habit he had contracted of gaming, with the arts of which he was very little acquainted, and confequently became the prey of those who were unprincipled enough to take advantage of his igno

rance.

Juft before his death he had formed a defign for executing an univerfal dictionary of arts and fciences, the profpectus of which he actually printed and diftributed among his acquaintance. In this work several of his literary friends (particularly Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Johnfon, and Mr. Garrick) had promised to affift, and to furnish him with articles upon different fubjects. He had entertained the moft fanguine expectations from the fuccefs of it. The undertaking,. however, did not meet with that encouragement from the bookfellers which he had

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imagined it would undoubtedly receive; and he used to lament this circumftance almoft to the laft hour of his existence.

He had been for fome years afflicted, at different times, with a violent ftrangury, which contributed not a little to imbitter the latter part of his life; and which, united with the vexations he fuffered upon other occafions, brought on a kind of habitual defpondency. In this unhappy condition he was attacked by a nervous fever.

On Friday the twenty-fifth of March, 1774, finding himself extremely ill, he fent at eleven o'clock at night for Mr. Hawes, an apothecary, to whom he complained of a violent pain extending all over the fore part of his head, his tongue was moist, he had no cold fhivering, and his pulfe

pulfe beat about ninety strokes in a minute. He acquainted him he had taken two ounces of Ipecacuanha wine as a vomit, and that it was his intention to take Dr. James's fever powders, which he desired him to fend him. Mr. Hawes replied, that in his opinion this medicine was very improper at that time, and begged he would not think of it; but every argument used seemed only to render him more determined in his own opinion.

Mr. Hawes knowing that in preceding illneffes Dr. Goldfmith always confulted Dr. Fordyce, and that he had expreft the greatest opinion of his abilities as a phyfician, requested he might be permitted to fend for him. It was full a quarter of an hour before Mr. Hawes could obtain his

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confent, as the taking Dr. James's powders appeared to be the only object which employed his attention; and even then he endeavoured to throw an obstacle in his way, by faying, that Dr. Fordyce was gone to spend the evening in Gerrardfreet, "where," added he, "I should "also have been, if I had not been indif

pofed." Mr. Hawes immediately difpatched a meffenger who found Dr. Fordyce at home, and who waited on Dr. Goldsmith directly.

Dr. Fordyce reprefented to him the impropriety of taking the powders in his present fituation; but he was deaf to all remonftrances, and unhappily persisted in his own resolution.

On

On Saturday morning, March 26, Mr. Hawes vifited his patient, he found him extremely reduced, and hiis pulfe was now become very quick and fmall. When he enquired of him how he did, Dr. Goldfmith fighed deeply, and in a very low voice faid, "He wished he had taken "his friendly advice laft night."

Dr. Fordyce perceiving the danger of Dr. Goldfmith's fituation, defired Mr. Hawes to propofe fending for Dr. Turton, of whom he knew Dr. Goldsmith. had a great opinion: the propofal being mentioned to Dr. Goldsmith, he very readily confented, and ordered his fervant to go directly. The doctors Fordyce and Turton met at the time appointed to affift at a confultation, which was continued twice day, till the diforder terminated in his diffo

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