1 1771. curs in a preface by Mr. Till, a coindealer, to a book entitled Descriptive Particulars of English Coronation Medals. reproach of putting it in risk | such it will shortly meet us at with as much recklessness does the Bunburys', the Chambers's, not seem really chargeable to and other houses he visited; him. When Garrick ac- where, poorer than any one he cused him of it, he was was in the habit of meeting, he Æt. 43. smarting under an attack invariably played worse than any upon himself, and avowedly re- one, generally lost, and always taliating. The extent of the folly more than he could afford to is great enough, when merely lose. Let no reproach really described as the indulgence merited be withheld, in yet conamong private friends, at an ut- necting the habit with a worthier terly thoughtless cost, of a real inducement than the love of mad love of card-playing. Such it excitement or of miserable gain. seems to have been;* and as "I am sorry," said Johnson, "I "have not learned to play at "his devotion cost him only about five cards. It is very useful in life. "hundred pounds an hour,-in all, eleven "thousand pounds." "The young men "It generates kindness, and con"of the age," writes Horace Walpole, "solidates society." "If that in"lose five, ten, fifteen thousand pounds "in an evening there. Lord Stavordale" (he was the eldest son of Lord Ilchester), "not one-and-twenty, lost eleven thou"sand there, last Tuesday, but recovered The room in which I conduct my busi"it by one great hand at hazard. He "ness, as a coin-dealer" (17, Russell"swore a great oath-'Now if I had been street, then), "is that which in 1764 be'playing deep, I might have won mil-"came the card-room and place of meet"lions. His cousin, Charles Fox, shines ing for many of the now illustrious "equally there and in the House of Com-"dead, till 1768, when a voluntary sub66 mons. He was twenty-one yesterday"scription among its members induced "se'nnight; and is already one of our "Mr. Haines, the proprietor, to take in "best speakers. Yesterday he was made the next room westward as a coffee"a Lord of the Admiralty." Letters to Mann, II. 81-82. In another letter he illustrates more whimsically the foibles of the hopeful young squadron of macaronis. "I must tell you of a set of young men "of fashion, who, dining lately at the "St. Alban's tavern, thought the noise of "the coaches troublesome. They ordered "the street to be littered with straw, as "is done for women that lie in. The bill "from the Haymarket amounted to fifty "shillings a-piece: methinks I am glad "the Carabiniers and the Grenadiers of "France are cashiered, -the sight of "them before a tavern would make our 'young men miscarry." 46 "room; and the whole floor, en suite, "was converted into card and conversa"tion rooms. Here assembled Doctor Johnson, Garrick, Murphy, Doctor "Dodd, Doctor Goldsmith, Sir Joshua "Reynolds, Foote, Moody, Count Bruhl, "Sir Philip Francis, George Colman the "elder, the Dukes of Northumberland "and Montague, Lord Rodney, George " Steevens, Warner, and many others, "all of whom have long since passed to "that "bourne from whence no traveller "returns.'" *Boswell (who adds, "He certainly "could not mean deep play "), v. 157. At a later period, however, he had even a * I find no authority for supposing that word to say for deep play. "Depend gambling to any extent went on in the "upon it, sir, this is mere talk. Who is rooms which were open at this time on "ruined by gaming? You will not find the site of the once celebrated Button's "six instances in an age. There is a (now forming part of the Hummums),"strange rout made about deep play; and to which the following allusion oc- 66 whereas you have many more people 1771. Æt. nocent design was ever the in- His melancholy satisfaction was ducement of any man, it may that he had fallen before liberty fairly be assumed for Goldsmith. and Wilkes, not before laughter His part in his English History and wit; but the sentence completed, there was nothing was a decisive one. Passed to prevent his betaking himself at Drury-lane in 1770, he 43. to the country; but it was not for had, with a new play, attempted amusement he now went there. its reversal at Covent-garden in He was resolved again to write the present year; but to little for the theatre. His necessities better purpose, though his name were the first motive; but the had been carefully concealed, determination to try another fall and "a young American clergywith sentimental comedy no doubt “man not yet arrived in Engvery strongly influenced him. "land" put forward as the auPoor Kelly's splendid career had thor. On the fall of Hugh Kelly, come to a somewhat ignominious however, there had arisen a close. No sooner had his sudden more formidable antagonist in success given promise of a rising the person of Richard Cumberman, than the hacks of the land. He came into the field ministry laid hold of him, using with every social advantage. He him as the newspaper hack they was the son and great-grandson had attempted to make of Gold- of a bishop; his mother was the smith; and when Garrick an- celebrated Bentley's daughter; nounced his next comedy as A he had himself held a fellowship Word to the Wise, a word to a of Trinity; and, connected as much wider audience, exas- private secretary with Lord Haliperated by his servile support of fax, he had passed through their feeble and profligate rulers, the subordinate political offices, went rapidly round the town and when weariness of waiting for sealed poor Kelly's fate. His promotion turned his thoughts play was hardly listened to.* to the stage. His first comedy, "ruined by adventurous trade, and yet very creditable to him, as are other traits "we do not hear such an outcry against which will appear at the close of my nar"it." (VI. 141.) Apropos of which Bos-rative. "No man ever profited more by well thinks it right to add, "He would "a sudden change of fortune in his "sometimes in conversation maintain "favour; prosperity caused an immediate "opinions which he was sensible were wrong, but in supporting which, his แ "reasoning and wit would be most con"spicuous. He would begin thus: "Why, "sir, as to the good or evil of card "'playing'-'Now,' said Garrick, he is "thinking which side he shall take." " *See ante, p. 54 and 68-70. Here I may quote what is said of Kelly, by Tom Davies, in regard to both his rapid changes of fortune. On the whole it is "and remarkable alteration in his whole ushered in by a prologue in Here Cumberland lies having acted his which he attacked all contem- The Terence of England, the mender of parts, porary dramatists and compli- hearts; 1771. mented Garrick as "the A flattering painter, who made it his "immortal actor," was To draw men as they ought to be, not as care, Et. 43. played at Covent-garden; they are. divine, out, Or rather like Tragedy giving a rout. and Garrick being present, and His gallànts are all faultless, his women charmed with the unexpected And Comedy wonders at being so fine! compliment (for in earlier days Like a tragedy queen he has dizen'd her he had rejected a tragedy by Cumberland), Fitzherbert, in whose box he was, made the author and actor known to each other, a sudden friendship was And coxcombs, alike in their failings struck up, and Cumberland's second comedy was secured for Adopting his portraits, are pleased with Drury-lane. This was the West Say, where has our poet this malady Indian; produced with decisive caught? of virtues and feelings, that Folly grows proud; alone, their own. fault? view success in the present year, and Or wherefore his characters thus without an unquestionably strong rein-Say, was it that vainly directing his forcement of the sentimental style. Cumberland thought him-To find out men's virtues, and finding them few, self, indeed, the creator of his Quite sick of pursuing each troublesome own school, and ignored the elf, existence of poor Kelly; but He grew lazy at last-and drew from that was one of many weak himself? nesses he afterwards more fully which were written in a spirit of developed, and which Sheridan exquisite persiflage at once deamusingly satirised in Sir Fret- tected by the lively Mrs. Thrale; * ful Plagiary. He vouchsafed and lived to receive amusing ridiculous airs of patronage to confirmation of its truth in Cummen who stood confessedly berland's grave gratitude for above him; professed a lofty in- these very verses. He had not difference to criticism that tor- discovered their real meaning, tured him; abused those drama- even when he wrote his Memoirs tists most heartily whose notions five-and-thirty years later. he was readiest to borrow; and had a stock of conceit and selfcomplacency which was proof *Mr. Boaden, in his Life of Kemble, against every effort to diminish tells us that "Mrs. Piozzi used to give as it. Goldsmith discovered all this, an instance of the danger of irony, the long before Sheridan; subtly "character of Cumberland in Goldsmith's insinuated it in those famous "not know the Doctor, been taken for "Retaliation, which had, by all who did lines, He remained still grateful to Goldsmith for having laughed at him; 66 "serious commendation." was 1771. Æt. 43. and so cordial and pleasant is "down his books in two returned the laughter, that his mistake "post chaises;" and it was then may perhaps fairly be forgiven. that Boswell's curiosity Nevertheless, Goldsmith was moved to go and see the now conscious of an opponent in place, taking with him Mr. the author of the West Indian Mickle, translator of the who challenged his utmost exer- Lusiad, and author of the ballad tion; and, eager again to make of Cumnor Hali.* "Goldsmith it in behalf of the merriment, hu- "was not at home; but having a mour, and character of the good "curiosity to see his apartment old school of comedy* (Colman "we went in, and found curious so far encouraged this purpose, "scraps of descriptions of anias to revive the Good-natured "mals, scrawled upon the wall Man for a night or two during "with a black-lead pencil." Seethe run of the West Indian), with- ing these, Boswell doubtless drew to the quiet of a country would remind his friend of what lodging to pursue his labour he had heard Johnson say, undisturbed. The Shoemaker's "Goldsmith, sir, will give us a Paradise was no longer his; but "very fine book upon the subhe continued his liking for the "ject; but if he can distinguish a neighbourhood, and took a single "cow from a horse, that, I beroom in a farmer's house near "lieve, may be the extent of the six mile stone on the Edge-"his knowledge of natural hisware-road. It SO suited his "tory," ** and very probably modest wants and means, and *William Julius Mickle,-originally he liked the farmer's family so a compositor for the press, and a man of much, that he returned to it in real merit, of some of whose imitations the following summer to write of the old ballad Walter Scott held that his Natural History, "carrying they were better than old ballads them selves, in his Dissertation prefixed to the Lusiad, after adding Dr. Johnson to "He told one or two of his friends," the number of those whose kindness for says Cooke, "that he would try the the man and good wishes for the trans"dramatic taste of the town once more, lator call for the sincerest gratitude, "but that he would still hunt after na- says, "Nor must a tribute to the memory "ture and humour in whatever walks "of Doctor Goldsmith be neglected. He "of life they were most conspicuous.""saw a part of this version, but he canEurop. Mag. XXIV. 173. Another friend," not now receive the thanks of the to whom he afterwards gave the same "translator." In the brief memoir of assurance, tells us also the reply he had Mickle, in which I find this passage made to the sneer which "some authors" quoted, it is also said that both Johnson hinted to him "that for a man to write and Goldsmith had contemplated transgenteel comedy it was necessary that lating the Lusiad, but that "other avoca"he should be well acquainted with "tions prevented." Mickle got into an "high life himself." "True," said Gold-unfortunate dispute with Garrick about smith; "and if any of you have a char- a tragedy recommended by Boswell, and "acter of a truly elegant lady in high not worth the heart-burnings it caused. "life, who is neither a coquette nor a Life of Johnson, v. 91. "prude, I hope you will favour me with "it." Cradock's Memoirs, IV. 282. 66 **Life, VI. 209. In like manner Miss Hawkins reports Johnson saying after 1771. he would proceed to ascertain, It is very certain that Goldby closer examination of the smith began with quite imperfect black-lead scrawls, whether or knowledge the labour which was not that distinction had now his country occupation; but yet been thoroughly mas- perhaps neither Johnson nor any Act. 43. tered. other of his friends knew the pains he had been taking to supthe publication of the work (Memoirs, I. 294), “You are not to infer from this ply his defects, and the surprise "compilation Goldsmith's knowledge on he was thus preparing for them "the subject; if he knows that a cow has he unhappily did not live himself But I have no doubt that this was simply to enjoy. He had not forgotten copied from Boswell, and confused with his fishing and otter-hunting what the latter adds, in the same page of "when a boy" in Ireland; or the his book, about Goldsmith having tran "horns, it is as much as he does know." scribed Buffon's mistake as to a cow nest of the heron, "built near a shedding her horns every two years. I"school-house" he well knew; may add another anecdote connected with the same subject, which the painter or the five young bats he had Haydon derived from a very old lady found in one hole together; or whom he met in Devonshire, no other the great Irish wolf-dog he took than the younger of Sir Joshua Rey such pleasure in describing; or whom the elder became Marchioness of his absorbing interest in the Thomond), who married Mr. Gwatkin, seals, kept by a gentleman died only very recently, and must have known to him in that early time. nolds's nieces (the Miss Palmers, of been at this time about fourteen or fif teen years old. She was eighty-nine At the Tower in London he was when Mr. Haydon met her eight years himself well known for his freago, and he describes her figure as "fine quent visits to the "Lions" "and elastic, upright as a dart, with no"thing of decrepitude; certainly extra- there, and with the Queen's "ordinary for a woman in her eighty; menagerie at Buckingham-gate "ninth year. ・・・ We had a delightful he was as perfectly familiar; in "chat about Burke, Johnson, Goldsmith, "Garrick, and Reynolds. She said that the former place he had been "she came to Sir Joshua quite a girl, at no small pains to measure "and at the first grand party Dr. John-"through the bars" and "as well "son stayed, as he always did, after all 66 were gone; and that she, being afraid "as I could" an enormous tiger, "of hurting her new frock, went up- and in the latter he had narrowly "stairs, and put on another, and came down to sit with Dr. Johnson and Sir escaped a kick from a terrified "Joshua. Johnson thundered out at her, zebra. Many such amusing ex"scolded her for her disrespect to him, periences are set down in his "in supposing he was not as worthy of volumes, which, whatever their defects of information may be, are at least thoroughly impressed with the love of nature and na "her best frock as fine folks. He sent "her crying to bed, and took a dislike to "her ever after. She had a goldfinch "which she had left at home. Her bro "ther and sister dropped water on it "from a great height, for fun. The bird "died from fright, and turned black. "lude to it. 'Sir,' roared out Johnson, "She told Goldsmith, who was writing" "if you do, you'll ruin your work, for, "his Animated Nature. Goldsmith begged "depend upon it, it's a lie.'" Haydon's "her to get the facts, and he would al- Autobiography, III. 286-7. (1853). |