school; but they may strengthen the painter's claims to consideration and esteem, and give, to that sense of dignity which should invest every liberal art, and which too often passes for an airy nothing amid the hustle and crowd of more vulgar pretences, a local habitation and a name.' This was the main wise drift of Reynolds and his fellow labourers; it was the charter that held them together in spite of all their later dissensions; and to this day it outweighs the gravest fault or disadvantage that has yet been charged against the Royal Academy.

A fragment of the conversation at this first Academy dinner has survived; and takes us from it to the darkest contrast, the most deplorable picture of human misery and disadvantage, which even these pages have described. Goldsmith spoke of an extraordinary boy who had come up to London from Bristol, died very miserably, and left a wonderful treasure of ancient poetry behind him. Horace Walpole listened carelessly at first, it would seem; but soon perceived in the subject of conversation a special interest for himself. Some years afterwards he described what passed, with an affectation of equanimity which even then he did not feel. Dining at the Royal Academy,' he said, 'Doctor 'Goldsmith drew the attention of the company with the ' account of a marvellous treasure of ancient poems lately 'discovered at Bristol, and expressed enthusiastic belief in 'them; for which he was laughed at by Doctor Johnson, 'who was present. I soon found that this was the trouvaille friend Chatterton; and I told Doctor Goldsmith

' of

my

'that this novelty was known to me, who might, if I had pleased, have had the honour of ushering the great discovery to the learned world. You may imagine, sir, we did 'not at all agree in the measure of our faith. But though 'his credulity diverted me, my mirth was soon dashed; for on asking about Chatterton, he told me he had been in London, and had destroyed himself. The persons ' of honour and veracity who were present will attest with 'what surprise and concern I thus first heard of his 'death.' Yes; for the concern was natural. Even Goldsmith credulity, for once, would have been Walpole's better friend. His mirth was dashed at the time, and his peace was for many years invaded, by that image of Chatterton. From the time he resisted the imposition,' says Miss Hawkins in her considerate way, 'he began to go down in 'public favour.' An imposition it undoubtedly was, even such an imposition as he had himself attempted with his Castle of Otranto; and he had a perfect right to resist it. It was no guilt he had committed, but it was a great occasion lost. The poor boy who invented Rowley (the most wonderful invention of literature, all things considered), had not only communicated his discovery to the 'learned Mr. Walpole,' but the learned Mr. Walpole had with profuse respect and deference believed in it, till Gray and Mason laughed at him; when, turning coldly away from Chatterton's eager proposals, he planted in that young ambitious heart its bitterest thorn. As for Goldsmith's upholding of the authenticity of Rowley, it may pass with

1

gone with Lord Clare into the country,' writes Davies to Granger, and I am plagued to get the proofs from him of 'his Life of Lord Bolingbroke.' However, he did get them; and the book was published in December.

Goldsmith continued with Lord Clare during the opening months of 1771. They were together at Gosfield, and at Bath; and it was in the latter city the amusing incident occurred which Bishop Percy has related, as told him by the Duchess of Northumberland. The Duke and Duchess occupied a house next door to Lord Clare's, and were surprised one day, when about to sit down to breakfast, to see Goldsmith enter the breakfast-room as from the street, and, without notice of them or the conversation they continued, fling himself unconcernedly on a sofa. After a few minutes, breakfast being meanwhile served, the Duke asked him to take a seat at the table; but, the invitation calling him back from the dream-land he had been visiting, he declared with profuse apologies that he had thought he was in his friend Lord Clare's house, and in irrecoverable confusion hastily withdrew. But not,' adds the Bishop, 'till they had good-naturedly exacted a promise that he 'would give them his company to dinner.' Of Lord Clare's friendly familiarity with the poet, the incident gives us proof; he had himself no very polished manners (he is the Squire Gawkey of the libels of the day), and might the better tolerate Goldsmith's; but that their intercourse at present was as frequent as familiar, seems to have been because Lord Clare had most need of a friend. I am

'told,' says a letter-writer of the day, that Doctor Goldsmith now generally lives with his countryman Lord Clare, who has lost his only son, Colonel Nugent.' He was not without occasional mortifications, however, such as his host could not protect him from; and one of them was related by himself. In his diverting simplicity,' says Boswell, speaking with his own much more diverting air of patronage, Goldsmith complained one day, in a mixed company, of Lord Camden. 'I met him,' he said, 'at Lord 'Clare's house in the country; and he took no more notice ' of me than if I had been an ordinary man.' At this, according to Boswell, himself and the company laughed heartily; whereupon Johnson stood forth in defence of his friend.

Nay, gentlemen, Doctor Goldsmith is in the right. 'A nobleman ought to have made up to such a man as 'Goldsmith; and I think it is much against Lord Cam'den that he neglected him.'

It was doubtless much for Lord Clare that he did not. By that simple means, he would seem to have lessened many griefs, and added to many an enjoyment. Attentions are cheaply rendered that win such sympathy as a true heart returns; and if, from the spacious avenues of Gosfield park, Lord Clare had sent an entire buck every season to his friend's humble chambers in the Temple, the single Haunch of Venison which Goldsmith sent him back would richly have repaid him. The charming verses which bear that name were written this year, and seem to have been written for Lord Clare alone; nor was it till two