"Whenever I approached a peafant's "houfe towards night-fall," he used to fay, "I played one of my moft merry "tunes, and that generally procured me "not only a lodging, but fubfiftence for "the next day: but, IN TRUTH" (his conftant expreffion) "I must own, when"ever I attempted to entertain persons of "a higher rank, they always thought my performance odious, and never made "me any return for my endeavours to "please them." On his arrival at Geneva, he was recommended as a proper perfon for a travelling tutor to a young man, who had been unexpectedly left a confiderable fum of money by his uncle Mr. S*** This youth, who was articled to an attorney, on receipt of his fortune determined to fee the world; and, on his engaging * with with his preceptor, made a provifo, that he fhould be permitted to govern himfelf: and our traveller foon found his pupil understood the art of directing in money concerns extremely well, as avarice was his prevailing paffion. During Goldfmith's continuance in Switzerland, he affiduously cultivated his poetical talent, of which he had given fome ftriking proofs at the college of Edinburgh. It was from hence he sent the first sketch of his delightful epistle, called the TRAVELLER, to his brother Henry, a clergyman in Ireland, who, giving up fame and fortune, had retired with an amiable wife to happiness and obfcurity, on an income of only forty pounds a year. The great affection Goldsmith bore for this brother, is thus expressed in the poem abovementioned, and gives a ftriking picture of his fituation. Remote, unfriended, melancholy, flow, Laugh at the jefts or pranks that never fail, Or Or prefs the bashful ftranger to his food, From Geneva Mr. Goldsmith and his pupil proceeded to the fouth of France, where the young man, upon fome difagreement with his preceptor, paid him the fmall part of his falary which was due, and embarked at Marfeilles for England. Our wanderer was left once more upon the world at large, and paffed through a number of difficulties in traverfing the greatest part of France. At length his curiofity being gratified, he bent his course towards England, and arrived at Dover, the beginning of the winter, in the year 1758. His finances were fo low on his return to England, that he with difficulty got to the metropolis, his whole ftock of cash amount amounting to no more than a few halfpence! An entire stranger in London, his mind was filled with the moft gloomy reflections in confequence of his embarraffed fituation! He applied to feveral apothecaries in hopes of being received in the capacity of a journeyman, but his broad Irish accent, and the uncouthness of his appearance, occafioned him to meet with infult from most of the medicinal tribe. The next day, however, a chymift near Fish-street, ftruck with his forlorn condition, and the fimplicity of his manner, took him into his laboratory, where he continued till he discovered that his old friend Dr. Sleigh was in London. That gentleman received him with the warmest affection, and liberally invited him to fhare his purfe till fome eftablish ment could be procured for him. Gold fmith, |