Life of Johnson
Chapter 88 : [1203] See _ante_, i. 365.[1204] 'Dr. Burney spoke with great warmth of affection

[1203] See _ante_, i. 365.

[1204] 'Dr. Burney spoke with great warmth of affection of Dr. Johnson; said he was the kindest creature in the world when he thought he was loved and respected by others. He would play the fool among friends, but he required deference. It was necessary to ask questions and make no a.s.sertion. If you said two and two make four, he would say, "How will you prove that, Sir?" Dr. Burney seemed amiably sensitive to every unfavourable remark on his old friend.' H. C. Robinson's _Diary_, iii. 485.

[1205] See _post_, April 24, 1777, note, and Oct. l0, 1779, where he consults Johnson about the study of Greek. He formed wishes, scarcely plans of study but never studied.

[1206] See _post_, Feb. 18, 1777. It was Graham who so insulted Goldsmith by saying:--''Tis not you I mean, Dr. _Minor_; 'tis Dr.

_Major_ there.' Boswell's _Hebrides_, Aug. 24, 1773.

[1207] See _post_, Sept. 19, 1777.

[1208] Of Mathematics Goldsmith wrote:--'This seems a science to which the meanest intellects are equal.' See _post_, March 15, 1776, note.

[1209] In his _Present State of Polite Learning_, ch. 13 (_Misc. Works_, i. 266), Goldsmith writes:--'A man who is whirled through Europe in a post-chaise, and the pilgrim who walks the grand tour on foot, will form very different conclusions. _Haud inexpertus loquor_.' The last three words are omitted in the second edition.

[1210] George Primrose in the _Vicar of Wakefield_ (ch. 20), after describing these disputations, says:--'In this manner I fought my way towards England.'

[1211] Dr. Warton wrote to his brother on Jan. 22, 1766:--'Of all solemn c.o.xcombs Goldsmith is the first; yet sensible--but affects to use Johnson's hard words in conversation.' Wooll's _Warton_, p. 312.

[1212] It was long believed that the author of one of Goldsmith's early works was Lord Lyttelton. '"Whenever I write anything," said Goldsmith, "I think the public _make a point_ to know nothing about it." So the present book was issued as a _History of England in a series of Letters from a n.o.bleman to his Son_. The persuasion at last became general that the author was Lord Lyttelton, and the name of that grave good lord is occasionally still seen affixed to it on the bookstalls.' Forster's _Goldsmith_, i. 301. The _Traveller_ was the first of his works to which he put his name. It was published in 1764. 16. p. 364.

[1213] Published in 1759.

[1214] Published in 1760-1.

[1215] See his Epitaph in Westminster Abbey, written by Dr. Johnson.

BOSWELL.

'Qui nullum fere scribendi genus Non tetigit, Nullum quod tetigit non ornavit.'

_Post_, under June 22, 1776.

[1216] In allusion to this, Mr. Horace Walpole, who admired his writings, said he was 'an inspired ideot;' and Garrick described him as one

'----for shortness call'd Noll, Who wrote like an angel, and talk'd like poor Poll.'

Sir Joshua Reynolds mentioned to me that he frequently heard Goldsmith talk warmly of the pleasure of being liked, and observe how hard it would be if literary excellence should preclude a man from that satisfaction, which he perceived it often did, from the envy which attended it; and therefore Sir Joshua was convinced that he was intentionally more absurd, in order to lessen himself in social intercourse, trusting that his character would be sufficiently supported by his works. If it indeed was his intention to appear absurd in company, he was often very successful. But with due deference to Sir Joshua's ingenuity, I think the conjecture too refined. BOSWELL.

Horace Walpole's saying of the 'inspired ideot' is recorded in Davies's _Garrick_, ii. 151. Walpole, in his _Letters_, describes Goldsmith as 'a changeling that has had bright gleams of parts,' (v. 458); 'a fool, the more wearing for having some sense,' (vi. 29); 'a poor soul that had sometimes parts, though never common sense,' (_ib_. p. 73); and 'an idiot, with once or twice a fit of parts,' (_ib_. p. 379).

Garrick's lines--

'Here lies Nolly Goldsmith, for shortness called Noll, Who wrote like an angel, but talked like poor Poll,'

are his imaginary epitaph on Goldsmith, which, with the others, gave rise to _Retaliation_. Forster's _Goldsmith_, ii. 405.

[1217] Rousseau accounting for the habit he has 'de balbutier promptement des paroles sans idees,' continues, 'je crois que voila de quoi faire a.s.sez comprendre comment n'etant pas un sot, j'ai cependant souvent pa.s.se pour l'etre, meme chez des gens en etat de bien juger....

Le parti que j'ai pris d'ecrire et de me cacher est precis.e.m.e.nt celui qui me convenait. Moi present on n'aurait jamais su ce que je valois, on ne l'aurait pas soupconne meme.' _Les Confessions_, Livre iii. See _post_, April 27, 1773, where Boswell admits that 'Goldsmith was often very fortunate in his witty contests, even when he entered the lists with Johnson himself:' and April 30, 1773, where Reynolds says of him: 'There is no man whose company is more liked.'

[1218] Northcote, a few weeks before his death, said to Mr.

Prior:--'When Goldsmith entered a room, Sir, people who did not know him became for a moment silent from awe of his literary reputation; when he came out again, they were riding upon his back.' Prior's _Goldsmith_, i.

440. According to Dr. Percy:--'His face was marked with strong lines of thinking. His first appearance was not captivating; but when he grew easy and cheerful in company, he relaxed into such a display of good humour as soon removed every unfavourable impression.' Goldsmith's _Misc. Works_, i. 117.

[1219] 'Dr. Goldsmith told me, he himself envied Shakespeare.' Walpole's _Letters_, vi. 379. Boswell, later on (_post_, May 9, 1773), says:--'In my opinion Goldsmith had not more of it [an envious disposition] than other people have, but only talked of it freely.' See also _post_, April 12, 1778. According to Northcote, 'Sir Joshua said that Goldsmith considered public notoriety or fame as one great parcel, to the whole of which he laid claim, and whoever partook of any part of it, whether dancer, singer, slight of hand man, or tumbler, deprived him of his right.' Northcote's _Reynolds_, i. 248. See _post_, April 7, 1778, where Johnson said that 'Goldsmith was not an agreeable companion, for he talked always for fame;' and April 9, 1778.

[1220] Miss Hornecks, one of whom is now married to Henry Bunbury, Esq., and the other to Colonel Gwyn. BOSWELL.

[1221] 'Standing at the window of their hotel [in Lisle] to see a company of soldiers in the Square, the beauty of the sisters Horneck drew such marked admiration, that Goldsmith, heightening his drollery with that air of solemnity so generally a point in his humour and so often more solemnly misinterpreted, turned off from the window with the remark that elsewhere _he_ too could have his admirers. The Jessamy Bride, Mrs. Gwyn, was asked about the occurrence not many years ago; remembered it as a playful jest; and said how shocked she had subsequently been "to see it adduced in print as a proof of his envious disposition."' Forster's _Goldsmith_, ii. 217.

[1222] Puppets.

[1223] He went home with Mr. Burke to supper; and broke his s.h.i.+n by attempting to exhibit to the company how much better he could jump over a stick than the puppets. BOSWELL. Mr. Hoole was one day in a coach with Johnson, when 'Johnson, who delighted in rapidity of pace, and had been speaking of Goldsmith, put his head out of one of the windows to see they were going right, and rubbing his hands with an air of satisfaction exclaimed:--"This man drives fast and well; were Goldsmith here now he would tell us he could do better."' Prior's _Goldsmith_, ii. 127.

[1224] See _post_, April 9, 1773; also April 9, 1778, where Johnson says, 'Goldsmith had no settled notions upon any subject.'

[1225] I am willing to hope that there may have been some mistake as to this anecdote, though I had it from a Dignitary of the Church. Dr. Isaac Goldsmith, his near relation, was Dean of Cloyne, in 1747. BOSWELL. This note first appears in the second edition.

[1226] Mr. Welsh, in _A Bookseller of the Last Century_, p. 58, quotes the following entry from an account-book of B. Collins of Salisbury, the printer of the first edition of the _Vicar_:--'_Vicar of Wakefield_, 2 vols. 12mo., 1/3rd. B. Collins, Salisbury, bought of Dr. Goldsmith, the author, October 28, 1762, 21.' Goldsmith, it should seem from this, as Collins's third share was worth twenty guineas, was paid not sixty pounds, but sixty guineas. Collins shared in many of the ventures of Newbery, Goldsmith's publisher. Mr. Welsh says (_ib_. p. 61) that Collins's accounts show 'that the first three editions resulted in a loss.' If this was so, the booksellers must have been great bunglers, for the book ran through three editions in six or seven months.

Forster's _Goldsmith_, i. 425.

[1227] The Traveller (price one s.h.i.+lling and sixpence) was published in December 1764, and _The Vicar of Wakefield_ in March 1766. In August 1765 the fourth edition of _The Traveller_ appeared, and the ninth in the year Goldsmith died. He received for it 21. Forster's _Goldsmith_, i. 364, 374, 409. See _ante_, p. 193, note i.

[1228] '"Miss Burney," said Mrs. Thrale [to Dr. Johnson], "is fond of _The Vicar of Wakefield_, and so am I. Don't you like it, Sir?" "No, madam, it is very faulty; there is nothing of real life in it, and very little of nature. It is a mere fanciful performance."' Mme. D'Arblay's _Diary_, i. 83. 'There are a hundred faults in this Thing,' said Goldsmith in the preface, 'and a hundred things might be said to prove them beauties. But it is needless. A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity.' See _post_, April 25, 1778.

[1229] _Anecdotes of Johnson_, p. 119. BOSWELL.

[1230] _Life of Johnson_, p. 420. BOSWELL.

[1231] In his imprudence he was like Savage, of whom Johnson says (_Works_, viii. 161):--'To supply him with money was a hopeless attempt; for no sooner did he see himself master of a sum sufficient to set him free from care for a day, than he became profuse and luxurious.' When Savage was 'lodging in the liberties of the Fleet, his friends sent him every Monday a guinea, which he commonly spent before the next morning, and trusted, after his usual manner, the remaining part of the week to the bounty of fortune.' _Ib_. p. 170.

[1232] It may not be improper to annex here Mrs. Piozzi's account of this transaction, in her own words, as a specimen of the extreme inaccuracy with which all her anecdotes of Dr. Johnson are related, or rather discoloured and distorted:--'I have forgotten the year, but it could scarcely, I think, be later than 1765 or 1766 that he was _called abruptly from our house after dinner_, and returning _in about three hours_, said he had been with an enraged authour, whose landlady pressed him for payment within doors, while the bailiffs beset him without; that he was _drinking himself drunk_ with Madeira, to drown care, and fretting over a novel, which, when _finished_, was to be his _whole fortune_, but _he could not get it done for distraction_, nor could he step out of doors to offer it for sale. Mr. Johnson, therefore, sent away the bottle, and went to the bookseller, recommending the performance, and _desiring some immediate relief_; which when he brought back to the writer, _he called the 'woman of the house directly to partake of punch, and pa.s.s their time in merriment.' Anecdotes of Dr.

Johnson_, p. 119. BOSWELL. The whole transaction took place in 1762, as is shown, _ante_, p. 415, note 1; Johnson did not know the Thrales till 1764.

[1233] Through Goldsmith Boswell became acquainted with Reynolds. In his _Letter to the People of Scotland_ (p. 99), he says:--'I exhort you, my friends and countrymen, in the words of my departed _Goldsmith_, who gave me many nodes _Atticae_, and gave me a jewel of the finest water--the acquaintance of Sir Joshua Reynolds.'

[1234] See _post_, July 30, 1763.

[1235] See _post_, March 20, 1776, and Boswell's _Hebrides_, Oct. 17, 1773.

[1236] See _post_, March 15, 1776.

[1237] 'Dr. Campbell was an entertaining story-teller, which [_sic_]

sometimes he rather embellished; so that the writer of this once heard Dr. Johnson say:--"Campbell will lie, but he never lies on paper."'

_Gent. Mag_. for 1785, p. 969.

[1238] I am inclined to think that he was misinformed as to this circ.u.mstance. I own I am jealous for my worthy friend Dr. John Campbell.

For though Milton could without remorse absent himself from publick wors.h.i.+p [Johnson's _Works_, vii. 115] I cannot. On the contrary, I have the same habitual impressions upon my mind, with those of a truely venerable Judge, who said to Mr. Langton, 'Friend Langton, if I have not been at church on Sunday, I do not feel myself easy.' Dr. Campbell was a sincerely religious man. Lord Macartney, who is eminent for his variety of knowledge, and attention to men of talents, and knew him well, told me, that when he called on him in a morning, he found him reading a chapter in the Greek New Testament, which he informed his Lords.h.i.+p was his constant practice. The quant.i.ty of Dr. Campbell's composition is almost incredible, and his labours brought him large profits. Dr. Joseph Warton told me that Johnson said of him, 'He is the richest authour that ever grazed the common of literature.' BOSWELL.

[1239] See _post_, April 7, 1778. Campbell complied with one of the _Monita Padagogica_ of Erasmus. 'Si quem praeteribis natu grandem, magistratum, sacerdotem, doctorem.... memento aperire caput.... Itidem facito quum praeteribis asdem sacram.' Erasmus's _Colloquies_, ed.

1867, i. 36.