à, 1764) for "A New Hiftory of the World from "the Creation to the prefent Time. By William "Guthrie, Efq. &c. in 12 volumes, 8vo. to be printed "for Newbery, &c." This was to be an abridgment of all the volumes of the ancient and modern univerfal hiftories: and he urges a great variety of topics in praise of fuch contracting and condenfing hiftories as the prefent fubject required; which with equal ingenuity he could have oppofed and confuted. But the whole is excellent as a compofition. In the preceding year, he drew up a Preface or Introduction to Dr. Brooks's "Syftem of Natural History," 1763. in 6 vols. 12mo. a very dull and uninterefting work; but in this preface he gave such an admirable difplay of the fubject, which he rendered fo extremely interefting and captivating, that both himself and the bookfellers were induced by it to engage him in his larger work of the "Hiftory of the Earth and "Animated Nature." This, although finely written, is full of mistakes and defects, from which this preliminary effay or profpectus of the subject is entirely free of this work Dr. Johnfon faid, 'He is now writing a Natural Hiftory, and will make it as entertaining as a Perfian tale." * He also drew up a "Life of Parnell," to be prefixed to an edition of his poems, in which the want of incidents in the private life of a scholar, is very ingeniously supplied by the biographer's reflections. * Bofwell's Life. Vol. ii. p. 236. Johnfon Johnfon in his Lives of the Poets fays, The life of Dr. Parnell is a task which I fhould very willingly decline, fince it has lately been written by Goldsmith, a man of fuch variety of powers, and fuch felicity of performance that he always seemed to do beft that which he was doing; a man who had the art of being minute without tedioufnefs, and general without confufion: whofe language was copious without exuberance, exact without conftraint, and eafy without weakness. What fuch an author told, who would tell again? I have made an abstract from his larger narration : and have this gratification from my attempt, that it gives me an opportunity of paying due tribute to the memory of Goldfmith." Το γαρ γέρας εστί θανόντων. In another of his undertakings for the trade he was not fo fuccessful; for, being defired by Griffin the bookfeller to make a felection of elegant poems from our best English claffics, for the ufe of boarding fchools, and to prefix to it one of his captivating prefaces; he carelessly, without reading it, marked for the printer one of the most indecent tales of Prior. This, as might be fuppofed, prevented the fale of the book, which had been printed in two vols. 12mo. Of this production the late ingenious Mr. Headley fays, 'Dr. Goldfmith, who was only unhappy amidst all the works he undertook in his Beauties Beauties of English Poetry, difgraced himself by a very fuperficial and hafty publication of this kind.' Our author wrote alfo the Life of Lord Bolingbroke, which he prefixed to the Differtation on Parties, which was printed for T. Davies in 1771, and again in the year 1775, with Goldsmith's name affixed to it ;-it is also inferted in the large edition of Bolingbroke's works, which appeared in the year 1777. We are not sure that we have mentioned the preceding publications in their regular order, and have doubtlefs omitted many fimilar pieces, as well as occafional contributions to periodical works. But his admirable poem, "The Deserted Village,' publihed in 1769, atoned for every defect or mistake of the author who frequently looked back with regret on thofe facrifices to neceffity. It has been faid by former biographers, that, having received for the copy of his poem a note for one hundred guineas from the bookfeller, and one of his acquaintances obferving to-him, that it was a great fum for fo fhort a performance, he went and returned the note. But although this would have been perfectly in character, the doctor was not quite fo ignorant of the value of his own time and labour; and it is well known from the fevere corrections and high finishing which he bestowed on that and his former ethic poem, that each of them had coft him more time than many of his compilations, for which he demanded a larger price than the fum above-mentioned. At At the establishment of the Royal Academy of Painting, his friend Sir Jofhua Reynolds had procured for him the appointment of Profeffor of Ancient Hiftory; a mere complimentary diftinction, attended neither with emolument nor trouble, but which gave him a refpectable feat at their occafional meetings, and what perhaps was better, at their annual dinner. The following letter fhows the proper sense he had of this diftinction, and difplays alfo the benevolence of his heart, and his kind regard for his family. ΤΟ MR. MAURICE GOLDSMITH,* AT JAMES LAWDER'S, ESQ. AT KILMORE, NEAR CARICK ON SHANNON. DEAR BROTHER, January, 1770. I should have answered your letter fooner, but in truth I am not fond of thinking of the neceffities *This was our poet's youngest brother. Having been bred to no bufinefs, he upon fome occafion complained to our bard, that he found it difficult to live like a gentleman. On which Oliver begged he would, without delay, quit fo unprofitable a trade, and betake himself to fome handycraft employment. Maurice wifely took ceffities of those I love, when it is fo very little in my power to help them. I am forry to find you are still every way unprovided for; and what adds to my uneafinefs is, that I have received a letter from my fifter Johnson,* by which I learn that the is pretty much in the fame circumftances. As to myfelf, I believe I could get both you and my poor brother-in-law fomething like that which you defire, but I am determined never to ask for little things, nor exhaust any little intereft I may have until I can ferve you, him, and myself more effectually. As yet no opportunity has offered, but I believe you are pretty well convinced, that I will not be remifs when it arrives. The king has lately been pleased to make me Profeffor of Ancient History in a royal Academy of Painting, which he has just established, but there is no falary annexed; and I took it rather as a compliment to the inftitution than any benefit to myself. Honours to took the hint, and bound himself apprentice to a cabinet-maker. He had a shop in Dublin, when the Duke of Rutland was Lord Lieutenant; who, at the inftance of Mr. Orde, then principal fecretary of ftate, (now Lord Bolton,) out of regard to his brother's memory, made him an infpector of the licences in that city. He was also appointed mace-bearer on the erection of the Royal Irish Academy: both of them places very compatible with his bufinefs. In the former he gave proof of great integrity by detecting a fraud committed on the revenue in his department, by which probably he might himself have profited, if he had not been a man of principle. He died without iffue, about seven years ago. * His youngest fifter, who had married unfortunately. ༥ |