dent of all is perhaps the story of the little quarrel at Dilly's in the Poultry. Johnson had had a long innings of talk, and Goldsmith, "burning to get in and shine" (according to Boswell), was afraid, from some uncouth sound the great man emitted, that he was preparing to start afresh. "Sir (said he to Johnson), the gentleman has heard you patiently for an hour; pray allow us now to hear him.' 'Sir (retorted Johnson, sternly), I was not interrupting the gentleman. I was only giving him a signal of my attention. Sir, you are impertinent!' Goldsmith made no reply, but continued in the company some time." A little later Boswell takes up the sequel. "He [Johnson] and Mr. Langton and I went together to the Club, where we found Mr. Burke, Mr. Garrick, and some other members, and amongst them our friend Goldsmith, who sat silently brooding over Johnson's reprimand to him after dinner. Johnson perceived this, and said aside to some of us, 'I'll make Goldsmith forgive me,' and then called to him in a loud voice-' Dr. Goldsmith,—something passed to-day where you and I dined; I ask your pardon.' Goldsmith answered placidly, 'It must be much from you, Sir, that I take ill.' And so at once the difference was over, and they were on as easy terms as ever, and Goldsmith rattled away as usual." Such differences, indeed, were but momentary. Both men had a sincere admiration for each other,- an admiration to which the survivor often testified with a frank fidelity. Once, not long after Goldsmith's death, when some busy-bodies at Reynolds's were depreciating his work, Johnson, we are told, rose with great dignity, looked them full in the face, and exclaimed, "If nobody was

suffered to abuse poor Goldy but those who could write as well, he would have few censors!" Upon another and later occasion, when he was discussing Goldsmith in his own particularly truthful way, he said to Sir Joshua: "Goldsmith was a man, who, whatever he wrote, did it better than any other man could do. He deserved a place in Westminster Abbey, and every year he lived, would have deserved it better."

But there must come an end to anecdote-even in a brief biography. It would be easy to multiply examples of that strange mingling of strength and weakness-of genius and gaucherie-which went to make up Goldsmith's character. Yet the advantage would remain with its gentler and more lovable aspects, and the "over-word" would still be the compassionate verdict: "Let not his frailties be remembered, for he was a very great man." And-what is perhaps more to the purpose of the present series of memoirs—he was assuredly a Great Writer. In the fifteen years over which his literary activity extended, he managed to produce a record which has given him an unassailable position in English letters. Apart from mere hack work and compilation-hack work and compilation which, in most cases, he all but lifted to the level of a fine art-he wrote some of the best familiar verse in the language. In an age barren of poetry, he wrote two didactic poems, which are still among the memories of the old, as they are among the first lessons of the young. He wrote a series of essays, which, for style and individuality, fairly hold their own between the best work of Addison and Steele on the one hand, and the best work of Charles Lamb on the other. He wrote a domestic novel, unique

202

LIFE OF GOLDSMITH.

in kind, and as cosmopolitan as "Robinson Crusoe." Finally he wrote two excellent plays, one of which, "She Stoops to Conquer," still stands in the front. rank of the few popular masterpieces of English comedy.

THE END.

APPENDIX.

INCE the last line of this book was printed, the

SIN

author has been permitted, by the kindness of Mr. F. Locker-Lampson, to transcribe from his collection of autographs, and to reproduce-it is believed for the first time the following letters of Goldsmith. They relate to William Hodson, the nephew mentioned at p. 191; and supply fresh examples of his uncle's kindliness. and generosity. The arrangement is conjectural.

[No date.]

MY DEAR BROTHER,-I have the pleasure of informing you that your son William is arrived in London in safety and joins with me in his kindest love and duty to you. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than the prospect I have of his behaving in the best and most dutiful manner both to you and the rest of the family. Sincerely I am charmed with his disposition and I am sure he feels all the good nature he expresses every moment for his friends at home. He had when he came here some thoughts of going upon the stage; I dont know where he could have contracted so beggarly an affection, but I have turned him from it and he is now sincerely bent on pursuing the study of physic and surgery in which he has already made a considerable progress and to which I have very warmly exhorted him. He will in less than a year be a very good Surgeon and he will understand a competent share of physic also.

when he is fit for any business or any practice I shall use all my little interest in his favour. As for the stage it was every way a wild scheme and he is beside utterly unfit to succeed upon it. But while he is fitting himself for other business my dear Brother it is not proper that he should be utterly neglected. I have endeavoured to answer for you and my sister that some little thing should be done for him either here or at Edinburgh, and for my own part I am willing to contribute something towards his education myself. I believe an hundred pounds for a year or two would very completely do the business, when once he has got a profession he then may be thrown into any place with a prospect of succeeding. My Dear Dan think of this for a little, something must be done. I will give him twenty pounds a year, he has already about twenty more, the rest must be got, and your own good sense will suggest the means. I have often told you and tell you again that we have all good prospects before us, so that a little perseverance will bring things at last to bear. My brother Maurice was with me in London but it was not in my power to serve him effectually then; indeed in a letter I wrote him I desired him by no means to come up but he was probably fond of the journey. I have already written to Dr. Hunter in William's favour, and have got him cloaths, etc. I only wait your answer in what manner further to proceed and with the sincerest affection to you and my sister I am Dear Dan your most affectionate

Brother

OLIVER GOLDSMITH.

I had a letter from Charles who is as he tells me possessed of a competency and settled in Jamaica.

Dan' Hodson Esq.

[No date.]

MY DEAR BROTHER,-It gave me great concern to find that you were uneasy at your son's going abroad. I will beg leave to state my part in the affair and I hope you will not condemn me for what I have endeavoured to do for his benefit. When he came here first I learned that his circumstances were very indifferent, and that something was to be done to retrieve them. The stage was an abominable resource which neither became a man of honour, nor a man of sense. I therefore dissuaded him from that design and turned him to physic in which he had before made a very great