dine at Dr. Milner's table with Mr. Ralph Griffiths, the proprietor of The Monthly Review, who invited him to write ar ticles of criticism for that respectable publication, on the terms of a liberal salary, besides board and lodging. By a written agreement this engagement was to last for a year; but at the end of seven or eight months it was dissolved by mutual consent, and Goldsmith took a miserable apartment in Green-Arbor-court, Little Old Bailey.* In this wretched hovel our author completed his 'Inquiry into the Present State of Polite Literature in Europe,' which was published in 1759, by Dodsley, and was well received. In October of the same year he began ‘The Bee,' a weekly publication, which terminated at the eighth number. About this time, also, he contributed some articles to The Critical Review, one of which (we believe a review of Ovid's Epistles translated into English verse, by a Mr. Barrett, Master of the Grammar School at Ashford, in Kent,) introduced him to the acquaintance of Dr. Smollett, who was then editor of The British Magazine; and for that work Goldsmith wrote most of those 'Essays,' which were afterwards collected and published in a separate volume. By Dr. Smollett too he was recommended to some respectable booksellers, particularly to Mr. John Newbery, who well deserved the eulogium bestowed by Warburton on the trade in general, as one of the best judges and most liberal rewarders of literary merit.' By Mr. Newbery, Goldsmith was engaged at a salary of 100l. a-year, to write for The Public Ledger a series of periodical papers. These he called Chinese Letters;' and they were afterwards collected in two volumes, under the title of 'The Citizen of the

* An engraving of the house, illustrated by a description, was given in 'The European Magazine,' vol. xliii. pp. 7, 8.

World. It was soon after this that he commenced his acquaintance with Dr. Johnson.

The important engagement with Newbery for a hundred pounds a year, encouraged Goldsmith to descend Break-necksteps,* and to hire a decent apartment in Wine-Office-court, · Fleet-street. Here he dropped the humble Mister, and dubbed himself Doctor Goldsmith. Here also he put the finishing hand to his excellent novel called 'The Vicar of Wakefield,' but was, when he had done, extremely embarrassed in his circumstances, dunned by his landlady for arrears of rent, and not daring to stir abroad for fear of arrest: in fact, she herself at length had him arrested; he then summoned resolution to send a message to Dr. Johnson; stating that he was in great distress, and begging that he would come to him as soon as possible. Johnson sent him a guinea, and promised to follow almost immediately. When he arrived, he found Goldsmith in a violent passion with the woman of the house, but consoling himself as well as he could with a bottle of Madeira, which he had already purchased with part of the guinea. Johnson, corking the bottle, desired Goldsmith would be calm, and consider in what way he could extricate himself. latter then produced his novel as ready for the press. Doctor looked into it, saw its merit, and went away with it to Mr. Newbery, who gave him 601. for it; with this sum he returned to Goldsmith, who, with many invectives, paid his landlady her rent. Newbery, however, seems not to have been very sanguine in his hopes of this novel; for he kept the MS. by him near three years unprinted: his ready purchase of it, probably, was in the way of a benefaction to its

The

The

* A steep flight of stairs (commonly so termed) leading from the door of his lodging-house in Green-Arbor-court to Fleet-markei.

distressed author, rather than under any idea of profit by the publication.

Early in the year 1763, Goldsmith removed to lodgings at Canonbury-house, Islington, where he compiled several works for Mr. Newbery; among which were, 'The Art of Poetry,' 2 vols. 12mo.; a 'Life of Nash;' and a' History of England, in a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to his Son.' This latter book was for a long time attributed to George Lord Lyttleton.

In the following year he took chambers on the upper story of the Library stair-case in the Inner Temple, and began to live in a genteel style. Still, however, he was little known,.. except among the booksellers, till the year 1765, when he produced his poem called 'The Traveller; or, A Prospect of Society,' which had obtained high commendation from Dr. Johnson, who declared that there had not been so fine a poem since the time of Pope;' yet such was Goldsmith's diffidence, that, though he had completed it some years before, he had not courage enough to publish, till urged to it by Johnson's suggestions. This poem heightened his literary character with the booksellers, and introduced him to several persons of superior rank and talents, as Lord Nugent (afterwards earl of Clare), Mr. Burke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Nugent, Mr. Bennet Langton, Mr Topham Beauclerc, etc., and he was elected one of the first members of The Literary Club,' which had been just instituted by Johnson, Burke, and Sir Joshua, and met at the Turk's-head, Gerard-street, Soho, every Friday evening.

His pathetic ballad of 'The Hermit,' which was also published in 1765, recommended him to the Countess (afterwards Duchess) of Northumberland, who was a generous patroness

of merit. In the following year his 'Vicar of Wakefield' was printed, and universally read and admired.

His reputation being now fairly established as a novelist, a poet, and a critic, Goldsmith turned his thoughts to the drama, and set about his comedy called 'The Good-natured Man.' This he first offered to Garrick, who, after a long fluctuation between doubt and encouragement, at length declined bringing it forward at Drury-lane theatre; it was therefore taken to Covent-garden, accepted by Mr. Colman, and presented for the first time on the 29th of January, 1768. It was acted nine times; and by the profits of the author's three thirdnights, with the sale of the copyright, a clear 5001. was produced.

With this, and some money which he had reserved out of the produce of a Roman History,' in 2 vols. 8vo., and other works, he was enabled to descend from his attic story in the Inner Temple, and to purchase for 4007., and furnish elegantly, a spacious set of chambers on the first floor, at No. 2, Brickcourt, Middle Temple.

On the establishment of the Royal Academy, in 1769, Sir Joshua Reynolds recommended Goldsmith to his Majesty for the Honorary Professorship of History, which was graciously conferred on him. In the following year he produced that highly-finished poem called The Deserted Village.' Previous to its publication, we are told, the bookseller (Mr. Griffin, of Catharine street, Strand) had given him a note of a hundred guineas for the copy. This circumstance Goldsmith mentioned soon afterwards to a friend, who observed that it was a large sum for so small a performance. In truth' replied Goldsmith, 'I think so too; it is near five shillings a couplet, which is much more than the honest man can afford,

and, indeed, more than any modern poetry is worth. I have not been easy since I received it; I will, therefore, go back and return him his note;' which he actually did; but the sale was so rapid, that the bookseller soon paid him the hundred guineas with proper acknowledgments for the generosity of his conduct.

Soon after the appearance of the Deserted Village, our author paid a tribute to the memory of Dr. Parnell, in a Life prefixed to a new edition of his Poems on several Occasions.' In the year 1771 he produced his ' History of England, from the earliest Times to the Death of George II.,' in 4 vols. 8vo.; for which Mr. Thomas Davies, the bookseller, paid him 5007.

The Earl of Lisburne, one day at a dinner of the Royal Academicians, lamented to Goldsmith that he should neglect the muses to compile histories, and write novels, instead of penning poetry with which he was sure to charm his readers. 'My lord,' replied cur author, 'in courting the muses I should starve; but by my other labors I eat, drink, wear good clothes, and enjoy the luxuries of life.'

Goldsmith had, besides his regular works, much of the other business of an author by profession; such as penning Prefaces and Introductions to the books of other writers; some of these have been published among his prose works; but, no doubt, many remain at this day unknown.

His second dramatic effort, being a comedy called ' She Stoops to Conquer; or, The Mistakes of a Night,' was first presented at Covent-garden theatre, March 15, 1773, and received with an applause fully adequate to the author's sanguine hopes, and contrary to the expectations of Mr. Coiman, who had not consented to receive the piece but at the earnest and reiterated instances of many friends. What was called