, by bidding his mother lie close behind a bush, persuading her that his father, her own husband, is a highwayman, and that he has ceme to cut their throats, and, to give his cousin an opportunity to go off, he drives his mother over hedges, ditches, and through ponds. There is not, sweet sucking Johnson, a natural stroke in the whole play, but the young fellow's

"TO THE PUBLIC.

giving the stolen jewels to the mother, supposing| her to be the landlady. That Mr. Colman did no justice to this piece, I honestly allow; that he told his friends it would be damned, 1 positively aver; "Lest it may be supposed, that I have been wiland, from such ungenerous insinuations, without a ling to correct in others an abuse of what I have dramatic merit, it rose to public notice; and it is been guilty myself, I beg leave to declare, that in now the ton to go and see it, though I never saw all my life I never wrote or dictated a single paraa person that either liked it, or approved it, any graph, letter, or essay in a newspaper, except a few more than the absurd plot of Home's tragedy of moral essays, under the character of a Chinese, 'Alonzo.' Mr. Goldsmith, correct your arrogance, about ten years ago, in the 'Ledger;' and a letter, reduce your vanity: and endeavour to believe, as a to which I signed my name, in the 'St. James's Chronicle.' If the liberty of the press, therefore, man, you are of the plainest sort; and; as an auhas been abused, I have had no hand in it. thor, but a mortal piece of mediocrity.

"Brise le miroir le infidèle,
"Qui vous cache la vérité.

"TOM TICKLE."

"I have always considered the press as the protector of our freedom;-as a watchful guardian, capable of uniting the weak against the encroachments of power. What concerns the public most properly admits of a public discussion. But, of late, the press has turned from defending public interest to making inroads upon private life; from combating the strong to overwhelming the feeble. No condition is now too obscure for its abuse; and the protector is become the tyrant of the people. In this manner, the freedom of the press is beginning

it from principle, and the weak from fear; till at last every rank of mankind shall be found to give up its benefits, content with security from its insults.

Indignant at the wanton scurrility of this letter, which was pointed out to him by the officious kindness of a friend, and enraged at the indelicacy of introducing the name of a lady with whom he was acquainted, Goldsmith, acccompanied by one of his countrymen, waited on Mr. Evans, and remonstrat- to sow its own dissolution; the great must oppose ed with him on the malignity and cruelty of such an unmerited attack upon private character. After arguing upon the subject, Evans, who had really no concern in the paper, except as publisher, went to examine the file; and while stooping down for it, the "How to put a stop to this licentiousness, by author was rashly advised by his friend to take that which all are indiscriminately abused, and by which opportunity of using his cane, which he imme-vice consequently escapes in the general censure, diately proceeded to do, and applied it to the pub-I am unable to tell. All I could wish is, that as lisher's shoulders. The latter, however, unexpect- the law gives us no protection against the injury, edly made a powerful resistance, and being a stout, so it should give calumniators no shelter after high-blooded Welshman, very soon returned the having provoked correction. The insults which blows with interest. Perceiving the turn that mat- we receive before the public, by being more open, ters were taking, Goldsmith's hot-headed friend are the more distressing. By treating them with fled out of the shop, leaving him in a sad plight, silent contempt, we do not pay a sufficient deferand nearly overpowered by the fierce Welshman. [ence to the opinion of the world. By recurring to In the mean time, Dr. Kenrick, who happened to legal redress, we too often expose the weakness of be in a private room of the publisher's, came forward the law, which only serves to increase our mortion hearing the noise, and interposed between the fication by failing to relieve us. In short, every combatants, so as to put an end to the fight. The man should singly consider himself as a guardian author, sorely bruised and battered, was then con- of the liberty of the press; and, as far as his influveyed to a coach; and Kenrick, though suspected ence can extend, should endeavour to prevent its lito be the writer of the libel, affecting great com-centiousness becoming at last the grave of its freepassion for his condition, conducted him home. dom. This ridiculous quarrel afforded considerable sport for the newspapers before it was finally made up. The composition of this address is so much in An action was threatened by Evans for the assault, the style of Dr. Johnson, that it was at first generbut it was at length compromised. Many para- ally believed to be the production of his pen. Johngraphs appeared, however, reflecting severely on son, however, always disclaimed any participation the impropriety of Goldsmith's attempting to beat in it; and his disavowal has since been recorded in a person in his own house; and to these he con- the volumes of Mr. Boswell. "On Saturday, ceived it incumbent on him to make a reply. Ac- April 3," says that gentleman, "the day after my cordingly the following justificatory address ap- arrival in London this year, I went to his (Dr. peared in "The Daily Advertiser" of Wednesday, Johnson's) house late in the evening, and sat with March 31, 1773. Mrs. Williams till he came home. I found, in the

"OLIVER GOLDSMITH."

'London Chronicle,' Dr. Goldsmith's apology to distress always awakened his sensibility, and emp the public for beating Evans, a bookseller, on ac- tied his purse. But what contributed more than count of a paragraph in a newspaper published by any other cause to exhaust his means and embarhim, which Goldsmith thought impertinent to him rass his affairs, was the return of his passion for and to a lady of his acquaintance. The apology gaming. The command of money had unfortuwas written so much in Dr. Johnson's manner, nately drawn him again into that pernicious habit, that both Mrs. Williams and I supposed it to be and he became the easy prey of the more knowing his; but when he came home he soon undeceived and experienced in the art. Notwithstanding the us when he said to Mrs. Williams, 'Well, Dr. amount of his receipts, therefore, poor Goldsmith, Goldsmith's manifesto has got into your paper,' I from the goodness of his heart, and his indiscretion asked him if Dr. Goldsmith had written it, with an at play, instead of being able to look forward to air that made him see I suspected it was his, though affluence, was involved in all the perplexities of subscribed by Goldsmith.-Johnson, Sir, Dr. debt.

Goldsmith would no more have asked me to write It is remarkable that about this time he attemptsuch a thing as that for him, than he would have ed to discard the ordinary address by which he asked me to feed him with a spoon, or to do any had been long recognised; rejecting the title of thing else that denoted his imbecility. I as much Doctor, and assuming that of plain Mr. Goldbelieve that he wrote it, as if I had seen him do it. smith. The motives that induced this innovation Sir, had he shown it to any one friend, he would have never been properly explained. Some have not have been allowed to publish it. He has, in- supposed that it was owing to a resolution never deed, done it very well; but it is a foolish thing well more to engage as a practical professor in the healdone. I suppose he has been so much elated with the ing art; while others have imagined that it was success of his new comedy, that he has thought prompted by his dislike to the constraint imposed every thing that concerned him must be of impor- by the grave deportment necessary to support the tance to the public.' Boswell; 'I fancy, sir, this is the appellation and character of Doctor, or perhaps first time that he has been engaged in such an adventure.' Johnson; Why, sir, I believe it is the first time he has beat; he may have been beaten before. This, sir, is a new plume to him.'"

from ambition to be thought a man of fashion rather than a mere man of letters. Whatever were the motives, he found it impossible to throw off a designation by which he had been so long and generally known; the world continued to call him Doctor (though he was only Bachelor of Medicine) till the day of his death, and posterity has perpetuated the title.

ning of 1774, and finally closed the literary labours of Goldsmith. During the progress of this undertaking, he is said to have received from the publisher eight hundred and fifty pounds of copy-money. Its character, as a work of literature and science, we have already noticed.

Had it not been for the painful and ludicrous circumstances attending this unlucky squabble, Goldsmith, in all probability, would have felt more than sufficiently elated with the success of his new comedy. Independent of the literary triumph it "The History of the Earth and Animated Naafforded him over the judgments of Colman and ture," on which he had been engaged about four others as critics, the pecuniary advantages he reap-years, at length made its appearance in the begined from it were equally satisfactory. He cleared, by this performance alone, upwards of eight hundred pounds. Indeed, the emolument which at this period Goldsmith derived from his various productions was considerable. In less than two years, it is computed that he realised not less than eighteen hundred pounds. This comprises the profits of The unfinished poem of "Retaliation," the only both his comedies, various sums received on ac-performance that remains to be noticed, owed its count of his "Animated Nature," which was still birth to some circumstances of festive merriment in progress, and the copy-money of his lives of that occurred at one of the meetings in St. James's Bolingbroke and Parnell. Nevertheless, within Coffee-house. The occasion that produced it is little more than a year after the receipt of these thus adverted to by Mr. Cumberland in his Mesums, his circumstances were by no means in a moirs: "It was upon a proposal started by Edmund prosperous condition. The profuse liberality with Burke, that a party of friends, who had dined towhich he assisted indigent authors was one of the gether at Sir Joshua Reynolds' and my house, causes which led to such a state of things. Pur- should meet at the St. James's Coffee-house; don, Pilkington, Hiffernan, and others, but parti- which accordingly took place, and was occasioncularly some of his own countrymen, hung per- ally repeated with much festivity and good fellowpetually about him, played upon his credulity, and, ship. Dr. Barnard, dean of Derry, a very amiaunder pretence of borrowing, literally robbed him ble and old friend of mine, Dr. Douglas, since of his money. Though duped again and again bishop of Salisbury, Johnson, David Garrick, Sir by some of these artful men, he never could steel Joshua Reynolds, Oliver Goldsmith, Edmund and bis heart against their applications. A story of Richard Burke, Hickey, with two or three others

tonstituted our party. At one of these meetings, On the evening that Goldsmith produced "Rean idea was suggested of extemporary epitaphs upon taliation" he read it in full club, and the members the parties present; pen and ink were called for, were afterwards called on for their opinions. Some and Garrick off hand wrote an epitaph with a good expatiated largely in its praise, and others seemed deal of humour upon poor Goldsmith, who was the to be delighted with it; yet, when its publication first in jest, as he proved to be in reality, that we was suggested, the prevailing sentiment was decommitted to the grave. The dean also gave him cidedly hostile to such a measure. Goldsmith hence an epitaph, and Sir Joshua illuminated the dean's discovered, that a little sprinkling of fear was not verses with a sketch of his bust in pen and ink, an unnecessary ingredient in the friendship of the inimitably caricatured. Neither Johnson nor Burke world; and though he meant not immediately to wrote any thing; and when I perceived Oliver was publish his poem, he determined to keep it, as he rather sore, and seemed to watch me with that kind expressed himself to a friend, "as a rod in pickle of attention which indicated his expectation of for any future occasion that might occur." But something in the same kind of burlesque with this occasion never presented itself: a more awful theirs, I thought it time to press the joke no far- period was now approaching.

ther, and wrote a few couplets at a side-table;| A short time previous to this, he had projected which, when I had finished, and was called upon an important literary work, under the title of "A by the company to exhibit, Goldsmith, with much Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences." In agitation, besought me to spare him; and I was this undertaking he is said to have engaged all his about to tear them, when Johnson wrested them literary friends, including most of the members of out of my hand, and in a loud voice read them at the Literary Club, particularly Johnson, Reynolds, the table. I have now lost all recollection of them, and Burke, who promised to promote the design and in fact they were little worth remembering; with all their interest, and to furnish him with but as they were serious and complimentary, the original articles on various subjects to be embraced effect they had upon Goldsmith was the more pleas-by the work. So much had he this project at ing for being so entirely unexpected. The con- heart,—so sanguine was he of its success,—and so cluding line, which is the only one I can call to mind, was

'All mourn the poet, I lament the man.' This I recollect, because he repeated it several times, and seemed much gratified by it. At our next meeting, he produced his epitaphs as they stand in the little posthumous poem abovemen

tioned; and this was the last time he ever enjoyed the company of his friends."

The delicacy with which Mr. Cumberland acted on this occasion, and the compliment he paid to our author, were not thrown away. In drawing the character of Cumberland in return, Goldsmith, while he demonstrated his judgment as a critic, proved his gratitude and friendship at the same time, in designating him,

little doubt did he entertain of encouragement from the booksellers, that without previous concert with any one of the trade, he actually printed and published the Prospectus at his own expense. These gentlemen, however, were not, at that time, disof course received his proposals so coldly, that he posed to enter upon so heavy an undertaking, and found himself obliged to abandon the design. It is

supposed that he had fondly promised himself relief from his pecuniary difficulties by this scheme, and consequently his chagrin at the disappointment the circumstance to his friends; and there is little was the more keenly felt. He frequently lamented doubt that it contributed, with other vexations, to aggravate the disease which ended in his dissolution.

dency. While in this unhappy condition, he was attacked by a nervous fever in the spring of 1774.

Goldsmith had been, for some years, occasionally "The Terence of England, the mender of hearts." afflicted with a strangury. The attacks of this Other members of the club, however, were hit off disease had latterly become more frequent and viowith a much smaller portion of compliment, and lent; and these, combined with anxiety of mind on for the most part with more truth than flattery; the subject of his accumulating debts, embittered yet the wit and humour with which he discrimi- his days, and brought on almost habitual desponnated their various shades of character, is happily free from the slightest tincture of ill-nature. His epitaph on Mr. Burke proves him to have been intimately acquainted with the disposition and qualities of that celebrated orator. The characteristics of Mr. Burke's brother are humorously delineated, and were highly appropriate; the portrait of Dr. Douglas is critically true; but the most masterly sketch in the piece is undoubtedly the character of Garrick, who had been peculiarly severe in his epitaph on Goldsmith.

On Friday, the 25th of March, that year, finding himself extremely ill, he sent at eleven o'clock at night for Mr. Hawes, an apothecary, to whom he complained of a violent pain extending all over the fore-part of his head; his tongue was moist, he had a cold shivering, and his pulse beat about ninety strokes in a minute. He said he had taken two ounces of ipecacuanha wine as a vomit, and that it War nis intention to take Dr. James's fever pow

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