mate acquaintance and an admirer of his talents and virtues, with a lock of his hair. His papers

fell into the possession of Mr. Bott, his principal creditor.

Tributes in verse and prose to his memory appeared in the journals for several weeks; several of the number in a strain of lamentation evidently from such as knew him personally, for the loss of "the good, the ingenious, the honest (and this term was often applied to him in public as expressive of the candid and unreserved nature of the man) Doctor Goldsmith." "It should be remembered," says Mr. Hawes who felt a warm attachment to his late patient, "that he was as amiable as a man, as excellent as a writer. His humanity and generosity greatly exceeded the narrow limits of his fortune; and those who were no judges of the literary merit of the author, could not but love the man for that benevolence by which he was so strongly characterised."

"When I returned to town," adds another acquaintance*, "after his death I had an interview with his nephew, an apothecary in Newman Streett, and with the two sister milliners, the Miss Guns, who resided in a house at the corner of Temple Lane who were always most attentive

* Mr. Cradock.

+ Mr. Hodson already mentioned; he may have been there some months afterwards; but he was not in London at the time of his uncle's death. His relatives likewise say he never practised professionally in the metropolis.

to him, and who once said to me most feelingly, "O Sir, sooner persuade him to let us work for him gratis than apply to any other; we are sure he will pay us when he can."

Among the testimonies of esteem drawn forth by his death, in prose, the following just and not inelegant eulogium bearing some resemblance in manner to what was said by Burke twenty years afterwards when characterising Sir Joshua Reynolds, appeared the day after his death, and was supposed to be from his pen. On reference however to the journals of the day, it is found to be dated from Salisbury Street, April 5th; and obviously proceeded from one, whether Burke or not, whose attachment was the result of an intimate knowledge of his character.

"In an age when genius and learning are too generally sacrificed to the purposes of ambition and avarice, it is the consolation of virtue as well as of its friends that they can commemorate the name of Goldsmith as a shining example to the contrary.

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Early compelled, like some of our greatest men, into the service of the muses, he never once permitted his necessities to have the least improper influence on his conduct; but knowing and respecting the honourable line of his profession, he made no farther use of fiction than to set off the dignity of truth; and in this he succeeded so happily, that his writings stamp no less the man of genius than the universal friend of mankind,

"Such is the outline of his poetical character, which perhaps will be remembered whilst the first rate poets of the country have any monument left them. But alas! his noble and immortal part— the good man-is only consigned to the shortlived memory of those who are left to lament his death.

Having naturally a powerful bias on his mind to the cause of virtue, he was cheerful and indefatigable in the pursuit of it; warm in his friendships, gentle in his manners, and in every act of charity and benevolence 'the very milk of human kindness.' Nay even his foibles and little weaknesses of temper may be said rather to show the simplicity of his nature than to degrade his understanding; for though there may be many instances to prove he was no man of the world, most of those instances would attest the unadulterated purity of his heart.

"One who esteemed the kindness and friendship of such a man as forming a principal part of the happiness of his life, pays this last, sincere, and grateful tribute to his memory."

CHAPTER XXVI.

MAURICE GOLDSMITH.

EPITAPH ON THE POET.

HIS CHA

RACTER.-RANK AS A POET AND PROSE WRITER.-MEMBERS

OF THE GOLDSMITH FAMILY.

He

SHORTLY after the death of Oliver, his eldest surviving brother Maurice, arrived from Ireland in compliance with the summons of Sir Joshua. was as may be imagined from his history, a plain unlettered man, too homely it seems in appearance and manners to command much consideration from his late brother's accomplished friends.

A lady alluded to more than once for her knowledge of the Poet, informs the writer, that being in a small party in the house of Sir Joshua when the latter was summoned down stairs, he returned after a considerable absence and whispered her, that he had been below with Goldsmith's brother, but thinking a little beer or spirits there, better adapted to his taste than tea in the drawing room, he had entertained him in what he considered the most appropriate manner. She, with the usual kindness of the sex, thought this behaviour scarcely becoming in the President to so near a relative of his departed friend.

No will having been left by the deceased, letters of administration were granted on the 28th of

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"of

June in the usual law form and phraseology the goods, chattels, and credits of Oliver Goldsmith late of the Middle Temple bachelor, to Maurice Goldsmith natural and lawful brother and next of kin to the said deceased." In the bond, bearing date the 6th of the same month, he is described as of "Charlestown, county of Roscommon, cabinet maker," and the sureties are Joseph Cruttenden of Surgeons' Hall in the Old Bailey, London, Esquire, and William Finch of the same place, Gentleman." No pecuniary advantage it is to be feared accrued to him from the journey in consequence of the amount of his brother's debts. In July, arrangements were made for the sale of the furniture and library *, described as being "a large, valuable, and well chosen collection of curious and scarce books," and the catalogue, a copy of which has been procured and will be found in the Appendix, bears out in some measure the latter part of the description. Maurice did not wait the result of the sale, but quitted London in June; and however homely and unpolished in manners, he appears from the following letter to Mr. Hawes written about the time of his

* "To be sold by auction; by Mr. Good; at his Great Room No. 121 Fleet Street on Monday next July 11th, 1774, at eleven o'clock, by order of the administrator of Dr. Goldsmith deceased,

"His large, valuable, and well chosen library of curious and scarce books, household furniture and other effects; which may be viewed on Monday and till the time of sale. Catalogues may be had as above."