ders, which he desired might be sent him. Mr. Hawes replied, that in his opinion this medicine was very improper at that time, and begged he would not think of it; but every argument used seemed only to render him more determined in his own opinion.

Mr. Hawes knowing that on former occasions Goldsmith had always consulted Dr. Fordyce, and that he entertained the highest opinion of his abilities as a physician, requested permission to send for him. To this, with great reluctance, he gave consent, as the taking of Dr. James's powders, appeared to be the only object that employed his attention; and even after he had given his consent, he endeavoured to throw an obstacle in the way, by saying, that Dr. Fordyce was gone to spend the evening in Gerrard-street, "where," added he, "I should also have been myself, if I had not been indisposed." Mr. Hawes immediately dispatched a messenger for Dr. Fordyce, whom he found at home, and who instantly waited upon Goldsmith.

Another's woe thy heart could always melt;
None gave more free,-for none more deeply felt.
Sweet bard, adieu! thy own harmonious lays
Have sculptured out thy monument of praise;
Yes, these survive to time's remotest day,
While drops the bust, and boastful tombs decay.
Reader, if number'd in the Muses' train,
Go, tune the lyre, and imitate his strain;
But, if no poet thou, reverse the plan,
Depart in peace, and imitate the man."

"Of poor Dr. Goldsmith," said Johnson, in answer to a query of Boswell's, "there is little to he told more than the papers have made public. He died of a fever, made, I am afraid, more violent by uneasiness of mind. His debts began to be heavy, and all his resources were exhausted. Sir Joshua is of opinion, that he owed no less than two thousand pounds.* Was ever poet so trusted before?"

The extraordinary sum thus owing by Goldsmith excited general surprise after his death, and gave rise to some ill-natured and injurious reflections. To those, however, who were intimately Dr. Fordyce, on perceiving the symptoms of the acquainted with his careless disposition and habits, disease, was of the same opinion with Mr. Hawes the wonder was not, that he should be so much in respecting Dr. James's powders; and strongly re- debt, but, as Johnson remarks, that he should have presented to the patient the impropriety of his tak- been so much trusted. He was so liberal in his ing that medicine in his present situation. Un- donations, and profuse in his general disbursehappily, however, he was deaf to all remonstrances, ments; so unsettled in his mode of living, and imand persevered in his own resolution.

On the following morning Mr. Hawes visited his patient, and found him very much reduced; his voice feeble, and his pulse very quick and small. When he inquired of him how he did, Goldsmith sighed deeply, and in a very low and languid tone said, "he wished he had taken his friendly advice last night."

prudent in gaming; and altogether so little accustomed to regulate his expenses by any system of economy, that at last his debts greatly exceeded his resources; and their accumulation towards the close of his life was by no means matter of astonishment. These debts, however, consisted chiefly of sums that he had taken up in advance, from the managers of the two theaters, for comedies which he had Dr. Fordyce arrived soon after Mr. Hawes, and engaged to furnish to each; and from the bookselsaw with alarm the danger of their patient's situa- lers for publications which he was to finish for the tion. He therefore proposed to send for Dr. Tur- press;—all which engagements he fully intended, ton, of whose talents and skill he knew Goldsmith and would probably have been able to fulfil, as he had a great opinion: to this proposal the patient had done on former occasions in similar exigencies; readily consented, and ordered his servant to go di- but his premature death unhappily prevented the rectly. Doctors Fordyce and Turton accordingly execution of his plans. met at the time appointed, and had a consultation. The friends of Goldsmith, literary as well as perThis they continued twice a day till the 4th of sonal, were exceedingly numerous, and so attach April, 1774, when the disorder terminated in the ed to his memory, that they determined to honour death of the poet, in the forty-fifth year of his age. his remains with a public funeral, and to bury him Goldsmith's sudden and unexpected dissolution in Westminster Abbey. His pall was to have created a general feeling of regret among the litera-been supported by Lord Shelburne, Lord Louth, ry circles of that period. The newspapers and pe-Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Hon. Mr. Beauclerk, riodical publications teemed with tributary verses Mr. Edmund Burke, and Mr. Garrick. Some cirto his memory; and perhaps no poet was ever more cumstances, which have never been explained, oclamented in every possible variety of sonnet, elegy, ccurred to prevent this resolution from being carriepitaph, and dirge. Mr. Woty's lines on the oc-ed into effect. It is generally believed that the chief casion we select from the general mass of eulogy.

"Adieu, sweet bard! to each fine feeling true,

Thy virtues many, and thy foibles few;

Those form'd to charm e'en vicious minds-and these
With harmless mirth the social soul to please.

reason was a feeling of delicacy, suggested by the disclosure of his embarrassed affairs, and the extraordinary amount of his debts. He was, therefore, privately interred in the Temple burying-ground,

*40001-Campbell's Biography of Goldsmith.

"This jeu d'esprit," says Sir William Forbes, in a letter to Mr. Boswell, "took its rise one day at dinner at our friend Sir Joshua Reynolds's. All the company present, except myself, were friends and acquaintance of Dr. Goldsmith. The epitaph, written for him by Dr. Johnson, became the subject of conversation, and various emendations were suggested, which it was agreed should be submitted to the Doctor's considera- literary investigation. It is also an eminent proof of the re But the question was, Who should have the courage to verence with which Johnson was regarded by some of the

was not confirmed by the external graces of their consistent with probability. The truth, however, author. In stature he was somewhat under the may have been, that Goldsmith, having constantmidddle size; his body was strongly built, and his ly before him the example of extraordinary conlimbs, as one of his biographers expresses it, were versational abilities in Johnson, either from the more sturdy than elegant. His forehead was low. spirit of competition, or the ambition to excel in and more prominent than is usual; his complexion such a fascinating talent, was tempted to a frepallid; his face almost round, and pitted with the quent display of his own powers in the same line. small-pox. His first appearance was therefore by Our excessive anxiety to do any thing well, often no means captivating: yet the general lineaments defeats the end we have in view; and it is not unof his countenance bore the stamp of intellect, and likely that, on such occasions, this was the fate of exhibited traces of deep thinking; and when he Goldsmith. Yet, notwithstanding all his mistakes, grew easy and cheerful in company, he relaxed in- he had gleams of eloquence; and, although Mr. to such a display of benevolent good-humour, as Boswell studies to make him a foil to Johnson, soon removed every unfavourable impression. His there are instances among the conversations repleasantry in company, however, sometimes de- ported by that gentleman, where Goldsmith shines generated into buffoonery; and this circumstance, as the most rational and elegant interlocutor of the coupled with the inelegance of his person and de- whole. Hence it is reasonable to conclude, that portment, often prevented him from appearing to the accounts which have been transmitted of the so much advantage as might have been expected weakness or absurdity of Goldsmith's conversation from his learning and genius. are greatly overcharged. Be that as it may, if the

The aptitude of Goldsmith to blunder in conver-conversation of Goldsmith was so confused and sation has excited considerable surprise when con- inaccurate as has been generally reported, it is an trasted with his powers as a writer. His literary eminent instance, among many others, in which associates used to be struck with the disparity, and the conversation of literary men has been found some of them puzzled themselves to account for it. strikingly unequal to their works. It forms also Sir Joshua Reynolds once mentioned that he had an illustration of the observation of Cicero, that it frequently heard Goldsmith talk warmly of the is very possible for a man to think rightly, and yet pleasure of being liked, and observe how hard it want the power of conveying his sentiments in bewould be if literary excellence should preclude a coming language: "Fieri potest ut recte quis senman from that satisfaction, which he perceived it tiat, sed id quod sentit polite eloqui non possit.” often did, from the envy that attended it. "I am, Perhaps the chief fault of Goldsmith in conversatherefore, convinced," said Sir Joshua, "that he tion, as has been remarked by one of his biograwas often intentionally absurd in conversation, in phers, lay in his being always overhurried; so that order to lessen himself in social intercourse, trust- he was too apt to speak without reflection, and ing that his character would be sufficiently sup- without a sufficient knowledge of the subject. He ported by his works." But this appears to be the himself humorously used to remark, that he always excess of refinement in conjecture; and Mr. Bos- argued best when he argued alone. The same well's reason, which ascribed it to Goldsmith's circumstance was noticed by Johnson, and gave "vanity, and an eager desire to be conspicuous rise to the observation, "that no man was more wherever he was," though less charitable, is more foolish when he had not a pen in his hand, or more wise when he had."

ablest men of his time, in various departments, and even by such of them as lived most with him.

Although Johnson was in great good-humour with the production as a jeu d'esprit, yet, on seeing Dr. Warton's name to the suggestion that the epitaph should be in English, he observed to Sir Joshua, "I wonder that Joe Warton, a scholar by profession, should be such a fool." He said too, "I should have thought Mund Burke would have had more sense." Mr.

If it must be admitted that Goldsmith had no talent for oral display, it will not be disputed that in the solitude of the closet, "when he argued alone," he was almost unrivalled. A celebrated critic remarked of him, that "whatever he composed, he did it better than any other man could." Langton, who was one of the company at Sir Joshua's, like a It has been objected to the moral essays of Goldsturdy scholar, resolutely refused to sign the Round Robin. smith, that they present life under a gloomy as On another occasion, when somebody endeavoured to argue pect, and leave an impression of despondency on in favour of its being in English, Johnson said, "The lan- the mind of the reader. Whether to paint life as guage of the country of which a learned man was a native, is

not the language fit for his epitaph, which should be in ancient it is, be a fault in a writer, is a question that will and permanent language. Consider, sir, how you should feel admit of a considerable dispute; but it will not be were you to find at Rotterdam an epitaph on Erasmus in denied, that when he pictures the woes and vaniDutch" Perhaps on this subject Mr. Boswell's suggestion is ties of existence, he only repeats the lessons of ex"For my part," says he, "I think it would be pro-perience. It ought also to be recollected that an per to have epitaphs written both in a learned language and in author's writings are generally a transcript of his

the best.

the language of the country, so that they might have the ad

vantage of being more universally understood, and, at the own feelings. If the moral productions of Goldsane ume, be secured of classical stability." smith are sometimes gloomy and despondent, we

should take into account the circumstances under again." A similar impression, or something anawhich they were written:-when he was obscure logous to it, is felt by every reader of the poetry and friendless, oppressed with want, sick of the of Goldsmith. His course has been through a rich past, and almost despairing of the future. The and highly cultivated country, where sweet fruits language of his prose works, in general, is admitted and fragrant flowers regaled his senses at every step; to be a model of perfection. His very enemies where every object that he passed was blooming in used to acknowledge the superiority of his taste in composition, and the unrivalled excellence of his style. It was not without reason, therefore, that Johnson at one time exclaimed, "Where is there now a man who can pen an essay with such ease and elegance as Goldsmith?"

beauty, and pregnant with interest; and where he himself never for a moment felt any intermission of enjoyment.

From the characteristics of the poet we turn to the qualities of the man. Goldsmith was mild and gentle in his manners, warm in his friendships, In poetry Goldsmith confessedly shines with and active in his charity and benevolence. So great lustre. But, viewing him as a scholar, it is strongly did he use to be affected by compassion, surprising how little of his imagery is drawn from that he has been known at midnight to abandon reminiscences of the classics. His verses are ut- his rest in order to procure relief and an asylum terly void of the machinery of ancient polytheism, for a poor dying object who was left destitute in and scarcely a single mythological person is ever the streets. The humanity of his disposition was invoked by him. In truth, he seems to have had manifested on every occasion that called for its exno partiality for the family of gods, goddesses, and ercise; and so large was his liberality, that his last demi-gods, and to have discarded as useless the guinea was the general boundary of his munifiwhole race of fauns, satyrs, dryads, and hamadry- cence. He had two or three poor authors always ads. He is one of those who seek to please chiefly as pensioners, besides several widows and poor by an exhibition of nature in her simplest and housekeepers; and when he happened to have no Inost familiar views. From these he selects his money to give the latter, he sent them away with objects with equal taste and discretion; and in no shirts or old clothes, and sometimes with the coninstance does he ever represent what would excite tents of his breakfast table, saying, with a smile of disgust, or cause pain. In the poetry of Goldsmith satisfaction after they were gone, "Now let me there is nothing that strikes us as merely ideal. suppose I have eaten a heartier breakfast than Every thing is clear, distinct, and palpable. His usual, and I am nothing out of pocket." His gevery imagery is tangible. He draws it from ob- nerosity, it is truc, used often to be carried to exjects that act at once upon the senses, and the cess. He gave frequently on the mere impulse of reader is never for a moment at a loss to discover the moment, and without discrimination. If the its application. It is this that makes Goldsmith so applicants for his bounty were poor and friendless, easily understood, and so generally admired. His it was all that he asked to know. Like his own poetical landscapes and portraits are so many tran- village pastor, he overflowed with benevolence, and scripts from living nature; while every image, every "Careless their merits or their faults to scan, thought, and every sentiment connected with them, His pity gave ere charity began." have a corresponding expression of unaffected truth This profuse and undistinguishing liberality has and simplicity. It was said of him by Mr. Bos- sometimes been imputed to him as a fault; but it well, that "his mind resembled a fertile but thin at least attested the excellence of his intentions soil; there was a quick, but not a strong vegetation and the kindness of his heart. The humanity and of whatever chanced to be thrown upon it. No benevolence, however, that characterised the poet's deep root could be struck. The oak of the forest disposition, were unhappily contaminated by a did not grow there; but the elegant shrubbery, jealousy of the attainments and the reputation of and the fragrant parterre, appeared in gay suc- others. He was feelingly conscious of this failing, cession." This is a poetical description, and, with and often used to complain of the uneasiness it cost some limitation, may be admitted as an approach him. In the minds of those who heard him on to the truth. The characteristics of Goldsmith's such occasions, all sense of the evil passion was poetry are ease, softness, and beauty. He can be lost in their amusement at the novelty and simplicommended for the elegance of his imagery, the city of his confessions. Vanity was another of the depth of his pathos and the flow of his numbers. weaknesses of Goldsmith; but it was rather amusHe is uniformly tender and impressive, but rarely ing than offensive in its operation. He was vain sublime. The commendation which he himself of his literary consequence, as was strongly discohas bestowed on the poetry of Parnell may justly vered in the complaint he once made with regard be applied to his own. "At the end of his course," to Lord Camden.-"I met him," said he, "at says he, "the reader regrets that his way has been Lord Clare's house in the country, and he took no so short; he wonders that it gave him so little more notice of me than if I had been an ordinary trouble; and so resolves to go the journey over man."

He had also the foible of being ambitious of eminent talent is united to spotless virtue, we are shining in such exterior accomplishments as nature awed and dazzled into admiration, but our admirahad denied him. This was whimsically illustrated tion is apt to be cold; while there is something in on one occasion, when he arrayed himself in a the harmless infirmities of poor human nature that bloom-coloured coat, and sported his ungainly pleads touchingly to the feelings, and the heart figure, with great self-complacency, in the sunshine yearns towards the object of our admiration, when in the Temple gardens. He declared to his friends, we find that, like ourselves, he is mortal, and is that his tailor was so confident of the impression frail. The epithet so often heard, and in such he should make, that he had entreated him to inform all inquirers of the name of the maker of the

coat.

kindly tones, of "poor Goldsmith," speaks volumes. Few, who consider the rich compound of admirable and whimsical qualities which form his characSuch is the amount of information which we ter, would wish to prune away its eccentricities, have procured concerning Goldsmith; and we have trim its grotesque luxuriance, and clip it down to given it almost precisely in the words in which we the decent formalities of rigid virtue. "Let not found it. From the general tenor of his biography, his frailties be remembered," said Johnson, "he it is evident that Goldsmith was one whose faults was a very great man." But, for our parts, we were at the worst but negative, not positive vices, rather say, "let them be remembered;" for we while his merits were great and decided. He was question whether he himself would not feel gratino one's enemy but his own, his errors inflicted fied in hearing his reader, after dwelling with adevil on none but himself, and were so blended with miration on the proofs of his greatness, close the humorous, and even affecting circumstances, as to volume with the kind hearted phrase, so fondly and disarm anger and conciliate kindness. Where familiarly ejaculated, of "POOR GOLDSMITII."