four hundred pounds, there was of credulous, unsuspecting, odd nothing to make the town half simplicity. Dr. Sleigh of Cork so fond of a man, even yet, as a had asked him to be kind to a successful play. It had young Irish law student hereto1766. been the dream, too, of fore mentioned, who had taken Æt. 38. his own earliest ambition; chambers near his own, who was and though his juvenile tragedy known afterwards as a writer had gone the way of dreams, he for the newspapers, Foote's and had now a surer and not untried Macklin's biographer, and, from ground to build upon, of humour, the title of the most successful character, and wit. He resolved poem he published, Conversation to attempt a comedy. Cooke; and the latter, invited What, meanwhile, his leisure to apply to him in case of need, amusements were, since John- was told with earnest regrets one son's withdrawal to the Thrales day, in answer to a trifling aphad limited their intercourse at plication, that he was really not Gerrard-street, may be worth at that moment in possession of illustrating by occasional little a guinea. The youth turned anecdotes of the time, though away in less distress than Goldrather loosely told. He had smith; and, returning to his own joined a card-club, at the Devil chambers after midnight, found tavern near Temple-bar, where a difficulty in getting in. Goldvery moderate whist was played; smith had meanwhile himself and where the members seem to borrowed the money, followed have occupied the intervals of with it too late, and thrust it, their favourite game with prac-wrapped-up in paper, half undertical jokes upon himself. Here neath the door. Cooke hurried he had happened to give a guinea next day to thank him, and tell instead of a shilling, one night, him what a mercy it was someto the driver of a coach (after body else had not laid hold of it. dining with Tom Davies); and on "In truth, my dear fellow," said the following night a fictitious Goldsmith, "I did not think of coachman presented himself, to "that." ** As little did he restore a counterfeit guinea. It *See note ante, 1. 43. In the fourth was a trick to prove that not edition of his poem he introduced some even the honesty of a hackney sketches of the Gerrard-street club, coachman would be too startling dication to the same poem will be found among them Goldsmith; and in the dea trial for Goldsmith's credulity; a capital sketch of another friend of his, and, as anticipated, the gilded the author of the best detached essay coin was taken with an overflow ever written on Shakespeare, Maurice Morgann. of simple thanks, and subsequent **The little details of this anecdote more solid acknowledgment of are so characteristic that I subjoin them the supposed marvellous honesty. in the words of the original narrator: "My old friend Mr. Cooke the barrister," Other incidents tell the same tale says Mr. John Taylor, in his Records of 1766. trouble himself to think, when a the humble payment of two French adventurer went to him guineas, to write Newbery a towards the close of the year "Preface to Wiseman's Gramwith proposals for a History of "mar,"* had no mean noEngland in French, which was tion of the dignity of literaÆt. 38. not only to be completed in fif- ture in regard to such proteen volumes at the cost of seven posals as this French impostor's, guineas and a half, and to be and now indulged it at a thoughtpaid for in advance, but to have less cost. Straightway he gave the effect of bringing into more friendly relations the men of letters of both countries. Goldsmith, though he had been fain but a few days before this, for 66 *In the same memorandum of the Newbery MSS. in which this is entered, the Traveller reappears; and though at first one is fain to hope that it might express a new payment for a new edition, closer examination shows that this is not so. "Mr. Newbery, Dr.-Brookes's 4 vols. my Life (Ed. 1832, 1. 107-110), who "correcting, 211; Natural Philosophy, 631; brought "letters to Goldsmith from Cork," Traveller, 211; Translation of Philosophy, "in the year 1766, used to speak of his "201; Preface to Wiseman's Grammar, "benevolence and simplicity in the "21. 2s. [Total], 1277. 2s. June 7, 1766. highest terms Mr. Cooke had en- "OLIVER GOLDSMITH." It is in Goldgaged to meet a party at Marylebone smith's handwriting, on a full sheet; and 66 Gardens, and ... applied to his friend is but a duplicate of Newbery's similar "Goldsmith for the loan of a guinea. memorandum, ante, I. 284. There is "Poor Goldsmith was in the same Par- moreover, among the same papers, yet a 66 nassian predicament, but undertook to third memorandum in which the same "borrow the sum of a friend, and to payment appears; and this, which is in bring it to Cooke before he departed Newbery's writing, is simply a repetition "for the gardens. Cooke waited in ex- of the second, with additions of the 31. 3s. 66 pectation to the last moment... but no for "Preface to the History of the "Goldsmith appeared. He therefore "World" included in the first, of a pencil "trusted to fortune, and sallied forth. note of what he had paid for the copy Meeting some hospitable Irish country- of the Essays also in the first, and of a 26 men at the place, he partook of a good memorandum to the effect that "The last supper, and did not return to his "settlement was the 11th October 1766,' "chambers till five in the morning. where the date of the year is very ob66 Finding some difficulty in opening his viously a slip of the pen for 1763. No door, he stooped to remove the im- trace exists in the papers of any formal "pediment, and found it was the guinea settlement subsequent to the 11th of Oc"that Goldsmith had borrowed for him, tober, 1763, on which day a general wind"wrapped in paper, which he had at- ing-up of accounts as between Newbery "tempted to thrust under the door, not and Goldsmith took place; when the "observing the hole in the letter-box, latter, besides signing a general receipt, "obvious to everybody else. Cooke gave special receipts as to each particular "thanked him in the course of the day, transaction (probably required for the "but observed that he ought not to have satisfaction of other partners in the "exposed the sum to such danger in so literary work so paid for), all written by "critical a state of their finances, as the himself and dated on the same day, and "laundress, coming early in the morn- finally handed over to Newbery a promis"ing, or any casual stranger, might have sory note, also dated that day, for the 66 seized the precious deposit. In an- balance. Supposing the memorandum swer he said, 'In truth, my dear fellow, made, as is likely, at the close of 1765 or "I did not think of that.' The fact is, the opening of 1766, the mistake of the "he probably thought of nothing but latter year for 1763 was a natural one "serving a friend," enough, 66 his name, impoverished himself talked with the carpenter of the by giving his last available commodore's ship (a "sensible, guinea, and, in the "Colonel Che- "understanding man, and I be"valier de Champigny's" "lieve extremely faithful"),* and advertisements, jostling by him had been assured, in the Et. 38. the names of crowned most solemn manner, of the truth 1766. CHAPTER XV. The Great World and its Rulers. heads and ambassadors, figured of the relation. Nor was it altoas the "Author of the Tra- gether romance, though the "veller."* honest carpenter made the most Pleasanter are the anecdotes of what he had seen. Even the which tell of his love for the last survey of those coasts, young, and anxiety to have them though it does not establish the for his readers. It was matter of assertions of Magalhaens and pride to one with as gentle a Byron, leaves it certain that the spirit and as wise a heart, the Patagonians exceed the height of late Charles Lamb, to remember ordinary men, and that the bethat the old woman who taught lievers in such a possibility were him his letters had in her own not nearly such fools as the school-girl days been patted on majority too readily supposed. the head by Goldsmith. Visiting where she stayed one day, he found her reading his selection of Poems for Young Ladies, praised her fondness for poetry, and sent her his own poem to THE eleventh year of Goldencourage it. The son of Hoole, smith's London struggle was now Ariosto's translator, remembered coming to a close amid strange a similar incident in his father's excitement and change, which I house. Other amusing_traits may stop briefly to recall. Its might be added, strongly re-reaction on literature and its sembling such as already have cultivators will be seen, as, from been told. Booksellers would get the point at which we left him him to recommend books, mis- last, we follow Burke's upward guiding him as to the grounds of ascent in the teeth of every recommendation;* ;** and though disadvantage opposed to him. everybody had been laughing What Garrick had reported of at the exaggerated accounts the ministry in the summer, was of Patagonians nine feet high in the main correct. Though it brought home by Commodore had not broken to pieces, the Byron's party, Goldsmith ear- King had exploded it; and there nestly protested that he had was Pitt and a new "arrange *Percy Memoir, 99, 100. * Animated Nature, II. 261. Ed. 1774. **As in the case of Blainville. See The words do not appear in the later ediante, 1. 287. tions. 1766. "ment." The word was not ill have been accomplished; but a chosen. Changes of ministry thing that was never even seriwere now brought about without ously intended.* The system of the conflict of principles or party, which George the Third and by no better means than and Lord Bute were the might be used for "arrange-inventors and Bubb Dod- t. 38. "ment" of the royal bed-cham- ington the apostle, was no alber. Lord Rockingham had liance of the throne with the hardly taken office when the people, but subordination of Duke of Cumberland's death left everything, including the great him defenceless against palace houses, to the throne. For party, intrigues; and their busy fomen- the King would have substituted ters, the "King's friends" whom prerogative; for faction, despotBurke has gibbeted in his ism; for occasional corruption Thoughts on Discontents, very of the House of Commons, its speedily destroyed him. His entire extinction as an indepenStamp Act repeal bill, his Ameri- dent house; and, for the partial can Trading bill, his resolution evils of a system which bound against General Warrants, and men firmly together for general his Seizure of Papers bill, were public purposes, though it the signal for royal favour to strengthened them sometimes for every creeping placeman who particular selfish ends, the uniopposed them; and on the failure versal treachery and falsehood of the latter bill Grafton threw of a band of reptile parasites, acup his office, saying Pitt alone knowledging no allegiance but could save them. Pitt's fame as at the palace and no service but well as peace would have pro- the King's. No man better than fited, had he consented to do Pitt should have known this; yet that. But against his better self, in an evil hour he consented to the King's appeals had enlisted his pride; and he had not strength, amid failing health, to conquer the impulse of vanity. He alone of all men, he was told, "Lord Rockingham could rally the people, reunite "himself told me," says Nicholls, that the nobles, and save the throne; "the king never showed him such dishe alone, the King wrote to him, "had secretly determined to get rid of "tinguished marks of kindness as after he could "destroy all party distinc- "him." Recollections and Reflections dur"tions, and restore that sub-ing the Reign of George 111, 1. 22 (a book "ordination to government which this kind, though inspired by the most well worth reading for illustrations of "alone can preserve that in- intense and unaccountable dislike of "estimable blessing, liberty, from "the Burkes"). This was a habit ob'degenerating into licentious-servable in that prince to the last, and often remarked by ministers who trusted "ness." A wise thing, if it could to it and were deceived. 66 well are caressed by the king at court "Lord Rockingham and Dowdes"beyond expression," wrote Lord Temple on the 4th May; and in June the fate of ham Memoirs, 1. 346. 1766. be Prime Minister, with the title acknowledged sufficiently the of the Earl of Chatham.* power to commit it; and to Rockingham retired, with superadd a declaration of the hands as clean as when power, was to invite its future he entered office; without reassertion. It might be true; Æt. 38. having bribed to get power, but it was galling, and not necesor intrigued to keep it; without sary. It was, in the same breath, asking for honour, place, or an assertion of strength with a pension, for any of his friends; confession of weakness, and unand with that phalanx of friends wisely halted half-way between unbroken. He was then, and conciliation and a threat. Nor for some years later, the only did anything so much as this minister since the King's acces- give George Grenville his future sion with whom Bute had not strength in opposition, when, secretly tampered, or whom with his dogged yet solid and the favourite had publicly op- vigorous eloquence, he conposed; and the one great fault tinued to maintain that there was of his administration had sprung no middle course between enfrom a pedantry of honour. He forcing submission or acknowthought that, in taxing America, ledging independence. Upon the legislature had been im- this question therefore it had politic and wrong; but he could been that the great Chief Justice not bring himself to think that Pratt, who enjoyed Pitt's chosen the legislative power of the em- confidence, and whom Rockingpire was not supreme over the ham had on that ground singled colonies within its rule, and that out for elevation to the earldom it was not able to tax America, as of Camden, used the privilege so to commit any other as mad in- generously given, resolutely to justice. Surely, however, the oppose the giver. The example very act to repeal the injustice was one, on the part of both minister and opponent, by which ** * "Oh!" exclaims Gray, "that Pitt might of late have profited; "foolishest of great men that sold his in- but his noble nature had become "estimable diamond for a paltry peerage clouded for a time. To many and pension. The very night it hap pened was I swearing it was a damned proffers from Lord Rockingham "lie, and never could be. But it was for to serve with him, to accept him 66 want of reading Thomas à Kempis, who "knew mankind so much better than I." even as a leader, the only answer Gray to Wharton. Works, III. 264-6. But vouchsafed by Pitt had been a for the best that can be said on the matter, and for a general view of existing parties written with admirable feel ing and eloquence, see Macaulay's second paper on Chatham, in the Essays, III. 445-542. **See Burke's "Short Account" in his Works, I. 207-9, studied slight; and the only return now made by Chatham was an attempt to separate the party from its chief. This was steadily resisted. Savile, Dowdeswell, Lord John Cavendish, the Duke |