Among his other labours for this useful and friendly publisher, it is suggested to the writer by a gentleman whose literary eminence entitles his opinions to every attenion, whether Goldsmith may not have written for him in its present form, the nursery tale of Goody Two Shoes; a story which however seemingly beneath the dignity of his powers, exhibits as he remarks the skill, ingenuity, good taste, and good feeling of a practised writer of no inferior order. In pursuing the hint, the date became a primary object to ascertain. The newspapers, after many vain inquiries in other quarters, supplied the necessary information by diligent search; by these it appears to have issued from the publisher early in the year 1765, when the pecuniary means of the Poet were known to be at a low ebb, and no employment would probably have been refused, although such was his occasional pride that he would not be known to give his pen to what seemed a childish subject. No certain proof however exists of his connexion with a tale which far from lowering, would add to the versatility and ingenuity of his pen; the reader must therefore be left to form his own judgment. The humorous advertisement of the publisher by which it was introduced to the notice of his young friends is subjoined.t Nearly at the same period he contemplated, or rather perhaps Newbery for him, short biographies of the Philosophers, fitted for monthly publication in the Christian's Magazine, a subject which he afterwards entered into more fully in a translation from the French. * Mr. William Godwin; whose death is just announced almost at the moment of passing this page through the press; he was urgent with the writer to endeavour to ascertain the truth of his conjecture, and no reasonable means have been spared for that purpose. "We are also desired to give notice that there is in the press and speedily will be published either by subscription or otherwise as the public shall please to de termire "The History of Little Goody Two Shoes, otherwise Mrs. Margery Two Shoes. "With the means by which she acquired her learning and wisdom, and in consequence thereof, her estate; set forth at large for the benefit of those "Who from a state of rags aud care And having shoes but half a pair Public Advertiser, December 17, 1764. An intimation of the design was thus conveyed to the readers of that work in its announcements. "We are much obliged to our correspondent for the hint respecting the lives of the most eminent Philosophers, which we think with him may be rendered extremely useful as well as entertaining. They shall therefore be given regularly in the next volume of our Magazine, after we have written the life of St. Athanasius, and so completed our design of laying before the Reader the lives of the most eminent Fathers and Christians of the third and fourth centuries." By the following memorandum, his compilation on Experimental Philosophy appears to have been finished as far as it was at first meant to be carried; but the subject requiring additions and extension of plan, he was furnished with another supply of books for that purpose, treating on such subjects as were necessary to notice. This no doubt was the work, or rudiments of the work, published after his death in two volumes octavo, under the title of "A Survey of Experimental Philosophy, considered in its Present State of Improve ment.” "Sent to Dr. Goldsmith Sept. 11th, 1765, from Canbery (Canonbury) House the copy of the Philosophy to be revised, with the Abbé Nollet's Philosophy, and to have an account added of Hale's Ventilation, together with the following books :— 1. Pemberton's Newton, 4to. 2. Two pamphlets of Mr. Franklin's on Electricity. 3. 1 of Ferguson's Astronomy, 4to. 4. D'Alembert's Treatise of Fluids, 4to. 5. Martin's Philosophy, 3 vols. 8vo. 6. Ferguson's Lectures, ditto. 7. Helsham's, ditto. 8. Kiel's Introduction, ditto. 9. Kiel's Astronomy, ditto. 10. Nature displayed, 7 vols. 12mo. 11. Nollet's Philosophy, 3 vols. 12mo.” To a periodical journal issuing from the same publisher" Museum Rusticum et Commerciale" he is believed to have furnished contributions of a miscellaneous nature. It was announced to be "Revised and Digested by several Members of the Society of Arts," and reports of its proceedings and papers would, as a frequent attendant on their meetings, come well from his hand. On this account Newbery may have given him (or lent) those sums at their rooms given in a preceding page. The precarious nature of his finances, induced several well-meaning friends to propose to him to take advantage of the publicity of his name, and like Akenside, endeavour to procure a more certain income from his original profession of physic. Among others who recommended this step and took some interest in promoting it, was Sir Joshua, then Mr. Reynolds and some ladies, Mrs. Montagu, to whom he had recently become known, being as the writer has been informed among the number. They were not aware that a name for poetry, far from promoting commonly mars, though for no sufficient reason, the practice of a physician. Mankind seem to have agreed that no individual shall be permitted to possess excellence in two pursuits, and he who is dependent on such prejudice had better submit to than contend with it. Willing to make the experiment, he assumed a more conspicuous and expensive, though as appears from the fashion of that day, not at all an unusual medical garb. A professional wig, a cane, purple silk small clothes, a scarlet roquelaure buttoned to the chin, and charged as we find in his tailor's account-book in June 1765 at four guineas and a half, made him an exceedingly smart physician. Transformations of this kind in men who are more familiar with books than with common life, are often in extremes; a few of his friends amused themselves with the change; and as if to satisfy others, or please himself with the experiment whether variety of dress could acquire practice, three other suits are charged to him within the short space of six months. A man servant likewise was soon afterward added to his establishment. It is remembered that he was occasionally employed by his acquaintance during illness; the fees however were not sufficiently numerous to be an object of serious pursuit, and the restrictions, as he considered them, so many upon his time and amusements as to become irksome. The gravity of a practising physician required he should abstain from scenes of familiar resort formerly sought and enjoyed, and with something of regret he avowed that "he was now shut out from many places where he had formerly played the fool very agreeably." The caprice of patients, and differences of opinion with some of his brethren, tended to increase distaste towards his calling, an instance of which is remembered by the lady to whom these volumes are indebted for several anecdotes, and which was told her by Sir Joshua Reynolds. He had been called in to a Mrs. Sidebotham, an acquaintance, labouring under illness, and having examined and considered the case, wrote his prescription. The quality or quantity of the medicine ordered, exciting the notice of the apothecary in attendance, he demurred to administer it to the patient; an argument ensued which had no effect in convincing either party of error, and some heat being produced by the contention, an appeal was at length made to the patient to know by whose opinion and practice she chose to abide. She, deeming the apothecary the better judge of the two from being longer in attendance, decided for him; and Goldsmith quitted the house highly indignant, declaring to Sir Joshua he would leave off prescribing for friends. "Do so, my dear Doctor;" replied Topham Beauclerk when he heard the story and afterwards jested with him on the subject, "whenever you undertake to kill let it be only your enemies." CHAPTER XVI. Dr. Joseph Warton.-Vicar of Wakefield.-History of Philosophy and Philosophers.-Poems for Young Ladies.-Beauties of English Poesy:-English Grammar.-Byron's Voyage.-Residence in the Temple.-Anecdotes.-Mr. William Hodson. In the literary societies of the metropolis about this time, as well as in those private assemblages to which nearly all persons of talents found ready admission, Goldsmith added largely to his acquaintance. In one of these he met Dr. Joseph Warton, probably for the first time, who thus expresses his opinion of him to his brother in January 1766, with something of the severity of a rival wit and author: "Of all solemn coxcombs, Goldsmith is the first; yet sensible;-but affects to use Johnson's hard words in conversation." There is a disposition in human nature to scrutinize into the manners of contemporaries, particularly those of men of reputation, much more severely than such as are seen through the medium of time or distance; and this perhaps is the reason why we are more just to dead than to living excellence; we permit too often the imperfections and frailties of the man to cloud our view of his merits, and it is only when time mellows the prospect that he is contemplated in his true position with that reasonable allowance for infirmity which all human beings require. The remark of Warton seems to imply a little vanity in the behaviour of his new acquaintance; and if this is all that can be alleged against a successful poet, fresh in the enjoyment of his honours, the offence is not very heinous. But if he were really guilty of assuming some momentary importance of manner, it may not have been without cause. Persons had been attracted to him by fame of the poem, who expecting in the companion of Johnson, to find the same point or energy in conversation, felt disposed in their disappointment to underrate such merit as he really possessed: while he in renewed efforts to retain his due station in social intercourse, may have overshot the mark, and in throwing off natural simplicity of character, fell into, as would appear in this instance, occasional pedantry; this indeed appears to be sometimes the only escape of a really diffident man from absolute taciturnity among associates where he observes some jealous or considerable pretention. One of his pecuniary obligations in the nature of loan, bears date about this time, the immediate object of which was said to have been a short journey into the country, whither, or for what purpose, does not appear. "Received from Mr. Newbery eleven guineas, which I promise to "OLIVER GOLDSMITH. pay. "Jan. 8, 1766." 66 The illness of Dr. Johnson about this time, attended with hypochondriacal symptoms difficult to shake off, exercised his friendship in cheering the sufferer by frequent visits, a duty in which he had the aid of Mr. Murphy; and both being cheerful, their endeavours produced the best effects. Mr. and Mrs. Thrale who had but recently formed the acquaintance of a lexicographer, united in the same friendly object, and to the care of this lady Goldsmith gave due praise. "To her attention," he said, "Johnson owed his recovery." Soon afterward, Boswell who had been travelling on the Continent since 1763, returned to London, when the evening meetings with Johnson and Goldsmith at the Mitre were occasionally resumed. The former having now ceased to drink wine, sometimes refused to go; on these occasions they passed the evening in his rooms, trying to give a new direction to the broodings of a melancholy spirit by amusing conversation, they being supplied with wine, and the moralist confining himself to water. "Doctor," said he to Goldsmith in allusion to his own former efforts in, and subsequent neglect of poetry, "I am not quite idle; I made one line t'other day; but I made no more." "Let us hear it," replied Goldsmith, "we'll put a bad one to it." "No, sir," returned Johnson, "I have forgotten it." By a letter from the latter to Mr. Langton written early in March, it appears that Goldsmith seldom failed in attending their weekly evening meetings. "Dyer," he says, "is constant at the club; Haw-kins is remiss; I am not over diligent; Dr. Nugent, Dr. Goldsmith, and Mr. Reynolds are very constant." On the 27th March, 1766, came out the Vicar of Wakefield, which immediately received the applause due to merits of a great and original kind.* Nothing more strongly exemplifies the different estimates occasionally formed of a literary work by the publisher or his advisers, and by the public, than the fate of this beautiful tale, which to the former appeared so doubtful of popular favour as to be retained by him in manuscript for two, or nearly two years, after the purchase, afraid as it should seem, of risking the expence of publication. Of this opinion also by his own confession was Dr. Johnson; and he adduced it afterward in conversation in proof of the little dependence to be placed on individual judgment regarding a work of imagination. We are told however that on a previous occasion, when disposing of it in order to relieve the author from his difficulties, he saw its merits; this might very well be, without implying contradiction; he saw much in it to admire, but doubted whether similar taste or opinion was likely to influence general readers; it could not however be slightly valued even at first to secure for the author the sum of sixty guineas. One of the causes of lying dormant so long, may have arisen * The following is the first advertisement. "In a few days will be published in two volumes twelves, The Vicar of Wakefield. A tale; supposed to be written by himself. Printed for F. Newbery in Paternoster Row."-Lloyd's Evening Post, March 19....21. 1776. |