Volume 1

A history of the earth, and animated nature / By Oliver Goldsmith. With an introductory view of the animal kingdom, tr. from the French by Baron Cuvier. And copious notes embracing accounts of new discoveries in natural history: And a life of the author by Washington Irving. And a carefully prepared index to the whole work.

  • Oliver Goldsmith
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A history of the earth, and animated nature / By Oliver Goldsmith. With an introductory view of the animal kingdom, tr. from the French by Baron Cuvier. And copious notes embracing accounts of new discoveries in natural history: And a life of the author by Washington Irving. And a carefully prepared index to the whole work. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    did not “ strike,” as it is termed; but they had that rare and enduring merit which rises in estimation on every perusal. They gradually stole upon the heart of the public, were copied into numerous contemporary publications, and now they are garnered up among the choice productions of British literature. About this time Goldsmith engaged with Dr. Smollett, who was about to launch the British Magazine. Smollett was a complete schemer and speculator in literature, and intent upon enter- prises that had money rather than reputation in view. Goldsmith has a good-humoured hit at this propensity in one of his papers in the Bee, in which he represents Johnson, Hume, and others taking seats in the stage-coach bound for Fame, while Smollett prefers that destined for Riches. Another prominent employer of Goldsmith was Mr. John Newbery, who engaged him to con- tribute occasional essays to a newspaper entitled the Public Ledger, which made its first appear- ance on the 12th of January, 1760. His most valuable and characteristic contributions to this paper were his Chinese Letters, subsequently modified into the Citizen of the World. These lucubrations attracted general attention ; they were reprinted in the various periodical publica- tions of the day, and met with great applause. The name of the author, however, was as yet but little known. Being now easier in circumstances, and in the receipt of frequent sums from the booksellers, Goldsmith, about the middle of 1760, emerged from his dismal abode in Green Arbour Court, and took respectable apartments in Wine-office Court, Fleet-street. Here he began to receive visits of ceremony, and to entertain his literary friends. Among the latter he now numbered several names of note, such as Guthrie, Murphy, Christopher Smart, and Bickerstaffe. He had also a numerous class of hangers-on, the small fry of literature ; who, knowing his almost utter incapacity to refuse a pecuniary request, were apt, now that he was considered flush, to levy continual taxes upon his purse. Among others, one Pilkington, an old college acquaintance, but now a shifting adventurer, duped him in the most ludicrous manner. He called on him with a face full of perplexity. A lady of the first rank having an extraordinary fancy for curious animals, for which she was willing to give enormous sums, he had procured a couple of white mice to be forwarded to her from India. They were actually on board of a ship in the river. Her grace had been apprized of their arrival, and was all impatience to see them. Unfortunately, he had no cage to put them in, nor clothes to appear in before a lady of her rank. Two guineas would be sufficient for his purpose, but where were two guineas to be procured! The simple heart of Goldsmith was touched; but, alas ! he had but half a guinea in his pocket. It was unfortunate ; but, after a pause, his friend suggested, with some hesitation, “that money might be raised upon his watch: it would but be the loan of a few hours.” So said, so done; the watch was delivered to the worthy Mr. Pilk- ington to be pledged at a neighbouring pawn- broker’s, but nothing farther was ever seen of him, the watch, or the white mice. Goldsmith used often to relate, with great humour, this | story of his credulous generosity ; he was in ■ some degree indemnified by its suggesting to ! him the amusing little story of Prince Bon- ] bennin and the White Mouse in^‘ The Citizen of ; the World.’ About this time Goldsmith became personally ' acquainted with Dr. Johnson. Their first meet- ing took place on the 31st of May, 1761, at a literary supper given by Goldsmith to a numer- ous party at his new lodgings in Wine-office Court. His merit as an author had already been * felt and acknowledged by Johnson, and he had ^ secured the good-will of the great lexicographer by making honourable mention of him in the Bee and in his Chinese Letters. Dr. Percy called upon Johnson to take him to Goldsmith’s lodg- ings ; he found Johnson arrayed with unusual care in a new suit of clothes, a new hat, and a well- powdered wig; and could not but notice his un- common spruceness. “Why, sir,” replied John- son, “ I hear that Goldsmith, who is a very great sloven, justifies his disregard of cleanliness and decency by quoting my practice, and I am desir- ous this night to show him a better example.” The acquaintance thus commenced soon ripened into an intimate friendship, which continued through life. Among the various schemes and plans in Gold- smith’s vagrant imagination, was one for visiting the East and exploring the interior of Asia. He had, as has been before observed, a vague notion that valuable discoveries were to be made there, and many useful inventions in the arts brought back to the stock of European knowledge. “ Thus, in Siberian Tartary,” observes he, in one of his writings, “ the natives extract a strong spirit from milk, which is a secret probably unknown to the chemists of Europe. In the most savage parts of India they are possessed of the secret of dyeing vegetable substances scarlet, and that of refining lead into a metal which, for hardness and colour, is little inferior to silver.” Goldsmith adds a description of the kind of person suited to such an enterprise, in which he evidently had himself in view. “ He should be a man of philosophical turn, one apt to deduce consequences of general utility from particular occurrences ; neither swoln with pride nor hardened by prejudice; neither wedded to one particular system, nor instructed only in one particular science ; neither wholly a botanist, nor quite an antiquarian; his mind should be