He was still, however, not much known, except among the booksellers, till the year 1765, when he completed and published "The Traveller; or, A Prospect of Society;" a poem which, as we have before remarked, he had begun to write while he was in Switzerland; and of which Dr. Johnson pro{nounced, "That there had not been so fine a poem since the time of Pope." This charming performance procured him the friendship of Lord Nugent, afterwards Earl of Clare, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Burke, Mr. Topham Beauclerc, Dr. Nugent, Mr. Langton, &c. &c. and he was elected one of the first members of "The Literary Club," which was just then instituted by Dr. Johnson, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Mr. Burke.

In 1765 Goldsmith published his pathetic ballad of "The Hermit," which he dedicated to the Countess (afterwards Duchess) of Northumberland, and which soon became popular with those who could appreciate poetic merit.

Having been thus successful in the several walks of a critic, a novelist, and a moral poet, our author was encouraged to try his

hand at the drama; and on the 29th of January, 1768, his "Good-Natured Man" was performed for the first time at Covent-garden theatre. It kept possession of the stage nine nights; but was not received with that general approbation which its intrinsic merit led his friends to expect *. By the profits of his three third nights, however, and the sale of the copy-right, he netted £.500.

With this money, and the savings made from the produce of his "Roman History," 2 vols. 8vo. and other compilations (which he used to call " building of books"), he descended from his attic story on the Library stair-case, Inner Temple, and purchased chambers on the first floor of No. 2, Brickcourt, Middle Temple, for which he gave

* Dr. Johnson pronounced it the best comedy that had appeared since "The Provok'd Husband." Many parts of it exhibit the strongest indications of comic talents. There is perhaps no character on the stage more happily imagined, and more highly finished, than Croaker's; nor do we recollect so original and successful an incident, as that of the letter, which he conceives to be the composition of an incendiary, and feels a thousand ridiculous horrors in consequence of his absurd apprehension.

£.400. These he furnished in rather an elegant manner, enlarged his library, and commenced quite the man of lettered ease and consequence.

At the establishment of the Royal Academy of Painting in 1769, Goldsmith had, by the recommendation of Sir Joshua Reynolds to his Majesty, the honorary Professorship of History conferred upon him; and in the spring of 1770 his beautiful poem, "The De-. serted Village," was first published. A wellauthenticated and characteristic anecdote of our author has been related respecting this poem. Previous to its publication, the bookseller (the late Mr. Griffin, of Catharine-street, Strand) had given him a note for one hundred guineas for the copy; this Goldsmith mentioned some hours after to one of his friends, who observed, that it was a very. great sum for so short 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, and left it to the bookseller to pay him according to the profits produced by the sale of the poem; which proved to be very considerable, and at least equal to the first douceur.

In 1771 appeared his "History of England, from the earliest Times to the Death of George II." 4 vols. 8vo. For this, Mr. Thomas Davies, the bookseller, gave him £. 500! He also wrote this year a "Life of Parnell," which was prefixed to a new edition of his poems.

On the 15th of March, 1773, his comedy! of "She Stoops to Conquer; or, The Mistakes of a Night," was performed for the first time at Covent-garden theatre. Notwithstanding that this drama is in some parts rather too farcical, and very improbable, it had a surprising run*, and produced to Goldsmith a clear profit of £.800. In return for Mr.

* Johnson said of this piece, "that he knew of no comedy for many years that had so much exhilarated an audience, that had answered so much the great end of comedy-making an audience merry." It, however,

Quick's exertions in the part of Tony Lumpkin, Goldsmith is said to have reduced Sed

brought on its author the abuse of some envious and scurrilous scribbler, who, in the London Packet of March 24, published the following letter:

"THE happy knack which you have learnt of puffing your own compositions, provokes me to come forth. You have not been the editor of newspapers and magazines, not to discover the trick of literary humbug. But the gauze is so thin, that the very foolish part of the world see through it, and discover the Doctor's monkey face and cloven foot. Your poetic vanity is as unpardonable as your personal. Would man believe it, and will woman bear it, to be told, that for hours the great Goldsmith will stand surveying his grotesque Oranhotan's figure in a pier-glass? Was but the lovely Hk as much enamoured, you would not sigh, my gentle swain, in vain. But your vanity is preposterous. How will this same bard of Bedlam ring the changes in praise of Goldy! But what has he to be either proud or vain of? “The Traveller” is a flimsy poem, built upon false principles; principles diametrically opposite to liberty. What is "The Good-Natured Man" but a poor, water-gruel, dramatic dose? What is "The Deserted Village," but a ⚫ pretty poem of easy numbers, without fancy, dignity, genius, or fire? And pray what may be the last speaking pantomime, so praised by the Doctor himself, but an in

* Meaning " She Stoops to Conquer,"