least inconvenience, return it, and it shall be done immediately. The printer has the copy of the rest.1 I am, &c. O. G. LETTER XV. TO THE PRINTER OF THE ST. JAMES'S CHRONICLE.2 [July 23-25, 1767.] SIR, As there is nothing I dislike so much as newspaper controversy, particularly upon trifles, permit me to be as concise as possible in informing a correspondent of yours, that I recommended Blainville's Travels because I thought the book was a good one; and I think so still.3 I said I was told by the bookseller that it was then first published; but in that, it seems, I was misinformed, and my reading was not extensive enough to set me right. 1 The Plutarch' concerning which the foregoing two notes were written was the first of a' Compendium of Biography' for children, projected by Mr. Newbery, and announced by him as follows:-"Mr. Newbery begs leave to offer to the young gentlemen and ladies of these kingdoms a Compendium of Biography; or an History of the Lives of those Great Personages, both ancient and modern, who are most worthy of their Esteem and Imitation, and most likely to inspire their minds with a Love of Virtue." To Goldsmith was given the task of commencing this series with Plutarch,' which Newbery promised in his advertisement should be "abridged from the original Greek." In our collection of Goldsmith's Prefaces, in vol. iv., will be found his Advertisement to the 'Compendium of Biography.'-ED. 2 In refutation of the charge that our author had taken his' Edwin and Angelina' from one of the Percy Ballads. The matter is further explained in the notes to the poem in our vol. ii., p. 20.-ED. Mr. Forster published, in his 'Life of Goldsmith,' 1854, vol. i., p. 405, a "Recommendation" of these Travels, being part of "Proposals "by the publishing firm of J. Johnson and B. Davenport for issuing an English edition. This no doubt is the recommendation alluded to in the above letter. It does not appear that Goldsmith had anything to do with the translation; or, indeed, that the "proposals" resulted in this translation being published.-ED. Dr Pre GOLDSMITH'S LETTERS. Another correspondent of yours accuses me of having taken a ballad I published some time ago from one by the ingenious Mr. Percy. I do not think there is any great resemblance between the two pieces in question. If there be any, his ballad is taken from mine. I read it to Mr. Percy some years ago; and he (as we both considered these things as trifles at best) told me, with his usual good humour, the next time I saw him, that he had taken my plan to form the fragments of Shakspeare into a ballad of his own. He then read me his little Cento, if I may so call it, and I highly approved it. Such petty anecdotes as these are scarcely worth printing; and, were it not for the busy disposition of some of your correspondents, the public should never have known that he owes me the hint of his ballad, or that I am obliged to his friendship and learning for communications of a much more important nature. SIR, LETTER XVI. TO DAVID GARRICK, ESQ., AT LITCHFIELD. LONDON, July 20, 1767. A few days ago Mr. Beard renewed his claim to the piece which I had written for his stage, and had, as a friend, submitted to your perusal. As I found you had very great difficulties about that piece, I complied with his desire, thinking it wrong to take up the attention of my friends with such petty concerns as mine, or to load your good-nature by a compliance rather with their requests than my merits. I am extremely sorry that you should think me warm at our last meeting; your judgment certainly ought to be free, especially in a matter which must in some measure concern your own credit and interest. I assure you, Sir, I have no disposition to differ with you on this or any other account, but am, with an high opinion of your abilities, and with a very real esteem, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, OLIVER GOLDSMITH.' LETTER XVII. 2 TO MR. MAURICE GOLDSMITH, AT JAMES LAWDER'S, ESQ., AT KILMORE, NEAR CARRICK-ON-SHANNON. January, 1770. DEAR BROTHER, I should have answered your letter sooner, but in truth I am not fond of thinking of the necessities of those I love, when it is so very little in my power to help them. I am sorry to find you are still every way unprovided for and what adds to my uneasiness is, that I have received a letter from my sister Johnson,3 by which I learn that she ; 1 First published by Prior, from the original in the Garrick MSS., then in the possession of Colburn, the publisher. The "piece" the subject of the note was the 'Good Natured Man.' Mr. Beard was Colman's immediate predecessor in the management of Covent Garden Theatre. This letter was written the day after Goldsmith had written one to Colman in acknowledgment for the latter having agreed to produce the comedy. The letter to Colman is printed in fac-simile in Forster's 'Goldsmith,' 1854, vol. ii. p. 66.-ED. 2 This was our poet's youngest brother. Having been bred to no business, he, upon some occasion, complained to our bard, that he found it difficult to live like a gentleman: on which Oliver begged he would, without delay, quit so unprofitable a trade, and betake himself to some handicraft employment. Maurice wisely took the hint, and bound himself apprentice to a cabinet-maker. He had a shop in Dublin, when the Duke of Rutland was lord lieutenant; who, at the instance of Mr. Orde, then principal secretary of state (now Lord Bolton), out of regard to his brother's memory, made him an inspector of the licences in that city. He was also appointed mace-bearer on the erection of the Royal Irish Academy: both of them places very compatible with his business. In the former he gave proof of great integrity, by detecting a fraud committed on the revenue in his department, by which probably he might himself have profited, if he had not been a man of principle. He died without issue, about seven years ago.-Note in Percy Memoir, 1801. 3 The " poor Jenny" of Letter XII. The name is spelt as here in the Letter as first printed in Percy, but otherwise it is generally spelt Johnston.-ED. is pretty much in the same circumstances. As to myself, I believe I could get both you and my poor brother-in-law something like that which you desire, but I am determined never to ask for little things, nor exhaust any little interest I may have until I can serve you, him, and myself more effectually. As yet no opportunity has offered, but I believe you are pretty well convinced that I will not be remiss when it arrives. The King has lately been pleased to make me Professor of Ancient History in a Royal Academy of Painting,' which he has just established; but there is no salary annexed, and I took it rather as a compliment to the institution, than any benefit to myself. Honours to one in my situation are something like ruffles to a man that wants a shirt. You tell me that there are fourteen or fifteen pounds left me in the hands of my cousin Lawder, and you ask me what I would have done with them. My dear brother, I would by no means give any directions to my dear worthy relations at Kilmore how to dispose of money which is, properly speaking, more theirs than mine. All that I can say is, that I entirely, and this letter will serve to witness, give up any right and title to it; and I am sure they will dispose of it to the best advantage. To them I entirely leave it, whether they or you may think the whole necessary to fit you out, or whether our poor sister Johnson may not want the half, I leave entirely to their and your discretion. The kindness of that good couple to our poor shattered family demands our sincerest gratitude; and though they have almost forgot me, yet, if good things at last arrive, I hope one day to return, and increase their good humour by adding to my own. I have sent my cousin Jenny a miniature picture of myself, as I believe it is the most acceptable present I can offer. I have ordered it to be left for her at George Faulkenor's, folded in a letter. The face, you well know, is ugly enough, but it is finely painted. I will shortly also send my friends over the Shannon some mezzotinto prints of myself, and some more of my friends here, such as Burke, Johnson, Reynolds, i The Royal Academy of Arts, instituted 1768. Dr. Johnson was also appointed honorary Professor of Ancient Literature. See Life,' p. 27. -ED. and Colman. I believe I have written a hundred letters to different friends in your country, and never received an answer from any of them. I do not know how to account for this, or why they are unwilling to keep up for me these regards, which I must ever retain for them. If, then, you have a mind to oblige me, you will write often, whether I answer you or not. Let me particularly have the news of our family and old acquaintances. For instance, you may begin by telling me about the family where you reside, how they spend their time, and whether they ever make mention of me. Tell me about my mother, my brother Hodson, and his son; my brother Harry's son and daughter, my sister Johnson, the family of Ballyoughter, what is become of them, where they live, and how they do. You talked of being my only brother-I don't understand you-where is Charles ? A sheet of paper occasionally, filled with news of this kind, would make me very happy, and would keep you nearer my mind. As it is, my dear brother, believe me to be yours most affectionately, 1 OLIVER GOLDSMITH.2 LETTER XVIII. TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.3 MY DEAR FRIEND, We had a very quick passage from Dover to Calais, which we performed in three hours and twenty minutes, all of us extremely sea-sick, which must necessarily have ED. The Rev. Henry Goldsmith died in 1768. John had died young.— 2 To the original is annexed a receipt which shows that the sum of £15 was paid to Maurice Goldsmith, for a legacy bequeathed to Oliver Goldsmith by the late Rev. Thomas Contarine. Dated 4th February, 1770.—PERCY. Mr. Contarine died shortly before Jan., 1770, accordto Prior (Life of Goldsmith,' vol. ii., p. 220).—Ed. ing This fragment of a letter was first published in the Percy Memoir. It bears no date, but Goldsmith's visit to the Continent with the Hornecks, its occasion, is known to have occurred towards the end of July, 1770; and the letter itself shows that it was written immediately on landing at Calais.-ED. |