VOL. 4.] Sketches of Society-The Hermit in London. 53 his country, and he cannot help them.' exclaimed be, fixing his eyes at the The Colonel, angrily-" Sir Michael, same time on their father, who is remaryou are very polite; but here stands an kably plain. What lovely creatures !' Irishman before you who never made repeated he, laying much emphasis on a bull in his life, nor disappointed his the word lovely. 'Are all these chitfriend." The poor Baronet was struck dren yours?' "So her Ladyship says,' dumb, and sat silent until dinner was replied the husband; and there was announced. nothing but blushes, smiles, surprise, and confusion round the table. How do Defeat and diffidence took such possession of him at table, that he scarcely His last blunder was respecting Waldared to open his mouth. At last, the ter Scott. Being asked by a lady what Marquis, seeing his consternation, en- he thought of that excellent poet, whom deavoured to draw him out, by saying, he had seen in his tour through Scot"Sir Michael, did you observe the sale land, he replied, "Charming, charming; of our old school-fellow's estate? it but 'tis pity he is so lame.' fetched eighty thousand pounds! should mean?' said Mrs. Freethink, a blueyou have thought it worth so much?" stocking lady. Is it his poetry (conBy no means, my dear Lord; and I tinued she) or his person, to which you was as much surprised to see the crim, allude?' "His person"-(here he recon. business of Lady-(he was stop- collected the lameness of the Marquis's ped by a look of the Marquis's)-I brother! so, trying to recover himself, mean the death of old Lady-(another be recalled his words) "not in his perfrown) the marriage of Captain Brace- son, Madam, but in his poetry"-(retight to a mechanic's daughter.' The flecting on the beauty of his lines, and crim. con. lady, whose publicity had the public opinion, he recovered himself been revived after lying dormant twelve again by) "I-I-mean in both-in months, sat opposite to him; the old neither-upon my soul, I beg your lady's daughter, in deep mourning was on his right hand; and Captain Bracetight's brother was near the foot of the table. "Each looked on other, none the silence broke." Sir Michael blushed and stammered, coughed, called for water, and hesitated. His next neighbour on the left addressed him; and he stuttered so in reply, that the other, who had an impediment in his speech, almost suspected that he was turning him into ridicule. pardon-I do not know what I mean." Here a general laugh could no longer be controlled, and he was laughed at by all present. He retired early; took French leave; went home; passed a sleepless night; and never returned to Doricourt House. The Marchioness has given orders to her German porter to say to the Baronet always," Madame n'est pas visible ;" and the whole fami ly has dropped him. The poor Baronet will at last be At the desert, four beautiful children obliged to live the life of a recluse, as were ushered in, walking by files in he will not be able to keep an acquainrather a stage-effect way. They were tance in the town; or perhaps he may the Marquis's nephews and nieces. His end by some very serious consequences brother and sister were at table, and the attending these habitual mistakes; for children had been sent for as a recrea- these unmeant insults are never forgivtion to them. Every one was eager en, and, so weak are we, that many to praise them, to extol their beauty, to who can generously pass over and forget enumerate their good qualities, &c. Sir an injury, can never pardon the being Michael, after priming himself with a degraded, or rendered ridiculous, wheglass of hermitage, "to bear his courage ther intentionally or unintentionally— up," thought that he would be compli- in joke or in earnest. mentary too: What lovely children !' THE HERMIT IN LONDON, 54 0 Anecdotes of Dr. Goldsmith. [VOL. 4 ORIGINAL ANECDOTES OF DR. GOLDSMITH. From the Gentleman's Magazine, July 1818. LIVER GOLDSMITH was born was then of reserved and distant habits, at Pallice, on the Southern banks fond of solitary walks, spending most of the river Inny, in the adjoining parish of his time among the rocks, and woodof Cloncalla. As he was educated at the ed islands of the river Inny, which is school of the Rev. Mr. Hughes, in Bal- remarkably beautiful at Ballymahon. lymahon, and passed his earlier years in The writer of this account purchased that town with his mother; the follow- some books, a few years ago, at an aucing brief Memoirs of him may be given, tion in Ballymahon, and among them with propriety, in this Survey.* an account-book, kept by a Mrs. Ed The family of Goldsmith has been wards, and a Miss Sarah Shore, who long settled in Ireland. One of them, lived in the house next to Mrs. GoldDr. Isaac Goldsmith, was Dean of Cork smith. In this village record, were sevabout the year 1730; but they seem to eral shop accounts kept with Mr. Goldhave resided chiefly in the province of smith, from the year 1740 to 1756. Connaught. For many generations, Some of the entries in the earliest of they have regularly furnished a Minister these accounts run thus:-Tea by masfor the Established Church, being what is termed a " Clerical family." ter Noll-Cash by ditto-from which Jan 16, Haif an ounce of green Tea the small Dr. 153.64. 8 7 2 The father of the Poet was the Rev. Charles Goldsmith, who married Anne, daughter of the Rev. Oliver Jones, Diocesan schoolmaster of Elphin, in the county of Roscommon. By the residence of Charles Goldsmith at Pallice, on the 29th of Nov. 1728, when his son Oliver was born there, it is probable he was curate of the chapel of Ease in in the parish of Clancalla or Forgeny. He was afterwards promoted to a benefice in the county of Roscommon, but Goldsmith was always plain in his died early; for we find his widow re- appearance; but when a boy, and imsiding, with her son Oliver, in Bally mediately after suffering heavily from mahon, in the year 1740-so the Poet pox, he was particularly ugly. was an orphan at the age of twelve When he was about seven years old, a years. The house in which they lodg- fiddler, who reckoned himself a wit, ed is still standing; it is situated on the happened to be playing to some compaentrance to Ballymahon from the ny in Mrs. Goldsmith's house. During Edgeworth-town road, on the left-hand a pause between two sets of contra side. Here Mrs. Goldsmith lived in dances, little Oliver surprised the party, narrow circumstances, and indifferent by jumping up suddenly, and dancing Struck with the grohealth, nigra veste senescens, till the round the room. year 1772 or 1773, having been for tesque appearance of the ill-favoured some time before her death nearly blind. child, the fiddler exclaimed “ Æsop," A lady who died in this neighbourhood and the company burst into laughter; about two years ago was well acquaint- when Oliver turned to them with a smile, ed with Mrs. Goldsmith,and stated that and repeated the following couplet : it was one of Oliver's habits to sit in a window of his mother's lodgings, and amuse himself by playing the flute. He * This valuable article is extracted from the Sta tistical Survey of Shruel, in the diocese of Ardagh, and county of Longford, now in the press, with Mr. Shaw Mason's third volume of the "Parochial Account of Ireland." "Heralds, proclaim aloud, all saying, This anecdote is given on the authority of a direct descendant of the Rev. Henry Goldsmith, of Lissoy, Curate of Kilkenny, West, and the elder brother of our Poet. VOL. 4.3 Original Anecdotes of Dr. Goldsmith. 55 Student, from which place he wrote a letter to his friend Robert Bryanton, of Ballymahon, Esq. published in a late edition of his Works.-The original of this letter was preserved by the late Mrs. M'Dermott, of that town. The edition in which this letter has been published is that of Otridge and Son, London, 1812. 1756-About the breaking out of the war in this year, Goldsmith returned from the Continent to England in great distress, having gone to travel, from Edinburgh, in 1754. On the 11th of June, 1744, the following entry was made on the books of Trinity College, Dublin :-" Olivarius Goldsmith, Siz. filius Caroli Clerici, ann. agen. 15, natus in Comitatu Westmeath, educatus sub ferulâ M. Hughes, admissus est, Tutor, M. Wilder." The error with respect to the county in which he was born arose from the vicinity of Pallice to the borders of Westmeathor, as stated by one of his biographers, from the circumstance of his having at that time lived in that county. The Tutor mentioned in this record was the Rev. Theaker Wilder, a younger son of 1757, December 27, he wrote a let the family of Castlewilder, in the coun- ter to Daniel Hudson, Esq. of Lissoy. ty of Longford. He was remarkable near Ballymahon, who had married for the eccentricity of his character, from his niece. In this letter, ,he says, "he the severity of which our Poet suffered could wish from his heart, that Mr. heavily while under his tuition. Altho' and Mrs. Hudson, and Lissoy, and Goldsmith did not distinguish himself Ballymahon, and all his friends there, in the University, there can be no doubt would fairly make a migration to of his having been duly prepared for Middlesex"adding, that, as on seentering it. Few boys of 15 have ever cond thoughts this might be attended been able to obtain a Sizer's place, which with inconvenience, "Mahomet should is a place of emolument, contended for go to the mountain," and he promised by many persons, and disposed of to the to spend six weeks with them in the best answerer, as the Scholarships are. ensuing summer. In Goldsmith's days, the Sizers of the not occur. University of Dublin are said to have been compelled to submit to many menial services; but these degrading offices have for many years back been committed to persons more fitted to execute them, than young men often tenderly brought up, liberally educated, and whose only disqualification In Otridge's edition of this author's is the want of money to pay entrance works, Lissoy is erroneously spelled fees, and the annual charge of a Tutor. Lishoy. It is very generally believed June 15, 1747, Goldsmith obtained in this neighbourhood, that it was his only laurel in the University of from Lissoy that Goldsmith drew Dublin-an exhibition on the founda- more than the outlines of his enchanttion of Erasmus Smyth, Esq. These ing scenery of "The Deserted Village.” His brother was the village preacher there, when he dedicated "The Traveller" to him. The Clergyman's mansion is still well known-the parish church of Kilkenny, West, tops the neighbouring hill-and near it may be seen the Mill and the Lake. The Hawthorn tree still exists-though mutilated, 66 'laniatum corpore toto," by the curious travellers, who cut pieces from it, as from the Royal Oak, sum of exhibitions consists of a sinall February 27, 1749, he was admitted Bachelor of Arts, two years after the regular time. This however did Tho' like the hare whom hounds and horns pursue, In the month of December, 1753, we find him in Edinburgh, a Medical or from the Mulberry tree of Stratfordupon-Avon. The village alehouse has 36 Original Anecdotes of Dr. Goldsmith. {VOL. 4 been lately rebuilt, and ornamented by "And in his purse since few bright coins appear, the sign of "The Three Jolly Pigeons." He mounts the rostrum as an auctioneer.” 1761-In this year he published his "Vicar of Wakefield," in which it is said here that he drew the characters of his brother and his sister-in-law, A lady from the neighbourhood of 1759. August 9th, Goldsmith wrote Portglenone, in the county of An- to Edward Mills, Esq. near Roscom trim, was one of those who visited the mon, requesting him to interest himDeserted Village in the summer of self in a subscription to his "Essay on 1817; and was fortunate enough to the present state of Taste and Literafind, in a cottage adjoining the ale- ture in Europe." His feelings were house, an old smoked print, which, deeply wounded by being on this ocshe was credibly informed, was the casion treated with neglect, not only identical "Twelve good Rules" which by Mr. Mills, but by another friend, had ornamented that rural tavern, a Mr. Lawder, to whom he had writ with the "Royal game of Goose," ten on the same subject. &c. &c. when Goldsmith drew his fas cinating description of it. And here it may be observed, that the scenery of the Alehouse was that of the habitations of most of the farmers in this the inhabitants of the "modest manneighbourhood, before the introduction sion" of Lissoy. On the 31st of May, of modern expensive furniture into in this year, he received his first visit them. Every parlour floor was flag from Dr. Johnson. ged, or sanded-had its "bed by 1762-In this year he published his night, a chest of drawers by day ;" and "Citizen of the World," in two volumes. exhibited, either on a chimney board, 1763-In the spring of this year he or in an open corner cup-board, a par- had lodgings at Canonbury House, cel of broken or unbroken pieces of near Islington, where he wrote his china, glass, or stained earthenware; "Letters on English History," erronewhile the walls were covered with ously ascribed to Lord Lyttleton. gun-racks, fishing-tackle, and homely 1765-In this year "The Traveller" prints among which, the Twelve appeared, and the author was introgood Rules, and Royal Game of duced to the Earl of Northumberland, Goose, seldom failed to find a place. at that time Lord Lieutenant of IreThus was Jemmy Anthony's parlour land, and he recommended his brother once ornamented, in the old mill of Henry for preferment. In this year his Ballymahon, which he and his ances- "Essays" were published, and he petors occupied for a century: but in titioned Lord Bute in vain to be allowhis early day it boasted the addition ed a salary to enable him to penetrate of Violins, Hautboys, Flutes, and a into the interior of Asia. His memoFrench horn, with which he and his rial was unnoticed and neglected. ingenious brothers often made sono- Goldsmith on this occasion wanted a rous melody on the lovely banks of friend such as Lord Halifax proved to the Inny, and delighted the villagers, Addison upon the arrival of the news who, after the toil of the day, assem- of the victory of Blenheim. On that bled on the bridge to hear thein. But, occasion, the Lord Treasurer Godoloh! the ravages of time! The music phin, in the fullness of his joy, meetfloats down the stream no more-all is ing with the above-mentioned Noblesilent, except the roar of the waters man, told him, "It was a pity the through the broken cel-weirs—the mill memory of such a victory should ever has fallen across the water-course-and be forgot;" he added, that "he was the musicians, "their fates as various pretty sure his Lordship, who was so as the roads they took," are all gone distinguished a patron of men of letdown to the grave, with the solitary ters, must know some person whose exception of poor Jemmy, who, surviv- pen was capable of doing justice to ing the desolation that surrounds him, the action." Lord Halifax replied sticks like a wall-flower in an adjacent that he did indeed know such a pertenement, son, but would not desire him to write Dr. Goldsmith-Addison-Novel-Reading. $7 VOL. 4.] upon the subject his Lordship had sey, of Dundalk, wrote to Goldsmith, mentioned. The Lord Treasurer en- to rectify an error in his History of treated to know the reason of so un- England, respecting Dr. Walker, the kind a resolution; Lord Halifax briskly celebrated Governor of Londonderry, told him, that he had long, with indig whom he had denominated in that nation, observed that while many fools work a Dissenting Minister, though and blockheads were maintained in he was Rector of Donoughmore, in their pride and luxury at the expence the county of Tyrone. of the public, such men as were really an honour to their country, and to the of Lord Bolingbroke, which he preage they lived in, were shamefully suf- fixed to a Dissertation on Particles. fered to languish in obscurity; that for his own part, he would never desire any gentleman of parts and learning, to employ his time in celebrating a ministry, who had neither the justice nor generosity to make it worth his while. In 1771, Goldsmith wrote the Life 1770-In the month of January this year, he wrote to his youngest brother, Mr. Maurice Goldsmith. In this letter he complains that he had written above an hundred letters to his friends in Ireland, to which he reThe Lord Treasurer calmly replied, ceived no answer. He inquired in it that he would seriously consider of for his mother, his brother Hudson, what his Lordship had said, and endea- his sister Johnson, and the family of vour to give no fresh occasion for Ballyoughter. such reproaches; but that, in the pre- 1773, March 16, Mistakes of a sent case, he took it upon himself to Night appeared first in Covent Garpromise, that any gentleman whom den theatre. The plot of this Comedy his Lordship should name to him, as was suggested to Goldsmith, by an capable of celebrating the late action, adventure which occurred to himself at should find it worth his while to exert Ardagh, in the county of Longford, his genius on that subject. With this where he mistook the house of Mr. encouragement, Lord Halifax named Fetherston (grandfather to the preMr. Addison. The celebrated Poem, sent Sir Thomas Fetherston) for an entitled The Campaign was soon after- inn, having been directed to it by a wards published,and the author found the Lord Treasurer as good as his word. 1768, January 29, Goldsmith published The Good-natured Man, his first Comedy. In the year 1769, The Deserted Village appeared, upon whose inimitable beauties it is unnecessary to descant here. On the 13th of January, in this year, our author engaged with Mr. Thomas Davies, to write an History of England in four volumes, 8vo, which engagement was afterwards fulfilled. 1772, April 10, Mr. Thomas Wool humorous fencing-master, named Cornelius Kelly, once the instructor of the celebrated Marquis of Granby. In the beginning of the year 1774, he received a legacy of fifteen pounds from the executors of his uncle, the Rev. Thomas Contarine, sometime Rector of Kilmore, near Carrick on Shannon. About the same time, his "History of the Earth and Animated Nature" was published; and he died the fourth of April. Lifford, June 10th, 1818. LE ON NOVEL-READING. Concluded from page 20. ET us examine some of the evil. Much has been said in all ages principal objections, which are regarding the danger, which results urged against novel reading, a pursuit, from giving the reins to the imaginawhich, when followed in a proper and tion; and, to the impotent malice of rational manner, has never been attend- mediocrity, and the morose temper of ed with the slightest consequence of ascetic philosophy, no subject has form H ATHENEUM. Vol. 4. |