1770.

"have the mezzotinto print of the his pencil, was taken afterwards "new poet, Doctor Goldsmith, for Thrale, and ultimately placed "in the print-shop windows. It in the dining-room at Streatham, "is in profile from a painting of by the side of Johnson, "Reynolds, and resembles him Burke, Garrick, and others "greatly." The engraving was of his famous friends. * Et. 42. an admirable one; having been The life of his celebrity is thus, executed, under the eye of the as it were, beginning; and from great painter himself, by Giu- no kinder, no worthier hand seppe Marchi, his first pupil. than that of Reynolds, could it The original, which Reynolds in- receive inauguration. The great tended for himself, passed into painter's restless and fidgety the possession of the Duke of sister, who used herself to paint Dorset, and remains still at portraits with such exact imitaKnowle; but a copy also tion of her brother's defects and painted by Reynolds, and the avoidance of his beauties, that, only other portrait of Goldsmith according to Northcote, they known to have been touched by made himself cry and everybody

**

* Madame D'Arblay, in the Memoirs of her father (II. 80-1), thus describes the Streatham Portrait Gallery. "Mrs. Thrale and her eldest daughter were in one "piece, over the fireplace, at full length. The rest of the pictures were all three"quarters. Mr. Thrale was over the door leading to his study. The general col"lection then began by Lord Sandys and Lord Westcote, two early noble friends "of Mr. Thrale. Then followed Dr. Johnson, Mr. Burke, Dr. Goldsmith, Mr. "Murphy, Mr. Garrick, Mr. Baretti, Sir Robert Chambers, and Sir Joshua Rey"nolds himself. All painted in the highest style of the great master, who much de"lighted in this his Streatham Gallery. There was place left but for one more "frame, when the acquaintance with Dr. Burney began at Streatham." The whole of this gallery of portraits by Reynolds was sold by auction in May 1816. At the time when they were executed, the painter's price for portraits of that size was thirty-five guineas; the following were the prices realised at the sale fifty-four years ago. They are taken from Mrs. Piozzi's marked catalogue in Piozziana, 51. See also Anecdotes, 295.

** Conversations, 167. Admirably is the old painter made to say, "It is that

1770.

else laugh, thought it marvellous a pity they were not more polite, that so much dignity could have were it only for their host's sake; been given to the poet's face since it is certain that these and yet so strong a like- gibes were never countenanced ness be conveyed: for by Reynolds. He knew GoldEt. 42. Doctor Goldsmith's cast smith better; and as he knew, he "of countenance," she proceeds had painted him. A great artist to inform us, "and indeed his does not measure a face, tailor"whole figure from head to foot, 'my friend Davies had published my "impressed every one at first "translation of Tasso's Aminta, I called "sight with an idea of his being 66 on him one forenoon, and was with him "a low mechanic; particularly, "believe, a journeyman tailor." And in proof the lively lady re-day or two before, and Goldsmith was lates that Goldsmith came in one one of the company. He had a beauti66 ful mind, but he was a man of a very day, at a party at her brother's, 66 mean aspect, person, and manner. very indignant at an insult he "the morning to which I allude, just be had received from some one in "fore we were joined by Goldsmith, a coffee-house; and on explain-him? I replied that I held his genius "Davies asked me what I thought of ing it as “the fellow took me for "a tailor," all the party present either laughed aloud or showed they suppressed a laugh.* It is

66

"in his parlour when Dr. Goldsmith en

"tered, and conversed with us for about 66 'an hour. I had dined with Davies a

On

"in due estimation, but that I never saw "a man who looked more like a tailor.

"Before he left us, he desired Davies to "let him have my translation of the "Aminta. As he put it into his pocket,

66

"he turned to me, and said: 'Mr. Stockdale, I shall soon take measure of 'you.' I answered that 'I hoped he would not pinch me.' From what had passed before he came in, and afterwards, Davies and I, as soon as he had "left the house, gave a full indulgence to

66

"which makes every one dread a mimic. "Your self-love is alarmed, 66 without "being so easily reassured. You know" "there is a difference, but it is not great 66 enough to make you feel quite at ease. "The line of demarcation between the "true and the spurious is not sufficiently"our risible faculties. The odd coin"broad and palpable. The copy you see "is vile or indifferent; and the original,“ "you suspect (but for your partiality to 'yourself), is not perhaps much better." That is Hazlitt all over. Let me add that Madame D'Arblay gives a capital sketch of Miss Reynolds's fidgets in the Memoirs of her father, I. 331-332; and a very laughable one of Boswell, II. 190-7; III.

66

113-15.

"cidence of Goldsmith's metaphor and of my comparison, perhaps makes this in"terview worthy of being related." Such is the story, which I quote from Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Percival Stockdale (1809), II. 136-7. Precisely the same story in the same words will be found in the Life of Goldsmith by Mr. Prior (II. 237-9), who introduces it with the remark that Mr. Stockdale's published auto*Recollections in Croker's Boswell, biography "furnishes scarcely an allu831. It would appear also that the Rev."sion to Goldsmith. His papers, howMr. Percival Stockdale, a commonplace ever, supply an anecdote communicated hanger-on of the booksellers in those" by a lady eminent for her writdays, who wisely relinquished literature "ings, &c. &c. &c." And then, totidem for the church, and wrote a querulous verbis, we have the story. But the habit book of Memoirs complaining of his non- is so frequent with Mr. Prior of quoting appreciation by everybody, appears to published statements as original comhave fallen in with the 'tailor' notion munications, that I need hardly have marvellously. "Soon after," he says, paused to mention it in this instance.

1770.

Æt. 42.

fashion; it is by seizing and nolds quietly interposing, "Yet showing the higher aspects of "there is no man whose comcharacter, that he puts upon his "pany is more liked," the other, work the stamp of history. It is fully conceding this, would the distinction between truth explain it by the gratificaand a caricature of it, and ex- tion people felt to find a presses all the measureless dis- man of "the most distinguished tance between a Reynolds and "abilities as a writer" inferior a Miss Reynolds, or between in other respects to themselves. such character painting as Ho- But Reynolds had another exgarth's and such caricaturing as planation. He thought that much Bunbury's.* of Goldsmith's nonsense, as the

no man

No man had seen earlier than nonsense of a man of undoubted Reynolds into Goldsmith's better wit and understanding, had the qualities; no man so loved or essence of conviviality in it.* honoured him to the last; and He fancied it not seldom put on so steadily protected for that reason, and for no other. him, with calm, equable, kindly "One should take care," says temper, against Johnson's care- Addison, "not to grow too wise less sallies.** "It is amazing," "for so great a pleasure of life Isaid the latter more than once, "as laughter;" and some such with that too emphatic habit of maxim, Reynolds seems to have 'overcharging' the characteris- thought, was put in practice by tics of his friends which all Goldsmith.** It was not a little, agreed in attributing to him, "it *Mrs. Piozzi in her Travels (II. 315) "is amazing how little Goldsmith sets forth that "poor Dr. Goldsmith" "knows, he seldom comes where "fellow setting out in life to love gravy; "he is not more ignorant than alleging for it the serious reason that "any one else;" and on Rey- "he had formerly seen a glutton's eldest 66 nephew disinherited because his uncle "never could persuade him to say he "liked gravy." Imagine the dulness that ** I have always regretted that the ex- would convert a jocose saying of this cellent writer, Crabbe, should have in-kind into an unconscious utterance of vented an illustration of Goldsmith's vanity so opposed to all the known records of his intercourse with Reynolds, as that which these terse and happilyexpressed lines convey:

*See post, chap. x.

. Poets have sicken'd at a dancer's praise;

said

once,

"I would advise every young

grave absurdity!

**"Sir Joshua frequently had heard "Goldsmith talk warmly of the pleasure "of being liked, and observe how hard it "would be if literary excellence should "preclude a man from that satisfaction, 'which he perceived it often did, from "the envy that attended it; and there"fore Sir Joshua was convinced that he "was intentionally more absurd," &c. &c. Northcote, 1. 328. It seems to me difficult to reconcile this with a statement in the same book (1. 248), to the effect that Sir "And I," said he, "neglected all the "Joshua used to say that Goldsmith

And one, the happiest writer of his time,

Grew pale at hearing Reynolds was sublime;

That Rutland's duchess wore a heavenly smile,

while!"

"looked at, or considered, public no

at any rate, to have given that now seldom unenlivened by the impression to so wise as well as good-humour and gaiety of Goldkind an observer, to a man of smith.

46

whom Johnson said to Nor is it improbable that, oc1770. Boswell that he had known casionally, they were a little Æt. 42. no one who had passed in need of both. "Well, Sir through life with more observa-"Joshua," said lawyer Dunning tion; and the confidence be- on arriving first at one of these tween the friends, which was parties, "and who have you got probably thus established, re-to dine with you to-day? The mained unbroken to the end. I"last time I dined in your house, can only discover one disagree-"the company was of such a ment that ever came between "sort, that by-I believe all the them; and the famous dinner "rest of the world enjoyed parties in Leicester-square were "peace for that afternoon.” * "toriety or fame as one great parcel to But though vehemence and dis"the whole of which he laid claim, and putation will at times usurp "whoever partook of any part of it, quieter enjoyments, where men "whether dancer, singer, slight-of-hand of genius and strong character 66 man, or tumbler, deprived him of his "right, and drew off from himself the at- are assembled, the evidence "tention of the world, which he was that has survived of these celestriving to gain." The truth is that the brated meetings in no respect first passage is copied by Northcote from Boswell, who expressly says that he had impairs their indestructible init from Reynolds himself, and adds, terest. They were the first great "with due deference to Sir Joshua's in66 genuity, I think the conjecture too reexample that had been given in "fined." (II. 190, note.) Whereas the this country of a cordial intersecond saying, attributed to Reynolds, course between persons of disrests solely on Northcote's authority; which I must be excused for saying is tinguished pretensions of all not entitled to any weight on such a kinds,-poets, physicians, lawpoint as this. I may add that even yers, deans, historians, actors, Beattie, with all his confessed and open temporal and spiritual peers, dislike of Goldsmith, sides perhaps unconsciously with Reynolds. "His com- House of Commons men, men 66 mon conversation was a strange mix"ture of absurdity and silliness; of silli- "It is a fact that a certain nobleman, ness so great as to make me think "an intimate friend of Reynolds, had "sometimes he affected it; yet he was a "strangely conceived in his mind such a great genius of no mean rank," &c, "formidable idea of all those persons Forbes's Beattie, III. 50. Mrs. Piozzi's "who had gained great fame as literary emphatic manuscript comment, in the characters, that I have heard Sir Joshua volume before referred to (pp. 81 and "say he verily believed he could no 122), on Beattie's suggestion that perhaps "more have prevailed upon this noble Goldsmith "affected" silliness, is-"Not 66 person to dine at the same table with "he indeed!" "Johnson and Goldsmith, than with two *"Sir," said Johnson to Boswell, "I"tygers." Northcote's Life of Reynolds, "know no man who has passed through 1. 329. This is repeated in Hazlitt's Con"life with more observation than Rey-versations (39-42), the nobleman being de"nolds." And see Mrs. Piozzi's Anec- scribed as "Lord B-, and a man of good dotes, 116, and 204. "information too."

of science, men of letters, pain- of service, he could never be ters, philosophers, musicians, persuaded to replace them. and lovers of the arts, meeting "But such trifling embarrass

Æt. 42.

on a ground of hearty ease, "ments," added Mr. Cour- 1770. good-humour, and pleasantry, tenay, describing them to which exalts my respect for the Sir James Macintosh, "onmemory of Reynolds. It was no "ly served to enhance the hilarity prim fine table he set them down "and singular pleasure of the to. There was little order or "entertainment." It was not the arrangement; there was more wine, dishes, and cookery, it was abundance than elegance; and a not the fish and venison, that happy freedom thrust conven- were talked of or recommended; tionalism aside. Often was the those social hours, that irregular dinner-board, prepared for seven convivial talk, had matter of or eight, required to accom- higher relish, and fare more modate itself to fifteen or six- eagerly enjoyed. And amid all teen; for often, on the very eve the animated bustle of his guests, of dinner, would Sir Joshua tempt the host sat perfectly composed; afternoon visitors with intima- always attentive to what was tion that Johnson, or Garrick, or said, never minding what was Goldsmith was to dine there. eat or drunk, and leaving every Nor was the want of seats the one at perfect liberty to scramble only difficulty. A want of knives for himself. Though so severe and forks, of plates and glasses, a deafness had resulted from as often succeeded. In some-cold caught on the continent in thing of the same style, too, was early life as to compel the use of the attendance; the "two or a trumpet, Reynolds profited by "three occasional domestics" its use to hear or not to hear, or were undisciplined; the kitchen as he pleased to enjoy the prihad to keep pace with the visi-vileges of both, and keep his tors; and it was easy to know own equanimity undisturbed.* the guests best acquainted with the house, by their never failing Talking of melancholy, Johnson to call instantly for beer, bread, too, have not those vexing thoughts. said, "Some men, and very thinking men or wine, that they might get "Sir Joshua Reynolds is the same all the them before the first course was "year round. Beauclerc, except when over, and the worst confusion "ill and in pain, is the same." Boswell, VI. 120; and see vII. 11. On this latter began. Once Sir Joshua was occasion he joined Burke with Reynolds. prevailed upon to furnish his "I am not so myself," he added, "but "this I do not mention commonly." As table more amply with dinner to Reynolds's trumpet, let me quote the glasses and decanters, and some example of Le Sage: "Il faisoit usage saving of time they proved; yet, "d'un cornet qu'il appellait son bien"faiteur. 'Quand je trouve,' disait-il, as these "accelerating utensils" "'des visages nouveaux, et que j'espère were demolished in the course" rencontrer des gens d'esprit, je tiens