When this last letter was written, Dr. Goldsmith appears to have grown cooler in his desire for an East India voyage; and, if it was written within a month of the expected publication of the 'book therein mentioned, he had certainly given up that design for the present, though his general resolutions to travel to Asia remained still unaltered, as we shall see hereafter. For, some time in the year 1758, he happened to dine at Dr. Milner's table, in company with Mr. Griffiths, the publisher and proprietor of the Monthly Review, who invited him to become a writer in that literary Journal, and offered him such terms as he deemed deserving his acceptance. These were, his board, lodging, and a handsome salary.

These terms were stipulated in a written agreement, which was to last for one year; and in fulfilling his part of it, Dr. Goldsmith declared he usually wrote for his employer every day from nine o'clock till two. But at the end of seven or eight months it was dissolved by mutual consent, and our poet took lodgings in Green Arbour-court, in the Old Bailey, where he completed his Enquiry into the present State of Polite Literature in Europe. Printed for Dodsley, 1759, 12mo.

He had removed thither early in that year: for a friend of his paying him a visit at the beginning of March, 1759, found him in lodgings there so poor and uncomfortable, that he should not think it proper to mention the circumstance, if he did not

consider

consider it as the highest proof of the splendor of Dr. Goldsmith's genius and talents, that by the bare exertion of their powers, under every disadvantage of person and fortune, he could gradually emerge from such obscurity to the enjoyment of all the comforts and even luxuries of life, and admission into the best societies in London.

The Doctor was writing his Enquiry, &c. in a wretched dirty room, in which there was but one chair, and when he, from civility, offered it to his visitant, himself was obliged to sit in the window. While they were conversing, some one gently rapped at the door, and being desired to come in, a poor ragged little girl, of very decent behaviour, entered, who, dropping a curtsey, said, " My mamma "sends her compliments, and begs the favour of you to lend her a chamber-pot full of coals."

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He afterwards removed to very decent lodgings in Wine-office-court, Fleet-street, where he wrote his Vicar of Wakefield, attended with the affecting circumstance of his being under arrest. When the knowledge of his situation was communicated to Johnson, he disposed of his manuscript for sixty pounds, to Mr. Newbery the bookseller, and procured his enlargement. Although the money was then paid, the book was not published till some time after, when his fine poem, the Traveller, had established his fame.*

* See an interesting account of this circumstance, in Boswell's Life of Johnson, Vol. I. p. 373.

Dr.

Dr. Goldsmith, speaking to his medical friend, to whom we have before alluded, and by whose communications we have been greatly obliged, asked him his opinion of this fascinating performance. "I spoke of it," said his friend, "in the warm "terms I thought it deserved, pointing out however "certain parts which I wished, had he had more "time for the purpose, had been altered or cor"rected*." Goldsmith concurred with me in my remarks, but added that it was not from want of time it had not been done, as Newbery kept it by him in manuscript two years before he published it; he gave me, I think he said, 601. for the copy, and had I made it ever so perfect or correct, I should not have had a shilling more.

When he first took up his residence in that court, our author was not personally acquainted with Johnson, and the first visit he ever received from that distinguished writer, was on May 31st, 1761; when he gave an invitation to him, and much other company, many of them literary men, to a supper in these lodgings.

One of the company then invited,† being intimate with our great Lexicographer, was desired to call upon him and take him with him. As they went together, the former was much struck with

* See Boswell, Vol. III. p. 401: Where will be found a curious account of two fine passages, originally inserted in this novel, afterwards struck out by the author.

Dr. Percy, the present Bishop of Dromore.

the

the studied neatness of Johnson's dress: he had on a new suit of cloaths, a new wig nicely powdered, and every thing about him so perfectly dissimilar from his usual habits and appearance, that his companion could not help inquiring the cause of this singular transformation. "Why, sir," said Johnson, "I hear that Goldsmith, who is a very great "sloven, justifies his disregard of cleanliness and

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decency, by quoting my practice, and I am de"sirous this night to show him a better example."

In the spring of the year 1763, Dr. Goldsmith had lodgings at Canonbury House, in Islington; and having from the time of his emancipation above mentioned, been much connected with Mr. Newbery, a very liberal and worthy man, he corrected and revised many of his publications, particularly his "Art of Poetry," in two Vols. 12mo. and a "Life of Beau Nash," in 8vo. written soon after the death of that king of Bath. Here also he wrote his "Letters on English History," in two Vols. 12mo. in the assumed character of a nobleman to his son: which have been attributed to LordLyttelton, the Earl of Orrery, and other noble authors, but were really written by Dr. Goldsmith.

But the production, which he meant should establish his fame, and on which he bestowed his choicest hours, was his admirable poem, "The Traveller," first printed in 1765. While he was composing this with the greatest care, and finishing it in his highest and best manner, he scribbled with all possible dis

patch

1

patch some of the above, and other slight publications for his present subsistence. The life of an author militant is attended with this peculiar circumstance, that he cannot eat his daily bread until he has performed some daily task to procure it. So that for several years, when Goldsmith was composing his most valuable works, in which he displayed the whole powers of his mind, he was at the same time engaged in many inferior publications for immediate support. Thus while he was writing his Enquiry &c. for Dodsley, he conducted for Wilkie the bookseller, a Lady's Magazine, and joined with some literary associates in a miscellaneous publication, called the" Bee, being essays on the most interesting subjects," printed for Wilkie, 1759, small 8vo. These first appeared in weekly numbers.

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But his best production of this kind was a series of letters in the character of a Chinese philosopher, originally published in a periodical paper called "The Ledger," and collected into two volumes 12mo. printed for Newbery, 1762, entitled, The Citizen of the World. This collection has considerable merit, as every paper in it is distinguished by a display of judgment, wit, or humour.

also

A selection of his best fugitive pieces, containing papers from these publications, was afterwards given to the world under the title of " ESSAYS.” 1765. 12mo.

Still his early habits of wandering had possession of his mind, and he had not given up his desire of

penetrating