"his instructions upon those connection with its authorship 'parts where he must neces- escaped even Boswell, who, yet "sarily be defective. He will have busier and more inquisitive than

66

"a rehearsal on Mon- of old, came up from his Scotch 1772. "day," ," he adds (the note practice for his annual London Et. 44. is dated on Sunday morn- visit not a month after it was ing), "when if Mr. Cradock performed, more than ever "would come, and afterwards amazed at the amount of Gold"take a bit of mutton chop, it smith's celebrity. "Sir," he "would add to his other obliga- said to Johnson somewhat later, "tions."* The thing was hardly "Goldsmith has acquired more worth even so much trouble, for "fame than all the officers last it was purely an occasional". war who were not generals!” piece. Though not without a "Why, sir," answered Johnson, passage of merit here and there, "you will find ten thousand fit it was written, as we learn from "to do what they did, before the advertisement prefixed to it, "you find one who does what in a couple of days; Goldsmith "Goldsmith has done. You must himself honestly calls it "a com- "consider that a thing is valued "pilation," which it really was, "according to its rarity. A rather than "a poem;" and it "pebble that paves the street did not appear with his name at-"is in itself more useful than tached to it until forty years "the diamond upon a lady's after his death. Cradock then "finger."* But this did not gave it to his friend Nichols, who satisfy Boswell, who had now in handed it to Chalmers. ** His truth a strong, secret, and to himself perhaps only half-con

*Memoirs, 1. 225.

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66

**See Nichols's Illustrations, vII. 25. It contained whole lines and stanzas a little to keep it quiet till it falls taken bodily out of Collins's Odes. And 'asleep, and then the Care is over." as I have occasion to notice this fact, let Goldsmith puts this into the mouth of me add that Goldsmith is now and then Mr. Croaker, as his own (Act I. Scene 1.); found borrowing in other places without in the concluding chapter of his Enquiry very specific acknowledgment. A few into Polite Learning, he repeats it, with examples have already been given, but the saving clause that "Life, &c. has been perhaps the most curious is a thought 'compared to a froward child," &c; and, which he took verbatim from the last writing in the assumed character of "A Nobleman to his Son" in his Letsentence in Sir William Temple's Discourse of Poetry (Works, folio edition, 1720, ters on English History, he thus comI. 249), and of which he was so fond, and promises between his absolute appropriaso little careful to hide his acquisition in tion in the first instance, and his more a corner, that he has repeated it thrice in modified abstraction in the second: his various writings. I remembered it as "And perhaps, my child, after all, what Temple's from having heard it in my most true:-When all is done, human your noble ancestor has observed is youth read out by Charles Lamb, who was also very fond of it. "When all is "life," &c. 66 done, Human Life is, at the greatest * Bos. IV. 145. "I wish," adds Bos"and the best, but like a froward Child, well, "our friend Goldsmith had heard "that must be play'd with and humour'd" this."

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1772.

Æt. 44.

fessed reason for his very ludi-withstanding, Bozzy persisted: crous jealousy and impatience. forgetting so much more of the He fancied Goldsmith likely to manners of a gentleman as even be Johnson's biographer, and to lay down his knife and that was an office he already fork, take out his tablets, coveted and had selected for and report speeches in himself. the middle of a dinner-table; For now began that series of submitting to daily rebuffs, requestions,* What did you do, sir? proofs, and indignities; satisfied What did you say, sir? which after-to be played over and drenched wards forced from their victim by the fountain of (what he never the energetic protest: "Sir, I dreams of describing by a ruder "will not be put to the question. name than) "wit;" content not "Don't you consider, sir, that only to be called, by the object "these are not the manners of a of his veneration, a dunce, a "gentleman? I will not be baited parasite, a coxcomb, an eaves"with what and why; what is this? dropper, and a fool, but even "what is that? why is a cow's faithfully to report what he calls "tail long? why is a fox's tail the "keen sarcastic wit," the "bushy?"** In all which, not- "variety of degrading images, the "rudeness," and the "feFor one of a thousand examples. of the ridiculous minuteness of Boswell's "rocity," of which he was made boredom, see Johnson put to the torture on the subject of squeezed oranges. "it." (vII. 255.) Very whimsical too, V. 269. and very creditable to Boswell more** Life, vII. 105-6. Boswell amusingly over, is a remark afterwards intercontinues of himself: "The gentleman, changed between him and Johnson. Bos"who was a good deal out of coun- WELL: "1 said to-day to Sir Joshua, "tenance, said, 'Why, sir, you are so "when he observed that you tossed me "'good, that I venture to trouble you.' "sometimes, 'I don't care how often or "JOHNSON: 'Sir, my being so good is no "how high he tosses me, when only "reason why you should be so ill.""""friends are present, for then I fall On another occasion there was what poor" upon soft ground; but I do not like Boswell calls a "horrible shock." They 'falling on stones, which is the case were talking about the necessity of "when enemies are present.' I think getting Langton out of the extravagance "this a pretty good image, sir." JOHNof his London house, and Boswell ven- SON (mollified and repentant): "Sir, it is tured to suggest that he might be driven "one of the happiest I have ever heard." away by his friends quarrelling with (vII. 196.) So, on the occasion of the him: "Nay, sir," put in Johnson, "we'll horrible shock above recorded, and for "send you to him. If your company which there had been no visible cause, "does not drive a man out of his house, "I afterwards," says Boswell, "asked nothing will." A third instance oc-"him why he had said so harsh a thing. curred on Bozzy's complaining of a head-"JOHNSON: 'Because, sir, you made me ache from the wine they had taken at a "angry about the Americans.' late sitting in the Mitre: "Nay, sir, it "WELL: 'But why did you not take your was not the wine that made your head" 'revenge directly?' JOHNSON (smil"ache, but the sense that I put into it." "ing): 'Because, sir, I had nothing ready. BOSWELL: "What, sir! will sense make "A man cannot strike till he has his "the head ache?" JOHNSON: "Yes, sir"""weapons.' This was a candid and (with a smile), "when it is not used to "pleasant confession." VII, 166.

46

666

Bos

the special object:* bent all the folly with as much shrewd clear more firmly upon the one design insight; the same lively power which seized and occupied the to do justice to their sayings, the

whole of such faculties as same reverence to devote such

as if

1772. he possessed, and living talents to that humble service, Æt. 44. in such manner to achieve and the same conceit full-proof it as to have made himself im- against every degradation it inmortal as his hero. "You have volved. We have but to turn to "but two topics, sir,” exclaimed the biography of any other man Johnson; "yourself and me. I of letters to comprehend our "am sick of both." Happily for debt of gratitude to Boswell; we us, nothing could sicken Boswell have but to remember how fruitof either; and by one of the most less is the quest, when we would moderately wise men that ever seek to stand face to face with lived, the masterpiece of English any other as famous Englishbiography was written. men. "So, sir," said Johnson to It is so, because, after every Cibber, "I find you knew Mr. allowance made for the writer's "Dryden?" "Knew him!" said Cibber. failings, it is a book thoroughly "O Lord! I was as well honest and true to the minutest "acquainted with him letter. "I besought his tender- “he had been my own brother." "ness," says Mrs. Hannah More, “Then," rejoined the other, "you a few months after his hero's 'can tell me some anecdotes of death,** "for our virtuous and "him?" "Oh yes," exclaimed "most revered departed friend, Colley, "a thousand! why, we "and begged he would mitigate "used to meet him continually at "some of his asperities. He said 'a club at Button's. I remember "roughly, He would not cut off "as well as if it were but yester"his claws, nor make a tiger a 'day, that when he came into "cat, to please anybody." Per"the room in winter-time, he haps there is nothing sadder to "used to go and sit close by the think of in our history than the "fire in one corner; and that in many tigers that figure as cats, 'summer-time, he would always and the many cats who trample "go and sit in the window."* about as tigers. What would we now give to have had a Boswell for every Johnson! to have had in attendance on all our immortals as much self-complacent

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* Warner's Letters. (Johnsoniana, x.

120.) For Boswell's version of the story, which is not so good, see vI. 193. It was in connection with this subject did not think that the life of any Johnson maintained (Iv. 261-2) that "he "literary man in England had been well *Life, IV. 229-30. "written. Beside the common incidents **In 1785. Memoirs and Correspondence"of life, it should tell us his studies, his of Hannah More, I. 403; and see Ibid."mode of living, the means by which he 1. 211-2, and Madame D'Arblay's Memoirs" attained to excellence, and his opinion of Dr. Burney, II. 190-7, "of his own works. He told us he had

Æt. 44.

Such was the information John- said Goldsmith, "what would son got from Cibber as to the "you do if you were affronted?" manners and habits of Dryden. “I answered," says Boswell, “I Such, or little better, but for "should think it necessary 1772. Boswell, might have been our "to fight." "Why then," knowledge of Johnson. was the reply, "that solves Early in April he dined in "the question." "No, sir," incompany with Johnson and Gold- terposed Johnson, "it does not smith at General Oglethorpe's, "solve the question;" which he and "fired up" the brave old thereupon proceeded himself to General by making a question solve, by regretting the superof the moral propriety of duel- fluity of refinement which exling. * "I ask you first, sir," isted in society on the subject of affronts, and admitting that sent Derrick to Dryden's relations, to duelling must be tolerated so 66 gather materials for his life; and he "believed Derrick had got all that he long as such notions should pre"himself should have got; but it was vail. After this (the General "nothing." On another occasion, some having meanwhile poured a little one having remarked that it seemed wine on the table, and, at Johnhardly possible to render the life of a mere literary man very entertaining, son's request, described with a "But," retorted Johnson with perfect wet finger the siege of Belgrade), truth, "it certainly may. This is a re"mark which has been made, and rea question was started of how "peated, without justice. Why should far people who disagree in a "the life of a literary man be less enter- capital point can live in friend"taining than the life of any other man? "Are there not as interesting varieties in ship together. Johnson said they "such a life? As a literary life it may be might. Goldsmith said they 66 very entertaining.' (VIII. 76.) John- could not, as they had not the son's love for biography is well known, idem velle atque idem nolle, the same

แ

to use.

and that he held it to be the best form of history, as giving us always what comes near to ourselves, and what we can turn "What is nearest touches us "most." I doubt however if another remark of his is so well known, which seems to me highly characteristic of him. "I love anecdotes. I fancy mankind "may come, in time, to write all aphoris"tically, except in narrative; grow "weary of preparation, and connection, "and illustration, and all those arts by "which a big book is made." Bos. IV. 31.

wine, and by a fillip made some of it fly in Oglethorpe's face. Here was a nice dilemma. To have challenged him instantly might have fixed a quarrelsome character on the young soldier, whereas to have taken no notice might have been construed into cowardice. ' Oglethorpe, "therefore," continues Boswell, "keep"ing his eye upon the prince, and smil"ing all the time, as if he took what his "Highness had done in jest, said, 'Mon "Prince'-(I forget the French words * The question about duelling appears "he used; the purport however was) to have arisen out of a capital anecdote "that's a good joke; but we do it much which the General had been relating to "better in England;' and threw a his guests, and which Boswell has pre-"whole glass of wine in the prince's face. served for us. When only fifteen he was An old general who sat by, said, 'Il a serving under Prince Eugene, and being" bien fait, mon prince, vous l'avez at table with one of the princes of Wir-"commencé:' and thus all ended in temberg, the prince took up a glass of "good humour." III. 218.

likings and the same aversions. Goldsmith had said too clever "Why, sir," returned Johnson, a thing, and got punished for it. "you must shun the subject as So it was with Percy, very

1772.

"like very well to hear honest Gold. "smith talk away carelessly.' JOHNSON: 'Why, yes, sir; but he should "not like to hear himself." " Boswell,

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III. 222.

*I have before remarked his odd im

patience when Percy is praised, and I may here give an instance of a year's smith's name is introduced in it.

later date than the present, since GoldBos

"to which you disagree. often;* so with Joseph Warton; "For instance, I can live so with Dean Barnard; ** so with Æt. 44. "very well with Burke: I "love his knowledge, his genius, "his diffusion and affluence of "conversation; but I would not "talk to him of the Rockingham "party." "But, sir," retorted Goldsmith, "when people live "together who have something "as to which they disagree, and well and he are talking in the Hebrides. "which they want to shun, they "Doctor Birch being mentioned, he said "will be in the situation men-"I said, Percy had a great many; that he "he had more anecdotes than any man. ❝tioned in the story of Blue-flowed with them like one of the brooks "beard: You may look into all the "here. JOHNSON: 'If Percy was like "chambers but one. But we should "have the greatest inclination to "look into that chamber, to talk "of that subject." Johnson hereupon with a loud voice shouted Derry and ultimately Bishop of Killaloe, out, "Sir, I am not saying that so often referred to in these pages, is not you could live in friendship with the Dr. Barnard, Provost of Eton, and also a friend of Johnson's, with whom he "a man from whom you differ as is frequently confounded by writers im"to some point; I am only say-perfectly acquainted with the time. It "ing that I could do it. You was of the Provost he made the charac'put me in mind of Sappho "Ovid."*

*

"one of the brooks here, Birch was like "the river Thames. Birch excelled "Percy in that, as much as Percy excels "Goldsmith.'"

IV. 281.

** It may be well perhaps to warn the reader that the Dr. Barnard, Dean of

teristic remark preserved by Mrs. Piozzi in that "he was the only man too (says Mr. "Johnson, quite seriously) that did "justice to my good breeding, and you III. 218-9. This was probably the "may observe that I am well-bred to a first and last time that Goldsmith and "degree of needless scrupulosity" (AnecSappho ever found themselves in each dotes, 36); a remark which he could other's company! But when Boswell and hardly have made of the Dean, to whom, Johnson next met, the uneasy recollec-on the latter doubting if a man could imtion of their friend's clever hit in this prove after forty-five, he recommended argument had not passed away. "Of the advisability of making the trial, for, our friend Goldsmith he said, 'Sir, he he added, also seriously, "though you "is so much afraid of being unnoticed, "are forty-eight, I am afraid there is "that he often talks merely lest you "great room for it." Boswell, vIII. 93; "should forget that he is in the com- and Croker, 833. But the best account of "'pany.' BOSWELL: 'Yes, he stands the incident is in a letter of Richard's to "forward.' JOHNSON: True, sir, but William Burke (Jan. 6, 1773); to whom if a man is to stand forward, he he forwards a complete copy of the "should wish to do it, not in an awk-verses, "sent early next morning to Rey"ward posture, not in rags, not so as "nolds," suggested by Johnson's sally, "that he shall only be exposed to and quoted in my text. See Burke Cor"'ridicule.' BOSWELL: 'For my part, I respondence, 1. 403-7.