1764 appearance of the novel, to whose pages (with the title of the Hermit) it had been transferred, was the ballad of Edwin and Angelina. It was suggested, as I have said, in the course of his ballad discussions with Percy in preparation of the Reliques, and written before the Traveller appeared. Without informing any of us,' says Hawkins, again referring to the Club, he wrote and addressed to 'the Countess, afterwards Duchess, of Northumberland, 'one of the first poems of the lyric kind that our language 'has to boast of.' A charming poem undoubtedly it is, if not quite this; delightful for its simple and mingled flow of incident and imagery; for the pathetic softness and sweetness of its tone; and for its easy, artless grace. He had taken pains with it, and set more than common store by it himself; so that when, some two years hence, his old enemy Kenrick taking advantage of its appearance in the novel, assumed the character of 'Detector' in the public prints, denounced it as a plagiarism from the Reliques, and entreated the public to compare the insipidity of Doctor Goldsmith's negus with the genuine flavour of Mr. Percy's champagne, he thought it worth while, even against that assailant, to defend his own originality. The poem it was charged to have copied, was a composition by Percy of stanzas old and new (much modern writing entered into the 'ancient' reliques; the editor publishing among them, for example, his friend Grainger's entirely modern and exquisite ballad of Bryan and Pereene) and Goldsmith's answer was to the effect that he did not think there was any great resemblance between the two pieces in question; but that if any existed, Mr. Percy's ballad was the imitation, inasmuch as the Edwin and Angelina had been read to him two years before (in the present year), and at their next meeting he had observed, with his usual good humour,' that he had taken the plan of it to form the fragments of Shakspeare into a ballad of his own. 'He then,' added Goldsmith, read me his little Cento, if I may so call it, ' and I highly approved it.' Out of these circumstances it of course arose that Goldsmith's ballad was shown to the wife of Percy's patron, who had some taste for literature and affected a little notice of its followers. The Countess admired it so much that she had a few copies privately printed. I have seen the late Mr. Heber's, with the title-page of 'Edwin ' and Angelina, a ballad; by Mr. Goldsmith: printed for 'the amusement of the Countess of Northumberland.' It is now rare; and has a value independent of its rarity, in its illustration of Goldsmith's habit of elaboration and pains-taking in the correction of his verse. By comparing it with what was afterwards published, we perceive that even the gentle opening line has been an after-thought; that four stanzas have been re-written; and that the two which originally stood last have been removed altogether. These, for their simple beauty of expression, it is worth while here to preserve. The action of the poem having closed without them, they were on better consideration rejected; and young writers should meditate such lessons. Posterity has always too much upon its hands to attend to what is irrelevant or needless; and none so well as Goldsmith seems to have known, that the writer who would hope to live must live by the perfection of his style, and by the cherished and careful beauty of unsuperfluous writing. "Here amidst sylvan bowers we 'll rove, From lawn to woodland stray; And innocent as they. "To all that want, and all that wail, And when this life of love shall fail, Intercourse with Northumberland House began and ended with this poem. Its author is only afterwards to be traced there on one occasion, characteristically described by Hawkins. Having one day,' he says, 'a 'call to wait on the late Duke then Earl of Northumber'land, I found Goldsmith waiting for an audience in an " outer room. I asked him what had brought him there: 'he told me an invitation from his lordship. I made my 'business as short as I could, and, as a reason, mentioned 'that Doctor Goldsmith was waiting without. The Earl ' asked me if I was acquainted: I told him I was, adding 'what I thought likely to recommend him. I retired, and 'staid in the outer room to take him home. Upon his coming out, I asked him the result of his conversation. "His lordship," says he, "told me he had read my "" poem," meaning the Traveller, "and was much de ""lighted with it; that he was going Lord Lieutenant ""of Ireland" (the earl was already Lord Lieutenant, and held that office till Grenville's ministry went out), "and that, hearing I was a native of that country, "he should be glad to do me any kindness." And 'what did you answer, asked I, to this gracious offer? Why," said he, "I could say nothing but that I had a "brother there, a clergyman, that stood in need of help. "As for myself" (this was added for the benefit of Hawkins) "I have no dependence on the promises of ""great men. I look to the booksellers for support. "They are my best friends, and I am not inclined to ""forsake them for others." Thus,' adds the teller of the anecdote, 'thus did this idiot in the affairs of the world, 'trifle with his fortunes, and put back the hand that was 'held out to assist him! Other offers of a like kind he ' either rejected or failed to improve: contenting himself 'with the patronage of one nobleman, whose mansion 'afforded him the delights of a splendid table, and a 'retreat for a few days from the metropolis.' The incident related may excuse the comment attached to it. Indeed the charge of idiotcy in the affairs of the Hawkins world, may even add to the pleasure with which we contemplate that older world picture beside it, of frank simplicity and brotherly affection. This poor poet, who, incomprehensibly to the Middlesex magistrate, would thus gently have turned aside to the assistance of his poorer brother, the hand held out to assist himself, had only a few days before been obliged to borrow fifteen shillings and sixpence in Fleet Street,' of one of those 'best friends' with whose support he is now fain to be contented. But the reader has already seen that since the essay on Polite Learning was written, its author's personal experience had sufficed to alter his view as to the terms and relations on which Literature could hereafter hope to stand with the great; and the precise value of Lord Northumberland's offer seems in itself somewhat doubtful. Percy, indeed, took a subsequent opportunity of stating that he had discussed the subject with the earl; and had received an assurance that if the latter could have known how to serve Goldsmith, if he had been made aware, for example, that he wished to travel, he would have taken care to furnish 'him with sufficient means by a salary on the Irish esta'blishment.' But this was not said till after Goldsmith's death; and when many ways of serving him, meanwhile, had been suffered to pass by unheeded. The booksellers, on the other hand, were patrons with whom success at once established claims, independent and incontrovertible; and the Traveller, to a less sanguine heart than its writer's, already seemed to separate, with a broad white line, the past from that which was to come. No Griffiths bondage could await him again. He had no longer any personal bitterness, therefore, to oppose to Johnson's general allegiance to the 'trade;' though at the same time, with Johnson, he made special and large reservations. For instance, there was old Gardner the bookseller. Even Griffiths, by the side UU |